Everything goes up except....

[Kazzo]

Our house hold income.

I am so sick of hearing about a rise here and a rise there, it is only an extra $40 a month, $1 a day, $200-300 pa.

Since I started Maternity leave in 2009 we have had a budget to live by. Since then we have had to find another $250 a month and now it will be changing again. Our house hold income has not gine up anywhere near that amount.

It just sucks. No wonder so many people are doing it tough.

[KimmyF]

I'm hearing you Kazzo, just this afternoon I have sat down trying to organise the budget again and find money for bills and expenses and no matter which way I look at it, it never seems to get any better, we are going to be sooooo tight for awhile. I have my fingers crossed for a good tax return and because we claim any thing from centrelink at the end of financial year I am praying that we get a lovely surprise from them to. We really need it this year.
You're right it completely sucks!

[Miss.September]

Oh yeah, hearing you loud and clear. And then they put interest rates up because of inflation rising - it's rising because everything is so expensive not because we're buying anything extra!!!!

I found going to the market for meat and buying fruit and veg straight off the farm has helped us. Today I got a big box of fruit and veg (got potatoes, tomatoes, red and green capsicum, apples, pumpkin) for $20 bucks. It's a lifesaver!

[forshelby]

I hear ya! We've been doing it pretty tough for a whole year now............. I don't know how much tougher things can get before we have to start sacrificing the big things. We already don't go out for dinner, don't indulge in takeaway no matter how exhausted I am...... it's rough!

We ditched pay tv, sold a bunch of stuff, even borrowed money when DS was born. I don't know what we'll do next. DP is going to increase his hours to a 6 day working week just so we can scrape by....... and I feel awful that I can't contribute right now. Getting a job is not an option, as the CC costs would almost invalidate any work I've done. Electricity is so expensive now I can only justify having 2 lights on in the house at a time.

Oh man, do I hear ya!!!!!!!!!!!! Our families need help. The cost of living has never been so high. I'm afraid of what the future might hold for us if things keep increasing the way they are.

[AnyDream]

I enjoyed the news of my annual payrise for exactly 6 days until the childcare provider announced fees are going up...by $30 more than my payrise.

[Ca Plane Pour Moi]

I hear you. Without the fact I now have a paying job, we'd have gone under. We are practically living on thin air. What would it cost to implant chlorophyll under our skin? That would save us a lot of food money every month.

I can get a jumper for £1.20, a DVD for £1, a loaf of bread for £1.50 (on offer). So I may starve, but at least I can afford new clothes for my diminishing figure.

[Astrid]

Just thankful here that I recently found work, as we were starting to go backwards. It will take me 6 mths at least undo the damage.

I find it hard as DH is meant to be on a good income and people think we should have no money worries. MIL has no idea on the costs of family living these days and of course childfree BIL definitely has no concept of 1 wage paying for a family of four.

[~Hestia~]

Oh I know, a lot of us are in the same boat I'm a SAHM and DH has been on the same income for I don't know how long. Everytime the bills arrive they're bigger no matter what we do! Although I'm now pregnant I was thinking about a casual/part time job to help out. But then what do we do with DS? Can't afford CC and have no family to help us out in that respect.

I went to get some basic fruit, only enough for a couple of days, plus about 200g of mushrooms...$28