How do people manage on little money?

[istheheatingonyet]

Ive just spent the best part of £300 on getting my teeth cleaned by the hygenist, a weekly shop for 2 ( adult son also here temporarily) and getting my hair done.
Now I know the third is a total extra but it's one of my few extras.

How do people manage? it's madness.

Most people manage but not having any ‘extras’ let alone a few

They don’t manage

My nhs hygienist costs £75, £80 for this new water blast thing!

They literally never go to the hygienist for a start. A lot of people don't even know such a thing exists.

I saw a hygienist a few weeks ago for the first time ever as I have early signs of gum disease. It was £75 for half an hour 😱 luckily we can just about afford it but I won't be doing it regularly although my dentist says that's what I need.

If I could get a hygienist appointment on NHS it would probably be around £30, but I can't, so I'm happy to pay privately as I have gum disease and she has worked miracles. Rarely see a dentist now.

Food is the fuel your body needs to function , cut back on everything else but buy your 3 meals a day

I have an NHS dentist who does a clean at NHS rates. DH had to go to a hygienist as he needed a deep clean and it was private and £180. DS trims my hair, started in lockdown and as it’s a simple trim seems daft paying £35. I also cut DH hair, I used to cut DS hair but he has a more complicated cut now and likes his barber visits so went back about a year ago. Food shop for 3 varies a lot.

We buy in bulk, so I will buy a catering size sack of rice, 5 litres of soy sauce ort of level. When stuff is on offer I will buy and freeze it and I have extra storage cupboards out of the kitchen full of shelf stable stuff. Actually having money to buy in bulk and the space to store stuff means huge savings. The very poor can’t buy in bulk due to the initial outlay plus space. It’s very much how money makes money.

Either :

Cut your cloth accordingly
or
Get into debt

My dentist is no longer NHS so I will only go in an emergency (pain )

Last haircut a year ago (daughter cuts my fringe ) I colour it with a box from
Boots

Food , is 50 a week - mostly vegetarian !
I do save a bit of money each month for unexpected stuff in the year (like emergency dentist , car issues , boiler service
Times are tough and priorities are needed :(

Mine does.
My dentist does a clean and polish. I see the dentist every 6 months and don't pay out ££ for a separate hygienist appointment. No issue at all with people who choose to - we all make different choices, but it's hardly neglect if people don't go.

I go to the NHS dentist for regular routine appointments but surely paying for a private dental hygienist over and above that is a luxury?

Yawn, or rather do pop off OP.

I went to my dentist this week for a check up - cost 65 inc a xray

i also go twice a year for a deep clean which cost 70

i appreciate that i am incredibly lucky to be able to afford this with ease

Meant to add my dentist plan is about £25pm
Covers 2 appointments with the dentist (check ups but can go obviously if in pain any other time), 2 hygiene appointments then all work except lab fees - so a filling is free, extraction is free, crown is about £90 when I last asked and I pay £50 for a mouthguard

When we were surviving on a very low salary and tax credits, I didn't get my hair done or go to the dentist for 10 years. We live within our means. Holidays were daytrips or a few night camping. I made meals from scratch that lasted 2 days, boosted with beans and vegetables. Luckily our mortgage was extremely low, I'm thankful for that. Now I'm back at work, I'm over the moon to book myself a salon appointment.

I’m in Ireland and on 42k which isn’t considered an amazing salary here.

the dental hygienist costs me nothing as I get one free clean per year on my prsi (ni equivalent) And another free clean from my dental insurance which I pay 14 a month for pre-tax.
A weeks food shop is about €80-€90
I usually go to the hairdresser once a year to be honest - last time I went to class €88 for me and my dd to have a wash cut and blow dry

It's really bad. I think we're also in a state where those who are surviving pretty comfortably don't understand what the cost of living crisis is doing to lower, average or even some 'higher' earners.

Hygienist appointments seem to be luxuries these days, as do haircuts. A friend is working full time in the NHS, is on UC, and regularly using a food bank. We go for walks now instead of out for lunches/dinners, and I've learnt to stop asking if she wants to stop at the cafe for a takeaway coffee because things get AWKWARD (yes, I do offer to cover, but most people - especially those working FT - are mortified at the suggestion and quite frankly shouldn't have that be the only option!)

If you have gum disease, no. Not unless keeping your teeth is a luxury.

I have been going to the hygienist regularly in the past 6 months due to gum disease. I only ever went once every 2-3yrs as I can’t really afford it. So I’ve wracked up cc debt because I need them sorting. £70 a pop x 8.

I’ve just been referred to a specialist Abe their initial assessment is £165!! Needless to say I can’t do it and I think I’m just going to have to succumb to my teeth falling out.

It doesn’t feel like a luxury like pp have said

phew @boulevardofbrokendreamss ojrs nere east of Oxford is 101£ for the air blaster or £96 if she kneels on your chest and scrapes - this is once a year, a
special treat

£27 per month for 2 dentist visits, and 4 hygienist appts per year, plus small amount of lab work. Hair is 26 quid every four/five weeks.Weekly shop- don't ask. Humungous.

But if your teeth need removing then that costs money too. If you get abscesses and your mouth is infected , that’s also expensive (and painful). So if you can scrape together money from somewhere for the hygiene appointment to avoid tooth loss down the line, I would do it, even if I had to eat less to pay for it. Gum disease can cause infections and even leads to more serious health issues down the line. And, no, the NHS don’t fund it completely.

I don't disagree, but if you can't magic money out of thin air. Lots of people are already struggling to feed themselves - they can't afford to worry about what might happen to their teeth down the line.

I appreciate that and I’m lucky not to be in that situation but I think if OP can get that money together then it isn’t an unreasonable choice.