Cost of living crisis: Tipperary woman cuts out fruit and meat to 'try and exist on her pension'

The rising cost of fuel and groceries is putting householders under pressure

Nancy White at her home in Lorrha, Tipperary: she has reduced her intake of red meat and fruit to save money. Photo: Brian Arthur

For Nancy White, the increase in the cost of living means making choices like reducing meat and fruit in her diet, and forgoing something to ensure she can afford to put tyres on her car.

The pensioner, who lives in Lorrha in Tipperary, says the spiralling cost of living has hit her in a number of different ways in recent months. Everything has gone up, says Nancy, including the cost of milk, butter, fuel and petrol.

She says: “I am living in a rural area with no bus services at all. You need your car to get out — to go get your shopping or your pension. It is gone sky high.” 

She says her car needs four new tyres and adds: “I will have to cut back on something else to buy those.” 

In relation to food, she says she has been cutting back on items including meat in the past four to five months to help her meet the increased cost of living.

She explains: “I have cut down on the amount of meat. Fruit is not keeping so you buy it and within a few days it has to be thrown out, so I am cutting down on that. I am not getting my ‘five a day’ as I should be getting. 

That has been very important to me but I have had to cut because I am trying to exist on my pension.

She adds: “I don’t have meat every single day.”

She says she has replaced meat in her dinner with eggs or cheap, fresh fish.

She paid more than €900 late last year for home heating oil which she hopes will last her until September.

She believes the old age pension should be increased to help older people deal with the increased cost of living.

What's your view on this issue?

You can tell us here

Kildare woman Brigid O’Hora says she and her partner Gideon Jasper are parents to five-year-old triplets. Brigid says they will shop around this year for car insurance, unlike in previous years.

She says they have received a quote from their usual insurer which is up by €150 — and they have also now been hit with a bill for their refuse collection, which is now going up by 30%.

Brigid O'Hora and Gideon Jasper from Kildare with their children, from left, Beatrice, Jude and Will. They pay about €600 every two months for their gas, whereas last summer the bill was €250. Picture: Moya Nolan

And, she says: “The diesel for the car is after becoming a lot more expensive — considerably so. I cannot believe how much the heating has gone up.” 

Their home is heated by gas, with a bill of about €600 every two months. Although accepting the winter months will result in a higher heating bill, she says they were paying just €250 every two months last summer.

She expects “another whopper” of a bill to cover heating for January and February.

Price comparison website bonkers.ie says measures such as carbon tax, Vat and stamp duty are impacting on the cost of living.

Daragh Cassidy, head of communications at bonkers.ie says: “While it’s true that many of the reasons for the recent spike in inflation are outside of its control, there are numerous ways in which the Government adds to the cost of living here. 

"At 23%, our standard rate of Vat is one of the highest in the world. However, there are other charges such as carbon tax, excise duty, stamp duty and surcharges which add to the cost of living in Ireland too.”