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It's getting tough out there. Feeling the pinch?

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It suddenly feels that the everyday things in life are getting very expensive...it's costing a small fortune to live a no-frills existence these days.
What have you had to think twice about buying / reduce consumption of / or cut out altogether?
No man is worth crawling on this earth.
So much to read, so little time.
So much to read, so little time.
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I've also cut back on using my car as much becauseof it and the mileage this month is the lowest for ages, not even used a quarter of a tank
JackieO
M&S still doing ok on discounts.
Waitrose has got a bit stingy.
Fuel has gone up but we don't do a lot of miles
Beer is still £2 a pint.
Which made me realise just how difficult it is for people to make ends meet.
So much to read, so little time.
Fortunately, we're not fussy eaters and don't have any food allergies or specific dietary needs which makes things easier. We've cut back on red meat and have fish/chicken more (although fish can be expensive), have more F&V and salad, use pulses to pad meals out and virtually everything we eat is cooked from scratch. I do a meal plan every week based around what I already have in and, if there's something needed that I haven't got, can usually find a substitute. If not, it will go on the shopping list and even then I shop around for the best value for money. Portion control and using up LO's also come into the mix. I use the main oven as little as possible (I have a MW, SC and air fryer) but, if I do have to use it, then I'll fill it up with hm scones, jacket spuds etc for the freezer which is my best friend for batch cooking.
Any cash left in my grocery budget at the end of the month (even if it's only a couple of pounds) gets ring-fenced and saved for emergencies. Loose change goes into a jar and gets banked once a month too.
We keep a very close eye on how much gas/electric we use but, as pensioners at home most of the day, do need to keep warm - especially DH who is 80 and has limited mobility and emphysema.
Since retiring, we think very carefully about parting with any cash and definitely have a make-do and mend attitude. We realise though that there are many others far worse off than we are (often through no fault of their own). With that in mind, I always put something in the food bank collection box when I go to the SM - any donation, however small, can make a difference. I just hope I'll always be able to do that rather than being on the receiving end.
We are trying to use the car much less, and virtually never in the village, unless we are on route to somewhere else. I am also trying to keep the use of gas down, and even use less than I did last year. So far, I'm winning, but only just! Like YorksLass, we are pensioners and at home most of the time
Food shopping is definitely more expensive and unfortunately we live quite a way from the SM so have no choice but to use the car. Our nearest is 8 miles away but prefer to drive in the opposite direction to use Lidl and Morrisons and Sainsbugs when we stock up with beans as we like their beans better than the Lidl ones which we used to have but found they were getting more and more sauce in them so not really good value.
I use my air fryer and Remoska as much as possible as well as the microwave. I have a SC but don't really like the way it cooks meat other than when I make things like chilli, curry or savoury mince. Also use it veggie chilli.
I'm definitely getting worried about the increases coming up in April and then again in October as there are no fixed deals available at the moment that are worth signing up to. Hopefully once the utility companies know what the price cap is going to be there might be some fixed price deals worth looking at but we'll have to wait and see!
So much to read, so little time.
I've worked from home since March 2020 additional household bills aren't covered by what I'm saving on petrol it's just as well I have a supply of thick woolies! Unfortunately as a single person household some bills are always going to be the same as multiple households.