To feel fed up of being poor.

[laptopba]

Just that really. Feeling rubbish about how my life has turned out in relation to finances. Its bloody shit.

@JackieWeaverHandforthCouncil

To be honest I don’t understand why people are up in arms about the poster who said they saved £50. I don’t think the poster was boasting about the amount but talking about scraping together the most you can.

Maybe this thread is more about people commiserating with the OP as opposed to giving constructive advice. Maybe there’s things she can do to change her position but it’s better to shout down people who’ve turned a corner?

Slagging off someone for being ‘rich’ for saving £50 is a bit shit in my opinion. They were only trying to give support and advice.

I don't think anyone is suggesting that someone who can save £50 a month is rich Just that they don't understand the day to day reality of living pay day to pay day ,and it seems neither do you .

Cash points that charge for withdrawals are most commonly found in deprived areas

That's honestly disgusting. What a world we live in, eh?
I have heard of the 'poor tax' and it just makes too much sense, unfortunately. It's strange though how people often attempt to paper over this and suggest poverty is always elf created. It reminds me of the Wellness obsession and it's associations with the concept that illness is a symbol of inner impurity.

haha, not elf created - self created

Although elves are interfering little buggers no doubt.

@Bringsexyback

When i was a single mum on benefits i smoked, £12.50 is doable to save for most people

How long ago was that ? I'm a single mum on benefits. I can't even afford all my monthly bills.

I realise this won't apply to many people but anybody in Shropshire we have a brilliant food share charity which gives out food which would otherwise be thrown away. It is not based on salary and is not a food bank, people can make a donation or not. If you are local click on the link to see locations and times, its a fantastic charity that reduces waste and helps people.

Food Share Shrewsbury

Slagging off someone for being ‘rich’ for saving £50 is a bit shit in my opinion. They were only trying to give support and advice.

I agree. It’s 1.60 per day. Of course some people might struggle to put that away, but many might be able to do it, we just don’t seem to be a nation of savers.

@Fedupofitnow123

When you're poor 50 a month is a lot of money!

I'm the same, we've been through a lit and are financially ruined! It's so hard!

Quite that’s my weeks food shop in a good month. 2 weeks worth in a bad month.

@BoredZelda

Some people would consider 20k a low income household.

Isn’t that what the benefits cap is? That is a low income household. According to IFS it’s a higher income than only about 30% of people. Of course there are some households who have less but I can’t think that 20k is anything other than a low income.

I'm on 20k (lone parent with a teen), I've been poor but don't consider myself poor now, most people I work with earn the same. I'd call FSM low income personally. That's why it's helpful to know someone's situation though, as something like the government help to save scheme would be useful for someone in my situation but not for someone who is really struggling.

Just that they don't understand the day to day reality of living pay day to pay day ,and it seems neither do you .

It is possible to both understand that is a reality for some, and to suggest it is not a reality for everyone.

Some figures for perspective on the idea of saving at all never mind £50 a month. Just one scenario. I will leave others to consider costs such as fuel and food that are rising.

Single parent aged 30 of children aged 10 and 12 who are not disabled. Has no savings. Is in very lucky (and if private rent unusual) position that all rent covered by universal credit. May get help with council tax and gets child benefit £35.15 a week.
So gets rent covered. Everything else has to come from £844.42 for a month amount made up of the adult £324.84 and children £519.58. and some child benefit. It is likely the parent took a loan while waiting to get universal credit so maybe paying that back.

(There are extra amounts if children are disabled, childcare if parent works, parent is a carer of has serious illness and can’t work.)

If this person works there is a work allowance £335 per month, after that reduce by 55p for £1 earned.

@Maverickess make sure your daughter applies for a scholarship grant. It's extra cash for students from more deprived backgrounds and she won't have to pay it back. Most universities offer them.

