The cost of living crisis is far from over, but there are glimmers of hope over childcare and energy bills

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

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.