A Leeds mum can't afford to buy workwear for a new job or even afford to shop in Tesco as the cost of living crisis continues to rear its ugly head.
Shoppers travels from miles around to the big Tesco in Seacroft. But one woman living in the area has had to avoid the massive food outlet at all costs.
Leeds teaching assistant Jodie Davies, who is a mum-of-one, can no longer afford to shop there. With three-year-old daughter Willow in tow, she was visiting the Seacroft Jobcentre to apply for money to buy work wear.
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Jodie wanted £150 for the clothing but had to leave with £75. “It will be helpful, it’s better than nothing,” she shrugged.
After being out of work for three years while studying and being on maternity leave, she’s keen to re-join the work force. Jodie used to work in retail but wanted to pursue her passion of educating children, so took a course in Teacher Assisting and Early Years Levels 2 and 3.
Even with her husband toiling away at two jobs around the clock and help from her parents, it’s still a struggle. “You don’t know until you live it,” warned Jodie about how stressful it has been.
Speaking about the living crisis, Jodie said: “Travel definitely went up, just the cost of getting on the bus. Food prices have absolutely rocketed, I must admit I haven’t suffered the rise of gas and electric.
“I’ve now gone from doing a big shop at Tesco to now having to go to two, maybe three shops, to be able to save money. Aldi, Heron Foods, Fultons Foods and pound shops. I live close to the shops, so I just walk to all of them.
“I would have had to skip meals if I hadn’t had my parents to help. My husband works two jobs, he does labouring and he’s a chef as well. He works 9-3pm and then he works until 11pm at a pub. I’m working as well because I have to.”
This comes as 40 per cent of parents in Leeds said they’ve felt the need to skip meals as food prices soar, and households are expected to pay an extra £700 on energy over the course of the next year.
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