Norma Wannell, a retiree in Sydney, must travel throughout three different suburbs in order to complete her twice-monthly grocery shopping, which is a time-consuming and laborious process for her.

In the western suburbs of Sydney, she begins her shopping excursion at Aldi and then continues on to Woolworths. After that, she travels another eight minutes down the road to the IGA in George's Hall.

Last but not least, the 72-year-old pensioner travels an additional 13 minutes, or 6.4 kilometres, to the Coles located in Chipping Norton.

Every two weeks, Ms Wannell goes to four different supermarkets just to look for deals. Credit: Daily Mail.​

Although the supermarket is a little further out of her way, she claims that they have weekly half-price specials that make going there for groceries "more than worthwhile."

"Now, for $80, you only get two small bags. It just goes to show how much has changed, and for many people, it's for the worse," said Ms Wannell.

She is currently living off of her pension, which amounts to $900.80 every two weeks, and she estimates that between $100 and $120 of that amount is spent on food.

Ms Wannell added, "Sometimes less if I can't afford it." For example, if she has an unexpected expense such as a mechanic or medical bill, she will be forced to cut her food budget.

Her meals depend a lot on how far she can stretch her money over the following two weeks and what deals she can find at the four stores. She is also armed with a number of "screenshots," and she uses the photographs as a guide to help her make her way through the aisles.

"This week, I've had baked beans on toast twice. I also got a few of those instant noodle soups from Woolies for $2," she said. "To bulk it up a little, I try to get something like cheese or tomato."

Ms Wannell said she isn't always able to buy fresh produce because of inflation, which has increased the cost of food, fruits and vegetables, and meat by a combined 4.3 per cent (according to the Consumer Price Index).

"I don't buy fresh vegetables very often because they spoil too quickly. So I have to buy frozen," she said.

Ms Wannell has to stick to a tight budget because the cost of living is going up. Credit: Daily Mail.​

The cost of fruits and vegetables has risen by 6.7% year on year, according to the CPI report. Ms Wannell observes that the price of a bunch of kale at one supermarket has risen from $1.99 to $4.90, with the cheapest she can find being $3.90.

The 72-year-old pensioner is also concerned about getting access to meat and other sources of protein. Her grocery cart is limited to a bunch of bananas and a carton of strawberries, as seen in the photos of her fortnightly shop.

In addition to that, she incorporates veggies into her diet by eating some pre-made meals and a frozen mixture of vegetables called 'Winter Vegetables'.

"When it comes to meat, I rarely buy half a kilo. Instead, I buy pre-packaged meats that are already marinated," she explained. "If I serve it with mashed potatoes, mixed greens, or veggies, I can get three meals out of $12."

Ms Wannell is one of Australia's 4.6 million pensioners who are currently struggling with rising living costs and inflation.

About 41% of Australians are now willing to accept that they may have less money in the future because of the pandemic, but this has mostly hurt those in the older bracket.

Recent research from the Australian Seniors Quality of Life Report 2022 revealed that running out of money is a major concern for the senior Australian population.

In fact, 32% of respondents cited it as one of their most significant concerns for the future. Other common responses included concerns about their health, the direction of the world, the welfare and happiness of their family, navigating the aged care system, and losing control.

Because it is anticipated that expenses will continue to rise, Ms Wannell's growing financial struggles have caused her to ask herself some unsettling questions.

"Can I afford to keep doing this, or how much more of my list do I have to delete just to survive?" she wondered. "Where am I going to end up? That's something I've thought about a lot."

For those of you members who rely on your pensions, how are you dealing with the rising cost of groceries and petrol prices? Do you find yourself in a situation that is relatively similar to that of Ms Wannell?

Let us know in the comments section how you’re faring and whether there’s anything we can do to help.

 

[Esma Rose]

Pensioner survives on $50 weekly food budget, shares 'wild' strategy to lessen expenses: "Can I afford to keep doing this?"​

Norma Wannell, a retiree in Sydney, must travel throughout three different suburbs in order to complete her twice-monthly grocery shopping, which is a time-consuming and laborious process for her.

