Sarah Cawood has opened up about her money struggles amid the cost of living crisis.
The television presenter, 51, who previously fronted 90s favourites Live And Kicking and Top Of The Pops, says she has struggled to balance her books this month as her husband Andy Merry, who is the main earner in their household, is between contracts as a freelance TV producer.
Media personality Sarah, who works as a voiceover artist, podcast host and runs her own skincare and scent business, admitted she will need to be ‘box smart’ for a few weeks while revealing her frustration at trying to keep her family afloat as they’re stretched by their household bills.
She wrote on Instagram: ‘No one really talks about money here, or how we are all managing. But how ARE we all managing?
‘We are a family of freelancers, we live well, but we live to the edge of our means, and that’s going to have to stop.
![Struggling to Keep Up: TV Presenter Sarah Cawood Frustrated by Family Finances During Cost of Living Crisis 1 Sarah Cawood has opened up about her money struggles amid the cost of living crisis](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/01/18/81931461-13146769-Sarah_Cawood_has_opened_up_about_her_money_struggles_amid_the_co-a-4_1709319022916.jpg)
Sarah Cawood has opened up about her money struggles amid the cost of living crisis
![Struggling to Keep Up: TV Presenter Sarah Cawood Frustrated by Family Finances During Cost of Living Crisis 3 The television presenter, 51, who previously fronted 90s favourites Live And Kicking and Top Of The Pops, says she has struggled to balance her books this month](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/01/18/81931471-13146769-image-a-5_1709319029265.jpg)
The television presenter, 51, who previously fronted 90s favourites Live And Kicking and Top Of The Pops, says she has struggled to balance her books this month
![Struggling to Keep Up: TV Presenter Sarah Cawood Frustrated by Family Finances During Cost of Living Crisis 5 Sarah, who works as a voiceover artist, podcast host and runs her own skincare and scent business, admitted she will need to be 'box smart' with her finances for a few weeks](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/01/18/81931457-13146769-image-a-6_1709319033636.jpg)
Sarah, who works as a voiceover artist, podcast host and runs her own skincare and scent business, admitted she will need to be ‘box smart’ with her finances for a few weeks
‘I will admit money burns a hole in my pocket, but this month, the sums haven’t added up and my poor husband, our main breadwinner, has a gap in his contracts that we have to fill somehow.
‘I’m just glad that I can plug some of the hole with my direct sales money, and I’m intending that to be a full time wage, but the building of a business takes time and patience. I have no doubt it’s moving in the right direction but I hate doing the family finances and telling everyone we need to box smart for a few weeks.
‘So yes, I’m talking about money. How hard it is to manage right now and how frustrating it is when you work as hard as we ALL do and have nothing left over for the fun stuff.’
It comes after Sarah spoke of her gratitude at surviving breast cancer while encouraging people to check themselves for lumps.
The media personality revealed in September 2022 that she had been diagnosed with stage one breast cancer after doctors discovered a lump during her routine mammogram.
She underwent a lumpectomy followed by radiotherapy and long-term hormone treatment.
On Monday she took to Instagram to share some throwback pictures of herself while in hospital for the procedure.
She wrote: ‘Remembering my own cancer journey on #worldcancerday. I feel very lucky: a routine mammogram picked up my stage 1, grade 1 lump and it was gone within 6 weeks.
![Struggling to Keep Up: TV Presenter Sarah Cawood Frustrated by Family Finances During Cost of Living Crisis 7 Sarah says she has struggled to balance her books this month as her husband Andy Merry, who is the main earner in their household, is between contracts as a freelance TV producer (Sarah and Andy pictured in 2011)](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/01/19/81932919-13146769-image-a-21_1709319659045.jpg)
Sarah says she has struggled to balance her books this month as her husband Andy Merry, who is the main earner in their household, is between contracts as a freelance TV producer (Sarah and Andy pictured in 2011)
![Struggling to Keep Up: TV Presenter Sarah Cawood Frustrated by Family Finances During Cost of Living Crisis 9 It comes after Sarah spoke of her gratitude at surviving breast cancer while encouraging people to check themselves for lumps](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/02/05/19/80882087-13048305-Sarah_Cawood_has_spoken_of_her_gratitude_at_surviving_breast_can-a-40_1707162489939.jpg)
It comes after Sarah spoke of her gratitude at surviving breast cancer while encouraging people to check themselves for lumps
![Struggling to Keep Up: TV Presenter Sarah Cawood Frustrated by Family Finances During Cost of Living Crisis 11 The television presenter, 51, revealed in September 2022 that she had been diagnosed with stage one breast cancer after doctors discovered a lump during her routine mammogram](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/02/05/19/80882083-13048305-The_television_presenter_51_revealed_in_September_2022_that_she_-a-41_1707162495332.jpg)
The television presenter, 51, revealed in September 2022 that she had been diagnosed with stage one breast cancer after doctors discovered a lump during her routine mammogram
![Struggling to Keep Up: TV Presenter Sarah Cawood Frustrated by Family Finances During Cost of Living Crisis 13 80882091 13048305 image a 42 1707162499891](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/02/05/19/80882091-13048305-image-a-42_1707162499891.jpg)
![Struggling to Keep Up: TV Presenter Sarah Cawood Frustrated by Family Finances During Cost of Living Crisis 15 80882095 13048305 image a 43 1707162503607](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/02/05/19/80882095-13048305-image-a-43_1707162503607.jpg)
![Struggling to Keep Up: TV Presenter Sarah Cawood Frustrated by Family Finances During Cost of Living Crisis 17 On Monday she took to Instagram to share some throwback pictures of herself while in hospital for the procedure](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/01/18/80882089-13048305-On_Monday_she_took_to_Instagram_to_share_some_throwback_pictures-a-25_1709317224441.jpg)
On Monday she took to Instagram to share some throwback pictures of herself while in hospital for the procedure
‘Routine mammograms save so many lives, so never put off making your appointment.
