My husband was made redundant 2 years ago and has only been able to pick up low pay rate or casual jobs. I have health issues but am current working 15-20 hours a week (as much as I can handle) he has just been laid off again. We were just starting to catch up and now are back to struggling again. What we get just cover rent (our rent is $60 below average in our area) food and petrol. How do you survive? How do you pay the other bills? Our cars are old and costing us a fortune but haven't beeen able to replace becaus of our situation so we just sink further and further. We have seen a fincial adviser a number of time and have been told we are doing everything right. How do you cut your shopping bill without eating Crap? We are healthy eaters and I cook from scratch as much as possible and don't buy junk food, I might make cookies, cake etc as a treat but that's about it. I shop at Aldi as much as possible too. Just over living like this and can't see an end to it. We can't relocate due to shared custody and honestly I don't want to as I think where we are is no different to other locations and I love where we are.
4 Replies
I hear you. It's wearing, isn't it. I've been on a carers payment for a few years now and I'm always robbing peter to pay Paul.
Things like spaghetti bolognaise and casseroles are our go to because they are filling and pasta and rice are cheap. We can add a salad on the side or fill it with veggies. I avoid cooking things that require one chicken breast per person. We don't need an entire breast each. I can easily share a breast between three people. Meat is expensive, so we always look for the cheapest cuts that will spread.
We grow as much as we can. So I have herbs that we use regularly and a supply of veggies things that are easy to grow. It takes up 3 metres of my garden. We also have a couple of fruit trees and I live in a court yard home so very small garden!
I don't fall for the 'organic' label in supermarkets, research has shown they are no better for you and chemicals are still used despite myths around organic farming practices.
A lot of the veggies we have grown are off shoots from supermarket bought veggies. Eg the stump of celery regrows, the off cuts of spring onions can be regrown over and over.
Is your house big enough or in a desirable location for a boarder? Either a uni student looking for a quiet room or a young professional looking to save for a house deposit. No-one wants to share their space but it could be an option.
No our house is very small.