In the western suburbs of Sydney, she begins her shopping excursion at Aldi and then continues on to Woolworths. After that, she travels another eight minutes down the road to the IGA in George's Hall.

Last but not least, the 72-year-old pensioner travels an additional 13 minutes, or 6.4 kilometres, to the Coles located in Chipping Norton.

Every two weeks, Ms Wannell goes to four different supermarkets just to look for deals. Credit: Daily Mail.​

Although the supermarket is a little further out of her way, she claims that they have weekly half-price specials that make going there for groceries "more than worthwhile."

"Now, for $80, you only get two small bags. It just goes to show how much has changed, and for many people, it's for the worse," said Ms Wannell.

She is currently living off of her pension, which amounts to $900.80 every two weeks, and she estimates that between $100 and $120 of that amount is spent on food.

Ms Wannell added, "Sometimes less if I can't afford it." For example, if she has an unexpected expense such as a mechanic or medical bill, she will be forced to cut her food budget.

​

Her meals depend a lot on how far she can stretch her money over the following two weeks and what deals she can find at the four stores. She is also armed with a number of "screenshots," and she uses the photographs as a guide to help her make her way through the aisles.

"This week, I've had baked beans on toast twice. I also got a few of those instant noodle soups from Woolies for $2," she said. "To bulk it up a little, I try to get something like cheese or tomato."

Ms Wannell said she isn't always able to buy fresh produce because of inflation, which has increased the cost of food, fruits and vegetables, and meat by a combined 4.3 per cent (according to the Consumer Price Index).

"I don't buy fresh vegetables very often because they spoil too quickly. So I have to buy frozen," she said.

Ms Wannell has to stick to a tight budget because the cost of living is going up. Credit: Daily Mail.​

The cost of fruits and vegetables has risen by 6.7% year on year, according to the CPI report. Ms Wannell observes that the price of a bunch of kale at one supermarket has risen from $1.99 to $4.90, with the cheapest she can find being $3.90.

The 72-year-old pensioner is also concerned about getting access to meat and other sources of protein. Her grocery cart is limited to a bunch of bananas and a carton of strawberries, as seen in the photos of her fortnightly shop.

In addition to that, she incorporates veggies into her diet by eating some pre-made meals and a frozen mixture of vegetables called 'Winter Vegetables'.

"When it comes to meat, I rarely buy half a kilo. Instead, I buy pre-packaged meats that are already marinated," she explained. "If I serve it with mashed potatoes, mixed greens, or veggies, I can get three meals out of $12."

​

Ms Wannell is one of Australia's 4.6 million pensioners who are currently struggling with rising living costs and inflation.

About 41% of Australians are now willing to accept that they may have less money in the future because of the pandemic, but this has mostly hurt those in the older bracket.

Recent research from the Australian Seniors Quality of Life Report 2022 revealed that running out of money is a major concern for the senior Australian population.

In fact, 32% of respondents cited it as one of their most significant concerns for the future. Other common responses included concerns about their health, the direction of the world, the welfare and happiness of their family, navigating the aged care system, and losing control.

Because it is anticipated that expenses will continue to rise, Ms Wannell's growing financial struggles have caused her to ask herself some unsettling questions.

"Can I afford to keep doing this, or how much more of my list do I have to delete just to survive?" she wondered. "Where am I going to end up? That's something I've thought about a lot."

For those of you members who rely on your pensions, how are you dealing with the rising cost of groceries and petrol prices? Do you find yourself in a situation that is relatively similar to that of Ms Wannell?

Let us know in the comments section how you’re faring and whether there’s anything we can do to help.

 

[Esma Rose]

