What can't you afford?

[Marleymerm]

Last week at work my colleague told me her recent eye test showed she needed glasses, but she couldn't afford them, she's known she's needed them for a couple of years but said she doesn't have the money. We both work full time in office jobs and neither of us have expensive hobbies or social lives, we're both pretty boring.
I realised this morning I haven't bought new shoes for months despite the ones I have coming apart, because I can't afford them. I've picked up pairs but put them back down when I've thought of what else I need instead.
When I asked this question to my friend about what she couldn't afford she told me her monthly prescription! She hasn't got it for 3 months.
It's a weird time we're living in so everyone's doing without something. But do you have any necessary things you need but can't afford?

God this is so, so sad. Surely with the prescriptions and glasses their must be something that can be done? I thought there was help for people with prescriptions who can’t afford it?

Food generally. Thats not true we are eating but i walk around the supermarket not picking up more than i do these days

I have a complex prescription (-9.50 both eyes, astigmatism, retinal issues etc). The nhs voucher only gives me £60 ish towards lenses which cost £500, Asda or online opticians either don’t do my prescription or the lenses are awful quality (I’ve had glasses from Asda refunded on this basis). If you have severely bad eyesight it is a real disability really. (And I say that as someone who has lots of disabilities)! And we are financially penalised for it.

We are going without dental treatments. We just can’t afford it.

Yes to the dentist, I’ve been struck off from my dentist because I can’t afford annual checkups.
Last month I couldn’t afford my prescription and my parents had to lend me the money, well they lent me more than the cost of the prescription but it covered the prescription.
Obviously can’t afford to put the heating on.
Fuel for leisure journeys, need to save it for work.
Basically, we just live to work to pay essential bills.

I know someone with two young children who survives on tea and those cheap cup a soups. Her children get their meals but she says she's the one she can't afford to feed. I doubt she's the only person in that situation. People just about surviving is not a thing any country should be proud of and but the Tories just don't care.

Is it reading glasses she needs? I just got my prescription details from opticians but I just buy cheap glasses from poundstretcher!

She works full time so unfortunately I don't think there is any help for her. When she told me I did insist she lets me pay for it for her this month, but she declined saying she'd only spend the money I gave her on something else for her kids.

The worrying thing is the people who can't afford to go to dentist any more.

It's just going to be a huge issue in a few years, when prevention/remedial wasn't done when it was needed. i.e small filling, had now turned into an abcess and a full extraction under emergency procedures or whatever.

Madness

Specsavers have glasses from £25 .quality there excellent. Maybe more for the higher pres but they are best value around

I wish I could do this!
I went to the opticians yesterday. Cheapest frames plus complex lenses (Asda don't cover my prescription either) - £290. Eye test £34. That's cheap! (frames were £25).
I decided not to get prescription sunglasses.

Not everyone can wear Poundland specs.

can her work help fund her glasses?

i buy my shoes from Shoezone

That's only if you need simple lenses. My lenses add at least £200 to the price.

With the prescription, check if the optician will agree they are needed for work. In certain circumstances your employer then needs to contribute. Some opticians are more willing to tick that box than others.

Some dentists do payment plans. Far from ideal but an option if you need it.

Yep same here. And the “best” varifocal lenses at specsavers just don’t have the same range of vision in the actual lens as the ones I can get from my independent opticians. If you have a very complex prescription you’re really limited in terms of price and choice. I’ve spent £300 in specsavers before on their “top” quality lenses etc and they’ve been awful. Maybe I’m just extremely fussy but being able to see clearly shouldn’t be a luxury!

Heating, DH accidentAlly left it on overnight and it took all our credit. Can't afford to put anymore on till the end of the month.
Luckily going away for a few days but DH will be at home freezing.

I would ask them to try out the cheap ones as an alternative. You can get them in most pharmacies. It is very sad though if someone cannot afford a basic need.

Can she find somewhere that offers a payment plan? As someone who also has a complex prescription and could never get cheap glasses I sympathise.

OP, tell your colleague to try Glasses Direct. With introductory deals I got 2 pairs delivered for less than £20! I'm really impressed with them. I know some people still can't afford £20, but worth knowing about. (I don't work for them I promise!)

In terms of our household. We are quite lucky, as we saved a lot for a few years before having DC so I could be a SAHM until the they went to school. The plan was to use that money for a deposit on a bigger house once I went back to work, and it would be a backup in case DH lost his job or something. DH only comes out with £1700 a month, which is about the same as our monthly outgoings. So we are now dipping into the savings rather than going without things. I'd imagine most of the money will be gone by the time the DC are at school, if bills rise much more next year. DH wishes we'd spent the money and enjoyed it now, as we'd be entitled to benefits if we didn't have it. Obviously that's not a reasonable perspective, but it does feel a bit disappointing!

If your eyesight is particularly bad you can be certified as partially sighted. I remember my friend telling me that her -9 prescription was classed as legally partially blind. I wonder if some PPs should peruse being certified as blind or partially sighted and then could access benefits for disability to help with glasses costs?

www.rnib.org.uk/your-eyes/navigating-sight-loss/registering-as-sight-impaired/the-criteria-for-certification/

That's just one suggestion for that situation. My overall comment is that it's a disgrace that people can't afford basics like prescription meds, dentist, glasses etc. Bring on a change in government.

If they’re for work then your employer should contribute. We get £100 towards glasses for work.

Asda or online opticians either don’t do my prescription or the lenses are awful quality (I’ve had glasses from Asda refunded on this basis)
Really? I was told Asda do any prescription as Specsavers or the likes. As for the lenses, there are not 'Asda', they come from the same place as those expensive opticians. the reason they are cheaper is mainly because they don't spend hundred thousands on advertising.

I've been with them for almost 20 years and the glasses work fine. If you don't have the money but desperately need glasses, surely that's much better than nothing anyway!

Ground rent on my flat. The annual bill is due soon and I'm dreading it. Its the first year I don't have the money set aside to pay it.

I admit I can't imagine this. I can't afford a car and don't have one, agree with regard to dental work. But I can't imagine having no food. It is shocking.