Cost of living crisis

[nightshade]

How are you coping with the rising prices? Do you have any tips on where people can save money?

Let's keep politics out of it and focus on how we can help each other.

 

[HowiMetdaSlayer]

Making more foods on yer own (not pre-made or frozen) helps

 

[nightshade]

I've just changed my internet provider, which saves me a little each month.

 

[The Bronze]

Fortunately I'm not at the sharp end of the cost of greed crisis. Off the top of my head I'd suggest the following could be useful:

• Try not to be embarrassed or feel shame if you're struggling. Widespread struggling is a choice that's largely out of your control.
• Take any help you can get. Check for benefits, use foodbanks etc.
• Check out Jack Monroe's guides on food. Practical advice from someone with years of experience on an extremely low budget.
• Browse Money Saving Expert website for general tips.
• Share subscriptions between friends & family.
• Set reminders in advance of anything auto renewing. Check for better deals and threaten to cancel with current suppliers if they can't match or better offers.
• Research joining a Union. Likely the only defence you'll have against tearing up of current employment rights and future pay cuts.

 

[WillowsFaith]

I been doing side gigs alot more now. It sucks, but not really much I can do, other then apply for higher paying jobs in my field.

 

[Hunga Munga]

My electric is at commercial rates so I've been living the 'cost of living crisis' lifestyle since last year . My bills have effectively doubled in 2 years . I've shaved my electric consumption in half , but my bills have remained the same 😀 .
One of the weird side effects of energy being so expensive , is infrastructure investment pays for itself in months rather than years . So anything that saves you running cost money , efficient appliances , home insulation , big fluffy blankies 😉 etc , it's all worth spending out on now . Things you may not have thought you could afford before make a lot of sense now if they're saving you 2-3 quids worth of winter heat PER DAY !!

So my main advice is strip everything back to the bare bones : then spend your way to a cheaper future . Winter is the main focus . In summer we can live on fresh air, cold showers and salad if we have to . 😛

 

[nightshade]

So anything that saves you running cost money , efficient appliances , home insulation , big fluffy blankies 😉 etc , it's all worth spending out on now

I got an oodie and bought them for people for Christmas, brilliant investment.

 

[Hunga Munga]

I got a killer electric coat at auction on eBay last year , got a great price on it , which was handy because it hasn't really fit into my lifestyle . Had my eye out for an electric throw blankie for a while too . not seen one at a price I like yet.

My success stories won't really apply to many of you . I switched my drinking water from a electric powered rig to a gravity filter system . I must have been spending £1.50+ per day just for drinking water . Now it's 60/70 quid per year for everything .

I bought a couple of cordless chainsaws , protective gear and serviced my older equipment . Think I've cut enough firewood for winter '22 and I've started on 2023 . That's potentially thousands of pounds of savings if my health allows me to run a woodburner through the winters . Going to keep cutting whatever I can lay my hands on during the summer . This winter , I'm thinking I'll fell a load of green trees and just let it lay where it falls in the fields . In the spring I'll be back to process it for 23/24 .

Costswize I've shaved my direct debits to a bare minimum . I know I could do better on phone and internet ...sure there's 20 pound a month to be saved there ...but I just can't face all the bullcrap . It's hard enough for me just to maintain my current obligations without poking at them too . 😛

 

[nightshade]

Oh I do love my electric blanket, much rather put that on than the heating, however it'll be how to get washing dry in winter that'll be the main issue.

 

[Fuffy]

Gas prices are rising, the gas bill gets higher every time...seriously considering getting rid of the car and giving it to a garage that needs parts...taking the bus is cheaper and doesn't involve searching for damn parking.

I've also been ordering in less and buying less things.

 

[Dogs of Winter]

Set reminders in advance of anything auto renewing. Check for better deals and threaten to cancel with current suppliers if they can't match or better offers.

Never let your car insurance auto renew. A lot of companies give you a decent quote to attract you and then start to fleece you in later years. I changed car insurance recently and saved £300. The new company is charging literally half what my old company quoted !!

 

[Hunga Munga]

My neighbour got a grant for a saw dust pellet boiler a few years ago . I thought she was nuts when she's got more trees than the bloody Ents . But her fuel hasn't gone up a penny in 5 years 😛 .