I started elsewhere & lost it so here I am everyone. Norma must have a car obviously to travel between areas. I did the same but now nearly 97 I gave up my licence 3 years ago. I am inconvenienced without a car but @ my time of life I travel with half-price taxi's & help from my wonderful nephew who delivers my groceries. My son in law drives me to the Doctor & the taxi takes me for blood tests. Am lucky in an area that has everything within a few kilometers. All of us who have grandchildren now parents must find it difficult to budget if they did not have parents like I did who taught them the basics. You cannot compete with the past. Every human being has their own way of living & times have altered. May I dare to say we had a long space between WW1 and WW2 so naturally we spoilt our beautiful G.children rotten. So did their parents. Cars, holidays, 21sts & so on. Now our living has totally changed & it is not all the kids doings. To see & not want is easy for us oldies but for a generation that has been spoilt opens a can of worms IF we look @ it honestly. You only have to look @ the games one buys to satisfy their off-spring. I KNOW when I married straight after WW2, everyone was struggling. Our boys had gone to war so there were no signs of "To LET" or Rentals. It was 10 years before we could all save a deposit on a piece of land. Parents offered a room to house the children who married, but that is yet another unbelievable story. Ask me about the year of 1957 when War Service began building our home in North Balwyn. No Roads for YEARS & the promise of Sewerage in 2 YEARS that turned out to be SIXTEEN YEARS. I promise to have you all in hysterics. The Panmen were Santa Claus to us all "ON Mortgage Hill North Balwyn."

 

[Trudy]

Pensioner survives on $50 weekly food budget, shares 'wild' strategy to lessen expenses: "Can I afford to keep doing this?"​

Norma Wannell, a retiree in Sydney, must travel throughout three different suburbs in order to complete her twice-monthly grocery shopping, which is a time-consuming and laborious process for her.

In the western suburbs of Sydney, she begins her shopping excursion at Aldi and then continues on to Woolworths. After that, she travels another eight minutes down the road to the IGA in George's Hall.

Last but not least, the 72-year-old pensioner travels an additional 13 minutes, or 6.4 kilometres, to the Coles located in Chipping Norton.

Every two weeks, Ms Wannell goes to four different supermarkets just to look for deals. Credit: Daily Mail.​

Although the supermarket is a little further out of her way, she claims that they have weekly half-price specials that make going there for groceries "more than worthwhile."

"Now, for $80, you only get two small bags. It just goes to show how much has changed, and for many people, it's for the worse," said Ms Wannell.

She is currently living off of her pension, which amounts to $900.80 every two weeks, and she estimates that between $100 and $120 of that amount is spent on food.

Ms Wannell added, "Sometimes less if I can't afford it." For example, if she has an unexpected expense such as a mechanic or medical bill, she will be forced to cut her food budget.

​

Her meals depend a lot on how far she can stretch her money over the following two weeks and what deals she can find at the four stores. She is also armed with a number of "screenshots," and she uses the photographs as a guide to help her make her way through the aisles.

"This week, I've had baked beans on toast twice. I also got a few of those instant noodle soups from Woolies for $2," she said. "To bulk it up a little, I try to get something like cheese or tomato."

Ms Wannell said she isn't always able to buy fresh produce because of inflation, which has increased the cost of food, fruits and vegetables, and meat by a combined 4.3 per cent (according to the Consumer Price Index).

"I don't buy fresh vegetables very often because they spoil too quickly. So I have to buy frozen," she said.

Ms Wannell has to stick to a tight budget because the cost of living is going up. Credit: Daily Mail.​

The cost of fruits and vegetables has risen by 6.7% year on year, according to the CPI report. Ms Wannell observes that the price of a bunch of kale at one supermarket has risen from $1.99 to $4.90, with the cheapest she can find being $3.90.

The 72-year-old pensioner is also concerned about getting access to meat and other sources of protein. Her grocery cart is limited to a bunch of bananas and a carton of strawberries, as seen in the photos of her fortnightly shop.

In addition to that, she incorporates veggies into her diet by eating some pre-made meals and a frozen mixture of vegetables called 'Winter Vegetables'.

"When it comes to meat, I rarely buy half a kilo. Instead, I buy pre-packaged meats that are already marinated," she explained. "If I serve it with mashed potatoes, mixed greens, or veggies, I can get three meals out of $12."

​

Ms Wannell is one of Australia's 4.6 million pensioners who are currently struggling with rising living costs and inflation.

About 41% of Australians are now willing to accept that they may have less money in the future because of the pandemic, but this has mostly hurt those in the older bracket.

Recent research from the Australian Seniors Quality of Life Report 2022 revealed that running out of money is a major concern for the senior Australian population.

