'I have to make my own dog food' - voters counting living costs on eve of election

Rising living costs has led one woman to make her own dog food in order to save money.

India Lerigo, who works in Cardiff, said she saves about £100 a month making food for her Staffy, Luna, who needs expensive food because she has allergies and is "very picky".

Lerigo said rising prices had affected her "massively", and as well as making her own dog food she also saves hundreds off her own food bill by bulk buying and batch cooking a month's worth of meals at a time.

She said party policies on the cost of living will affect how she votes in the Senedd election on Thursday, describing it as "a big issue".

Lerigo, 29, said her vet had approved her approach and Luna was much happier "because her stomach doesn't hurt" but - as a vegetarian - she said dealing with livers and hearts "freaks her out".

Lerigo said that before her new approach she would spend between £400 and £500 a month on food for herself and her dog, adding that she would buy more expensive dog food brands in an effort to find food Luna would eat.

But she now bulk buys food for herself and Luna once a month, spending an entire weekend batch cooking and freezing meals, which allows her to stick within a budget of £250 a month.

She buys meat off-cuts and cheaper cuts like offal for Luna as well as adding vegetables and other nutrients, which she cooks and freezes and reheats in the slow cooker.

"I found when I was going into shops more, I'd pick up things that I don't need," she said.

"I take an entire weekend to bulk cook, and for me it's worth it but I would quite like that weekend back."

Lerigo said she spent two months researching dog nutrition and consulted her vet before going ahead.

She said many cost increases were outside her control, like council tax bills and petrol costs, adding that it was "a struggle to make sure that everything stretches" despite being on a "decent wage".

Rising prices are also an issue for mum-of-two Sara Davies from Caerphilly.

She works part-time and her husband works full-time, but despite the double income she said they had to "look at prices more whereas before we would put stuff straight into the trolley".

The couple used to enjoy an evening out at their local pub once a fortnight, but said it was now something they could not regularly do.

"It used to be quite a cheap night out, but we've seen that it's getting more and more expensive and it's just not something we feel we can keep doing on such a regular basis."

Andrew Pritchard, from Cowbridge in the Vale of Glamorgan, contacted BBC Your Voice to describe the cost of living crisis as "bonkers".

"Everything is going up... electric, gas, the fuel in our cars... the works, and everyone makes an excuse about it.

"No-one can afford this ridiculous cost of living."

He said at 62 he was still working full-time "just to pay bills and rent", adding he would be "working forever just to live".

Orla Williams, from Llanelli in Carmarthenshire, told Your Voice that the pressure caused by the cost of living crisis was "not sustainable".

"When you look at the average rate of wage increase v petrol and food bill, people are just not managing."

The 58-year-old said the effect of the Iran war pushing petrol prices and other costs up meant it was a "never-ending spiral upwards".

Donna Jones, 58, from Swansea, said "food prices, energy prices.... they just go up and up, but incomes don't".

"It's unsustainable for ordinary households," she added.

What to do if you're struggling with living costs

Ashley Comley, from Caerphilly Blaenau Gwent Citizen's Advice, said: "The cost of living issue had been bubbling away for people for many years now."

In 2025, the organisation saw a 49% increase in the number of people seeking help for a financial emergency compared to the previous year "and that pre-dates the recent rise in fuel costs".

He said there was "constant worry about energy" and what was going to happen to bills when the energy price cap was expected to increase in July.

What do Wales' political parties say?

Welsh Labour said it would "lower bus fares, lower energy bills and expand childcare so more families can work and get on with their lives", adding that it would also ensure a pay rise for the lowest paid workers.

"Labour has also removed the cruel two-child benefit cap for 69,000 children in Wales, increased the state pension for over 650,000 pensioners in Wales and uplifted standard Universal Credit allowances for over 430,000 people in Wales."

Plaid Cymru said "from controlling rents to introducing free childcare for all to keeping profits from Welsh resources in Welsh communities - Plaid Cymru will help with the cost of living".

"Plaid Cymru is the only party with a comprehensive, ambitious plan to support individuals and families across all of Wales with the cost of living crisis and put money back in people's pockets."

Reform UK said it had an "ambitious, credible and costed plan to help people with the cost of living by cutting tax and capping council tax rates".

"We also want to make sure that taxpayers' money is spend only on our public services here in Wales rather than being sent all around the world."

The Welsh Conservatives said they would ease the cost of living by "cutting taxes, extending free childcare for working families and scrapping stamp duty to help more people move up and down the housing ladder - helping kickstart the wider economy".

"We have a clear plan to boost the economy, put more money back into people's pockets, back hardworking families, support businesses and get Wales working."

The Welsh Liberal Democrats and Wales Green Party have been asked to comment.

Click here to find out more about the parties' policies on cost of living, as well as other issues.

Additional reporting by Sarah Bowdidge