Things aren’t that bad

[Hellin301]

If the last number of threads are anything to go by, a lot of people haven’t been financially impacted by the virus. In fact a lot of people have come on to say they are saving more than ever (saving on travel costs etc)

Where are all the people who have reduced incomes, lost jobs & financially struggling?
The news is constantly reporting on jobs losses yet that doesn’t seem to be reflected on these boards??!

I lost my (catering) job in the first lockdown if that makes you feel any better??

I really do wonder what is wrong with some people

My 20 year old son lost his job as a chef in the First lock down. little OP is an example of the deluded people on MN

Read more widely across the boards OP.

Although I can understand why on this board people just not to hold up their personal nightmares for the edification of rubber neckers.

OH hasn't been affected at all. He's the engineering manager at a small ( approx 40 staff ) firm with big contracts. He's worked there 25 years. He gets full pay and is doing full hours.

All but 4 staff below him however were furloughed or made redundant during the 1st Lockdown. Most of these are either women with young children or men under 30 with no children.

OH and I don't live together (we should be doing by now but Covid buggered that up) I lost my job at the start of the 1st Lockdown. I was on a low income anyway so the move to Job Seekers Allowance was similar income to the p/t work I did.

My JSA entitlement ran out and I have moved onto Universal Credit. Due to 2 seperate bouts of self isolation, I've been unable to get another job. The gap between JSA to claiming UC has been 6 weeks, during this time my income has been Child Benefit of £34 a week, nothing more.

My OH, parents and sibling have been doing food shops for me and paying utilities.

How on earth I would have survived without their help, I've no idea. I am in this situation entirely because of Covid.

Roll on the 5th when I get my 1st UC payment! No idea how successful my job hunting will be this month, with everywhere locking down.

@wheresmymojo

I was a high earner - about £120-140k.

This year probably £30k if we're lucky.

We're pretty fucked to be honest.

For many people, £30K would be a good salary

And if you were previously earning £120 - £140K, I imagine you have savings

That's not "pretty fucked"

I think it’s all relative if @wheresmymojo had matching living costs. Kids in private school, huge house that won’t sell now but they still need to pay the mortgage. Fucked for them may be a different type of fucked but enough to dramatically change life as they know it. And yet the expectations to have it all remain.

If you say you're struggling financially on here, it will be seen as a "begging thread" and reported. That might have something to do with it!

Because I’ve been on here long enough to know if I said anything negative about my circumstances, there would be some sanctimonious arsehole that would tell me I shouldn’t have had my kids unless I had a million pounds in savings.

If you say you're struggling financially on here, it will be seen as a "begging thread" and reported. That might have something to do with it!

The problem is, especially in the run up to Christmas, there will be a lot of scammers out there looking to make money from well-intentioned Mumsnetters.

The other end of hand outs is helpful advice such as "have you thought of taking in ironing" and if course the competitive meal threads where 1 chicken does an entire cul-de-sac for 2 weeks.

In my situation the last place I would come to offload or ask for advice is Mumsnet. For various reasons it is very much out of touch with the reality that a lot of low income families face.

@SandysMam

I think it’s all relative if *@wheresmymojo* had matching living costs. Kids in private school, huge house that won’t sell now but they still need to pay the mortgage. Fucked for them may be a different type of fucked but enough to dramatically change life as they know it. And yet the expectations to have it all remain.

Yes, but in that scenario, @wheresmymojoif would have options eg take children out of private school / take in a lodger to the huge house. Not attractive options, but not destitute

Because people easily exaggerate.

My income has dropped by 65% (no exaggeration) but as a high earner in the first place (6 figures, no exaggeration again) it doesn’t mean we can’t cope. We have had to cut back on some planned purchases for this year - we wanted to replace all the fencing around our property, for example.

But I’ve noticed that many like to paint a very glamorous picture of their lives on here, along with the usual race to the bottom also. Those who sit somewhere in the middle are the silent majority, I guess.

I'm badly struggling but no way would I start a thread about it because anyone who asks for a simple listening ear or shoulder to cry on re money gets accused of being a scammer. I'm sure loads of us feel that way!

There are some though. I saw a thread only yesterday where someone was posting about feeling relief and the first reply was a basic fuck you.

