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'I'm saving money by sharing childcare with my neighbours'

Sophie Holdridge, Hannah Skellern and daughter - Dale Cherry
Sophie Holdridge, Hannah Skellern and daughter - Dale Cherry

Sophie Holdridge has become close with her neighbours in the three years that she has lived in her home in Bridport, Dorset.

During the pandemic, a nurse on her street was struggling to find childcare because of her erratic shift work.

Ms Holdridge, a 37-year-old stay-at-home mother, offered to help. The two women both have young children of around the same ages and they developed a natural rapport. Her neighbour Hannah Skellern then returned the favour.

The four families on Ms Holdridge’s street that help each other save on childcare costs are some of the millions across the country collaborating with their neighbours to tackle the cost of living squeeze. Thousands of pounds are being saved, on every­thing from dog-sitting to food and ­petrol costs.

“It’s great because it’s informal, but also because it’s mutual, so you don’t feel the guilt that you might feel asking other people,” said Ms Holdridge, a supporter of Pregnant Then Screwed, a charity that campaigns on behalf of mothers.

“If we could, we might have all paid for more childcare but that wouldn’t have worked so well because it wouldn’t be so flexible,” she added.

Karen Reid with her dog - Heathcliff O'Malley
Karen Reid with her dog - Heathcliff O'Malley

‘Doggy day care is £32 a day’

For Karen Reid and her neighbours in south-east London, it was looking after their dog that was a challenge.

She and her husband, James, got Lupin – a sprocker spaniel – during lockdown, when they were often working from home. They met other dog owners in the area when they started walking him in a local park.

“Doggy day care is about £32 a day,” she said. “It didn’t start as a money-saving thing, but now that we’re out of lockdown and all in the office a bit more often, it does save quite a lot of money to be able to rely on friends to do it rather than having to pay.”

Ms Reid, 36, and her husband, both self-employed barristers, look after someone else’s dog at least one day a week and receive the same support in return. They use a WhatsApp group to coordinate their plans. The six couples in the group have become close friends.

Growing numbers of families have been giving up the dogs they got in lockdown because they can no longer afford to look after them, but Ms Reid said arrangements like these could help lower the cost.

‘I’ve saved a ton of money on fuel’

Cairo Ferguson, 34, has been saving money on petrol by carpooling with her neighbours.

When someone is heading out and they have space in their car, they send a message in their WhatsApp group saying where they are leaving from, where they are going, what time they will be leaving and how many spaces they have. The first people to respond get the seats. There are about 15 people in the group.

“My partner and I drive,” she said. “The fuel prices are absolutely killing us. My partner and I both work from a laptop, and so if the kids want to pop into town and someone has three seats to spare, one of us will accept the offer and take them down.”

Ms Ferguson, a travel blogger from Worcestershire, said that rather than exchanging money, they take turns giving each other rides.

“There are a couple of elderly people living on our street who we added to the group, with no expectation of them offering lifts,” she said. “It made sense to give something back.”

Janine McDonald, pictured with daughter Amelia - Paul Cooper
Janine McDonald, pictured with daughter Amelia - Paul Cooper

‘It’s about being that helpful neighbour’

Janine McDonald, 51, has found a way to save money on food by growing her own vegetables and swapping the excess with her next-door neighbours, who grow different plants.

She and her daughters Cara, 12, and Emilia, seven, started their edible garden during lockdown, growing the likes of kale, carrots, cucumbers and tomatoes. They eat some of the produce every day.

Ms McDonald, a sustainable “declutterer” and organiser from Salford, said: “I love it because it’s about bringing the community together and being that helpful neighbour,” she said. “If you need anything, you know you’re there for each other.”