'Everything is expensive' No end to price pressures for your average family

I sort of assumed the cost of living crisis would be temporary and things would go back to how they were before," said Jess Daly. "Maybe I was being naive. Everything is just expensive now.

- Zoe Wood

Jess and her husband, Jon, first spoke to the Guardian about their soaring bills in 2021 and the couple, who are careful budgeters and keep a spreadsheet of expenditure, have shared updates on their experience. The squeeze has been the soundtrack for big life events: a new baby, April - a sister for three-year-old Robin - arrived in April, of course, and there has been professional upheaval too.

Jon managed to get a better job and a welcome pay rise at a large financial services firm this year while Jess, now on maternity leave from her role as a library administrator at the University of East Anglia, survived last year's job cuts. Worryingly for her though, her employer needs to make fresh cuts and cannot "rule out compulsory redundancies".

The Dalys were on tenterhooks ahead of Labour's first budget in 14 years. They have had an offer accepted on a bigger house in Norwich for their growing family and nervous it could send mortgage rates higher. The jury is still out after UK government borrowing costs rose in the budget's wake.

"I'm constantly checking to see the latest rates," said Jon, mindful of the mortgage meltdown during Liz Truss's brief reign.

Jon's pay rise helped them to secure a bigger home loan, but the couple have not "maxed out" their borrowing. Their belowasking price offer of £325,000 was accepted while their three-bed terrace was snapped up at asking price by first-time buyers. The move is pencilled in for February.