Bit of a rant alert <img border="0" src="/emo/te/11.gif" alt="confused">. I'm just so fed up being working poor. DH and I have "middle income" jobs and if it wasn't for all our stupid debt which I can do nothing about (except pay!) we would be very comfortable. Not to mention high cost of childcare. <br><br>The kids went back to school last week & the day DH got paid was going to be the first week in 5 years childcare costs halved & we could have had a bit of extra cash. However so many extra things due that day now means we have eur19 to feed a family of 4 for 6 days. I was determined to just pay the bills when due which is why we are here now. I did a strict meal plan for the few days & we have enough bits in the freezer (not much!) to keep us going. I'm actually going to he'd hungry though cos I can't afford to have a slice of bread. Feeling Very Sorry for myself. I know there are tonnes of people in worse situations but the ridiculous thing is I have to get up tomorrow go to work with my leftover pasta lunch & put a face on things knowing I can't afford to do a weekly grocery shop. <br><br>Today in work one of the ladies who reports to me was chatting about buying prawns for dinner. I was actually nearly about to burst into years cos I literally would never buy prawns or even a cooked chicken because of the expense. Our weekly shop is mince, pasta, fruit & veg basics for the kids & we just work around them. <br>I honestly think it's pointless working sometimes. I have much less disposable income than someone on welfare. We live below the food poverty line spending only 60% bottom line. We never ever go out & I can never buy clothes. Yet I have a responsible job. I can't even afford to buy make up remover. This week we've both run out of deoderant ! My shower tray is filthy because I can't afford drain unblocker. A window in my house is wedged closed because the handle fell off. That'll be at least e100 to get fixed which I don't have. It's been years of drudgery & being in work away from my kids to pay a childminder more cash in 1 than I would spend on food & clothes in 6 months. (I'm not in UK can't avail of debt charities & the like just cracking up !)<br><br>Sorry for the rant. I can't give up work as I earn 50% more than DH. We have both had many paycuts over the past few years but bad financial planning is also an issue. 4 years ago I was paying 1600-1800(eur) in childcare & tried to negotiate with our creditors so we could afford to live but came up against walls everywhere and threats of legal action which would have lost me my job. Eventually I had to stop paying some things so we could eat. Cue heavy stress for a couple of years until I sorted out some restructures (but not enough for breathing space). DH just does not want to know once he gets his allowance every month.<br>Sorry for the rant thanks for listening !