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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:
Wide · 27/04/2021 17:37

Is it really paying to work full time? Sorry but if I would be no better off working full time I would work part and get the top up from universal credits, then no high childcare costs and you are with your child more, then on my days off I would take up private cleaning to make extra money. Sorry but that's the way society makes it now that you can't even live on a full time wage. We work and for years its felt like we have no spare money, where is the excitement of getting paid? Oh and I really could not care less what the snobs on here think about my comment

BrightYellowDaffodil · 27/04/2021 17:37

As well as it is an investment and actually sometimes their income. They can charge the moon if they want, but realistically it is all driven by house prices. If an area is expensive, it is a given that rent will be expensive.

Well, aside from the fact that I don't think people should be treating a fundamental human need - i.e. a home - as a nice little investment nest egg or an alternative to an income, areas are made expensive by house prices and - surprise, surprise - rents. My old landlords were rubbing their hands in glee when they realised how much more my old flat could be re-let for (egged on by the letting agents, no doubt mindful of their commission). They didn't need to charge that as clearly they were getting by on the rent I'd been paying, but they whacked up their prices anyway.

Bul21ia · 27/04/2021 17:37

[quote loveheartss]@Bul21ia that poster said "some parts of the country"[/quote]
Yes I know. My point was OP would not be in the SAME position finically with cheaper rent.. she wouldn’t need the £300 in HB. She may find rent for £400 per month. That would leave her with money left over surely.

Interested in this thread?

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General money
HibouMilou · 27/04/2021 17:38

The main issue here is that your child’s father isn’t contributing. I know that it’s difficult to make him do so (I’ve got the T-shirt), but I’d prioritise sorting this.

Bul21ia · 27/04/2021 17:38

@Wide your right

cyclingmad · 27/04/2021 17:41

OP, you said earlier that a mortgage would be cheaper. Not necessarily and esp not in the south east. My mortgage was £900 and only after 5yrs has gone down to £750.

I don't know about you buy having a comfortable luxury life isn't dependent on having things like sky. Maybe to you it is.

You say 31k isn't enough but some of your choices make it that way e..g the dog, you are choosing to have this additional expense. You cannot then complain your salary isn't enough.

Akai2345 · 27/04/2021 17:42

OP have you thought about moving to an area with cheaper rent?

shinynewapple21 · 27/04/2021 17:42

@HibouMilou

The main issue here is that your child’s father isn’t contributing. I know that it’s difficult to make him do so (I’ve got the T-shirt), but I’d prioritise sorting this.

OP has already said he is now living in a different country

Itsabeautifulday81 · 27/04/2021 17:42

See your benefits as simply the government filling the gap by an absent non paying father, and not a reflection on you OP

ivfbeenbusy · 27/04/2021 17:44

It's irrelevant he lives in another country He can and should be contributing

toocold54 · 27/04/2021 17:45

I earn more than you and get help with housing. I pay over £1k a month rent. I am a single parent to two and do get maintenance from their dad which to be honest is only way i manage to get by as otherwise i'd be left with barely anything after everything has gone out.

I’m quite shocked at some of these replies and wonder why there are such big differences.

I earn less and get no maintenance and don’t get help with rent/UC.
When I was on a lower wage of around £12,000 a year I was getting help with UC but only about £30 a week.

Branleuse · 27/04/2021 17:45

@SuziQuatrosFatNan

Of course it's insane but it's what happens when you simultaneously subsidise landlords who want to charge a lot and employers who don't want to pay much.
100%
Moonwhite · 27/04/2021 17:46

I love how people go - south east? Go and live in the north east, much cheaper rent.

Hell of a commute to that job though...

Hellocatshome · 27/04/2021 17:47

DH and I earn your wage combined and don't qualify for any help at all, am I doing something wrong?

