Illawarra residents are hopeful that cost of living measures announced in last night's federal budget will give them a bit of breathing room, without adding to inflation pressures that are eating into any left over income.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The centrepiece of Treasurer Jim Chalmers' budget is a $14.6 billion cost-of-living package, made up of increases to welfare payments such as the single parents benefit, a lift to JobSeeker and energy subsidies.
Read more: Winners and losers in the federal budget
Warrawong single mother-of-three Jess Hill said when she woke up with $0 in her bank balance, it was the latest realisation of the impact of constant price rises eating into her family's budget.
Ms Hill runs a dance and fitness studio, and has been seeing the impact of rising inflation and interest rate hikes on her customers.
"The people that need to come to my business to keep me afloat are dropping off, because I'm essentially a subscription service to other people," she said.
"Their cuts to discretionary spending means that my discretionary spending is down to as close to zero as I can get it."
Ms Hill earns roughly $2500 a fortnight, but balancing daily expenses as well as child care while she works means there is little left over.
"I can't necessarily afford care, nor can I afford not to have care for my kids," she said.
"I'm always juggling."
Rapid increases in the price of food and energy is driving some of the Illawarra's most vulnerable to the edge.
Wollongong Disability pensioner Sonja Oudhoff said the cost of food has doubled.
"From fresh fruit and vegetables, I've had to go to frozen," she said.
Ms Oudhoff said she has been paying extra to her electricity provider to have credits built up for when a forecast hike in her utility bill kicks in she will have some breathing room.
That rise has already hit aged pensioner Bill Vernon. After expenses are taken out of his pension, Mr Vernon is left with $300 a week.
Since moving into subsidised housing in Bulli, Mr Vernon has been paying $100 a quarter for electricity, but the latest bill jumped to $150.
"It makes you feel as though you're going downhill."
Instead of driving, the former teacher is taking public transport more, to defray the cost of fuel, and hasn't had his car serviced in more than a year.
"I am a great cook, I tend to cook most meals, but I'm starting over the past three, four, five months to eat more cooked, pre-prepared meals, I'd never do that in the past," he said.
"The other day I spent $12 on 500 grams of meat, so that's going to be a stir fry for hopefully three meals.
"I'm eating very economically."
Mr Vernon said he was hopeful he would be eligible for the government's promised energy price relief.
"Anything helps me as a single income pensioner."
For Ms Oudhoff, she is already limiting the amount of doctor's visits she makes a year and a forecast rise in the cost of her medication is something she is preparing for. Changes to dispensing rules will mean her scripts may be cheaper, but any price rises are something she will have to wear.
"I just have to deal with it."
At Ms Hill's place, she knows what it is like to live on a budget, and is looking at what else can go if the situation doesn't improve.
"I've been a single mum for a long time, I'm pretty good at being poor," she said.
"I will just live in a leaner and leaner way."
All three hope that a Labor government elected on the promise that no one will be left behind will deliver on this vision.
Our news app has had a makeover, making it faster and giving you access to even more great content. Download The Illawarra Mercury news app in the Apple Store and Google Play.