@Darbs76

There’s a time I would have said that, but I worked hard to change it. Education, working my way up. Didn’t happen overnight of course and took a long time to get out of the benefit trap. I know it’s not always that easy, but might be worth looking to longer term options

@BoredZelda

Slagging off someone for being ‘rich’ for saving £50 is a bit shit in my opinion. They were only trying to give support and advice.

I agree. It’s 1.60 per day. Of course some people might struggle to put that away, but many might be able to do it, we just don’t seem to be a nation of savers.

Again it's not that it's £1.60 a day or any amount at the beginning of the month I could quite easily put £50 aside but at the end of the month when there is two days before payday and you have no food in the house ,no petrol etc etc and zero in the bank ,nobody in their right mind would choose not to spend the £50 put away at the beginning of the month ,if you can't understand that then you don't understand poverty .

The poster who talked about trying to save fifty quid a month didn't irritate me nearly as much as those banging on like some sort of 80s Tory grandee, about educating/working your way out of poverty. On yer bike. I'm extremely well-educated and I work very hard - usually 50-60 hrs per week. I'm fairly poor.

I'd call FSM low income personally

It is. But so is 20k, statistically.

@doingitforyorkshire

I don't quite know what to say.................

I thought something along the lines if 'twat, you've got NO fucking idea'

Which is a contained version!!

I'm not in the OP's position, thankfully, but .. Jesus, thankfully I have some ability to empathise.

@MyGhastIsFlabbered. as I've said to you before, your username always makes me smile! Maybe I need to get MN to set up a 'pay as you smile' account?!

UPINITNORTH
Your message made me cry that is so kind of you. OP I hope things turn a corner. I have also been there and I went the education route also. It took me 7 years to train for my professional qualifications so it's no quick fix but worth it. Good luck

Again it's not that it's £1.60 a day or any amount at the beginning of the month I could quite easily put £50 aside but at the end of the month when there is two days before payday and you have no food in the house ,no petrol etc etc and zero in the bank ,nobody in their right mind would choose not to spend the £50 put away at the beginning of the month ,if you can't understand that then you don't understand poverty .

Again, it’s not that everyone can do it, but that some who can, don’t.

[quote Libertybear80]@Maverickess make sure your daughter applies for a scholarship grant. It's extra cash for students from more deprived backgrounds and she won't have to pay it back. Most universities offer them.[/quote]
Thank you 😊 I appreciate any tips/help/advice on this as she's the first one that has applied and will hopefully be going to university in recent years, it's all changed apparently since other family member went and they were in a completely different financial situation.
It's been a learning curve!

TollgateDebs
Well done for adding such a positive post, not everyone will be able to benefit from all the links but at least they/we will feel that we're doing something positive, and enquiring may lead to other possibilities

Would any of these ideas work for you?

informi.co.uk/starting-business/41-ways-make-money-home

The poster who talked about trying to save fifty quid a month didn't irritate me nearly as much as those banging on like some sort of 80s Tory grandee, about educating/working your way out of poverty. On yer bike. I'm extremely well-educated and I work very hard - usually 50-60 hrs per week. I'm fairly poor.

Right, but for some, that is something which will help.

Retraining if you can, for a job that will earn better money, is not a bad suggestion. People do actually do that.

@5329871e

Genuine question to everyone on this thread who feels poor. What are you doing with your kids to make sure they’re not in the same position? Are you teaching them to work hard, doing homework with them, making sure they’re top of the class and aspiring to a good career?

You may be trapped in poverty. But in the UK there’s nothing preventing your kids from earning six figures if they make the right choices from an early age and have you to guide them.

My parents were exactly where you are now. And I’m not.

How are you meant to make sure your child is top of the class exactly?!

My DC could work 16 hours a day and still wouldn't be top of the class due to learning difficulties.

(Meanwhile, the DC who ARE at the top of the class have never been pushed, they're naturally bright and love school as a result.)

Also parents who's are poor are often barely home and simply don't have the resources to spend hours doing homework etc. They're certainly not going to be able to afford the tutors that many of their counterparts will use.

I understand OP and remember it well. It is dreadful. When you have been there you never forget.