Waxonwaxoff0 · 27/04/2021 17:47

@ivfbeenbusy

It's irrelevant he lives in another country He can and should be contributing
How is OP meant to make him contribute? Please tell us since you have all the answers. It's difficult enough getting absent fathers in this country to pay, let alone ones who fuck off abroad.
Original poster
Fashionesta · 27/04/2021 17:48

I can manage. It was a moan and an observation that on this salary I shouldn't be needing the top up. To move somewhere with rent for £400 would be too far from work, family, network etc it's not even something I would entertain.

Rent £600 no top up
Rent £950 top up £300. See what I'm saying. Moving is not really an option nor necessary.

In my ten years on MN (recent NC) I should have known the half the posters won't read properly and make suggestions that I should move 100 miles away, or sell my dog, or sleep on a sofa.

OP posts:
Waxonwaxoff0 · 27/04/2021 17:50

@Hellocatshome

DH and I earn your wage combined and don't qualify for any help at all, am I doing something wrong?
It will be the housing element, it varies across the country depending on rent costs. OP has very high rent costs. If I earned the same as OP I would not get anything as I live in a cheaper area.
doomonic · 27/04/2021 17:50

It's irrelevant he lives in another country He can and should be contributing

Well you crack on & make him then!

boredbuttercup · 27/04/2021 17:51

It's irrelevant he lives in another country He can and should be contributing

@ivfbeenbusy

Go on then, you make him! How exactly do you plan on doing so? Considering there is no legal requirement (this definitely needs fixing) and clearly any father happy to up sticks away from his child, presumably not see them, and not care that they are housed/fed/clothes has no conscience you're not going to appeal to his moral duty. He absolutely should be contributing but sadly there's no way to make this happen for the OP.

Original poster
Fashionesta · 27/04/2021 17:51

I do take onboard what others have said. Yes technically dog, car etc are luxuries. But are we honestly saying that those earning an average UK wage should not be able to have a decent life? Surely there is something wrong with that. I can afford my life. Apart from car loan I have no debts. I'm lucky gov helps with my rent. I'm just saying it shouldn't be like this. If I lost UC tomorrow I could probably find a few ways to cut corners without having to resort to wearing rags and sleeping on a sofa 😂

OP posts:
Inanun2 · 27/04/2021 17:52

@BrightYellowDaffodil

As well as it is an investment and actually sometimes their income. They can charge the moon if they want, but realistically it is all driven by house prices. If an area is expensive, it is a given that rent will be expensive.

Well, aside from the fact that I don't think people should be treating a fundamental human need - i.e. a home - as a nice little investment nest egg or an alternative to an income, areas are made expensive by house prices and - surprise, surprise - rents. My old landlords were rubbing their hands in glee when they realised how much more my old flat could be re-let for (egged on by the letting agents, no doubt mindful of their commission). They didn't need to charge that as clearly they were getting by on the rent I'd been paying, but they whacked up their prices anyway.

^This completely. The cost of housing rents are observe. On other topic I know, but my student child pays £600 excluding bills for a room in a 6 bed house £3,600 per month x 12 £43,200 a year the landlord makes for modest rooms with knackered furniture.. and that was one of the cheapest rents lots much more than that !. They always say you have to have money to make money - never a truer saying....

You are correct OP you are on a good salary and that should be enough to live on, are there not rent caps in Europe ? Something has to change here is it not sustainable.

Thisgirlcando · 27/04/2021 17:52

In the north east you'd be looking at nearly half that.

For a 1 bed flat near me it’s £700 so not half at all!

AC12theletterofthelaw · 27/04/2021 17:54

Some posters on this thread really need to have a word with themselves and read the thread properly.

Sneering witches.

Wide · 27/04/2021 17:55

Op, I can understand how annoying and flippantly people say just move to somewhere cheaper, why should you move away from your family, uproot your child from school to end up lonely?!! For what a couple of hundred pounds more, why should you have to! I hate how their is no rental law and a cap on what landlords can charge. As I said above work out on the entitled to calculator if you will be the same financially working part time by universal credits topping up, don't work for nothing and have less time eith your child and no money for nothing! You can work full time when they no longer need childcare. I wish you the best, it is shit.

Inanun2 · 27/04/2021 17:56

*obscene that did say until auto correct !