Self employed here, I don't qualify for the grant, I'm not eligible to UC. I cannot pay all my bills on my own as covid pretty much decimated my small business. Now I'm being forced to close once again, I am fucked. Not sure what they expect me to pay my bills with, when I'm earning zero money.

My DH was made redundant. He was the high earner, we lost 3/4 of our family income. I’m public sector, part time but have increased hours and it’s made not even a tiny dent in the financial hole

Last lockdown I managed to save £2000 effortlessly from not going anywhere, including holidays, doing anything, spending anything, driving anywhere.

I put it towards my latest car, but I know other people did suffer.

DP developed cancer during lockdown, he gets SSP. I am a foster parent and will have to stop fostering while he gets treatment, I stopped working when I started fostering except I didn't stop working really my hours went from 37.5 a week to 168 and the pay is minimal £22 a week anyone? I stopped paid employment, I have never worked harder than I do now. We are going to really suffer financially and emotionally.

We are both ‘key workers’ and I have been WFH so neither have been affected financially. DS2 started school so stopped paying nursery fees in lockdown which left us £400 better off. Plus no petrol / etc.

However, this is great short term but I will be poss losing my job mid December whilst being heavily pregnant so it’s shit long term. We will have another DC and half the income. I’m so scared about what next year holds when I should be looking forward to my baby.

So it’s easy to say financially it’s been fine for us, but the future is bleak.

It is real, I lost my job as the company went into liquidation due to Covid, have been unemployed for quite a few months but had a job offer today, less money but a secure employment so very happy, I know a lot of people struggling atm

Have a watch of Dispatches on Channel 4 right now OP.

As others have said, the population of MN does not represent the population of the UK.
I love MN for lots of reasons, one being that there is a massive variety of people and experiences on here, but, statistically the % are very skewed towards the upper middle classes. Take a look at the talk of Private schools on here, compared with the small % of people that actually attend Private school. Take a look at any threads to d o with income or spending (don't start me on the 'what do you spend on.... threads in S&B). Also age range.

I'm mid 50s. %wise, most of my peers are in professional roles where we have been able to switch to wfh and remained on our full salaries.
OTOH, my (young adult) dc, my nieces and nephews, my God children, my friends dc have overwhelmingly been out of work. The "lucky ones" were furloughed in the first instance. The majority were working on zero hours contracts, or relying on picking up jobs when they could or one was making a good living as a singer - but didn't have the back accounts to be able to claim anything as this was her first year out of university, some worked in pubs or restaurants that have closed. Others as lifeguards. Others in theatre. Othes have come out of university to find no jobs and most graduate schemes pulled. Others worked in tourism or leisure industries. Masses of people have had their income completely slashed, but they aren't very likely to be MNers.

But I’ve noticed that many like to paint a very glamorous picture of their lives on here

People do that on FB too. All of the renovations during lockdown, all of the gardening etc. It would be interesting to see how much credit card usage increased during lockdown.

Like a pp I haven't had any personal income since March. Not eligible for any help. Self employed/own business. Doesn't help that I still haven't been paid by companies (big household names, most are plc's) for work prior to March as they are dragging their feet, ignoring invoices etc.

I am sure plenty have done okay though (those who are well paid, can work from home, from nice big houses) as no commuting costs, less likely to have spent money on foreign holiday, coffees, lunches, etc.
As indicated by the personal savings rate data (money people have put into savings) seeing a huge increase. Which does at least suggest that when the economy does recover, it could do so quite rapidly as all that 'pent up spending' is released...

Me and DH are both self-employed. I was working it out the other day and my projections for this tax year are down 50% on the year before (and several years before that), DH’s are down about 30%.

We’ve had a reduction in outgoings too, and frankly we’ll just end up paying a lot less tax, so we’ll survive it and don’t think I’ve mentioned it on here. But it’s definitely happening!

sorry to everyone who's been affected. I only know one couple who have lost their jobs, but they're living with parents and they are supporting them.Otherwise I don't know anyone else. Most of my friends earn 6 figure salaries and their jobs seem pretty secure.

I’m not sure where you have been OP to not have noticed any evidence of financial hardship? It’s been hard to miss...

Even if you accept that MN skews towards high income people (and I’m not sure that’s as true as some people assume) it’s had a huge effect on almost everyone.