In fact, 32% of respondents cited it as one of their most significant concerns for the future. Other common responses included concerns about their health, the direction of the world, the welfare and happiness of their family, navigating the aged care system, and losing control.

Because it is anticipated that expenses will continue to rise, Ms Wannell's growing financial struggles have caused her to ask herself some unsettling questions.

"Can I afford to keep doing this, or how much more of my list do I have to delete just to survive?" she wondered. "Where am I going to end up? That's something I've thought about a lot."

For those of you members who rely on your pensions, how are you dealing with the rising cost of groceries and petrol prices? Do you find yourself in a situation that is relatively similar to that of Ms Wannell?

Let us know in the comments section how you’re faring and whether there’s anything we can do to help.

I go to my local food bank most weeks to collect food and some grocery items , as I too live on a pension and almost half of that goes on rent , before I even start paying my bills , I always pay my rent and bills first , then sort out what I can get after that , it’s not easy , but I seem to manage most weeks

 

[JayKay]

I started elsewhere & lost it so here I am everyone. Norma must have a car obviously to travel between areas. I did the same but now nearly 97 I gave up my licence 3 years ago. I am inconvenienced without a car but @ my time of life I travel with half-price taxi's & help from my wonderful nephew who delivers my groceries. My son in law drives me to the Doctor & the taxi takes me for blood tests. Am lucky in an area that has everything within a few kilometers. All of us who have grandchildren now parents must find it difficult to budget if they did not have parents like I did who taught them the basics. You cannot compete with the past. Every human being has their own way of living & times have altered. May I dare to say we had a long space between WW1 and WW2 so naturally we spoilt our beautiful G.children rotten. So did their parents. Cars, holidays, 21sts & so on. Now our living has totally changed & it is not all the kids doings. To see & not want is easy for us oldies but for a generation that has been spoilt opens a can of worms IF we look @ it honestly. You only have to look @ the games one buys to satisfy their off-spring. I KNOW when I married straight after WW2, everyone was struggling. Our boys had gone to war so there were no signs of "To LET" or Rentals. It was 10 years before we could all save a deposit on a piece of land. Parents offered a room to house the children who married, but that is yet another unbelievable story. Ask me about the year of 1957 when War Service began building our home in North Balwyn. No Roads for YEARS & the promise of Sewerage in 2 YEARS that turned out to be SIXTEEN YEARS. I promise to have you all in hysterics. The Panmen were Santa Claus to us all "ON Mortgage Hill North Balwyn."

I well remember the no made roads in North Balwyn of the early 1950s, no sewerage with the nightman calling in daylight hours wearing no more than skimpy navy blue shorts and a navy singlet all year, the iceman delivering your block of ice for the ice chest once a week, the beautiful draught horses carting the rattling bottles of milk sometimes leaving their trademark calling card on the unmade road which was like gold for the newly created garden, the magpies pecking the foil milk bottle lids if you didn't get it in before they got up, the kerosene lanterns before electricity, the kerosene heater to cook the meals on.......oh, those memories of hard times living frugally. They were good days.
No take away food, everything was homemade.

 

[Ricci]

I too used to sit and pore over all the catalogues from each of the Supermarkets and plan my shopping day around them. I have now given up on that as when I calculated the fuel costs into the prices I decided to cut my losses and only buy from my nearest shop. All the specials come around eventually, the trick is to have enough in "stock" to last until they come around again.

 

[Robyn M for Mary]

I wonder how much money she spends on petrol and car maintenance driving all those kilometres in order to get her cheap specials.

 

[Happymad]

I wonder how much money she spends on petrol and car maintenance driving all those kilometres in order to get her cheap specials.

That’s what I was thinking stay local and save

 

[Elizabeth Gregoran]

Pensioner survives on $50 weekly food budget, shares 'wild' strategy to lessen expenses: "Can I afford to keep doing this?"​

Norma Wannell, a retiree in Sydney, must travel throughout three different suburbs in order to complete her twice-monthly grocery shopping, which is a time-consuming and laborious process for her.

In the western suburbs of Sydney, she begins her shopping excursion at Aldi and then continues on to Woolworths. After that, she travels another eight minutes down the road to the IGA in George's Hall.

