There's no denying that the cost of living crisis has affected each and every one of us, but some have been hit harder than others.
And while I'm definitely feeling the pinch this Christmas amid the rising cost of energy bills, general housing costs, food, petrol and just about everything, it's hard to imagine just how bleak life can be for those who have nowhere to turn.
It's easy enough to report on the current crisis using statistics, figures and tips on how to save, but I wanted to find out what life is really like for those who don't know when or where their next meal is coming from. How do they survive? What help is available to these people? Is there an end in sight? What I discovered was something completely different.
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I decided to join the 25 adults and 6 children dining at Beeston Food Cycle on Wednesday evening, a project set up to help hungry and lonely locals, to find out what it's really like - directly from the horses mouth.
Admittedly, my preconceived idea of a community kitchen, or soup kitchen, was that they are accessed by those who simply have no other choice - a means to an end. But the reality of the situation is that many people go to these places for many other reasons too, often seeing the food as an added bonus, which until last night had never occurred to me.
I arrived at Hamara HLC, on Tempest Street in Leeds, expecting a canteen style kitchen, similar to a school hall perhaps, with queues of people waiting desperately in line with their plates to be served whatever they were given, but oh how wrong I was.
I was welcomed at the door by a very friendly member of the large group of volunteers who give up their time each week to provide a safe space for those who need it, regardless of their situation or reason for attending.
As the diners started to arrive I quickly realised how far off my presumptions had been, as all walks of life entered the centre from families with small children, to the elderly, to single people in their the late 20's and early 30's. Each visitor was welcomed and given a seat at one of the many tables set out in the warm and safe centre and offered a drink.
The community kitchen was set up almost like a restaurant, with table settings waiting for anyone who might enter and a nutritious menu that made the most of the donated supermarket surplus stock. Last night's offerings were fried rice and salad, cheesy pasta bake and cake and custard to finish.
One volunteer, a university student named Charlotte, told me how important it is to them that visitors are treated just like anyone else. They pride themselves on their service, setting the centre up like a restaurant and offering table service and a three-course-meal. I was taken aback by the nicety of it all, it was such a lovely environment and I genuinely had a really nice time.
Charlotte said: "We try and make it special for them, for many this is the highlight of their week, so we do our best to make it luxurious for them. We also try to inspire them for the week with our recipes by making meals out of minimal stock and left overs."
Food Cycle is a place where everyone, from families needing to be fed, to pensioners in need of some company, all are welcome to enjoy a free starter, main and dessert. While some guests rely on the project to stay fed, others visit solely to meet new people in their community.
One visitor, named Trisha, told me how she felt people who use places like Food Cycle are often looked down on or stigmatized, she said she comes for the social aspect and to meet new friends as well as for something to do and that "the food is an added bonus."
Trisha, who lives alone, said: "We're not all starving, it's not like the media portrays, we have got food in the cupboards, having absolutely nothing isn't always the case.
"For people like me, it means I can spend my money on something else and might be able to afford myself a small luxury I otherwise wouldn't. You don't have to be poor to come here.
"People presume it's the desperate and starving that use them but often its the mid-ground. I've made friends and expanded my social life, sometimes I eat, sometimes I don't."
Another visitor, 28-year-old John, who lives alone and often struggles to make himself meals due to his disabilities and ill health told me how Food Cycle offers him some light relief to his daily struggles.
He said: "I haven't eaten since Monday night, it's difficult for me to cook because I'm disabled. Some days I'm in too much pain or don't have the energy.
"I look forward to coming here each week, it's a lot easier for me to get in the car and drive here than struggle at home. It's the financial aspect as well as I can't work because I'm waiting for an operation that has been delayed for two years now due to covid.
"The staff are lovely, they engage with you, it's nice to meet and speak with new people. I come for both the food and to socialise, it's often my only meal of the week."
Another middle-aged man, named Stanley, who recently lost his job, said he has been coming each week for a month as a temporary measure following his unexpected change of circumstances. While one elderly man's wife recently had to go in to a care home and so he comes to the community kitchen for the company.
Of all the people I spoke to, each one told me how much they enjoyed coming, regardless of their reason, and how much they looked forward to going each week, with some even admitting they would "happily pay" for the food and service provided.
But actually, not many people even mentioned the food at all. They spoke of the community spirit, the friends they have made, the kindness they are met with, the conversations they have had, the warmth, they way the felt when they got home after having spoken to someone for the first time that week.
And it dawned upon me that these people are worlds away from what I expected, rightly or wrongly. They're not desperate, starving or helpless - they're widows, they're mothers, they're retired, they're struggling mentally, they're lonely, they're in ill health, they've had a change of circumstances, they're waiting for the next pay cheque.... They're just like you and me and we all need a little hand up from time to time.
To find out more, and if there is a Food Cycle near you, click here.
Have you been affected by the cost of living crisis? You can contact us by emailing megan.shaw@reachplc.com
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