A former nurse living on Universal Credit says the cost of living crisis has forced her to resort to drinking curdled milk and eating out-of-date food.
Bonnie Noel, 65, cannot work because of injury and lives on Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment. She told the Mirror that rising prices have been "just hellish" and that she has had to make severe cutbacks.
Bonnie, who lives in a council bungalow in Surrey, said: "The worst started when the £20-a-week uplift was no longer afforded to people on benefits. Now I drink curdled milk or have it as yoghurt, for the protein.
"I buy food that is on special offer. I eat food up to two weeks after the use-by date if it doesn't smell or look off. I cook it on a high temperature in the microwave and if it tastes okay, I eat it. So far, no food poisoning.
"I eat one meal containing protein a day. The rest is potatoes with tomatoes, bananas and the cheapest fruit and veg on sale. I am fortunate in a way as I know there are people far worse off than me. I live on what the government gives me and I am grateful for it."
Bonnie says she is not naturally a "thrifty person" but that she has been forced into that way of life as the cost of groceries, energy and other bills has risen. She only showers once a week and cuts her own hair to help save money.
Other ways she saves money include not running the washing machine for a full cycle. Instead she presses pause when running a cold wash and lets her clothes soak instead. "It works!" she added.
Bonnie's constant companion is her dog, called Luca, who she rescued from a farm in her native Ireland. She said: "My dog doesn't go without, and he still has his treats."
She says she has also had to cut back on washing dishes to bring her bills under control.
"I wash my dishes in one go usually every five to seven days, just as well it's not warm outside due to flies and rodents," Bonnie explained. "I collect my used tissues to wipe cutlery and plates clean before washing."
She said her local Citizens Advice Bureau refused to refer her to a food bank, saying she should be able to get by on the benefits she receives.
"I asked for some milk, bread and any fresh fruit available two months ago," she said. "But they said they could not in all conscience afford me this as I should be managing on the benefits I receive."
Bonnie gets around £850 a month in combined Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payments. Opposite her bungalow is a Waitrose - which is not an ideal supermarket for those on a budget.
But Bonnie said the kind supermarket staff have been known to make her gifts of food. She said: "Sometimes it has been more than I could carry home, and I want to make a sincere thank-you."
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