To wonder how people afford to live with these jobs

[Dreamer14]

I have worked in the private sector for nearly 20 years. In a high paying industry too. However… I’m bored. So very bored.

My Monday dread starts on Friday nights. I’ve changed company and the feeling is the same. I feel isolated because I work at home all the time. I don’t feel like I’m being the best version of myself. I’m grumpy as I’m unhappy etc.

I’ve thought for years, I’d love to go do something completely different. Each time I try… I give up because I simply can’t afford to work 37 hours (with all the childcare I’d need) for £20k.

I would love a job helping others. I look at NHS and school jobs, council jobs, charity jobs etc. but the pay simply isn’t enough. Am I doing something wrong? Have I missed something?

We would like to move in next few years but if I went to bank and said I earn 20k they wouldn’t lend me nearly enough. I don’t have a rich husband! I’m the main earner.

I'm working 37 hours a week and hate every moment. My dream situation would be slightly less hours so I can pick my kids up one day a week and something I love that involves a bit more human interaction.

I do the type of job you describe, I don’t do it for the pay, I do it cos I love it! I made the switch from a higher paying NHS job because I just wasn’t enjoying it. However, I am fortunate that my husband earns a decent wage that compensates for my tiny wage. (And the fact I know walk to work and don’t have to drive 20 miles each way!)

Jobs helping others typically pay less than jobs in the business sector. People aren't as important as making money, and so the wages reflect this. When the salaries of various professionals are compared, teachers and nurses are always at the bottom.

So, if you want to work helping others, you will have to change your lifestyle so you can get along on less money. There are ways to do that, of course.
Good luck!

It’s called living within your means.

Low wage jobs are stressful people are nasty and act entitled if you vave no kids and a couple are on that and wage you loose your job and get a pittance of jobseeckers no other work ta are usually womens who want school hours if we did not do these jobs who would want an office job but have no experience of Microsoft so stuck its a shame that health care proffessional s are treated so badly and paid a pittance

You can come and help in my classroom if you can off-set your time during the day…

There is an in-between. I work at a town council and earn about 38k pro rata, I work 4 days. That's after being there 5 years and being qualified in the sector.

I used to feel the same way. I had a pretty good job which paid well and came with perks like a top of the range company car, furl card etc. However it was the actual job I hated. I quit and set up my own business. It's grown year on year. Find something you enjoy. Maybe do it in your free time to see if there is any demand or just go for it like I did, either that or dump your husband for a rich guy, I'm kidding. Good luck

Aw thank you so much. I was worried I came across as mega smug! I guess what I was trying to say it is possible to live on low wages but the cards really have to fall in your favour. I do think that wages below 20k a year for the majority of adults is not sustainable, or fair. We have been lucky, and have been able to make certain choices unavailable to others. I definitely do not want to come across as OH WELL WE CAN AFFORD TO LIVE ON NOTHING THEREFORE SO CAN EVERYONE because that isn't true at all. I guess I just wanted to answer the ops question directly of how some people can afford to live on relatively little. But to be honest it is brutally exhausting having to constantly count the pennies absolutely all the time. But these are the choices we make. Also someone mentioned about tax for 2 people on 30k vs 1 person on 30k. That's an interesting point because me and H Darent earn over 15k each, for example becuae once you go much over that your tax bill goes absolutely through the roof. One year I earnt 18k and was landed with a 4k tax + NI bill! It crippled us trying to pay that back.never again. This year was a manageable 1k. So we are a little bit stuck just keeping to the low leve earning, lest we end up paying it all back come April.

I'd love to earn over 60k & be bored! Both my hub & myself together have never earned half that put together, and never will.

@Middleagedspreadisreal so what stops you and your DP earning a living wage? Honestly. I am really keen to understand what factors keep you poor.

Hi OP - I think a lot of people who earn 20k have to make a lot of compromises esp re housing to manage in that income without a high earning partner/inheritance/top ups

I started on a v low salary in London & lived in terrible housing to manage! Life is a lot less stressful when you know the bills can be paid (speaking from experience: I’ve suffered 3 x redundancies/job losses in the last 20 years). I did consider a career change a few years ago, but realised I’d be on 22k (which is impossible for me in London, sole earner, no benefits)

I think chucking as much money as possible at your mortgage so you have freedom is one thing

On a day to day basis think about changes you could make that would make you happier

As you have said you feel isolated WFH could you

• go in 1-2 days a week?
• work one afternoon a week at a coffee shop or similar for a change of scene
• arrange coffee catch-ups on zoom with colleagues
• meet local friends for a coffee/lunch/walk in the week
• go to an exercise class, yoga, book group etc during the week to see people/meet local friends
• volunteer (I used to run a walking group locally so could organise the walks to meet my schedule)

I have personally done all of these and it makes a massive massive difference - a couple of my neighbours have felt isolated at home too so now we meet for coffees/dog walks etc and it really helps and doesn’t take much time

Could you also think about a side project/hobby/training that would give you satisfaction?

Wondering where you’re getting figures from as £2500 a month is not £39k a year!!

im a single parent, part time topped up with WTC/CHB/DLA and probably come out with about £23k a year.

