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AIBU?

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Original poster

To be shocked when adults have absolutely no savings at all?

482 replies

ThisJollyReader · 05/04/2026 17:19

I’m going to be honest, I find it quite hard to understand when adults have no savings at all. Not even £100 put away. I’m not talking about people going through a temporary rough patch but just having nothing set aside whatsoever. Personally, I try to keep around £10k as a buffer (I know everyone’s situation is different), but even putting that aside, I would still feel uncomfortable having nothing at all.

AIBU to feel like having at least something put away is important or am I being too harsh?

OP posts:
Kirbert2 · 05/04/2026 20:56

Dragonflytamer · 05/04/2026 20:53

My life is perfectly fine to be fair. I just think people need to take some action to change their life rather than wallow in these poverty porn threads. Everyone can improve their situation many choose not too. This thread is a classic example. I think I am the one with the positive view on life!

I do seem to have come across the school gate mean girls on this thread!

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Of course everyone can't improve their situation.

ForeverTheOptomist · 05/04/2026 20:55

BIossomtoes · 05/04/2026 20:48

I don’t think it was ever found.

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just look back through the posts (that I was posting on). Not going to explain it to you.

Nsky62 · 05/04/2026 20:54

ThisJollyReader · 05/04/2026 17:24

I get that savings go up and down over time and that life events can wipe them out. I was more referring to people who don’t have anything set aside at all on a ongoing basis, rather than people who’ve had to use their savings due to circumstances.

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Bad budgeting, it’s not taught as a compulsory subject in life!
poor knowledge of figures, or understanding budgeting, most like myself learn after a time, and making wise choices.
i had a fairly good upbringing, tough as asset rich, and at times cash poor, my dad self employed builder, I often hid the location of our detached house, as teased in secondary school.

Tryagain26 · 05/04/2026 20:53

Not only are you being unreasonable you are being completely naive and you must have lived a very privileged life if you think everyone is in a position to have savings
Some people struggle just to get from one week the next having savings is completely impossible for some people at certain stages of their life
We had no savings when our children were young. We do now but at that time in our lives it was impossible. We lived on credit cards and hand to mouth.

Dragonflytamer · 05/04/2026 20:53

MovedlikeHarlowinMonteCarlo · 05/04/2026 20:16

I was thinking they must have had a rubbish Easter but its obviously just a lonely life.

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My life is perfectly fine to be fair. I just think people need to take some action to change their life rather than wallow in these poverty porn threads. Everyone can improve their situation many choose not too. This thread is a classic example. I think I am the one with the positive view on life!

I do seem to have come across the school gate mean girls on this thread!

Trainup · 05/04/2026 20:52

ThisJollyReader · 05/04/2026 17:19

I’m going to be honest, I find it quite hard to understand when adults have no savings at all. Not even £100 put away. I’m not talking about people going through a temporary rough patch but just having nothing set aside whatsoever. Personally, I try to keep around £10k as a buffer (I know everyone’s situation is different), but even putting that aside, I would still feel uncomfortable having nothing at all.

AIBU to feel like having at least something put away is important or am I being too harsh?

I would be very uncomfortable only having 10k put away. Thats not going to go far is it?

BIossomtoes · 05/04/2026 20:48

ForeverTheOptomist · 05/04/2026 20:46

Sorry - think you've perhaps lost the point?

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I don’t think it was ever found.

ForeverTheOptomist · 05/04/2026 20:46

BIossomtoes · 05/04/2026 20:43

How would someone have a holiday home if they’d never saved?

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Sorry - think you've perhaps lost the point?

HitMePlease34 · 05/04/2026 20:45

I am.on Universal Credit. I can't have more than £6000 without being penalized.

Disturbia81 · 05/04/2026 20:45

Wow, you are living in a bubble. Most people live wage to wage, everything is so expensive and wages are shit.

katseyes7 · 05/04/2026 20:45

I've been in the situation where l was on benefits after major surgery.
The savings l had were used up topping up the benefits until l could go back to work.
At one stage l hadn't even enough money to buy a loaf of bread.
Thank goodness l had kind friends who helped me out, and the wonderful lady from our foodbank where l used to volunteer was amazingly supportive.
So yes, you are being harsh.
You're also very lucky to never have been in that situation.

BIossomtoes · 05/04/2026 20:43

ForeverTheOptomist · 05/04/2026 20:43

Holiday homes?

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How would someone have a holiday home if they’d never saved?

ForeverTheOptomist · 05/04/2026 20:43

BIossomtoes · 05/04/2026 20:27

What do you class as non essential?

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Holiday homes?

HotGazpacho · 05/04/2026 20:42

Imagine being this obtuse. How do people live in the real world outside of the sunlit uplands?

ruethewhirl · 05/04/2026 20:42

BIossomtoes · 05/04/2026 20:27

What do you class as non essential?

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Extravagant fripperies such as food, no doubt. 🙄

ForeverTheOptomist · 05/04/2026 20:41

I have considered comments that you'e made on your posts @ThisJollyReader

The best that I can come up with, and I am normally extremely polite and considerate on this site, is

'Get your face out of your fucking arse'

I hope that this helps.

TheDenimPoet · 05/04/2026 20:40

Some people have no savings because they're really bad with money. Some people have no savings because they have no choice, and are only just scraping by.

Neither of these groups of people are your business.

CirclesandSpirals · 05/04/2026 20:35

I think we can all agree that savings are a luxury in this economy.

WaryCrow · 05/04/2026 20:34

MovedlikeHarlowinMonteCarlo · 05/04/2026 20:16

I was thinking they must have had a rubbish Easter but its obviously just a lonely life.

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Was going to say, ol’ problem with school holidays…

Anywherebuthere · 05/04/2026 20:33

Just 10k? That's shocking!

On a serious note, be grateful you don't know what it feels like to not have something to fall back on and be judged for it too.

BCBird · 05/04/2026 20:27

I remember a woman at night school telling me she put 100 pound a month away towards replacing her car. I remember thinking I could not afford that. I had just bought a very modest house by myself. I had been teaching 4 years. I can also not being able to attend the 6th form of choice because the bus fare would be too expensive. People often can't save.

BIossomtoes · 05/04/2026 20:27

MeridaBrave · 05/04/2026 20:22

Depends on a lot of factors but yes it shocks me when it’s someone who buys non essential items but doesn’t have a couple of months salary as a buffer. Obviously some people manage on a very low income and that’s not what shocks me. More
having enough for non essentials but not having a buffer.

What do you class as non essential?

MeridaBrave · 05/04/2026 20:22

Depends on a lot of factors but yes it shocks me when it’s someone who buys non essential items but doesn’t have a couple of months salary as a buffer. Obviously some people manage on a very low income and that’s not what shocks me. More
having enough for non essentials but not having a buffer.

trainboundfornowhere · 05/04/2026 20:17

I earned after tax, national insurance and pension around £1500 this month. This is our secondary income though as DH also works full time. I have a work colleague though for whom this is their only income. He still lives with his parents but if he was living on his own rent for a council flat £450, gas and electricity £120, contents insurance £20 and roughly £15 for a tv licence, council tax £130, food £200-£300. He also runs a car so you can see how the money soon disappears. Private rent would not be an option as private rent here for a one bed flat if your lucky would be £900 but after a quick search now the most expensive 1 bed for rent now is £1250 in the city I live in. Hopefully OP you can see how quickly money gets eaten up if your only option is a minimum wage job.

MovedlikeHarlowinMonteCarlo · 05/04/2026 20:16

BIossomtoes · 05/04/2026 20:15

Not just today. For weeks.

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I was thinking they must have had a rubbish Easter but its obviously just a lonely life.