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What should we include in MSE's new Cost of Living survival guide?

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Hi MoneySavers
Cost of living crisis survival guide:
As you may have seen from Martin Lewis's posts on Facebook and Twitter today, he's putting together a new cost of living survival guide to be published on the MSE site.
In @MSE_Martin's words:
Please add your suggestions to this thread and we'll pass the best ones on to Martin.
There are some great threads already with ideas for trimming spending, like this one and this one - we'll be sure to pick up some suggestions from the ones already shared.
What suggestions would you give to a friend or relative who was looking for help with their rising bills?
Which sources of support do you think should be better known?
We'd really like to tap in to the collective wisdom of our fantastic community of MoneySavers. Thank you!
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[[MSE INSERT, 6 APRIL 2022] Thanks for all your comments. The guide is now live:Cost of living crisis survival guide:
90 ways to save from MSE and MoneySavers
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As you may have seen from Martin Lewis's posts on Facebook and Twitter today, he's putting together a new cost of living survival guide to be published on the MSE site.
In @MSE_Martin's words:
of course I'll do all the usual bill cutting stuff, grants etc.
Any suggestions of things we may've missed eg 'claim free school meals for kids' would be great so we can help as many as poss
There are some great threads already with ideas for trimming spending, like this one and this one - we'll be sure to pick up some suggestions from the ones already shared.
What suggestions would you give to a friend or relative who was looking for help with their rising bills?
Which sources of support do you think should be better known?
We'd really like to tap in to the collective wisdom of our fantastic community of MoneySavers. Thank you!
Official MSE Forum Team member.
Please report all problem posts to [email protected]
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I know this is a very different topic from the usual MSE and you'd need to find reputable and reliable advisors, but I think the science and detail is missing from most/(all?) advice on how to eat cheaply and I think it would remove a lot of worries of people, particularly parents, to know that they had the knowledge on how to optimise a restricted budget to eat healthily.
We also have a monthly repair cafe where for free or a small donation you can have items repaired and covers a wide range of experts to help with most things from IT / Electrical / sewing / toys etc
Look out for seed or plant swap groups
We are only a small town but most towns have similar groups on offer
Thanks also @Brambling - your post in another thread about community fridges and repair cafes was something that had already caught my eye and I'd included in the list of ideas from the forum I've sent to colleagues
Yes! And a week's menu, maybe? If you're really stressed, you won't have the energy to think properly and are more likely to go for the fast and ready option, instead of the healthy option.
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If fresh food is on the sell by date, it is often wise to use at least some on the day, and probably to cook the rest to use later in the week.
On the other hand, planned cooking, not just meal-planning, can save a lot of fuel. If you are going to have an oven on, cook a roast, a casserole, a batch of beans, roasted veggies, pasta sauce and if you wish a pudding or cake. If you cook potatoes, pasta or rice or a sauce, make extra to use later. They get used up in lunchtime salads, as hash with left-over roast, in a "Spanish" omelette.
The other thing is about food storage. Fruit and veg are sold in plastic which leads it to sweat and rot really quickly. Get it out of the plastic, keep it cool and not too dry and it can last ages, as long as the skin is intact. Courgettes, peppers, aubergine and cucumbers, tomatoes can last a month. Onions, kept warm and dry, last six months; some apples the same, if kept cool and not too dry. Obviously not easy in a centrally heated flat, but worth thinking about where is best for what in your situation.
And stuff like salad leaves is sold in a modified atmosphere. So it rots very quickly once opened, salad leaves go off in two days, whilst a hearted lettuce can last 2 weeks in winter and more than a week in summer, outside the fridge.
And heating a property for one costs very little less than for two and possibly half that for a larger family. Invest in vests, fluffy socks and shoes with thick soles.
Wearing a dressing gown or similar inside if cold, having a summer / winter duvet.
01.04.22 £56962 01.05.22 £55935 01.06.22 £54429 01.07.22 £53545 01.08.22 £52654 01.09.22 £51912 01.10.22 £50962
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