Heard the expression "You can't get blood from a stone?" It does seem to fit the current economic and energy crisis currently facing many people in U.K.

If you have some money coming in you may need to get creative to keep the wolves from your door!

Tightening your belt is another old expression but sometimes cutting back is not an option. If you only have enough money for the bare essentials you could be in trouble.

However there may be a few corners you can cut off your budget if you are money savvy and have some income.

British consumers are currently experiencing some food shortages and inflationary prices. It is a triple  whammy for some as incomes are also being squeezed with the triple lock on pensions abandoned, allegedly only for this year, and the £20 a week Universal Credit uplift scrapped. The latter often helps people in work who are on low incomes.

We can only hope that as P.M Boris Johnson claims, all the above are temporary issues.

Here are some tried and tested hints to help you survive this financial nightmare.

• Shop around. Prices can vary so much that shopping around is essential.
• If prices are rising at your usual supermarket see if you can buy cheaper elsewhere.
• Switch your diet around if possible. Many consumers stick with the same grocery products year upon year. There are so many foods out there to be discovered and enjoyed.
• Check out some cheaper brands. You may be pleasantly surprised.
• Watch out for shrinkflation. Some products are packed to deceive. The packaging may make your purchase look the same size as always but it could contain much less.
• A price hike added to shrinkflation can turn a regular buy into a rip off.
• Check labels for Use Before dates. Bulk buying is not cheaper if expiry dates are relatively soon.
• Buy offers when available and within your time frame.
• Try to cut transport costs by walking and or cycling more. Always consider your safety though. Buy weekly public transport passes if they work out cheaper than a single ticket.
• Claim any entitlement your are eligible for such as Council Tax rebate and Pension Credit.
• Cut back on additional lighting for example in a garden. Opt for good solar lights instead.
• Switch of appliances such as TVs at the socket when not in use.
• Turn your water and heating thermostats down just a fraction to save money.
• Check out your subscriptions. If you are not using Netflix anymore, for example, why subscribe to it.
• Switch utility providers or your energy deal to a better one if available.
• Buy a prepayment certificate to reduce the cost of prescriptions. That can save cash if you have a few regular medicines each month.
• If you are really struggling look out for local help such as a foodbank at a church. Items in charity shops are often a good buy too.
• Stop buying scratch cards and lottery tickets until your finances improve.
• Always consider your physical and mental well-being and look after yourself.

With some people likely to face whether to eat or heat their homes this coming winter it makes sense to start making changes now.

The above are just a few ideas to save money. However if your situation is dire get advice from an organisation such as The Citizens Advice Bureau. They can help you address bad debts that need urgent action.

Never simply ignore escalating debts and warning letters from creditors.

Check out Inflation Surge To Continue: Here Are 3 Reasons Why

If you live in the UK and want to see what your MP has been up to, as far as voting in parliament and registering interests drop by My Society.

Simply enter your postcode to view details of your constituency Member of Parliament.

The results could be an eye-opener or confirm your best or worst thoughts on your MP.

I was surprised to find that my MP, who is a great asset to the area, had supported some votes which go against my views. However, you are never going to please all the people all of the time to quote one politicians.

On the whole my MP has more than proved his worth while in office. He works hard for his local constituents and the good of the country.

Check your MP and out to see if you can say the same!

In some cases it may be a case of them working for themselves and not you!

The My Society website is funded by donations.

It offers ordinary citizens the chance to set up a My Society website and make their voice heard.
Itss project page is described as "For communities. For opening democracy. For getting things changed". If you think My Society could work for you read what is written on its homepage:

We’re a not-for-profit organisation, and we’re just a little bit different from your everyday charity.

Here’s what we do:

We invent and popularise digital tools that enable citizens to exert power over institutions and decision makers. Impressive mission, sure. But what does it mean in practice?

We believe … that strong democratic accountability and a thriving civil society are vital to our common welfare, and that these cannot survive where people do not engage with government and communities.

We work online … because we believe that the internet can meaningfully lower the barriers to taking the first civic or democratic steps in a citizen’s life, and that it can do so at scale.

Read on to find out more about us.

My Society claims to be independent and it certainly looks that way.

In September Say It was launched as part of the My Society to restore deleted political speeches online.

As UK political parties gear up for the 2015 General Election they will have old baggage that they would rather discard-the electorate will want to review these archives though and check how many previous promises were broken and more.

The conclusion is that My Society is well worth a visit.