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?

I also have a very complex prescription, astigmatism, risk of retina detachment. My last pair of glasses cost £640, no designer frames or any extras. Had same problem with Asda, find the only decent ones are boots or vision express. I have numerous medical conditions and disabilities, cannot afford a new pair of glasses, even tho my current pair are from pre pandemic 🙄

Yes same here ,my £15 cheap frames ,end up being £400 plus ,by the time everything has been to make them normal enough to wear ,so far they have lasted over 5 years ,options have been emailing for years saying I need an appointment.
but I also need reading glasses ,and prescription sunglasses as well ,I’ve just not got that kind of money

We were there 2007/8 - me missing prescriptions as couldn't afford the payments - coping with leaking shoes as couldn't afford even cheap replacements - heating not on if possible very cheap meals.

We were in that position mostly after buying a house meant our considerable savings were gone - and then a series of bad luck unexpected expensive events. It was galling people talking to us as if we were feckless or stupid and it was a very stressful and unpleasant place to be and very hard - every time we thought we'd got some savings something happened to wipe them out again.

We're in a better position now - but into over drafts end of every month watching what we buy and running low on food so odd meals last few days on the month and things having to wait for a week or so.

Less treats - less trips to shop making do and it actually will be a more restrained Christmas and fewer trips out with the kids many more being in at weekends and holidays. So could be much worse - just restrained at moment.

You could enquire at the Orthodentist your dentist would have sent your dcs to that do NHS and private. They do payment plans and if you need something special done to your dc’s teeth such as impacted teeth, they will need to be transferred to the NHS and be treated for free. Braces round here are just over 2k for the basic silver ones.

If you can only afford to replace two tyres, replace the rear. Newer tyres on the front than the rear could lead to the car oversteering/spinning.

It's sometimes cheaper to go on eBay and buy secondhand wheels for your car with tyres already on them. It's worth checking the date code on the tyres to see how old they are, though - there are guides online to tell you what the codes mean.

I lost 3 teeth during covid ,dentist was only doing emergency work , and I ended up having to have them removed because the wait was to long to have them fixed and I was in a lot of pain …really not fair ,and it’s totally upset me ,plus not got 3 grand for implants

My son has severe eczema - bleeding, infected etc and doctor refuses to see him in person, so we will have to probably see a specialist privately - again costly.

This is absolutely outrageous! I'd be making a complaint if I was you @musicviking1. Your DS is entitled to NHS treatment and if the GP won't see him or can't offer him anything else, he should be referred to a dermatologist on the NHS i.e. free of charge. Please chase this up if you cannot afford private consultation fees.

I didn't think your GP could refuse an in person appointment but maybe someone else on here knows better. I definitely wouldn't be paying for either of these issues to be looked at, I would be pushing for both of these appointments, really hard. Don't suppose you could get registered with another doctor?

@Autumflower same thing happened to Me! I had 2 implants after lockdown but I went to Brighton and they gave me 2. One slightly larger to fill the gap. Cost me £2500 but spread over the appointment. I had to get a credit card to pay for it though

I’m a stay at home mum ,to 2 dc with autism …my only money is carers allowance. Glad you got yours sorted

Just in case I can ever afford the same ,what was the pain like at the appointment,was it quick ,how did they do it

Quoted myself ,when I meant to ask you what it was like having the implants fitted

If you honestly believe that Specsavers are as good as it gets
It wasn't me who mentioned Specsavers and saying it was too expensive. My point was that you can get the sane glasses at Asda for 1/3rd of the price.

Ultimately, it must be nice to have super duper lenses, but if you can't afford it, it is surely better to get cheap glasses that allow you to see adequately than going without all together.

My son has severe eczema - bleeding, infected etc and doctor refuses to see him in person, so we will have to probably see a specialist privately - again costly.
Smear test again can't get an appointment through my GP, I will have to go private so I've also put that off

I've seen posts on here that link to private site that test for HPV - never seemed that expensive - which is what NHS does and only looks at samples where that test is positive- would that be an option?

Otherwise write to the practise manager and complain - if that doesn't do anything see if you can change GPs.

If the eczema is that bad - I'd be pushing for a referral to dermatology anyway - if D is under 5 HV may be another way of getting a referral - I knew someone who managed that with a baby last place we lived in as GP was useless and HV could refer on.

If your friend's office job involves much computer use, she may be able to get work to pay for her glasses.

We moved recently and couldn’t get an NHS dentist for us or DS. We were lucky and could pay for DS to have a private appointment - £80!! But DH and I did without as we couldn’t afford to pay for us too, luckily we were only due checkups.

Mercifully the dentist told us their sister practice was by then taking new NHS patients, so we rang them, moved DS there, registered their ourselves, and got checkups for me and DH for £20 each and a free one booked in for DS next spring.

We can’t afford to get the wooden facia around one of our back windows replaced. It’s pretty rotten but just have to hope the damp doesn’t get in. I haven’t had my hair cut for a year and we’ve stopped things like the window cleaner. We’ve not yet put the heating on.

We’re lucky that we both earn well and can afford food, hot water and to run our modest, second hand, cheap car. But if we’re cutting our cloth, then heaven knows how people on actual low incomes are supposed to get through the winter.

I could use hearing aids. My hearing has deteriorated. They are $4,000+/-.

I wouldn’t bother based on DH experience, had root canal treatment, ate a toffee a few weeks later and lost the tooth!

@FlourPowered unless you’re driving a BMW your info is incorrect. In poor weather a front wheel drive car needs tread at the front. I say this as someone who drives in snowy, icy Scotland and used to live in the alps with a bmw and summer tyres. That was fun.

The dentist. I need quite a lot done and can’t afford it. We are just over the threshold for any sort of benefit except child benefit. Annoying because there are a lots of folk in my town, who don’t work and never will work and they get free dental treatment, the family down from us especially. The system is so unfair.

I asked around about having my new prescription fitted into an old pair I glasses that I had. The cheapest quote for lens only (varifocals with a tint due to light sensitivity), was £320, just for lenses. When you have an "abnormal" eye condition, there is no such thing as "cheap glasses".

*an old pair OF glasses.

I would advise anyone to Google new tyres front or rear to see the many articles on the websites of tyre manufacturers and tyre fitting companies, which advise that it's safer to fit the newer tyres on the rear wheels.

Have you tried Childs farm? I have very sensitive skin too and their range of products work great, sometimes offers on them in Tesco

I'd like to remind those who are struggling to afford hot food that your local Sikh temple provides free freshly cooked curries to anyone who goes there - I think they do this once a week.