If you're only getting 1% on an instant access, you might want to look at changing banks. Mine has just gone up to 3.7%, and there are a fair few higher than 4%
You've done very well to only have an increase of £260, ours will be going up £500 in September, and that's with a rate fixed a few weeks ago before all the recent raises.
I understand the sentiment of living within your means, but the sort of rises we're talking about are taking people from...