‘Three meals a day? What am I, a millionaire?’: Woman shares things she’s given up as cost of living increases

An Australian woman facing the realities of cost-of-living increases shared a depressing list of things she's given up as life has become less and less affordable.

The TikTok video comes courtesy of Brisbane, Australia-based creator Alyssa Ablon (@allyssaablon01), who stitched from @aussiepsychstudent's list of "3 things I've given up as the cost of living increases." Ablon sarcastically says, "Oh my God, I love this game" before delving into the list.

The video went up last Thursday and has generated more than 345,000 views since then.

She says that No. 1 on the list of what she's had to given up is "lunch."

@allyssaablon01 #stitch with @AussiePsychStudent #costoflivingcrisis #australia #costofliving #disabledtok #chronicillness #disabilityawareness #disabledtiktoker #spoonie #chronicallyill #dysautonomia #mecfs #chronicpain #chronicfatigue #neurodivergent #neurospicy #autisticcreator #brisbane ♬ original sound - Allyssa Ablon

"Three meals a day? What am I, a millionaire?" she sarcastically questions.

Then keying off the other TikToker's mention of fresh fruit, Ablon cites, "Fresh anything. I have frozen berries, tinned fruit, frozen vegetables, frozen meat, and fish. Fresh food? Insane."

It then turns even darker, with the third item on the list being "prescription medicines." She cites that despite having chronic medical conditions requiring management via medication, "It is no longer possible for me to afford all of them."

She also says she had to give up therapy despite having post-traumatic stress disorder and "also starting to figure out how I learned to live in the world now that I know that I'm autistic, and then I have all the sensory needs and other sh*t. But I can't afford that anymore."

She pointedly ends by saying, "The last thing I've had to give up is ... hope."

A number of commenters found the content quite relatable, sharing things they, too, had to give up.

"My treat to myself is no longer Uber eats," one shared, "it is simply having lunch."

"Hearing big corps talking about fighting the cost of living crisis while also making record profits makes me so mad," another revealed. "Like I'm living off 2 shifts a week with no government benefit because centrelink wont get back to me. how im paying for rent, food, pet food & car expenses is beyond me."

Someone else assessed, "No lunch. No therapy. No antidepressants. No leaving the house besides work. It’s like what is even the point anymore."

One person tried to look on the bright side, saying, "I cut down to one meal a day bc im intermittent fasting to lose weight but it has saved me a lot of money so far, so a win is a win."

Another reported a similar predicament, but reflected, "I only have 1 meal day because everything is so high we’re all struggling to survive."

"I treated myself to a video game after over a year of not buying any," said someone else. "I felt guilty afterwards."

A number of people also expressed sympathy for Ablon, with one saying, "You’re SO real for this."

The Daily Dot has reached out to Ablon via TikTok comment.

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