With high mortgages, what strategies are you using to keep up?

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We're definitely feeling the squeeze a little right now. We're both in the process of negotiating a salary increase and it looks pretty positive these could be going ahead. Just wondered if anyone else is doing the same or are relying on cutbacks or doing something else? Buying more lottery tickets? Lol

And what are your priorities now spending-wise?

I realise I waste a lot of money on unnecessary additional food shops, buying lunches when at work rather than bringing in my own etc Those seem to be where I waste the most (think £100’s of extra a month!)

my mortgage went up £400 a month in Nov so I had to take some action! The £400 shouldn’t really hit me if I stop the unnecessary food buying

I've pushed hard for a promotion and have also increased my hours from 36 a week to 40. This has helped a fair bit. Also set up a separate spending account to help me stick to budgets (food, fuel, online purchases, social stuff). Also cutting back on days out and holidays. Also not doing any (much needed) work on the house or buying any clothes or things for me, and I've cancelled the gym. I'm a single parent so feeling the impact massively

For context, my mortgage has up by £600 per month

Cutback completely on Christmas this year and thinking about reducing to two cars in the summer. Shopping in Lidl, no Spring holiday booked. Used the wood burner as much as possible and turned of radiators in rooms that don't get much use. Cancelled all non essential subscriptions including TV licence as we just don't watch TV anymore. Decided not to heat the conservatory this winter and moved all the plants in to the house.

Making sure our savings are getting the best rates possible has however increased our income noticeably in the last 12 months. The only downer was that after the first 40k that's split into 2 tax free isa's the rest we ended up owing some tax on :(

Should probably add that we make these cutbacks due to cost of living increases. We don't have a mortgage to pay, thankfully that's finished.

Check out food waste charities. They are not food banks and so you don't need to feel guilty about using them and taking resources from others. Just make a donation if free. To good to go prices at around 33%.

https://www.toogoodtogo.com/en-gb

https://fareshare.org.uk

Moved to full-time compressed hours, 5 days in 4, and then got a freelance contract with another organisation on the extra day, so working 6 days in 5. This made a massive difference. Long hours but worth it for getting back the sense of security. Good luck

I went for promotion and got it, so that has increased my earnings a bit but we also have child support and credit card debt coming to an end before the mortgage fixed rate (currently 1.95%) ends so some has been more luck than real effort.