‘You never know what curveballs life is going to throw your way, but how you deal with them is the key to thriving during and after treatment.
‘I’m more grateful for my little life than ever. For the support from my friends and family, for the pink sisters and misters I have met along the way, for the NHS for saving my life.
‘There is nothing quite like a cancer diagnosis to get your life in perspective: I don’t sweat the small stuff anymore and every day when I wake up and breathe, and know I’m healthy, is a source of pure joy.
‘So don’t put off that mammogram ladies.
‘To anyone living through a cancer diagnosis and treatment at the moment: I send my love, my healing wishes and my DMs are always open.
‘Love to you all, but especially to my pink sisters today and remembering the good souls we have lost along the way…
‘Also CHECK YOUR BOOBIES AND CHECK YOUR PECS!’
![Struggling to Keep Up: TV Presenter Sarah Cawood Frustrated by Family Finances During Cost of Living Crisis 19 Sarah previously explained the moment she received her diagnosis in 2022, saying that after undergoing a routine mammogram doctors sent her for a follow-up](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/02/05/19/80882085-13048305-Sarah_previously_explained_the_moment_she_received_her_diagnosis-a-45_1707162517666.jpg)
Sarah previously explained the moment she received her diagnosis in 2022, saying that after undergoing a routine mammogram doctors sent her for a follow-up
In the photos Sarah posted on social media, she could be seen in her hospital gown as she prepared to undergo her lumpectomy.
The surgeon’s markings could be seen in her breast in the pictures which were taken on the ward.
She also posted a snap of herself in a bikini which was taken after returning home following the procedure.
Sarah previously explained the moment she received her diagnosis in 2022, saying that after undergoing a routine mammogram doctors sent her for a follow-up, having discovered a lump in her breast.
Following an ultrasound and a biopsy, she was told that the lump wasn’t a cyst, and she assumed the worst as she headed to meet the surgeon.
Despite receiving a cancer diagnosis, Sarah, who lives in Essex with her husband Andy Merry and their two children, said doctors reassured her that the condition was treatable.
The TV personality even joked it was the ‘Carlsberg of breast cancers’ in reference to the popular ‘if Carlsberg did’ advertising campaigns of the early noughties.
She explained: ‘The surgeon went, ”Can you see that? That’s a very small cancerous lump”. And I went, ”Oh, OK, is it aggressive?”.
![Struggling to Keep Up: TV Presenter Sarah Cawood Frustrated by Family Finances During Cost of Living Crisis 21 Sarah underwent a lumpectomy followed by radiotherapy and long-term hormone treatment after her diagnosis](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/02/05/19/80882081-13048305-Sarah_underwent_a_lumpectomy_followed_by_radiotherapy_and_long_t-a-46_1707162523089.jpg)
Sarah underwent a lumpectomy followed by radiotherapy and long-term hormone treatment after her diagnosis
‘And she said, ”No”.. And I went, ”Brilliant”… I was like, ”OK, so easily fixed?”, and she was like, ”Yes, not really much of a problem.”
‘It really is the Carlsberg of breast cancers. If you have to have it, this is the one to have. I feel really lucky.
‘There are people that really are up s**t creek without a paddle, who have cancer, and I am not that person.’
In June last year, Sarah confirmed the discovery of a second lump on her breast, nine months after being diagnosed with cancer.
Taking to Instagram at the time, she admitted the position of the lump, located on a previously unaffected breast, was a cause for concern – but could have been a direct consequence of her ongoing hormone therapy.
She said: ‘I’m just going to tell you guys something – I’ve found another f***ing lump. I went to the doctors and she could feel it too.
‘Our hunch, me and the doc, is it’s because your boobs change, the composition of your boobs change quite a lot when you’re on hormone therapy.
‘But I’ve got a mammogram tomorrow – it’s not a recurrence, so it would be another primary cancer, but I haven’t got the time, so will you all say a little prayer for me tomorrow at three?’
She added: I’ve got a niggly doubt, on the whole I feel OK, but I’ve just got that niggling tiny worry. Obviously, once you’ve had cancer you worry about it coming back all the time.’
‘I haven’t been quite as healthy as I could have been, but you know, you’ve got to live haven’t you? I can’t cut out all the joy, can I?’