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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:
elastamum · 27/04/2021 17:56

The saddest thing about this thread is the number of posters who just don't get that our economy is utterly broken and life has become incredibly difficult for so many working people due to the disparity between housing costs and wages. Rather than blame the government, they are quick to judge any individual who admits to be struggling. OP, ignore the keyboard warriors, you have my sympathy, it really isn't fair.

blueangel19 · 27/04/2021 17:57

I have sympathy for you OP. However, the situation really is that your ex does not contribute at all for her daughter. We can slam landlords as greedy bastards but really how many fathers are absent. This keeps coming up all the time.

I do not think you are doing or have done anything wrong. I admire a person like you. Can’t stand men who leave women to carry the burden of the child/ children.

thevassal · 27/04/2021 17:58

I earn nearly exactly the same wage as you and live in a 2 bed house (DP is going to move in shortly) and pay for all the same insurances etc, yet feel really comfortable on that wage.

The differences I can work out are I don't (yet) have a DC so not paying for food, afterschool, or clubs for them. My mortgage is cheaper than your rent, but then I don't get the £300 UC towards it, so is roughly the same.
However I pay for gym and pool myself, usually (in normal times) go out a few times a week, treat myself with clothes and spa etc fairly regularly, go on holiday a few times a year, and still manage to save at least £500 every month, so you think those would counteract each other to some extent?

Not being judgey at all, as you say you're hardly living the life of Riley, just think it's worth mentioning that for lots of people £31k is a perfectly comfortable wage - indeed I think it's the average full time wage so more than half the country are on less than that (although of course it's easier if there are two of you working) - I was actually on £21k only five years ago as wasn't entitled to any benefits but managed fairly well with that tbh.

Hopefully once you pay the car loan off you will notice a bit of a difference? Also do you need to pay house insurance if you're renting?

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

General money
JediGnot · 27/04/2021 17:58

@GiveMeTulipsfromAmsterdam

Rent costs are the problem in the UK. Greedy landlords raking in the money. The government tends to make sure the property market is propped up, the last no stamp duty helped second home purchases and landlords buy up more and keeps prices up.

It's sad, people without deposits or inheritance or extremely large salaries are left behind to rent.

Cannot help but heard your story many times over

Greedy landlords aren't all greedy landlords. Some of them are people who see that in this country you have two choices -

(1) work your arse off and struggle to makes ends meet, with the only thing to look forward to being retirement, at which point you'll either be struggling, or completely screwed because you under-rgulated financial advisor has absconded with every penny.

or

(2) Play the game that tory-scum want you to - buy assets and screw those less fortunate.

doomonic · 27/04/2021 17:59

I don't understand how you're only taking home £1800 monthly if you earn £31000.Why are almost £10K of annual, almost £800 monthly deductions been taken off you?

It's called tax

getsomehelp · 27/04/2021 17:59

OP, I agree.... It is absolutely wrong that house rentals are astronomical, & the government have to help.
We are paying taxes so that they can help you, rather than capping exorbitant rentals

boredbuttercup · 27/04/2021 17:59

I have sympathy for you OP. However, the situation really is that your ex does not contribute at all for her daughter. We can slam landlords as greedy bastards but really how many fathers are absent. This keeps coming up all the time.

Can we slam both? Let's put a rent cap on and bring in law to require absent parents to pay for their children. They're both bastards and contribute to our broken economy and people struggling where they shouldn't have too.

Logmein · 27/04/2021 18:00

@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.
This! As for some of the other comments ridiculous.
doomonic · 27/04/2021 18:00

r2) Play the game that tory-scum want you to - buy assets and screw those less fortunate.

It's a lot harder to play the game though for younger people so it should at the very least be a level playing field.

SeaShoreGalore · 27/04/2021 18:03

I’m a lone parent and get working tax credits and child tax credits.

I use to money to buy botox and very expensive chocolate.

sugarlost · 27/04/2021 18:05

Keep your pet OP they can really help your mental health.

doomonic · 27/04/2021 18:06

As well as it is an investment and actually sometimes their income

So, people profiting off oxygen in India will say the same. I don't think it should be a source of revenue when a resource is scarce.

it is all driven by house prices. If an area is expensive, it is a given that rent will be expensive.

It's driven by asset inflation & low interest rates.

doomonic · 27/04/2021 18:07

Let's put a rent cap on and bring in law to require absent parents to pay for their children. They're both bastards and contribute to our broken economy and people struggling where they shouldn't have too.

I would defo vote for this

OneForTheRoadThen · 27/04/2021 18:07

Ivfbeenbusy I see you're being your usual empathetic self on this thread.