I have a mortgage but got that when I was working full time on about £28k in a different job. salary actually around £15k part time. House under £100k. I actually wouldn’t get a new mortgage now for my current house on my income. For years I couldn’t even remortgage my deal as my house went into negative equity for a while. Now I’m stuck with my provider’s best deal as another bank wouldn’t give me a new loan based on my income (I don’t think).

My main problem with being on tax credits is that any extra earnings I manage to make are basically taken off the other end by tax credits so not really worth doing. Since I dropped to part time

We don’t really go on holiday as such. A few days camping here and there. Maybe a 3-4 night break at a caravan park when grandparents have helped pay as a present. Kids don’t wear labelled clothing and don’t seem bothered by it - a lot of their friends are currently obsessed with brands. I have child care costs for a couple of days for one child now. I would like to go full time eventually but not in my current profession which I’m trying to leave. I don’t drink or smoke and rarely go out to be honest - occasional coffee with friends.

I can see where people with bigger incomes spend their money - nicer houses, nicer cars, nicer holidays, regular hair and nail appointments, gym memberships. Whilst a bigger nicer house would be lovely I’m ok with where I am for now. Never been much into the regular hair/nails type treatments.

I guess in answer to PP, I afford to live as I do as I’m not used to a bigger income and better lifestyle. I can imagine that it would be hard if you are used to spending more on a particular lifestyle. My kids don’t have massive complaints about their lives. They sometimes ask for things I can’t afford but soon get over not having them.

But it is after deductions, I don’t see why people are struggling so much with this! I earn £43k a year and after NI, tax, student loans and pension (pension the only ‘voluntary’ one there) and receive £2,407/month. I don’t like it but it is galling that earning £18k part-time can leave someone with the same each month as me. It shouldn’t but it does.

People do manage but it's a variety of factors from active lifestyle choices to life circumstances.
We don't have kids, and we don't have a car so that saves us a fortune. Bought an ex-council 2bed house for 90k in one of the biggest cities up north.

I currently early just shy of 24k and that feels like loads to me, this time last year I was in 20k and I felt proud of that because it wasn't in the teens! But I'm looking for a part time job as my health isn't great, decent paid part time jobs are non existent unless you begin full time and then go part time so it's going to be min wage or close to, it seems. I can't wrap my head around being able to land a FTE job of even over 25k, they all seem way out of reach even when I was in full health

I only earn just over £26k. I have a Master's degree and a diploma. I live in a relatively cheap area (mortgage is £360 ish for a small two bed, although I've converted the cellar so It's sort of a 3 bed now). I have a lodger who covers the mortgage but the bills are extortionate. I manage. Old car paid for outright (was about £2K). Single (well, in a relationship but not living together). No children.
I guess It's about cutting one's cloth. I couldn't afford a larger, more luxurious house. I guess if I had a partner living with me things would be better.
I am trying to get a better paid job, but I WFH now and reluctant to give that up as there would be other costs to come with that, plus stress, commute, having to leave the house etc.

Tax credits stop at 19000 if I remember rightly

I'm a theatre nurse in the NHS and I don't come out with anything near £2500 a month and I'm the main breadwinner. All of the newspaper stories use London wages. Up north we see the supposed salary of a nurse and just laugh or we'd cry.
PS OP I feel you, I'm in a similar situation.

@Heavymetaldetector
I think the personal allowance for tax is around 12k, so earning 18k tax should be roughly 20% of 6k (£1.2k) so 4k sounds like too much??
I think most self employed people would budget throughout the year for it rather than get landed with a big bill at the end of the year? (Not speaking from experience here!)

I think it's obvious if for some reason you don't need to pay mortgage/ rent then you can live off a lot less... As that's usually the biggest outgoing. The OP was talking about applying for a new mortgage etc so not talking about people who own their house outright/ live with parents etc

I’m a TA, I earn £15k a year and that’s including working lunchtime duty to boost my salary. I’m currently looking for a new role because I simply cannot afford to stay in that role and there’s no progression unless I wish to teach (which I don’t).

I put away money each month for my tax bill, which I don't get until I do my tax return hence landed with big bill! You're right about the percentages, but national insurance jumps from 128ish quid to over £900 if you go over a certain amount. You also have to pay a certain amount towards the NEXT tax bill if you go over a threshold which for me that year was over £1000 again. So it's not just tax, it's all sorts when you earn over a certain amount. Things I did not realise until after I'd filled in my tax return!

Poor?? Interesting you think that because we don't earn over 30k that we're poor. We both work for public sector departments. Me, part time, and no, I can't work full time.

Wife and I escaped from this.

We really couldn't believe that ¾ of rent was paid. I didn't like the feeling, especially when I had to turn down overtime.

On the plus side she got to stay at home and look after kids. I had a regular salary in private blood lab, underpaid considering the responsibility and duties expected.

Those who can, escape the dependency. Those who can't get trapped.

Well anyone can take a lower paying or part time job and be topped up by uc if they have children and no partner etc

Bit short sighted though, those of us who have little choice if they work or do part time/low paid work have the worry that at some point the help will stop but the bills won't stop needing to be paid and then there's pensions to consider

Even so that's still only around 2k in tax (income + NI), leaving 16k take home pay on a 18k gross salary. Not sure about having to pay a bit of next year's too as have never been self employed, but surely that just makes next year's cheaper?

Take home pay would be just under 14k if earning 15k gross salary, so still worth earning the extra (rather than trying to stay under 15k for taxt reasons!)