Are other full-time working families finding there is nothing left?

Yes it’s so demoralising. When my children were babies ( they’re 7 and 9 now) I only worked three days a week and paid nursery fees so looked forward to them growing up and having more money. Now I work 5 days a week, do overtime at the weekend and have no childcare costs but yet I’ve never been so skint. I am scraping around for money at the end of the month. Food is so expensive as is most things. I don’t understand how young families can afford to have children now; my friend pays £70 a day on nursery fees!

I work full time as a TA with a UC top up. Husband works full time also. Three children. Nothing left.

I'm on benefits and can't work. I can assure you that I'm not 'winning' either and also have nothing left once essentials, bills etc are paid for.

Yes totally agree. We earn fairly well (not by MN standards but I think we do ok!), household income of around 75-80k. Both work full time. But with two toddlers in nursery things are extremely tight. We do not buy new clothes or furniture, everything is second hand. Haven't had a holiday since 2024 and won't be having one this year. We don't eat out or go to the cinema. Can't even afford swimming lessons which I feel terrible about. 13 year old car. It feels really relentless and with upcoming increases in COL I find myself wondering what's the point and maybe I should just give up work! I won't do that but it does feel pretty hopeless at the moment.

@Tiillytubby @Salledebains completely agree.

My gross salary is just under six figures. When I was in my 30s, I'd have assumed I'd basically made it in life, earning that - my sector is not highly paid.

And objectively, I'm privileged.

I now don't: get my nails or eyebrows done, drink alcohol, just buy the kids a treat. Like, ever.

We save every month, a little, and meet our bills. But that's it. If one of the cars broke down or there was a problem with the house, it would be sticky.

And I keep thinking, if I feel like this, and I'm probably top 10ish pc of earners, God it must be impossible if you own a small business or similar.

What is your income, and what are you outgoings - given you are in the ‘broadest shoulders’ camp?

It’s hard though, for everyone. The cost
of housing for the post-boomer / Gen X is silly, add trying to raise a child and a commute and there’s not much left after the basic bills are paid for.

My remortgage this year is looking like it might go up by £1,000. I’m paying nursery fees - which have gone up >5% every year. Plus having a second child. My monthly fixed outgoings are wild.

I think the only groups winning here at the moment are the super wealthy or benefit people who don’t work . The supposed ‘ middle ‘ have nothing left to give . We certainly aren’t ‘ all in it together ‘ .

Completely agree.

We have a very good gross household income (six figures) and only one DD, but having to stick to a strict budget these days - in the past we spent without giving it much thought.

We recently needed to have unexpected repairs on the house, not covered by insurance. It very quickly wiped out the buffer we had.

The small luxuries happen less and less. For example, we used to go to the theatre quite a lot, and bought tickets as soon as we saw something we liked the look of. That’s been cut right back - it’s gone from at least once a month to a couple of times a year.

If one of us loses their job I think we’d very rapidly be in the shit.

That said, we’re not on the breadline, have no trouble meeting life’s necessities. But the unthinking spending on non-essentials is a thing of the past.

Totally the same, but think about it…it’s not surprising. Some food items have doubled in price, coupled with oil costs which impact everything from filling your car to the price of non comestibles. You are not alone OP. Things I don’t do anymore as a higher rate tax payer as i can’t afford it; drink alcohol with a meal out, in fact meals out are just birthdays now, no nails, hair or beauty treatments, no fancy toiletries (I’d love to frequent Space NK!! but I use Aldi and it’s absolutely fine) Can you or partner move jobs? it’s the only way i’ve ever got a significant pay rise…

I agree with you. I am only paid very slightly more than I was 15 years ago, and clearly the cost of absolutely everything is substantially higher than it was 15 years ago. Salaries have stagnated whilst the cost of everything has gone through the roof. There are a lot of very wealthy people who have benefited enormously from this and somehow we’ve ended up enabling them to do so.

Yep I feel the same and it sucks. I’m constantly exhausted and yet have no spare money for the little things that used to make life easier and give joy - like I won’t spend £4 on a coffee any more on the way to work and I have stopped having my cleaner. Both luxuries but we should be able to afford them. Doesn’t help living in the south east where house prices are just ridiculous so my mortgage is a lot
for quite frankly a very average house