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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think that life is too expensive?

236 replies

Gffbjjgfddbjkkm · 01/06/2025 11:46

Feel so frustrated.

I work full-time teaching in one of the most expensive schools in the world. DH works full time too. We each earn about £40k.

I'm having to take on a weekend job, just to be able to scrape by to afford to send DS to university next year. Who wants to work seven days a week?!

Would love a really decent holiday, but can't afford that.

I'm sick of working so hard work with nothing but financial stress. Neither of us is likely to inherit much, if anything.

OP posts:
greencartbluecart · 01/06/2025 12:03

at 40k each in most of the uk you would have a decent life - I am guessing you mean you live in a expensive city which wipes out half your salaries in rent ? And/Or you have young children in childcare ?

so for most of the people in the uk that would be enough to have a nice life and holiday - not a bling life , not a YouTube life , maybes not the life you feel you deserve but a safe home, decent food, a life outside of home and work and one holiday a year

childcare costs are short lived

expensive rent is a disgrace to this nation

OhBumBags · 01/06/2025 12:00

Gffbjjgfddbjkkm · 01/06/2025 11:53

By "decent holiday", I mean any holiday really!

You can get some very cheap last minute deals outside of school holidays, especially if you stay in the UK.

crumblingatwork · 01/06/2025 11:59

I feel your pain.

Totallytoti · 01/06/2025 11:58

Yanbu people seem to think 100k is a great salary, if you live far out of London that is. But for the millions who are tied to it for work or other reasons, it’s expensive!

Mareleine · 01/06/2025 11:56

YANBU OP, people have to earn so much these days for a reasonable standard of living, it's just impossible. Everything is just so expensive now. We barely break even every month. The demand for food bank food is at an all-time high in my area.

And it's all well and good people saying "move to a cheaper area" but they'll be the first to complain when there are no nurses and teachers left in the SE, let alone TAs and HCAs, people to serve food, carers etc. It's completely crippling.

CharlotteRumpling · 01/06/2025 11:56

Why not post your outgoings in the Money forum? You will get better advice.

Fearfulsaints · 01/06/2025 11:55

The cost of living is effecting everyone to varying degrees. There's large groups of people who have found it hard to maintain their standard of living. It's not a good thing.

I assume your son is taking out loans and working part time and not putting it all on you.

TwinklyRoseTurtle · 01/06/2025 11:53

On £80K and you can’t manage you either need to get reduce your outgoings as something is obviously too high or move to a cheaper area or both

Original poster
Gffbjjgfddbjkkm · 01/06/2025 11:53

By "decent holiday", I mean any holiday really!

OP posts:
OhBumBags · 01/06/2025 11:51

Difficult to say really.

One person's 'decent holiday' will be very different to someone else's and then of course some people want to drive more expensive cars or live in more expensive areas etc.

Our DC didn't get too much in the way of student loans because of our earnings, but they all worked their way through uni to supplement.

We live a fairly modest life compared to many people but we're very happy, despite the ridiculous cost of living.

Needmorelego · 01/06/2025 11:48

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