JediGnot · 27/04/2021 18:08

@elastamum

The saddest thing about this thread is the number of posters who just don't get that our economy is utterly broken and life has become incredibly difficult for so many working people due to the disparity between housing costs and wages. Rather than blame the government, they are quick to judge any individual who admits to be struggling. OP, ignore the keyboard warriors, you have my sympathy, it really isn't fair.
This 100%.

The thing is it's broken for everyone, apart from the mega rich and tory donors getting corrupt covid contracts.

Even rich Professionals are "suffering". Imagine you went to Oxford Uni and had spent 20 years working your way up to being a Top City lawyer. You "should" be able to afford 2 fantastic holidays a year, a couple of nice cars, a very very nice house pretty much wherever you want to live, private school for both kids. No money worries. The neo-liberal capitalist model that's Thatcher brought in is so disfunctional, so good at shifting income and wealth from (relatively) poor to (very) rich that even many of the wealthiest in society are "suffering" compared to the life they "should" have.

Don't get me wrong, I have much more sympathy for OP, and much much more for those on low incomes or without work... but this current system is crap even for many of the richer members of society.

Akai2345 · 27/04/2021 18:09

Could the OP let us know how many meals she gets out of a chicken?

JediGnot · 27/04/2021 18:12

@doomonic

r2) Play the game that tory-scum want you to - buy assets and screw those less fortunate.

It's a lot harder to play the game though for younger people so it should at the very least be a level playing field.

I agree - huge swathes of the young (under 40s?) can't even play the "game" of buying their own home let alone buying a small property portfolio. But we have a government that does not give a shit. Play their game or suffer indignity and daily struggle. Or kill yourself, we don't give a shit. So yeah, play the game, you're a loser if you don't. What do you mean you haven't got an inheritance to invest in a property portfolio? Why should we care about you then, you are worthless.

"Let the bodies pile up". "Fuck business". They don't give a shit about business people or whether you die, do you really think they give a flying fuc about whether you earn money?

CleanQueen123 · 27/04/2021 18:13

@Akai2345 even if it fed the 5000 it wouldn't be enough for some posters.

AnotherEmma · 27/04/2021 18:14

@OneForTheRoadThen

Ivfbeenbusy I see you're being your usual empathetic self on this thread.
Yes I thought that too!
savvy7 · 27/04/2021 18:15

" 1) work your arse off and struggle to makes ends meet, with the only thing to look forward to being retirement, at which point you'll either be struggling, or completely screwed because you under-rgulated financial advisor has absconded with every penny.

or

(2) Play the game that tory-scum want you to - buy assets and screw those less fortunate."

No, that's not the choice. That's where it all went wrong for this country - amateur landlords making money out of a necessary and limited resource. I understand the origins in the pensions misselling scandals etc but it has gone way too far.

doomonic · 27/04/2021 18:15

The thing is it's broken for everyone, apart from the mega rich and tory donors getting corrupt covid contracts.

100% that's why I don't understand the stupidity but I guess people think they will somehow become the elite.

I can recognise its shit for my dc as they get older.

savvy7 · 27/04/2021 18:17

The Government would rather get intervene in Football League crap than solving the real issues in society.

Blondeshavemorefun · 27/04/2021 18:17

Yes you would think on £31k you could survive

But by the time things paid for , it’s back to 0

Yes ex should pay child support but easier said then done

Does he have any contact

Not sure I missed how old dd is

But in a few years once at secondary things should be easier as no clubs needed for childcare

balloonsandboobies · 27/04/2021 18:18

@Mydarlingmyhamburger

You’ve got a car on finance, multiple loans you’ve taken out, multiple after school clubs for your child, and you’ve insured absolutely everything which while sensible is expensive and optional. That’s where your moneys going. I’m on less money with 3 children. I’ve got admittedly cheaper rent but then childcare for 3 children is expensive. I can’t afford a car, can’t afford to get anything insured, my children only attend free after school clubs, and I shop at Aldi because I can’t afford Tesco. I get no help apart from child benefit. You’re haemorrhaging money, I’m sure you can cut way down somewhere
This is one of the most MN quotes I've read for a while. How the OP's post was turned into "multiple loans and multiple after school clubs" I have no idea. And insurance is a bad thing? Really??
toocold54 · 27/04/2021 18:18

Let's put a rent cap on and bring in law to require absent parents to pay for their children. They're both bastards and contribute to our broken economy and people struggling where they shouldn't have too.

Completely agree.
I would be so much better off if I didn’t have such high rent and could save for a deposit to get onto the property ladder too. And of course absent parents should pay too and it’s sad that there needs to be a law just to make them do it.