Can´t survive on salary without benefits. Doesn´t seem right.

[Fashionesta]

Just wondered if anyone else was in the same boat as feeling a bit miserable. Recently started new job, 31K a year, felt happy with that, potential to grow. Having done all my calculations and bills, if it were not for getting some money towards housing, I would be 300 pounds a month short :(

After pension I get around 1800 per month. Rent is 950 and I have one of the cheaper properties in my area so no ability to find anything cheaper - its me and DD in a 2 bed. No luxuries at all. Basic mobile phone on giff gaff 8 per month, no SKY etc, old car although paying off car loan of 150 month which bumps outgoings up. By the time I have paid all my bills, council tax, loan, after school club for DD and swimming lessons for her which I feel is essential, if it weren´t for the fact that I get some help towards rent, I would be -300 per month.

I generally feel like I earn a decent wage and panicking a bit about the situation. Not asking for a solution really as I think I am quite frugal, also sensible so pay for life insurance, car insurance, pet insurance and house insurance. Pay TV licence and so on. Shop at Tesco.

Anyone else don´t feel like they are getting by on what I actually consider a decent wage (although I realise in MN terms I am probably not earning much at all).'

Argh I just hate feeling poor all the time and I shouldn´t have to rely on benefits when on 31K surely!

Some comments on here are unbelievable.
The absolutely biggest con in all this is employers get away with paying piss poor wages knowing the government will pay the extra and chuck a bit more on top for rent.
I dont even think the system is fixable now.

32k. Outer north London . Social rent is 520 for a semi . 1 child at home- primary age. Cleaner and nanny comes on a Friday . 1 big holiday a year. Work from a studio in garden and school a couple hundred yards away so no need for car. Hot tub and 20 ft pool in garden- which sound expensive but really aren’t as I don’t pay for us to go anywhere to swim or exercise. . Don’t do designer clothes or salons so rest of life is pretty basic. Rarely leave the house to be fair , no socialising /nights out. Manage to save a bit each month 1/200. I suppose some people would not enjoy going weeks without leaving the road they live on . But if I didn’t do school run I’d happily never go further than the driveway . Love being at home . That’s why I’m cheap I think haha

Exactly. If nurses and teachers are eligible they'll be in receipt too.

You’d be supporting yourself though, not living on handouts.

🙄

@GreenWillow oh piss off!!!!!

@CutieBear

I would say £31k is above average! How the hell are you eligible for benefits when teachers and nurses on £25k aren’t eligible for anything??

What does being a nurse or teacher have to do with anything? How do you know OP isn't one?

And some people on those salaries can and do claim benefits, it varies depending on housing costs in the area as has been stated multiple times.

also, I make it that you’re paying £200 a month into your pension. This needs to stop, you can’t afford it.

If she doesn't pay into her pension she be a pensioner getting handouts?

It’s very difficult to read that your paying so heavily into a pension, while claiming benefits.

Why is it difficult to read? Many pension schemes rely on a certain amount going in.

@megletthesecond

Swimming isn't a hobby ffs. It's a basic life skill and keeps a child healthy.

Agreed it's not a luxury it's a necessity for every able child. The very basic primary school lessons are not enough to ensure a child can swim safely and confidently. Because of the cost list of poorer parents don't take children for swimming lessons which is a shame in my view.

@GreenWillow

...also, I make it that you’re paying £200 a month into your pension. This needs to stop, you can’t afford it.

It’s very difficult to read that your paying so heavily into a pension, while claiming benefits.

You remind me of a friend of mine who constantly claims poverty, expects everyone else to sub her because she’s saving hard for a deposit.

What a load of rubbish. Paying into a pension is important. OP will still be entitled to benefits even if she pays nothing into a pension.

@GreenWillow

...also, I make it that you’re paying £200 a month into your pension. This needs to stop, you can’t afford it.

It’s very difficult to read that your paying so heavily into a pension, while claiming benefits.

You remind me of a friend of mine who constantly claims poverty, expects everyone else to sub her because she’s saving hard for a deposit.

Yes how very dare she attempt to save to support herself in old age some of the comments on this thread are fucking baffling

To be fair, the thread is about not being able to survive on her salary... 🤷🏻‍♀️

I'm actually quite shocked by the comments, what are posters so bitter about?

@CutieBear

I would say £31k is above average! How the hell are you eligible for benefits when teachers and nurses on £25k aren’t eligible for anything??

They would be if they had the same housing / childcare costs as the OP

@Nats1984

32k. Outer north London . Social rent is 520 for a semi . 1 child at home- primary age. Cleaner and nanny comes on a Friday . 1 big holiday a year. Work from a studio in garden and school a couple hundred yards away so no need for car. Hot tub and 20 ft pool in garden- which sound expensive but really aren’t as I don’t pay for us to go anywhere to swim or exercise. . Don’t do designer clothes or salons so rest of life is pretty basic. Rarely leave the house to be fair , no socialising /nights out. Manage to save a bit each month 1/200. I suppose some people would not enjoy going weeks without leaving the road they live on . But if I didn’t do school run I’d happily never go further than the driveway . Love being at home . That’s why I’m cheap I think haha

Where are you @Nats1984? 2 bed semi for £520. Wow!

