To wonder how poor I am??

[Imustbemad00]

I know there will be varied responses from really well off, or ridiculously poor. I sort of class myself as low paid but not in poverty but would like opinions.

I have around 1000pcm after paying rent. 2 children. Out of this 1000 by the time I pay bills (council tax, car insurance, broadband, tv, car tax, parking permit, gas and electric) I probably have around 600 left.

That 600 is then for food, after school clubs, day to day stuff, clothes, shoes, and anything else that might come up such as school trips. Also obviously the odd luxury, cinema trips, days out, treats for the kids, birthdays, Xmas, maybe a holiday.

Do I sound really poor? I get by, pay the bills ect. But I really struggle with clothes and stuff, obviously prioritise kids, struggle to get all their bits and then end up never getting anything for myself. Going for a meal or a day out always has to be planned and saved for and obviously I have no savings.

I guess a lot of people are in the same boat.

There are people who would give their right arm to be in your position. I thank my lucky stars everyday I'm not one of those people but until about 2 years ago I was for a long time and appreciate everything I have now. You are not poor by any means!

No in my book if you can pay the essentials comfortably then you're not poor.

Someone might think differently mind.

Yes a lot of people are in the same boat - just getting by from pay day to pay day. As long as you have things covered and enough for the odd treat I would not consider you poor but then I regularly hand out foodbank vouchers to people and those are the ones I consider really poor - no food, no carpets on the floor, living on emergency electricity etc.

I think a lot of people are the same or worse off than you. £600 a month for food, clothes and extras for three people isn't too bad, especially if you're clever with shopping. I know people getting by on much less.

Poor is struggling to feed your children, heat your house, chosing between things that really arent a choice (toilet roll or soap for example), or afford to travel to work even when you work full time. Might just be my opinion though.....

That doesn't seem terrible to me. There are others much worse off. I'd definitely put some (car) emergency savings aside before holidays /luxuries though, since it sounds like you really do need a working car.

Oh ffs, no, you aren't poor.

I think you'd be in 'the bottom 10%' but if you're frugal, I wouldn't class you as 'poor', which I think of as not being able to afford the essentials.

I doubt you are anywhere near the bottom 10%. You sound comfortably off to me.

Hang on, are you a single parent? If so you could be on a very decent wage which changes things.

@Tiddle. Well 600 disposable income is 150 a week which is often what they have on RHPH, not scientific I know.

£150 a week is enough. I can see where you are coming from though, as some people would have the whole grand to spend in 1 week & £600 would get them 4 nights out a month.

You have to make the best of it. You have £21 a day to live on roughly. Some have £1, if that.

Not poor, no.

Things like this are all relative especially depending on how many people are in your family. I am a single parent and my total household income is £1700pm which is not a huge amount but because my outgoings are so low I have almost £1000pm left after rent and bills. It's just me and one child at home so we live nicely on that.

Poor to me is people who have to visit food banks or can't afford to switch on the heating in winter.

You have £200 a month disposable income if you allowed £100 for clothes and £300 food.
You are asking if you are POOR??
Ffs.

Wtf, £600 after rent and bills and you think you are poor. To be honest I'm struggling to see how you cannot save at least £100 of that.

Wow people are being quite harsh! I suppose if you've got the basics covered you're not poor and certainly not by global standards. However your situation is fairly precarious. So it's understandable that you might worry. Also it does sound a bit like the basics aren't covered for you. Are you just not buying clothes or going without a winter coat for example?

It sounds like you are doing ok. I am pretty similar we do not get to go on holiday. Our bills are paid, food and heat and the odd luxury.
I have been really broke too, feed the DC before the adults poor. I am back to work pt and DP is full time, it is such a relief tbh.

I'll never be rich but it is ok now, I'll make an extra effort to donate nice food and some gifts to the food bank this year.

Not poor at all. Poor is having to check your balance continuously throughout the day if you’ve gone out shopping incase you go over because the idiot shops don’t actually deduct money straight away sometimes

I’m not ungrateful and obviously there’s always people worse off.
I just feel like I’m not doing okay sometimes. The last 1-2 weeks before payday I usually have nothing.
Written down it’s looking like I have £150 pw disposable income. I don’t feel like I do. I suppose £75-100ish of that £600 goes on the children’s after school activities/swimming lessons. And there’s always something extra that needs to be sorted, that’s what I struggle with.

It’s a lot more disposable cash than many people have.

Poor is pocketing some sanpro when you see it in baskets at pubs/friends houses.
Poor is going to bed at 5pm because theres no money to put on the electric for heating or lighting.
600pcm for food and clothes (how often do you really need to buy clothes?!), isnt poor.

I would love to be able to afford to go to the cinema. I’ve spent months painstakingly paying off my credit card, and I’ve had to blow that today because I can’t afford food for the weekend and lunchboxes next week. I can’t go to the shop without checking my bank balance first, and quite often have to add up as I go round, and say no to my boys as I can’t sfford little tests. It’s heartbreaking sometimes, so bloody soul destroying! So, no, you’re not poor I don’t think.

That's not a lot more than the 'poor' families on rich house poor house tend to have

I have had a very similar budget before....to cover food, days out, clothes, school trips etc. It sounds manageable but it's actually really tough.

Huggybear - I was just thinking that. On rich house poor house the poor family often have £150 a week. I didn’t realise I was in the bottom 10% until then. I wouldn’t say you are ‘poor’ but certainly not well off and if something big crops up ie boiler or car then it can easily be a big struggle.