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Original poster

Living in London on minimum wage

58 replies

gemandjule · 01/03/2022 22:02

My son, age 25, is moving to London. He split up from his long term live in girlfriend in October. He has decided to move to make a fresh start. He has a job in retail (bookshop) which he enjoys as he loves books and has a masters (with distinction) in English literature from a red brick uni. He’s hoping to get into publishing but for the short term will be on minimum wage working in kings road. He’ll be looking for a house share. How difficult will it be to afford to live in London on minimum wage?

OP posts:
Original poster
gemandjule · 01/03/2022 23:03

@Rickrollme that’s exactly what he thinks. Thanks so much. I feel a lot more positive now. Definitely worth a year or two of his life.I can’t see him regretting giving it a shot

OP posts:
Fupoffyagrasshole · 01/03/2022 23:07

The rent is nuts ! But I find everything else can be affordable if you know where to go!!
If he can cycle then that saves tube and bus fares etc

I moved to London when I was 23 and did bar work at first and then I had some temp jobs and then I got a low paid office data entry job and kept the bar work in the evenings so was working crazy hours for a while - but I needed the money so I just got on with it

Eventually got a much better paying job and am very settled here 10 years later

I think go for it - sure he can always come home if he needs to

titchy · 01/03/2022 23:08

Students manage it! If he's happy to adopt a student lifestyle (Spoons, Lidl and walk/bike) and is generally resourceful he should have a ball. He should definitely give it a go.

movingsoon13 · 01/03/2022 23:08

Hello, can I ask why you're ignoring messages giving you honest feedback about being a genuine resident and only focusing on encouraging comments? It sounds like you don't actually want advice

movingsoon13 · 01/03/2022 23:08

@titchy

Students manage it! If he's happy to adopt a student lifestyle (Spoons, Lidl and walk/bike) and is generally resourceful he should have a ball. He should definitely give it a go.
You won't afford to go out for meals as a student there
Pugfostermum · 01/03/2022 23:10

It’s really not fun.

I lived in zone 4 for 15 years and and started on min wage.
I lived in a bed sit with my husband initially, then a few years later when I earned a little more I rented shared places with other people.
The bed sit had a shared kitchen and bathroom with the other bed-sitters, so there was no sense of community, but plenty of their hair in the bathroom. The bathroom and kitchen were never, ever cleaned……..

When I left London 8 years ago I was earning £30,000.
I never had any money in savings, had 1 very cheap holiday a year, couldn’t rent a 1 bed place by myself, the only options were grotty house shares or grotty studio flats. Or one bed flats with people that I made rash decisions to move in with, as I hated sharing with strangers so much.

I worked evenings as well as my day job to make ends meet and was always thinking about money, getting through the month…….

Westfacing · 01/03/2022 23:12

@MegBusset

It will be tough and he won't have any frills but there is something special about being young and single in London following the career of your dreams. Yes he will live in a grotty house share. He will also have experiences and make friends that he simply won't be able to do living at home or in a small city. In similar circumstances I worked several nights a week in a pub as well as a day job, this gave valuable extra income as well as a ready-made social life.

I hope he has a great time and it works out well for him.

This has saved me writing the same thing!

Wishing him well Smile

titchy · 01/03/2022 23:13

Most London students can manage a Nando's once a week or fortnight Hmm

I'm sure no one expects OP's son or students to be eating out every night. What an odd thing to say.

doadeer · 01/03/2022 23:17

I moved to London at 18 in 2008, I've been here for 13 years. I think it's possible but I would say it's hard if there's no hope of going up income wise. If you're in a company on a low wage but you know there's progression, that's very different to being on min wage without any indication of a rise.
I've been with my partner for 11 years, when we were broke in the early days we spent hours and hours walking along the south bank and all around London with a beer from the shop. We went to museums. We went out in soho on student nights. You can find cheap ways to have a nice time.

And I lived in flat shares for 6 years too. They aren't all shit holes.

If he hates it after a year does he have options?

MyDcAreMarvel · 01/03/2022 23:25

Could he get a bath job a couple of nights a week?

Original poster
gemandjule · 01/03/2022 23:36

@movingsoon13

Hello, can I ask why you're ignoring messages giving you honest feedback about being a genuine resident and only focusing on encouraging comments? It sounds like you don't actually want advice
I’m not ignoring any comments. The negative ones are expressing my own concerns exactly. As they are already expressing my concerns there isn’t much to say about them. He has the job, he has booked the flight, he can stay with his cousin for a few weeks if necessary while he finds somewhere to live. He has some savings and he’s well educated and bright. I’m really trying to see if his dreams are in anyway feasible. He’s really worked hard to get back to himself since the breakdown of his relationship and I’d love this to B work for him. If it doesn’t he can move back home again and regroup. It’s really encouraging though to hear plenty of people saying it can be done. I doubt very much he will be on minimum wage indefinitely
OP posts:
gingerhills · 01/03/2022 23:59

People are being so down about his decision. It's possible to have an incredible life in London on very little money. Rent is high but he could offset that by doing a couple of shifts in a restaurant in the evening after work - free food and drink and pay at the end of it.

There are loads of poetry readings, author events, open mic nights etc that are free or very cheap if he loves literature. He could organise some at his own bookshop. Or he could set one up in a room over a pub and charge a small entrance fee to cover costs/make a bit of money. A friend does that. The room is free, so long as people buy drinks.