Last but not least, the 72-year-old pensioner travels an additional 13 minutes, or 6.4 kilometres, to the Coles located in Chipping Norton.

Every two weeks, Ms Wannell goes to four different supermarkets just to look for deals. Credit: Daily Mail.​

Although the supermarket is a little further out of her way, she claims that they have weekly half-price specials that make going there for groceries "more than worthwhile."

"Now, for $80, you only get two small bags. It just goes to show how much has changed, and for many people, it's for the worse," said Ms Wannell.

She is currently living off of her pension, which amounts to $900.80 every two weeks, and she estimates that between $100 and $120 of that amount is spent on food.

Ms Wannell added, "Sometimes less if I can't afford it." For example, if she has an unexpected expense such as a mechanic or medical bill, she will be forced to cut her food budget.

​

Her meals depend a lot on how far she can stretch her money over the following two weeks and what deals she can find at the four stores. She is also armed with a number of "screenshots," and she uses the photographs as a guide to help her make her way through the aisles.

"This week, I've had baked beans on toast twice. I also got a few of those instant noodle soups from Woolies for $2," she said. "To bulk it up a little, I try to get something like cheese or tomato."

Ms Wannell said she isn't always able to buy fresh produce because of inflation, which has increased the cost of food, fruits and vegetables, and meat by a combined 4.3 per cent (according to the Consumer Price Index).

"I don't buy fresh vegetables very often because they spoil too quickly. So I have to buy frozen," she said.

Ms Wannell has to stick to a tight budget because the cost of living is going up. Credit: Daily Mail.​

The cost of fruits and vegetables has risen by 6.7% year on year, according to the CPI report. Ms Wannell observes that the price of a bunch of kale at one supermarket has risen from $1.99 to $4.90, with the cheapest she can find being $3.90.

The 72-year-old pensioner is also concerned about getting access to meat and other sources of protein. Her grocery cart is limited to a bunch of bananas and a carton of strawberries, as seen in the photos of her fortnightly shop.

In addition to that, she incorporates veggies into her diet by eating some pre-made meals and a frozen mixture of vegetables called 'Winter Vegetables'.

"When it comes to meat, I rarely buy half a kilo. Instead, I buy pre-packaged meats that are already marinated," she explained. "If I serve it with mashed potatoes, mixed greens, or veggies, I can get three meals out of $12."

​

Ms Wannell is one of Australia's 4.6 million pensioners who are currently struggling with rising living costs and inflation.

About 41% of Australians are now willing to accept that they may have less money in the future because of the pandemic, but this has mostly hurt those in the older bracket.

Recent research from the Australian Seniors Quality of Life Report 2022 revealed that running out of money is a major concern for the senior Australian population.

In fact, 32% of respondents cited it as one of their most significant concerns for the future. Other common responses included concerns about their health, the direction of the world, the welfare and happiness of their family, navigating the aged care system, and losing control.

Because it is anticipated that expenses will continue to rise, Ms Wannell's growing financial struggles have caused her to ask herself some unsettling questions.

"Can I afford to keep doing this, or how much more of my list do I have to delete just to survive?" she wondered. "Where am I going to end up? That's something I've thought about a lot."

For those of you members who rely on your pensions, how are you dealing with the rising cost of groceries and petrol prices? Do you find yourself in a situation that is relatively similar to that of Ms Wannell?

Let us know in the comments section how you’re faring and whether there’s anything we can do to help.

People concentrate to much on savings on Food.. try Saving on the big items and you can live better

 

[gollywog]

I too used to sit and pore over all the catalogues from each of the Supermarkets and plan my shopping day around them. I have now given up on that as when I calculated the fuel costs into the prices I decided to cut my losses and only buy from my nearest shop. All the specials come around eventually, the trick is to have enough in "stock" to last until they come around again.

I totally agree with you Ricci, 'enough stock' is definitely the trick!!!

 

[gollywog]

People concentrate to much on savings on Food.. try Saving on the big items and you can live better

Unfortunately, you have to look at everything to 'stretch' that dollar further!!

