‘Desperate’: Aussies picking up furniture from side of road amid cost of living crisis

The fresh research comes after 80 per cent of Aussie households reported experiencing cost of living pressure.

Aussies have resorted to picking up furniture from the side of the road and taking toilet paper from restaurants as the cost of living crisis bites.

One in ten respondents of a Finder survey admitted to picking up furniture from the side of the road to furnish homes.

The same survey found seven per cent of people take toilet paper from restaurants, while another seven per cent used public wifi rather than home internet and relied on free food or meal services.

An additional six per cent reported taking dog bags from parks, while others reported removing the stalks of broccoli at the supermarket and even ordering off the kids menu at restaurants.

About 4 per cent also reported going to the hospital instead of the GP.

One in four Aussies revealed they couldn’t handle their finances without a credit card. Picture: NewsWire / Nicholas Eagar

Finder personal finance expert Sarah Megginson said “desperate times call for desperatures”.

“Traditional cost-cutting measures are no longer enough, so many are turning to support programs or doing things they’d never normally do to scrape by,” Ms Megginson said.

“These are tough times for Aussies and the current economic situation is very grim for consumers.

“Budgets are tight and desperate times call for desperate measures.”

Ms Megginson said switching household bills could be one way to alleviate financial pressure, with “fast wins in areas like mobile phone and car insurance costs” having the potential to “quickly add up for struggling households”.

Cost of living pressure continues to batter Australians, with 80 per cent of Aussie households reporting pressure according to August figures from Finder.

One in four Aussies also revealed they couldn’t handle their finances without a credit card.

The grim data comes after warnings from charities as demand for non-food aid soars.

Research from charity Good360 Australia has revealed more than 80 per cent of charities across the country have reported community demand for non-food aid, including hygiene and clothing products, has never been higher.

Nearly 60 per cent of the 500 charities involved in the research also reported an increase in people seeking help for the very first time.

Originally published as ‘Desperate’: Aussies picking up furniture from side of road amid cost of living crisis