How to Deal with a Forced Cost of Living Crisis 

Finances

The situation -

A recent report (august 2022) found the average household would run out of money in less than 3 weeks if they were to lose their income.

Almost 2 million people over the past 2 years are arriving at the end of the month with nothing spare after covering the basics.

This increased over the last 2 years according to a report done by Legal & General. Based on the current cost of living it is thought that the average daily living expense is £93 per day, that is £ 651 per week.

With so many already living pay-check to pay-check with little to no savings and prices going up way past the average household's income more will be lunged into poverty.

The everyday person is being asked the impossible.

How can you live within your means when your means is out of proportion to all the expenses you are expected to pay out!

As usual it is the households and families already left vulnerable that will be hit the hardest. With a fall of “real” amounts of disposable income small business will also struggle to stay afloat in the coming months too.

This is all caused by predominantly high levels of inflation taking over any wage or benefit increases. This is further exacerbated by recent tax increases.

All of this impacts spending and has and leads to behavioural changes within society. Food prices are up 88%, Gas and electricity are up 83% and fuel by 77%.

Helpful ideas/suggestions -

I repeat again, I realise some people will not be able to do some of the things on the list when I share in each section helpful tips. And maybe some of you are already doing a good amount on the list already.

Whatever your situation you maybe can find something here, even if it just one or two things you had not yet thought of. Just take what works for your personal situation and do not worry about the rest.

Or maybe you can offer them as suggestions to people who will benefit from them.

Buy or invest in reusable alternatives such as storage bags, zip lock bags, cloth hankies and wash clothes

Make your own cleaning products

Buy in bulk

Use soap nuts/ conkers for soap detergent

Use old clothes for cloths

Repair clothes before you buy new ones

Cut down on cleaning products

Stop buying unnecessary items such as paper towels, fabric conditioners, air fresheners etc.

Reduce toiletries

Cut costly habits such as smoking, gambling, drinking alcohol etc.

Clean glass jars and use as storage containers

Cancel direct debits not needed

Cancel subscriptions

Cancel gym memberships

Sell what you do not need

Buy second hand

Buy to last and look after things so they do last

Look for everyday opportunities such as better deals, better paying job, savings

Negotiate to get better deals

Take the help offered guilt free

Payment plans

Debt advice

Debt Consolidation services

Walk more

Work out in nature instead of a gym

Use public transport

Try and do odd jobs round the house yourself rather than hire someone to do them

Think need over want

Use the local library

Financial resilience -

to the extent different groups/ members of the community can absorb the cost of living.

Be honest with everyone before family events and gatherings such as Christmas and arrange perhaps just gifts for the children or just a meal and get together instead. It is not worth going into debt or putting extra stress on yourself or family members for one day.

Create a better framework to work with connected to the current financial situation.

Budget – make sure you have room to breath

An example of a budget planner.

Please have a look online as there are lots you can download and print off for free just like this one, I found as an example for you.

F.I.R.E community

Minimalist Community

Side hustle – watch out for trends

Mind-set shift

Survival basics -

Cut unnecessary expenses

Remove all you do not need as in costs, expenses, outgoings

Reserve cash for food and family needs

Keep some spare cash in your wallet

Invest in gold and silver

Have things you can swap with others or barter such as food, bin liners, blankets, first aid etc.

Energetics –

Money is energy, its flows to us and from us. A healthy economy allows for this natural energetic flow.

A corrupt system has led to stagnation and manipulation as to where money flows and pools the most. What we believe about

money also has an impact on this natural flow.

Mental constructs formed from what we saw and heard as children and growing shapes our own relationship with money.

Many of us subconsciously pick up family patterns from a very young age and carry on these patterns for most of our adult lives. Between the ages of 0-14 subconscious beliefs about and connected to money are formed and imprinted into our subconscious minds.

We pick up the beliefs and behaviours from parents, family, community, media, and society. We take on imprinting that then shapes our own beliefs and behaviours around money.

We will play out the same themes and patterns as other family members, without even realising we are doing that. The more conscious and aware we can be of these patterns emerging, the more we will begin to realise what is ours and what is generational patterns passed down to us.

Value of money is only backed up by how much value we put to it

Connected back to Value and self-value

Connected back to Worth and self-worth

Our self-worth has a real impact on money flow. When we allow the opinions of others to keep us stuck or dictate our own choices, we are giving our power away to those other people and not living from a place of our truth.

When we have issues with self-worth and self-esteem, we tend to keep ourselves small. We tend to shy away from pushing ourselves forward and showing others what we are capable of. We box ourselves into a tiny space and limit ourselves. We can start to feel overlooked; this is because we start to overlook ourselves. We will put other people's needs before our own.

We often find ourselves giving so much and not getting much back. This is because we are not truly valuing our own time, energy, or gifts. If we do not value ourselves then how can we expect other people to Value us. It all starts with us and then ripples out. That is why inner work is so important.

When we value ourselves more and appreciate ourselves more, we get into this natural flow of energy to us and from us. There is a direct correlation between what we feel about ourselves and what is flowing towards us. The thing to remember is we all have so much value. We all have so much to offer and to give. You might not believe that right now, yet this is true for everyone on this planet right now.

We all hold so much potential, infinite potential. We just need to tap into it and bring it to the fore. When we start to believe in ourselves much more and start to understand how much richness we have within us, within our unique character and who we are, that will start shining through more and more. We will worry less about the opinions of others. We will be able to stand tall in who we are and have the confidence to do what is right for us at all times. We will be able to build from strong foundations.

You can push forward in any direction that is right for you, once you believe in yourself and value yourself enough. When we have some very negative minded people around us, they can project all of their insecurities onto us. Sometimes they will knock us down and try and keep us small because they feel threatened when they see us grow, improve, and make positive changes.

Do not let them prevent you from growing. You may want to distance yourself from these people and focus on your needs. You will then have space for people to come into your life who will support you and encourage you as you grow and improve.

Remember...

You do not need the approval of others to do what feels best for you! Let go of all people pleasing ways of being and seeking outside validation!

Only you have the power to control how you feel about yourself, no matter what other people think, feel, or say about you!

You always get to choose how you react and respond in any given situation!

Your true value comes from within you.

Remember you was born with value, and you will die with value, and that will never leave you, no matter what happens in your life!

Your unique expression of life has value ~ Be you to the fullest and celebrate your life to the fullest!

Worth / Value connected to other peoples, companies, products etc needs to be corrected.

Healing -

What can I use less of or swap out for a more sustainable alternative?

What you deserve to be making & what is possible?

Move from scarcity to Abundance – what is available?

How can you pivot?

A Worldwide problem with consumption – Our aim must be to minimise overall Worldwide consumption

Self-enquiry -

How can you personally create more value to your life?

Focus on what can you do

Solution based mind-set

Affirmations -

I stay flexible and stay open and allow for healthy changes to take place in my life