Museums are free, galleries are often free, there are incredibly cheap deals around on theatre tickets. NT for £12. ENO starts at £10, Old Vic at £15. Street food markets sell great food for £5-8. There are gorgeous parks for picnics, walks, swimming. Boris bikes are dirt cheap to rent.

gingerhills · 02/03/2022 00:04

When I was his age, moving to London, my friends and I didn't mind giving up comfort for adventure. And we weren't scared to work two jobs. I worked in an office during the day and a restaurant a few nights a week. I went to every theatre show I could find, did Saturday dance classes, went to lots of parties, comedy shows. It was such good fun. People are worried that he might not live in perfect circumstances. That doesn't matter. It's an adventure. It doesn't even need to last. If he runs out of money or doesn't settle, he can move on.

chipsarnie · 02/03/2022 00:56

I moved to London at the age of 21, in 1992. For the first 3 or so years I earned the equivalent of minimum wage, or very slightly above it.

I had the time of my life. I still live in London, and I've loved almost every minute.

He should go for it.

downtonupton · 02/03/2022 01:23

it can so be done - so many ways of doing London cheaply when you live here. rent is not cheap - but so many other things are when you look and find the right people to do it with. Theatre seat filling like Central Tickets you can see west end shows for less than £10 if you are prepared to go tonight or tomorrow. So many good cheap places to eat. Some places like South Norwood are less than 15 minutes on the train from central, Acton which is on many train and the lines but cheaper accommodation. If your son is not expecting life on a plate he ill be fine and will love it.
London offers so much and is such a buzz at night - I don't think I will ever tire of living here

Original poster
gemandjule · 06/04/2022 16:08

Quick update:
Well he moved about 4 weeks ago. Has being staying with his cousin while looking for a place. Made contact with a good friend of his from school who has also just moved. They decided to look together, his friend has a much better paid job and is happy to pay more than 50% of the rent in exchange for better bedroom and living in a bigger flat than he can afford by himself but not living with a stranger. So they are getting the keys for this flat next week! www.wenlocktaylor.co.uk/property/residential/for-rent/london/kensal-rise/chamberlayne-road/31302051
Friend is getting the en-suite bedroom. It looks great though and he’s thrilled. He’s now looking for a better job so fingers crossed. Anyone know the area?

OP posts:
Frogium · 06/04/2022 16:12

Can he do a side-gig as a freelance content writer? It pays quite well

ComtesseDeSpair · 06/04/2022 16:18

It’s a main road with a lot of pubs and restaurants so will be busy and noisy at night on Fridays and Saturdays- but the area is on the up.

It’s a lot of rent to pay from a NMW job though - and with council tax, utilities, broadband and a travel card he’s going to be tight for spends, so fingers crossed he does find a better paying job sooner rather than later.

Original poster
gemandjule · 06/04/2022 16:21

That’s a good idea @Frogium. I think he’s applying for jobs all the time. I know he’s been quite busy since he arrived working full time and setting himself up with accommodation so hopefully once he moved in now he’ll have more time and could look into something like that. He seems so much happier in himself already. It seems to have been a good decision for now, even if he moves again in a year or so.

OP posts:
IrishMamaMia · 06/04/2022 16:26

Well done to him. Sounds like it's really working out. Publishing is very much London based ime so it's great that he's based there and can attend interviews. If nothing comes of it I'm sure he'll have a wonderful few years in London :)

Original poster
gemandjule · 06/04/2022 16:29

As far as I know his friend has negotiated the rent down a bit. They had discussed a budget and DS had said the max he can pay including utilities is £650/month and his friend is happy to pay the balance and they’ll organise a fairer split when he gets a better job. Friend has a well paid job and really wants to share with some he knows well and gets on with.

OP posts:
VodselForDinner · 06/04/2022 16:32

He’s young, he has no big commitments, and it sounds like he has a soft place to land (ie, back to your house!) if it goes belly-up.

I’ll sure it’ll be tough but he’ll meet new people, see the city, and it’s not like he’ll be stuck there forever if it doesn’t work. If you’re going to live in a cramped house with little money, you’re best off doing it at 25 when it’s a choice.

He’d be best not living somewhere with a long lease though, although that presents its own problems.

mibbelucieachwell · 06/04/2022 16:36

My DS was a student in London and graduated last year. He's in a flatshare in N4 with 3 others for £2k per month for the four of them. It's the top two floors of a house. They all have their own bedroom and share a kitchen/sitting room. The street is fairly quiet and very convenient for an overground railway line and tube and buses.

In very heavy rain there's a small leak in the roof and they don't have mains gas, but it seems generally okay.

This is the cheapest and nicest property they've found over the past four years. They possibly benefited from people like them moving out of London last year during the lockdown. Unfortunately he isn't finding enough work to cover his living expenses and is using his savings.

All the best to your DS @gemandjule. I envy his youth and appetite for adventure.

namechange46783 · 06/04/2022 16:49

Hi OP, I used to live in the next door street in Kensal Rise! (It's great and walkable to Little Venice which is lovely. I also work in theatre and have worked at the Royal Court. I'm a bit older now but I know and have worked with a lot of young writers, and this is all the norm. He's doing the right thing. A lot of young writers get extra work as ushers to see as much new theatre as possible. Also there are plenty of under 30 free theatre schemes in London. It really isn't comparable to any other city if this is his line of work / ambition. Cycle everywhere, take part in writing scratch events and build a network. He'll be fine!

Original poster
gemandjule · 06/04/2022 16:54

@namechange46783 sounds like your life is exactly what he’d like his life to be! I can’t believe you lived next door 😲🤩

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