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Original poster

How do people manage on little money?

167 replies

istheheatingonyet · 08/02/2025 17:11

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.

OP posts:
CarpetKnees · 09/02/2025 18:05

Well said @biscuitsandbooks

Original poster
istheheatingonyet · 09/02/2025 18:26

@CarpetKnees . You were particulary unpleasant but never mind.

It's just such a daft question

OP posts:
frozendaisy · 09/02/2025 18:58

There’s a change in the air OP, right now, it’s subtle but it’s there. Now the COL is starting to affect the middle class and the grandchildren of boomers there is a shift.

It will grow. Things always change. It can take a decade to see it. But it’s unsustainable now.

Just like punk happened, rave happened, there is something brewing with the youngsters, I don’t know what yet, but it’s there, it’s simmering, they need to work out how to express it.

Original poster
istheheatingonyet · 09/02/2025 19:05

I'd be well up for that @frozendaisy Might be dead by then though.

OP posts:
Nannyfannybanny · 09/02/2025 19:25

I haven't said anything mean. Just facts of how I managed in difficult times and now.

WhoisRebecca · 09/02/2025 21:13

Brush teeth more often and thoroughly. This can contribute to more damage to gums - use a soft bristle brush. I also use corsodyl toothpaste once a week in addition to the highest fluoride toothpaste available on prescription twice daily. I use interdental brushes daily and despite this, I get intolerably itchy gums if I miss a hygiene visit.

fatgirlswims · 09/02/2025 22:13

I went to the dentist Friday too and thought the same it was 70 for a hygienist and check up with the dentist. It's expensive.

Have you got a water flosser? it's money but they really are great. Mine is a glcr from Amazon

I have awful 45 year old teeth. Parents also seemed bothered by taking me to the dentist.

How much was the hair cut.

Freysimo · 10/02/2025 08:03

frozendaisy · 09/02/2025 18:58

There’s a change in the air OP, right now, it’s subtle but it’s there. Now the COL is starting to affect the middle class and the grandchildren of boomers there is a shift.

It will grow. Things always change. It can take a decade to see it. But it’s unsustainable now.

Just like punk happened, rave happened, there is something brewing with the youngsters, I don’t know what yet, but it’s there, it’s simmering, they need to work out how to express it.

Labour might regret giving vote to 16 year olds. They might all vote Reform, those that can be arsed to vote that is.

Original poster
istheheatingonyet · 10/02/2025 08:20

Freysimo · 10/02/2025 08:03

Labour might regret giving vote to 16 year olds. They might all vote Reform, those that can be arsed to vote that is.

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I think on the whole young people who have been fortunate enough to be raised in multicultural environments won't be knuckle draggers.

Let's hope so.

OP posts:
NovemberMorn · 10/02/2025 12:06

istheheatingonyet · 09/02/2025 09:39

I think " be more French" means kick up a stink? Complain?

People saying they don't go to the dentist, please try.

Poverty is all relative.

For someone who has to pull their own teeth out because they either can't find an NHS dentist to treat them, or they couldn't afford it anyway, spending money on a hygienist would be a luxury.

It doesn't always depend on your priorities, it can simply come down to choosing between eating or heating, and sadly, in this day and age, in a supposedly rich country, this is what many are now forced into.

Em1ly2023 · 10/02/2025 21:42

DilemmaDelilah · 09/02/2025 10:26

I've been in the situation where I was literally scraping green beans off the bottom of the freezer so we had something to eat. As others have said - you just don't spend money on anything at all that you don't need to stay alive. Forget the hygienist, sometimes that means not buying toothpaste. Get the cheapest of everything. No snacks, or if snacks only things that are real food, like fruit or bread. Using food banks (in my day it was free butter and cheese due to the European cheese/butter mountain - an excess of provision over demand). You never EVER go out to eat or have takeaways. Treats (when there were any) were always food, as we had to eat anyway. I used to cut my children's hair myself and my own hair never got cut. Clothes were hand me downs or from charity shops. My children were always warmly dressed and had enough to eat - but there wasn't a lot of fun in our lives.

Did things improve for you?

DilemmaDelilah · 10/02/2025 21:47

@Em1ly2023 I am very pleased to say that things did improve - not early enough for me to be able to give my children a good childhood and I will always regret that - but I went back to college and university, got my degree, got a better job, got rid of a waste of space husband and things have got better from there. For me there was very definitely light at the end of the tunnel, but it was a long and difficult tunnel.

Em1ly2023 · 10/02/2025 21:49

istheheatingonyet · 09/02/2025 11:35

Cheers, have a nice day. I am alone, I am depressed, a parent is dieing. But no worries.

Thanks

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Pay no need to the nasty responses, it’s obvious from your post you’re a lovely person and were just opening up a (topical) topic ;) for conversation! Continue to take care of yourself every way you can. I’m so sorry about your parent. Do whatever you can to make yourself feel better, bubble bath, music, walk, coffee, chocolate, little bunch of tulips 💐

sanityisamyth · 10/02/2025 21:51

I've never seen a hygienist and had my hair cut 2 years ago. How do you think people cope with no money?!

Em1ly2023 · 10/02/2025 22:39

DilemmaDelilah · 10/02/2025 21:47

@Em1ly2023 I am very pleased to say that things did improve - not early enough for me to be able to give my children a good childhood and I will always regret that - but I went back to college and university, got my degree, got a better job, got rid of a waste of space husband and things have got better from there. For me there was very definitely light at the end of the tunnel, but it was a long and difficult tunnel.

That’s brilliant & it sounds like you did your absolute best for your kids during tough times, so am sure they’ll remember that 🙌🏻

Bowies · 29/05/2025 04:19

I have an NHS hygienist OP and it costs about the same - think it’s actually gone up so probably more now than yours actually.

Good oral hygiene and hair cuts I don’t consider luxuries, but would skip the cut rather than dental.

The person with 120K income feeds family of 5 for a week on £100 🤣 with a mumsnet everlasting chicken and huge salad that fills them up for a week.

NattyTurtle59 · 29/05/2025 04:45

istheheatingonyet · 08/02/2025 17:50

No don't ,just kick somebody, It's much more fun.

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No-one is kicking anyone, they are simply answering the question you asked.

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