I feel like a failure. Somebody please talk sense into me

There’s nothing wrong with travelling; I did it for 6 years. What you can’t do is spend all your money on a luxury and then sulk that you have no savings.

You aren't a failure. Despite what you might think, you are still young. You need to readjust your focus. You chose to go travelling and spend all your savings on that. Presumably having a fantastic time. Do you know how many don't do that before they are tied down with mortgages, kids etc and regret it? Loads! While you might be jealous of friends who've bought property, some of them will be jealous that while they were worrying about how they would pay for a new boiler you were off living your life and seeing the world!

OK, so you have no money because you spent it having a fabulous time - own it!
Now, you need to look at your finances and make a plan for saving. You should ab able to put a decent chunk aside. Then your job/career. Is it something you can advance in and get paid well? Or do you need to maybe retrain or get an additional qualification to advance? At a very basic level, I would say loyalty doesn't pay. People who move jobs always advance their pay packets quicker than people who stick.

Kids etc, don't even think about that now.

My ds is 29 and earns around the same amount, I think he’s on 28 or 29k. He rents in a shared house and manages to save about £100 most months. It’s really hard though, he has no hope of buying a property really, he’s single and unless he meets someone to buy with I can’t see him buying. To be honest I think he will leave the Country, he is a HCP so can take his qualification anywhere.

If you earn £9600 per year (£800 per month), you should be entitled to UC and council tax credit, even if you are single with no children. You may be entitled to HB, depending on your living situation. Nobody should be living on £800 per month with no other top ups.

What is your “good career” OP? £30k is quite a low wage. What are you opportunities for promotion? What can you expect to be earning in 5-10 years time?

DH sister went travelling when she was about 30 for a year and blew all her savings. It was a choice. we are in our fifties now and this has been the pattern of her life, very poor financial decisions and indulging herself but then complaining.

Honestly depending on how much rent you give your parents you should be in a position to save a lot. DS and his GF end up with a bit less than you per month. They pay a small amount of rent to each set of parents. They have worked out they can each save 15k this year, they each run a small car and have gym membership. The one advantage DS had was we bought him a car outright as a gift.

How are you a victim or a failure? You could afford to save up and blew it on travel. Sounds amazing and I hope you enjoyed it but you’re pretty lucky in many ways.

Everyone makes choices. You chose travel over saving to move out. How did your parents feel about that? At least own it rather than pretending it was done to you somehow.

OP if you go travelling then yes that’s money which can go towards a deposit. As pp say though with you and your DP’s earnings you should be able to get a mortgage. Prioritise saving now maybe even get a second job to do it quicker.

OP is 27. You are 17, and most 17 year olds you know own their own houses in London?? You don’t know any 17 year olds who live with their parents?

There are some who do! My hairdresser’s younger sister who’s in her early to mid 40s lives with her parents in SE London and my other friend who’s 51 lives with her DM in SE London but she’s almost a part time carer as her DM is elderly and her older brother and sister don’t want to care for their DM.

I met a man recently who after his divorce moved in with his parents in his late 40s and cares for his dad who’s sick and old. This man does rent a flat with his DB but the DB and his partner live there now.

I don’t think you’re a failure, but you need to own your choices, not make them and complain after. You chose to spend up , and that’s fine, but with that decision comes consequences.

I do, @ButterflyKu - All bills, council tax, utilities, food, insurance, running a car. And I manage to save a tiny bit each month.

I’m 27, I have no savings. I rent with the same goal of house buying in mind - it’s good you get to live with your parents and save. I’m on a higher salary than you but your quality of life is probably comparable as my bills eat up the majority of my income. I’m also eternally single! So from my perspective you are definitely not a failure, you have some good things going on and definitely enviable aspects! You still have time to have kids, anything can happen in 2 years so you don’t need to put a time limit on anything. Completely get the pressure of turning 30 and having things in order though, but honestly you are doing fine

£30k is a decent salary. That’s all I earn and I am in my 40s. It may not be high by MN standards, but it’s more than I ever thought I could earn.

How are you blowing £2000 a month if you’re living at home? If you want all the things you say you do, you need to go through your finances and make sacrifices.

Maybe once they’ve paid rent and some bills. £800 is not enough to live on if you also have to pay rent, car maintenance and bills out of it. Obviously I don’t know if the OP pays rent but I would assume she contributes towards the household

You been travelling - a lifetime experience so won't have savings

But now you can save

How much do you pay to parents ?

Whatever it is it's less then if renting alone so stay with then and save save save if went to buy with bf

Mn always says write down your expenses and people will help with reducing them

So what do you spend your 1800 a month on

Most have good salaries yes, in things like finance/law etc.

They must be very wealthy! Most Londoners I know can't afford to buy a home.

If the OP went to university it’s possible she’s only been working 5 or 6 years.

If she didn’t start on the salary she’s on now, overspent a little bit (easy to do with a first proper income), and paid to go travelling I can definitely see how OP may not have any savings.

Plenty of people don’t have savings or are in debt. I’m don’t understand what there is not to get?

Not to the extent that OP has zero savings.

A similar salary ten years ago is a little irrelevant, given how much everything has increased in price though

DS is older than you and still lives at home, I said still but he left home for a few years and had to move back home when the landlord put his rent up by £200 a month.

He has mental issues and finds it hard to stay in a job once the stress gets to him

He's currently unemployed and is looking to move with us to a town that has few opportunities other than seasonal jobs or retail, which he's too big to do

You life is much better than his, make a list of the things you're thankful for and try to add one a day

I don’t get this, OP. Are you paying your parents rent? How many years have you worked? I had saved enough for a deposit on a house in London by late 20s on a similar salary ten years ago. I paid mum £250pm and also paid the phone and broadband bill.

Ah OP you're so young! Enjoy travelling, having minimal commitments and being free of a mortgage and bills. There's so much time for mortgages, marriage, kids etc in years to come. Save what you can and spend the rest on experiencing life.

Most of them? I’m 10 years younger and most of my friends in London own or rent their own place. I don’t know any who still live with their parents.