Anyone else feel like they can’t afford much?

[Kitten189]

I earn around 19.5k a year which is low, but I have no dependants.
I live with my partner and he earns slightly lower, our rent isn’t that high between us but sometimes I just feel like I can’t afford to live very well.

I used to go shopping with friends and they would be spending hours buying quite high-end things and I could just about afford something from primark.
Virtually all my clothes are from Primark, charity shops, EBay, Tesco etc.

I don’t drink or smoke, I have a basic gym membership, a phone contract and Netflix but that’s it.

I get my hair cut every 6 weeks at £25 and I very occasionally get Botox or a facial, but I get it cut price.

I have zero debt which is good, no overdraft etc. As until last year I was in debt, I paid it off with birthday money from my parents.

I just don’t seem to save anything and don’t know where it all goes. I see people going out to fancy places, wearing nice clothes etc and still managing to save money.

I recently went for a meal with friends. It was at a fancy restaurant one of them had chosen, I just had one main but they were all ordering cocktails, desserts etc like it was nothing.

I shop in Poundland, Wilkos and mainly Aldi etc.

Just don’t know where I’m going wrong, I can’t seem to afford anything and never seem to save. I used to have a friend who was out drinking twice a week yet still managed to save £200 per month.

Anyone else feel like this?

You don’t make a lot of money. It’s rubbish but that’s what it is. Minimum wage is really not that much.

I’m the same, DH and I both work (but me part time minimum wage) and we have our living costs to cover. Sometimes I look at people around me and I’m puzzled how they afford to pay things, but then maybe I spend where they don’t. I think comparison really is the thief of joy, I try to just be content living within my means.

Yup, I have two children, I’m a carer for my youngest so our joint income is only 20K a year.
No savings, everything bought secondhand or only when on offer, it’s a struggle but I’m hoping one day when I can work we’ll be more comfortable, I dream of us earning 30K as a joint income and I know that’s not a lot but we’d be so much more comfortable with that kind of wage.

Also, don’t feel bad about buying yourself the occasional treat. I believe it’s good practice to budget in treats for yourself, and you’re doing it within your spending limit without going into debt. Of course the ideal is to get a better paid job so you can spend and save, but that’s not always possible.

If you are a qualified teacher, why are you not teaching? Salaries start at around 25k and go up most years to 41ish. Most teachers who are 30 years old earn around 35k?

Thanks, yes I just have to accept it I guess. I don’t want to keep up with them no, we just don’t have the same tastes and even their hen parties cost £££, I struggled to afford it but I went on them.
From the sounds of it they all had financial help for their weddings and houses to some extent.

I need to stop comparing myself really and I will keep looking at tutoring and such.

I get around £1360 net per month if that helps.

You sound very good with money, I am terrible!

Could you consider doing something not related to education? If you aren’t keen to put in extra hours then teaching probably isn’t for you. Maybe start thinking about what you could tolerate doing as it will take a few years to build a career and earn a higher wage.

Can you undertake a masters or look at a access course in a difficult to recruit subject for teaching like geography. A masters through OU would attract student finance and give you recent qualifications.

OP, if your partner earns sightly less , I'm guessing that together you earn roughly £38,000.

Why don't you ask MN to switch this thread to Money Matters, and list your outgoings . There will be advice on what could be cut down on etc.

I’ve just never been successful in getting a teaching post for some reason so I sort of just gave up, plus I know it’s a lot of hours

Hi Kitten, Have you had feedback on why you've not been successful in getting a teaching job?
If you enjoy teaching, it's a secure , well paid job and would up your income considerably so would be worth finding out what you could do to improve your chances of securing a teaching job. You might be surprised - it could be something really simple that you just need to work on?

I do home care as my main role, there is the option to become a senior which would pay around £1 extra per hour, but I’ll need more experience first.

I think I’m better than I used to be fortunately, but I’m still baffled as I don’t drink or anything, no expensive hobbies or make up etc. So I still don’t know where it goes. Rent is £450 per month including bills

If I’m being honest you just sound very.... passive? Like, you wish you had more money, but you’re quite flat in terms of talking about how you might up your income.

It’s fine not to be career driven or whatever- indeed it’s laudable, the systems fucked anyway- , but you have to accept that the deal you make with the world in that case, is that you’ll very likely have a lower income.

Sorry if that’s a bit blunt.

£450 each I mean.

With regard to the teaching posts I’ve only made it to interview a couple of times, but there are usually 4 or 5 of us there and always somebody just that bit stronger or better it seems.

Your best bet to increase your income in the short term sounds like getting your NQT year and then teaching.

It’s all very well saying it’s long hours and you like your 40 hour week, but sometimes you need to make the decision about investing in yourself. Yes, teaching is long hours - but you do (not being goady, honest!) get more holidays.

Work life balance for you might be achieved by getting onto a teacher payscale then working 4 days a week. You could end up on more than current money, for less hours - or the same, if working long hours.

There is a time in your life to push hard and suck up the long hours… maybe that time is now? Even if you pull back soon after, sure it’s worth getting your NQT?

I don't know much about botox but would not be spending money on it at your age. Hair cut - could you have a longer hair style that doesn't need to be cut so often? I would cut netflix if you have access to normal TV channels. Other than that it sounds as though you are doing well.

No don’t worry I see what you mean. I am looking into tutoring, I’m just feeling like I will never get a teaching post, but there are some really good suggestions on here.

@Greenwateringcan rude. It's not your business.

I’m older so at a different stage in my career and earn a lot more but I still shop in those same shops, also Debenhams online in the sale etc Where would you like to be shopping?

The Botox only costs me £100 a year

If you've got other things that are also "only" £100 a year, that all adds up.
You need to write down absolutely everything you spend for a few months, then see what you think - I bet there's loads more that you're classing as essential that really isn't !!

Comparison is the thief of joy.

You seem like a sensible girl and if you want to get botox and your hair cut every 6 weeks, then you should. Sounds like they are your only real treats! You don't exactly pay the full amount for them either.

You can definitely earn more money if you want to - have you thought about a second job on the side, supermarket?

Really push yourself to apply for NQT position. It seems the quickest way to jump start your career and get you better paid and with more opportunity for progression. Examine and address why you haven't got a position yet. Good luck, OP!

And FWIW don't feel bad about the botox. I'm 30 too and considering it. £100 isn't a lot and you're v careful otherwise.

I forgot to say - try Money Saving Expert:
www.moneysavingexpert.com/banking/budget-planning/

I'm older than you and did this to work out where I could make even small savings so that I could make extra overpayments on my mortgage.
Every small saving adds up, then move that saved money into a separate account where you're not tempted to spend it.

They are my only real treats, I get the Netflix sporadically too, I might have it for a month then cancel it for a bit etc.

My 2nd job is in supply teaching, I don’t want to stop having my haircut, it’s a low cost salon and I don’t get my eyebrows, nails etc done and I just want to do something to look nice and feel good.

I really don't like these threads where people presume others, who have spare cash must be in debt.

Op, likely they are fairly decent with their money and this is how they like to treat themselves.

I bet lost of the them have a similar earning partner. Or partner that earn more. It is as other people say. You need to up your earnings if you want similar amounts of spare cash.

You earn 2/3 s of the people rating 30k. Its a big difference.

I do get your feelings though. I was a single parent earning 25k and feeling pretty lucky to be earning that. But not having much spare cash once bills and childcare were paid felt really crap.

@nonton ODFOD.