There are UK grants out there for that sort of eco infrastructure investment . In normal times a lot of hassle . Right now , well worth looking into .

 

[BuffyNvrForgets]

Okay, this thread is awesome. I just got my first real job (part-time, as I finish community college) and I'm struggling to work my way towards moving out. I've always been pretty crafty to get around my lack of wealth. I'm definetly using these tips.

On a less "paying bills and surviving" note, I've always been really thrifty. I thrift for clothes all the time. I recently got my sisters and I a little projector, and I got myself a camera. I got them all used for super cheap. Mercari (website) is nice because more often than not you can find what you are looking for for cheap, and they have a system wherein you don't have to worry about being ripped off.

 

[Anyanka Bunny Slayer]

I didn't completely fill the gas tank because I needed to buy stuff OTHER than freaking gas. Like food and cigarettes! Average gas price here in LA is $6.99 a gallon. My truck holds 42 gallons... I'm just going to drive less. (Not getting my nails done is kinda sad, but I'll live)

Obviously, these price hikes everywhere SUCK. How do I save money now? Prioritize! Buying cheaper EVERYTHING, like shampoo, lotion, beauty stuff. I'm shopping at the 99¢ Store a lot more these days. It's difficult because I'm used to buying whatever I want usually. I'm terrible with money, but I'm learning how to....budget. 🤮

 

[TamsinValencia]

To my knowledge it hasn't had an effect on me personally yet but these are the things I will probably do

Only keep one film and television subscription service
Keep shopping costs low with alternative supermarkets
Find a cheaper gym membership and cheaper hobby classes

 

[Bop]

I'm cancelling my gym membership, I have a park near where I live that I can go on long walks/exercise in and my gym membership doesn't even include a swimming pool. I'll just pay the odd £3.00 to go swimming at a leisure centre. If any of you live near somewhere that you can exercise/walk in for free I would recommend doing that instead of the gym.

 

[ILLYRIAN]

Oh lucky Anyanka Bunny Slayer,
to live in a country where petrol is so cheap !
In Australia near here the fuel is $9:90 a gal.
How much is telephone or Internet in America or England.
Here my costs are 45 Gb internet and 5Gb telephone download at $84 per month
Food cost are going up weekly plus with all the flooding a lot of fresh produce is unavailable.

 

[Stake fodder]

Some ways to save gas that I've been trying:

-Turn off your car if you will be idling for more than 60 seconds (though it's hard to know unless you're familiar with the light/intersection)
-Take your foot off the gas and roll to any stop
-Upshift early (only works with us manual-shifters!)
-Make sure your tires are properly inflated
-Keep the windows closed to prevent drag
-Walk instead!

 

[nightshade]

Oh lucky Anyanka Bunny Slayer,
to live in a country where petrol is so cheap !
In Australia near here the fuel is $9:90 a gal.
How much is telephone or Internet in America or England.
Here my costs are 45 Gb internet and 5Gb telephone download at $84 per month
Food cost are going up weekly plus with all the flooding a lot of fresh produce is unavailable.

Aus$ to US$ actually means you're both paying about the same price for fuel!

My new internet should be sorted in 2 weeks, saving me around £10 per month, but I do need to go through what other direct debits I have and see what else can either go or be reduced. Netflix is one I'm reluctant to get rid of as its the only television type thing I have.

 

[Plasma]

On the gas point, important to note that some stations offer more efficient fuel than others. I’m sure that it has something to do with the actual chemical compound of the gas, but I’ve always found that Marathon stations offer the best mileage. If you want more bang for your buck, try to avoid places like Speedway.

@Anyanka Bunny Slayer mentioned this, but shopping at places like Aldi or the Dollar Store is a great thing to do right now. I think a lot of people have a negative stigma around things that are cheap, but you can really save some money at those places, especially compared to bigger chains like Walmart or Meijer.

If you want to buy leisure items, buy them secondhand. An item that may be 8.99 on Amazon may be offered for 1.29 in used condition from a third party seller.

This one might be a bit odd to some, but another way to save money is to fast intermittently. Basically, you only eat one meal a day (or you eat a few things within a small time frame). I did this before the price hikes hit, and you’d be surprised how long things can last when you aren’t eating as much as you might have. It’s also a good and safe way to passively lose weight 🙂