 

[Zac]

Pensioner survives on $50 weekly food budget, shares 'wild' strategy to lessen expenses: "Can I afford to keep doing this?"​

Norma Wannell, a retiree in Sydney, must travel throughout three different suburbs in order to complete her twice-monthly grocery shopping, which is a time-consuming and laborious process for her.

In the western suburbs of Sydney, she begins her shopping excursion at Aldi and then continues on to Woolworths. After that, she travels another eight minutes down the road to the IGA in George's Hall.

Last but not least, the 72-year-old pensioner travels an additional 13 minutes, or 6.4 kilometres, to the Coles located in Chipping Norton.

Every two weeks, Ms Wannell goes to four different supermarkets just to look for deals. Credit: Daily Mail.​

Although the supermarket is a little further out of her way, she claims that they have weekly half-price specials that make going there for groceries "more than worthwhile."

"Now, for $80, you only get two small bags. It just goes to show how much has changed, and for many people, it's for the worse," said Ms Wannell.

She is currently living off of her pension, which amounts to $900.80 every two weeks, and she estimates that between $100 and $120 of that amount is spent on food.

Ms Wannell added, "Sometimes less if I can't afford it." For example, if she has an unexpected expense such as a mechanic or medical bill, she will be forced to cut her food budget.

​

Her meals depend a lot on how far she can stretch her money over the following two weeks and what deals she can find at the four stores. She is also armed with a number of "screenshots," and she uses the photographs as a guide to help her make her way through the aisles.

"This week, I've had baked beans on toast twice. I also got a few of those instant noodle soups from Woolies for $2," she said. "To bulk it up a little, I try to get something like cheese or tomato."

Ms Wannell said she isn't always able to buy fresh produce because of inflation, which has increased the cost of food, fruits and vegetables, and meat by a combined 4.3 per cent (according to the Consumer Price Index).

"I don't buy fresh vegetables very often because they spoil too quickly. So I have to buy frozen," she said.

Ms Wannell has to stick to a tight budget because the cost of living is going up. Credit: Daily Mail.​

The cost of fruits and vegetables has risen by 6.7% year on year, according to the CPI report. Ms Wannell observes that the price of a bunch of kale at one supermarket has risen from $1.99 to $4.90, with the cheapest she can find being $3.90.

The 72-year-old pensioner is also concerned about getting access to meat and other sources of protein. Her grocery cart is limited to a bunch of bananas and a carton of strawberries, as seen in the photos of her fortnightly shop.

In addition to that, she incorporates veggies into her diet by eating some pre-made meals and a frozen mixture of vegetables called 'Winter Vegetables'.

"When it comes to meat, I rarely buy half a kilo. Instead, I buy pre-packaged meats that are already marinated," she explained. "If I serve it with mashed potatoes, mixed greens, or veggies, I can get three meals out of $12."

​

Ms Wannell is one of Australia's 4.6 million pensioners who are currently struggling with rising living costs and inflation.

About 41% of Australians are now willing to accept that they may have less money in the future because of the pandemic, but this has mostly hurt those in the older bracket.

Recent research from the Australian Seniors Quality of Life Report 2022 revealed that running out of money is a major concern for the senior Australian population.

In fact, 32% of respondents cited it as one of their most significant concerns for the future. Other common responses included concerns about their health, the direction of the world, the welfare and happiness of their family, navigating the aged care system, and losing control.

Because it is anticipated that expenses will continue to rise, Ms Wannell's growing financial struggles have caused her to ask herself some unsettling questions.

"Can I afford to keep doing this, or how much more of my list do I have to delete just to survive?" she wondered. "Where am I going to end up? That's something I've thought about a lot."

For those of you members who rely on your pensions, how are you dealing with the rising cost of groceries and petrol prices? Do you find yourself in a situation that is relatively similar to that of Ms Wannell?

Let us know in the comments section how you’re faring and whether there’s anything we can do to help.

It is getting more difficult to keep to a low budget. We only have the aged pension but still manage a treat or two. My Mum was a “ depression cook” and I learned a lot from her. I cook larger amounts and freeze portions for two and apart from an apple turnover from Woolies once a week I do all my own baking. We are fortunate to own our own home and are debt free. We also have solar for an electricity bill is not an issue for us.