To deal with the cost-of-living crisis, especially the rise in energy costs, I have taken some radical measures. The television went long ago; I tossed it out in the hard rubbish, as Australian TV is just hard rubbish. Then when the next wave of rises came for this financial year, I turned off the fridge. To get by I use powered, sorry, powdered, milk. I get fresh vegetables if I can afford them, or else use tin vegetables. As for meat, I go for tinned fish, as the tinned meats are just too salty. Electricity use is put to a minimum, using a wind-up light to see to get around my flat, so I don’t need to turn on a switch. Computer use is done at the community library, and like the farmers of previous generations, I work by the daylight, and sleep at night, what sleep I can get. If I am lucky, I can pay the electric service charge that takes up most of the bill. On a positive note, I no longer drink alcohol, not being able to afford it; going cold stone sober was the hardest thing about my descent into extreme poverty. But at least, as the rain comes pouring down here in Melbourne, I am not yet sleeping rough in the urban wilds.