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Original poster

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

625 replies

Fashionesta · 27/04/2021 14:19

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!

OP posts:
Ddot · 29/04/2021 16:22

The point is, if you work a 40hour week you should be able to afford to live not just survive. Not luxurious holidays fast cars or expensive clothes but not worried about putting food on the table and heating your home.

mygee · 29/04/2021 16:24

I agree with you. Ignoring the benefits debates, you absolutely should be able to afford to live on 31k! Not just scrape by but actually live, have some treats and luxuries.

I certainly wouldn't be able to survive on just my wage as a single parent. (Just gone up to £9 per hour, a whopping 9 pence above minimum wage to reflect my 15 years experience 🙄)

pam290358 · 29/04/2021 16:46

@Forrestcat. The answer to your question is because whatever political party is in power effectively has their hands tied. Successive governments have known that the average wage isn’t enough to live on and that’s why we’ve had various forms of income support in previous years and now UC. The government could force employers to pay a better minimum wage but they won’t because it’s a vote loser and a lot of MPs are directors of these companies - plus the companies themselves may be large party donors. That’s why the the problem is passed on to the tax payer, rather than upsetting the apple cart for the wealthy.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

General money
Ddot · 29/04/2021 17:05

Its pants

Ddot · 29/04/2021 17:09

How can you sit there racking in the cash, having everything your hearts desire and watch the people who work for you, claim bloody benefits. Shame on you. Give some back you tight arse 🤬

JeanneDoe · 29/04/2021 18:36

His much do you spend on your pet, including insurance?

Ddot · 29/04/2021 19:54

Lots on my pet, not much on me.

Ddot · 29/04/2021 19:55

I'm poor not allowed pets then eh

Someonetookmyname · 29/04/2021 20:25

@JeanneDoe

How much should a person’s salary be for them to buy pets and pet insurance without being judged?

OP works full time and earns almost national average.

Ddot · 29/04/2021 20:48

Poor should be childless petless dressed in rags with gruel for lunch. Or maybe we could just have reasonable rents instead, just a thought

Someonetookmyname · 29/04/2021 21:23

Pretty sure OP said she did a socially useful job too.

Who knows, maybe she’s one of the nurses everyone clapped for.

Probably best to save luxuries like a dog or children’s swimming lessons for the banker wankers instead. Nurses don’t deserve it.

XingMing · 29/04/2021 21:24

You, or anyone else reading, is not supposed to have a child before you can afford a child on what you earn. Maternity benefits, personal savings, whatever. The world is really not short of children. Children short of education and parenting is a different story.

Someonetookmyname · 29/04/2021 21:40

@XingMing

By your logic many nurses, teachers, social workers, midwifes should be childless, as many will earn what the OP does or below.

Should having children only be for those in very high earning positions or rich parents?

You do realise there are risks associated with ageing parents don’t you?

The problem isn’t women daring to get pregnant without being higher earners. The problem is the uneven distribution of wealth in our society, lack of financial support for single mothers, and attitudes like yours.

EnoughnowIthink · 29/04/2021 21:54

@XingMing

ODFOD. Seriously, I’m a single parent, a teacher of a shortage subject and I claim tax credits. I’ll put my children in care then, shall I?

Waxonwaxoff0 · 29/04/2021 21:59

@XingMing

You, or anyone else reading, is not supposed to have a child before you can afford a child on what you earn. Maternity benefits, personal savings, whatever. The world is really not short of children. Children short of education and parenting is a different story.
So people on minimum wage jobs should never have children then? Because not everyone can have a career they can progress in. And you sound like a right snob with the "education and parenting" comments.
unicornsarereal72 · 29/04/2021 22:01

@XingMing

When I had my children I was in a loving secure relationship. I was not anticipating the children's father to leave for a women 20 years younger than me. And to not pay a penny child support. (Anyone who can get money from self employed non paying parents tell me how)
I also didn't plan to have a child who is autistic.

I also didn't plan to-get clinically depressed when my ex left me
I work in social work role. Working around my children's needs.
I should put my children into the care system then? Which would cost a lot
More than the universal credits I'm fortunate to receive.

