Territorians reveal their cost of living pressures

As politicians sweat on the upcoming general election result, Territorian families are losing sleep over their finances, with some taxpayers taking bold measures to keep themselves under budget.

Ernst Schleup standing with his groceries. Picture: Harry Brill.

As politicians sweat on the upcoming general election result, Territorian families are losing sleep over their finances, with some families taking bold measures to keep themselves under budget.

On Wednesday, the NT News hit the streets of Palmerston to see how locals were faring financially.

Palmerston mother-of-two Paula revealed a grocery run used to cost her “around $150”.

Paula provides a snapshot her shopping list which can cost upwards of $300. Picture: Harry Brill.

Now, she is forking out almost double that amount.

“If do a minimum shop it’s veering on $200, otherwise its $300 plus and that’s just for myself and two boys,” she said.

“I noticed how much (the cost) had risen about six months ago when it really started to bite me.”

With Paula’s number one priority feeding her sons, the Palmerston mother had put other expenses on hold.

“I don’t drive because my car is off the road and I can’t fix it because it’s just too expensive to repair,” she said.

“We don’t have air conditioning - that helps.

“I’ve put money aside by the month to save up for birthday presents.”

Paula says there is not much difference between Coles and Woolworths. Picture: Harry Brill.

Paula said she would shop between Coles and Woolworths for certain items, with neither supermarket “not much better than the other”.

“I buy homebrand from both and there’s a few dollars between them on different items.”

Shannon Gabel, who also bemoaned the cost of insurance, said he first noticed the price pinch during the COVID-19 era.

“Before then it was going up slowly, but since the pandemic it really jumped hardcore,” he said.

“Feeding myself and three kids, I can’t afford a whole heap of stuff because I need to cover the groceries.”

The Kims’ heading into Coles.

Energy prices have also hurt Mr Gabel, including the financial cost of crime.

“I have changed my energy arrangements because my power bills just kept going up,” he said.

“My car got stolen too and I need a car so I’m trying to save up for one.”

Like the majority of Palmerston’s late-afternoon shoppers, Ernst Schleup’s groceries were grouped together with reusable bags to save gold coins.

Asked if he had noticed a price hike, Mr Schleup laughed and pointed to his bags.

“Yes,” he said.

“Most certainly I have.”

The Kim family shared a smiliar sentiment, chuckling as they said “yes, it has gone up”.