This is the sad reality for some seniors in Bathurst, who are being hit hard by the rising cost of living.

John Hollis, the president of the Bathurst branch of the Combined Pensioners and Superannuants Association (CPSA), said budgeting is nothing new for elderly residents.

However, current economic conditions are pushing them to cut back on essentials.

Just recently, he encountered a senior member of the public who told him about the sacrifices they were making.

"She said that she really has to budget her fuel for her car and she limits the number of times she can go up the street shopping. This really hit home," he said.

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"Despite the fact she gets the $250 a year travel concession through the state government, she still has to be very tight on budget.

"She also goes to bed early at night time to cut back on her electricity and she has to cut back on the length of her showers to cut back on the cost of heating.

"It's a total readjustment of their way of life ... The pension is a fairly tight living anyhow, but they're also eating into the reserves they have because of the rather steep increase in pricing.

"This is really the focus seniors people have to have. They just have to cut back on what they do."

It's not just the seniors that will suffer if costs don't stabilise.

Mr Hollis said businesses will feel the effects of older community members cutting back on their expenses.

"I don't think the effect has really hit the community yet, but if it drags on for 12 months there could be a hell of an effect on the community because people won't be out there spending money going out for their coffees," he said.

"A lot of seniors people look to go up the street to have a cup of coffee with their friends, but they won't do it as much."

Mr Hollis said it's a big problem, but there's no easy solution to it as everyone, governments included, is being hit hard by inflation.

"I feel that the governments can only do so much. They too have limited financial resources; it's not a bottomless pocket for the government," he said.

"Whether they can redirect their financial budgeting, I don't know, but if they do something else suffers.

"... I guess that what they can do is certainly have a review of what they do do and maybe they can redirect their budgeting into other areas that will cover basic needs."

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