SofiaMichelle · 29/04/2021 23:10

The elephant in the room is the large, unaffordable pension contribution.

Without that it would be much more manageable.

Oblahdeeoblahdoe · 29/04/2021 23:24

This is interesting following the thread on people buying their council houses. Essentially tax payers (like you OP) are subsidising landlords as we do for big companies paying their employees minimum wage who have to claim UC in order to live.

Iggly · 30/04/2021 06:05

The elephant in the room is the large, unaffordable pension contribution

The op should be saving for retirement

The elephant is the government’s failure to enable people to have a decent standard of living.

Ddot · 30/04/2021 06:11

I got Ill had to leave my good job my pet had to be put to sleep, I had major surgery all in a couple of months. I then had a mental breakdown. My friend turned up on my doorstep with a stray. That pet got me out of bed each day. I suppose I could have saved the nhs and tax payers some cash and just died.

Kinsters · 30/04/2021 06:29

Wage inflation has been very unequal. My dad is a lawyer and was saying that when he started work in the 80s his boss's salary was only 5x what he earned (or something like that - a small number anyway). Now he's a senior partner and earns 32x what the juniors earn...he doesn't see a problem with this...

Waxonwaxoff0 · 30/04/2021 06:43

@SofiaMichelle

The elephant in the room is the large, unaffordable pension contribution.

Without that it would be much more manageable.

It's important though. Not saving for a pension will mean poverty in retirement.
SofiaMichelle · 30/04/2021 07:40

@Waxonwaxoff0

It's important though. Not saving for a pension will mean poverty in retirement.

It is. And I completely agree.

But I think it's a different question/problem, really.

I think it would be entirely fair to say it seems crazy that it's not possible to live a reasonable life, whilst also saving for retirement, on £31k.

Snog · 30/04/2021 08:36

OP your housing costs are too high and your wages are too low.

The housing market is broken due to a huge lack of supply of houses which forces up prices. Government is happy not to build more homes and instead to pay inflated rents to private landlords. This decision also leads to overcrowding in houses because we simply don't have enough houses and are not allowed to build the number of houses we need by our government.

Employers are then subsidised by the government which allows them to pay low wages which the government then have to top up so that people can live.

This has persisted under both Labour and Tory governments as far as I can see so I'm not sure how we can change things.

Iquitit · 30/04/2021 09:23

Some of the views on here towards people who are in low paid jobs ft and need top ups to live and what they should and shouldn't have is so fucking hypocritical it's almost funny.

You think I'm doing a minimum wage job, full time, with unsociable hours, no job benefits and being told I shouldn't be allowed to have a pet or my child a modest hobby because the tax payer isn't paying to fund that 'lifestyle' you can fuck right off.

I'm sick to death of enabling other people's lifestyle with my work, cut price care, and then being told what I'm deserving of, of enabling them not to have to think about their elderly relatives needs in their frailty, because I do that for a pittance, and even if you don't directly have elderly relatives in care, you'd be affected somewhere along the line because there's a lot of care homes, and they're generally full.
That's a lot of people benefitting from the service I'm providing by not having to care for their own family and being free to pursue their careers.
I don't contribute much financially to society, my contribution is doing a job society relies upon, for not even enough to live on, and I'm begrudged enough to live on, to survive on and it blows people's minds if I have something nice.
All contributions to society are not financial, but they're the only ones that some people see as worthy. Narrow minded people mainly.

You think I'm working in a job that supports society and which society relies upon, for a pittance to have someone tell me I'm not worthy of a little enjoyment in my life you can think again.

I'm not some cog in a machine here looking after everyone else's elderly family so they can live their lives unhindered and go and do their 'hard work' to be a fabulous tax payer because they earn 3 times as much as I do, and tell me that I don't deserve a fucking dog, or anything to have except the bare minimum, and not even that in some cases.
I support society practically, you'll all be at home looking after your own elderly family and not able to go and do that job that you think earns you the right to tell me what I can have.

Or start paying enough for the services provided by low waged workers like me that I don't need government top ups. That's not a popular idea is it? Most people resent losing their inheritance to care fees anyway, never mind increasing them so wages can be enough for those in the job to live on, but then moan about their tax paying benefits to the same people.

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