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?

Thank you for this but (luckily) with good glasses my vision is excellent so I wouldn’t qualify under these rules. I think a lot of us fall into the middle ground…!

This is the problem at the moment. Help is income based and for a lot of people that means absolutely nothing because it doesn't take into account that an average household spend can have gone up say £150 a month food, £200 mortgage and £200 gas/electric in the space of a few weeks, plus more for petrol getting to work/school/shops.

I need dental work done. When times were better I was registered with a private dentist so I’d have no hope of getting an nhs one now. But can’t afford the private one either due to the work that needs doing. I’m not in total dire straits financially but dental work is just so expensive.

I’m due an eye test in a couple of months and will probably need new glasses but I’ll likely put that off for a bit.

I was ok mentally through covid, lockdowns etc. I knew it would end eventually. But to me, this is worse. Costs are just going up and up and there is no end point. The news just seems to get worse every day. The most vulnerable will probably get some help, as they should, but I doubt it will be enough. Then you have a huge amount of people struggling, but not eligible for any help. I try to stay positive but it’s getting more difficult to do so.

They’re really not the same. They may be made in the same factory etc but the range of vision in their varifocal lenses and the clearness of vision from the lenses are awful. (This is asda I’m talking about). Even the sales assistant when I returned them admitted they won’t be as good as a top range lens from an independent opticians. They refunded me with no issue.

Online opticians- ie glasses direct etc- usually won’t go above a -6 lens due to the complexity of getting the prescription right.

Rocket would the lady you know use a Food Bank? I volunteer at a Food Bank and we would never turn anyone away, we may be unusual but our Food Bank has plenty of 'stock' and it is sad to think people are going hungry because they don't want to use the Food Bank. We would always talk to people in confidence and make arrangements to deliver the food (if possible) if someone can't or doesn't feel comfortable collecting it themselves. I understand all Food Banks are different but we don't insist on a 'referral'.

The dentist- that’s if I could even get an appointment!
days out- we’ve been invited to some by grandparents and they will pay but I won’t be able to offer to contribute. ( they always refuse but I feel proud to offer)
New clothes for myself- most of my clothes are charity shop purchases but even those are getting expensive.
a holiday… I haven’t been on one since 2018 . I’m hoping once 30 hours nursery kicks in I can save up and finally go on one but at this rate it will all go on bills!

I totally agree, it does feel like the good times are well and truly over. Nothing ever seems to improve, only get worse. I don't think we realised how good we had it pre-covid.

OP - She could get Prescription glasses from only £6.00 + FREE Single Vision Basic lenses - Thinner lenses, BlueGuard, Tints & Light Adaptive options also available from a company like Selectspecs, while she saves up for the frames she wants.

Doesn't help that there NHS dentists are now as rare as Ben's teeth.

A haircut. New boots. Moisturiser. Waiting till pay day for the hair and moisturiser. The boots won't happen

Why do people continue to pretend say they 'think' there is help when the Tories started taking it all away in 2010 and we have seen it cut back and cut back?

There is no help with glasses unless you are on the bones of your arse.

Yes you can buy shit standard reading glasses but if you need anything proper you have no help and no cheap options.

There is almost no benefits safety - depiberate choice by the tories to make all ordinary people less safe - we are going to see the impact of the choices Tories made over cutting help for mortgage payers this year and next

The only reason we aren't in this position is that we're mortgage free. Not a stealth boast, just that I feel very grateful to be in my position. We're a week from pay day with £400 left. We would not be in this position if we had a rental/mortgage payment to make.

Mind you, swings and roundabouts as my parents had to die young for this to happen.

100% this.

Cameron deliberately and cynically changed the recording & reporting of poverty.

Poverty is not 'how much money is coming in' but rather 'how much do you have coming in relative to your genuinely essential bills'. We are ALL much much poorer than we were in 2010 - wages have barely risen and costs are much higher. Look at the price of train tickets, and food!

Do you work for a corporate company? I do and they have a scheme where they will reimburse you the cost of glasses.

I cannot afford a day off work. I’d really like one. Or a week. I did have a week off once early in the year but it won’t happen again for the foreseeable and it would do me so much good.

I haven’t had new glasses for ten years and really could do with new too, it should not be this way

@Ragwort she does use food banks, they give out three days worth of food but she cooks and freezes it for her children so they don't miss a meal. I sent her some winter clothes for her dc that a colleague was clearing out. When my €500 cost of living payment comes through I'm going to send her some. Even if it's for frozen ready meals. She works full time and pays for everything. The dc father has " no income" yet funds quite a nice lifestyle according to social media.

Hello, please ignore if not appropriate, but has your colleague checked with your employer re. glasses? When I worked for a LA, they would pay for an eye test, plus prescription glasses for computer use.

No good when both eyes require a different strength. One thing I'd never buy is cheap glasses.

With prescriptions, it might be worth investigating the NHS pre-prescription card - it used to make sense for me when I had to have 3 prescriptions every month, for the forseeable future. It used to cost about £10.00 a month.

We have never been able to afford a dentist and can’t find an NHS one. Even my kids have never seen a dentist

I need a new mattress. The spring is sticking out in one part. Cant afford one though

Ds needs a new bed. Can’t afford it

We all need new clothes. Can’t afford it.

Dentist. Clothes for myself and DH to replace ones we have worn out. Snack food. Alcohol.

It's awful, really frightening to wonder where we will be by the end of winter.
On a practical note - I have had many pairs of excellent glasses from Selectspecs. Looking at the prices you can't help but be sceptical but they are very good. The one time I had a problem (not their fault, my optician) they kindly sorted it and replaced two pairs of glasses at no cost.

If it is VDU work that you do together, your employer might offer eye care vouchers. This covers the cost of an eye test and usually includes a discount off glasses if needed exclusively for VDU work, though I have heard of staff being more flexible with the discount application in the past.

With the glasses you can get a free eye test if your friend says she has glaucoma in the family. You can then opt to have just the prescription and go online and buy a bog standard, non designer glasses with prescription lens for less than £20. Possibly even less than a tenner if you get a code.

Shoes I buy all mine second hand from charity shops and eBay. Right now I’m wearing a £60 pair of Clark’s brogues that I bought for £8 from a charity shop. The most comfortable smart shoes I’ve ever owned!!

Dental treatment I agree is just a nightmare. For anyone trying to afford that all i can suggest is something like Denplan or even abroad if it’s a lot of expensive work that needs doing.

Personally I can afford most things but I choose to go without. That’s just my weird puritanical mindset, a punishment of sorts which is probably why I have the money in the first place. I refuse to spend it.

I cannot afford a day off work

I’d forgotten about this one! I’m a contractor and don’t get holiday pay so I just never take time off. I am lucky in that my job is wfh and not that full on so I manage. But yes it would be lovely to take a whole week off! I’m aiming for the extra 3 days Christmas week as the mon/tues are bank holidays that I wouldn’t be paid for anyway. We’ll see.