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?

Hiya, have you tried goggles 4 u online? I'm not sure on the prices for higher prescriptions but my husbands glasses cost on average 50% cheaper than Specsavers. He has his test done at Specsavers, but then takes his prescription home and we buy them online. They take about 4 weeks to get here but they were cheaper (inc postage) than UK based online sites and he's had no issues whatsoever with the ones he bought. He has probably had 5 pairs from them now and has all those fancy coatings too lol.

Hope this helps <3

Hiya, have you tried goggles 4 u online? I'm not sure on the prices for higher prescriptions but my husbands glasses cost on average 50% cheaper than Specsavers. He has his test done at Specsavers, but then takes his prescription home and we buy them online. They take about 4 weeks to get here but they were cheaper (inc postage) than UK based online sites and he's had no issues whatsoever with the ones he bought. He has probably had 5 pairs from them now and has all those fancy coatings too lol.
Hope this helps <3

Very true you get cheaper in primark now

@Untamedfemale
Sorry to hear that . If you don’t mind second hand I can help you out with a coat and gloves and hat ? Just pm me if you want to x

A haircut. Not sure it counts as necessary but it's been 2 years now, and I can't cut my own hair...

I can't afford the dynamite I need for November 5th (pt 2) 😂

I'm sure everyone is gutted. Sorry about that.

The English prescription medical exemptions seem very arbitrary. My mum has rheumatoid and had to pay but a relative with a thyroid condition was exempt. So mum had a pre pay certificate as she needed a lot of medication.

Our county council has a scheme where libraries are warm & welcome places. Disabled access and hot drinks provided. Opening times are listed.
Obviously no use if your library has closed down but worth checking out if it might help.

Agree about the apparently arbitrary exemptions, esp that low thyroid gets one - for all prescriptions, forever! - but high doesn’t?
I mean there must be a logical explanation but it does seem strange.

This lists the exempt conditions.
thyroiduk.org/help-and-support/medical-exemption-certificates/

Anyone who's struggling can check this list of support available. There are means tested support payments for all kinds of things, you don't have to be not working to qualify for help

helpforhouseholds.campaign.gov.uk/housing-support/

www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en/benefits/universal-credit/universal-credit-an-introduction

www.entitledto.co.uk/help/calculating-universal-credit

I used to have prepay certificate until diagnosed with diabetes.

The prepay for asthma meds, when we lived in England , were always slightly more expensive right up until I'd fall ill with chest infection and then needed additional prescriptions,

If the older two children end up cross border for university - it may well be worth getting for them so they can get inhalers and won't skimp if they need more - another something we'll have to look into.

@Kittensquirrel Thanks, over the years she has been the best friend ever. We've been friends since our first day in high school, and we're both in our 60s now. Always supportive, never judgemental even when I screw up in a big way, and has always given so much of her heart and soul. She's had some rough times but has never let it make her bitter. I would give her the world if I could, but right now tyres will have to do 😂I love her to bits ❤️

Not a nice comment

Wow, such a rude post -- Nowhere did I say I disbelieved anyone - I thought I was giving an honestly helpful post based on the fact that frames are usually what costs the most. But feel free to be rude. It says more about you than me.

If you read people's posts properly you'd have seen several posters saying that in their/our cases it's NOT the frames that cost the most. I consider it pretty rude to disregard what people are actually trying to tell you.

I get the higher rate DLA, I have been on holiday, am I not entitled to do so?

Okay 🙄

I do get child benefits but by the time I ha e paid bills and food I Hartley ha e anything left I’m literally talking about a fiver

My glasses also cost around £300 a time. Complex prescription.

Interesting that many have mentioned housing costs. This is a real biggie. In much of the southern half if the country and probably some of the more expensive bits 'up north' and midlands-Unless you have managed to get social housing or have a lowish mortgage then housing costs for private rentals can be huge- even for very modest homes- and if you get housing allowance , in most cases it's often calculated at quite a bit below the actual cost- so people are needing to use money that should be for food and bills to top up rent and simply keep a roof over their families head- it's all very well saying move somewhere cheaper , that's not always possible if jobs and kids are involved and hard to do anyway if benefits involved at all as so many private rentals are based on reference scoring on income multiples- unless you have been in this position it's hard to understand and easy to be judgemental.

The thyroid med is free because it can be life threatening if you dont take it .

The thyroid med is free because it can be life threatening if you dont take it .

if you need thyroxine, you get all u U.K. our prescriptions free.

if you need carbisamol for thyroid, also to stop you dying, it’s not free and you pay for all your prescriptions 🤷‍♀️

I have loads of prescriptions each month so I pay for a prepaid certificate which is significantly cheaper