To think life is a bit pointless for many if you don't have much money

My son almost died last year. He wasn't expected to survive but he did against all of the odds.

We don't have much money but I feel incredibly grateful. I think people take a lot of things for granted.

Give me a simple life any day as long as my child is healthy, that is what makes me rich and it is far from pointless.

I heard there is a massive shortage of plumbers and trade skills in general. If I were starting out (and had any aptitude for it) I'd train as a plumber or electrician.

I don't think anyone will disagree that life is easier when you are financially secure,

I completely disagree that 'life is pointless' when you have to budget though.

Millions of us either currently live or have lived a life such as you described. I feel quite insulted that you are suggesting our lives are pointless.
I've contributed a lot to my family and to society. My life has definitely not been pointless.

I was very poor for years. Could never afford new clothes. Never even occurred to me to look at shoes except during the sales. Never went on holiday. But I became really good at having free fun. Free music festivals, theatre tickets, talks, concerts, exhibitions, meeting up with friends for walks, wild swims etc. Life was still fun. It is way less stressful now I have enough money. But it was still really good fun when I had none.

But like, what's the alternative?

I think a simple life can be good.
I live opposite a marina and people live on their boats for £250 per month, and they look really happy. (They're not supposed to, but they do)

Until the sun dies, then the solar system is swallowed up and implodes.

But we really don’t need to think like that!

you may have misunderstood the Op? As I read it, she isn’t wanting riches do much as wanting to not be scraping by and counting each penny and wondering his to pay for the very basics. I would agree it’s a crap situation to be in.

Yes - and it will always ALWAYS be so

You cannot balance it. No-one can. It's Life with all its iniquities.

If you took every penny from everyone who wasn't starving you wouldn't change it. It is not possible.

But people can both have an understanding of how little some have while also finding their relative struggles hard as well.

The real travesty here is that there are people who have hundreds of billions of pounds and people who have none. Wealth inequality applies across the world.

Yes. I have lived a miserable life with next to no money. I was in an abusive relationship and my ex took all my (low) wages. He refused to work. We lived in a grotty flat and there was usually no gas or electricity beyond the first couple of weeks of the month due to no funds for the meters. Winter was especially difficult as it's so cold and dark, trying to keep clean with a flannel wash and do laundry in the bath in cold water. Everything smelling musty because you can't dry it properly. Living on dry kwik save cereal or burger relish sandwiches due to an incredibly tight food budget. Money gives you options and while I am far from well off now we always have power, clean clothes and home, enough to eat etc. Becoming a single mum was the best move I ever made.

I totally get it. Its the "Tale of the Fisherman's Wife" and why the Tale makes sense to everyone who reads or hears it over these past 200 years?

It's a Tale anyone will recognise from any point in history and in the future. Unless humans fundamentally change I think it always will.

Beauty treatments, pets, holidays, posh food and clothes - why?

Do you really think these things will make you happier?

Are you safe, are you warm, do you have clean water, enough to eat, shelter?

As Desiderata says 'Strive to be happy'

What are you doing to try and get out of this situation?

someone in my family has 5 kids, never worked, neither does her DP. Kids don’t do anything at all. I feel like they just exist, feel sorry for the kids.

Ps when I worked i spent more on hair, clothes, commuting, dry cleaning, networking events, lunch and coffees. And was always surrounded by people who had "more". It didn't make me happy.

there will always be new (younger) minimum wagers coming up the line, also unfortunately not all minimum wagers will be able to get out of that situation, only the ones with drive s as no the will will progress on to higher paid jobs

I trained as an infant feeding peer support worker, and some of my colleagues went on to train as doulas, baby massage therapists and even midwives which opened the door for them to go private too as many contracts were accepted from 9 hours to 18 hours a week, allowing you to have multiple roles under the same team. Those who accepted work privately got higher pay, company cars and could choose their own hours.

I started by gaining a level 2 infant feeding qualification provided through training, before actively volunteering, and you can progress from there.

I think this is why more and more young people aren't having dc.

I can take my amazing toddler to the woods and "go on a bear hunt" or act out the gruffalo. Costs us nothing and is wonderful fun.

I can find amazing second hand bargains in charity shops and grow my own veg and take enormous pride in keeping my home tidy and my child loved and protected. None of this costs a huge amount.

Making cakes with my toddler is more fun than buying them, going to the park and pretending to be the Paw Patrol is more fun than some theme park and we can take a thermos of tea.

Lemons/lemonade ain't it?

And I'm not a trad wife, but my goodness i love being a mum and a wife after years of stress in jobs trying to get ahead and earn more.

And yes of course it'd be nice to have a spare bedroom, but y'know what, my mother can't come and stay and that's a bonus! And while I'd love a massive bedroom and ensuite, we have what we need not what we necessarily want.

Life is living it, experiencing it, making connections and growing with it.

Depends on the individual person and their interests, strengths and weaknesses, everyone is different, you need to think realistically about what you would like to do and then see what courses are available that might get you a shoe in the door of that industry, it can start off with a small course and once you get into the industry build from there

Drive and confidence are imperative

This. Life is so much more than money. It is the connections you have too.

I think you make some very valid points OP. I do think though that relationships can bring a lot of happiness to life. So healthy romantic relationships or healthy family bonds and friendship. These don’t cost money, but obviously lots of people don’t have those and that is a shame and added to money issues can lead to a real sadness or sense of ‘what’s the point’. For many, life is not easy.

What roles specifically