@AbsentmindedWoman

Sorry, benefits are not provided to pay for pets and hobbies.

Oh, fuck this pious bullshit.

The OP is working full time and needs a top up because of the absolute distortion in the economy which means wages have not kept up with inflation. The lifestyle OP describes is in no way profligate.

And you'd seriously encourage taking away a child's swimming lessons and a cat/ dog (I'm going to make the wild assumption it is this kind of pet rather than a moneydrain pony on full livery...) because the OP 'can't afford' them? Do you mean she shouldn't claim the top up benefit?

The OP can afford them. With a bit of state help which she is entitled to and should absolutely claim, so her and her kid can have a semblance of a normal life.

The social contract is broken. Work doesn't pay an honest living wage.

I totally agree with this. I'm presuming that the posters suggesting that OP gets rid of insurance would be the first ones to criticise if she posted on here saying that she didn't know what to do because she couldn't afford contents insurance and her house had been burgled.

It is disgraceful that in a country which is meant to be one of the richest in the world someone who works full time needs to claim benefits to have a basic standard of living. I remember living in London in the 80s on a not particularly high salary and actually being able to pay my rent and have a social life. Prices for things like food, utilities and rent have gone up massively while wages have not.

Do you think it may be an idea for all posters to describe their own financial circumstances before commenting on threads like these. Sometimes it's easier to comment without walking in someone's shoes....

Keep your pet OP and enjoy your chicken!

@doomonic

I'm actually quite shocked by the comments, what are posters so bitter about?

Ridiculous isn't it. We should be questioning how we have got to the point where someone on £31k is struggling. Instead people are berating someone who works full time, is bringing up a child alone because the other parent fucked off abroad, just because they get a small amount in top up benefits.

MNetters really do hate people for not being wealthy.

JinglingHellsBells

*"I don't understand why your daughter's father can't pay towards her needs just because he lives overseas. It's a moral issue surely, not one of politics? Why doesn't he pay for his child?

And yes, sorry, but pets are expensive and if you are really struggling, they ought to go."*

Why do resident parents get blamed for nrp's decisions? You seem like the type who will blame OP for procreation with a flakey irresponsible person, when people are autonomous and can change or just decide they don't want to do something?

The parent that stays and raises the children seems to be berated for their circumstances in society's eyes as if they chose them. Life happens, I hope it doesn't happen to you either and you stay smugly content in the safety of a "stable marriage" sneering at all single parents as if anyone chooses those circumstances.

Secondly even if he paid maintenance it would not count towards OP's UC calculations, she would still receive the same top up which strengthens her point that she is on a decent wage and should be able to afford a decent quality of life without state help.

@GreenWillow

...also, I make it that you’re paying £200 a month into your pension. This needs to stop, you can’t afford it.

It’s very difficult to read that your paying so heavily into a pension, while claiming benefits.

You remind me of a friend of mine who constantly claims poverty, expects everyone else to sub her because she’s saving hard for a deposit.

I think you take the prize for the absolute worst advice given out on this thread, and there have been some dreadful suggestions 🤦‍♀️

I wouldn’t recommend getting rid of any sort of insurance policy, but swimming lessons aren’t essential. How much do they cost you?

I’d say swimming itself is essential, but that can be done by taking your child swimming regularly-that is much cheaper.

Nobody in my household/family has had swimming lessons, in fact I can’t think of any friends that have, either-we all went loads as kids though and are strong swimmers.

I'm actually quite shocked by the comments, what are posters so bitter about?

I think it’s because OP is on a considerably higher wage than most people and “moaning” that she can’t afford to live on it which has got people’s backs up if they’ve not read it properly.
But if they read the OPs posts properly they’ll see she’s not moaning about her high wage but more than everything else is so expensive.

@doomonic

I'm actually quite shocked by the comments, what are posters so bitter about?

The public purse having to support OP’s lifestyle choices.

@Nats1984 your rent is almost half the OPs, then you start bragging about your hot tub and cleaner, how is this helping? There is no comparison

Honestly, if you can, move.

There are loads of places in the UK where you can live a decent life on 31k, but not if your rent is nearly a grand a month. There are perfectly nice little houses in Yorkshire for £70 - 100k that you could buy as a single person on 31k and pay a mortgage of more like £350 - 450. I bought as a single person on less than that.

It's utterly shit and I think we've gone wrong as a country for things to be this way. But they are this way and housing isn't getting cheaper, so, if you can, move.

If the OP doesn't build up her pension then the state will be paying all of her rent throughout retirement. With no cap or bedroom tax either. And her council tax. How do you like them apples @GreenWillow? Because this is exactly what's going to happen with all of generation rent, with the oldest of them just twenty five years away from such a scenario.

Pay into your pension OP. Pay extra, otherwise all you're doing is taking yourself out of pension credit territory. It's not counted as income and your top ups will increase for as long as you have them.