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?

@Hooverphobe
they DO yes! I have used this in the past. But the shelves were cleared out sadly.
@Dixiechickonhols yes, our old Co op was great for this. But the new one not so much. Stuff isn't reduced until 9pm (I cant really walk by that time of day) & there's hardly anything these days. I can't send Ds for that sort of thing, he needs clear instructions. I am just SO upset at the waste: we'll be cleverer next week.

Thank you both for good suggestions though x

Infuriating When that happens and you don’t give a damn either way about the missing portion because it’s such a good deal!

Sofas, ours are way past their use by date with springs pushing through, mattress for us skso with springs and frame broken, we got it second had when we met, 2007! Fridge freezer, was one our old neighbour was throwing put...it is on its last legs. Priority I food and clothes for the kids. We both work full time, stuck renting, can't afford to buy.

@54isanopendoor ah I feel for you with the shopping mix up. Could you maybe write it down for him next time or would he be too embarrassed to give them a note? You make an excellent point too that not everyone is able to stand for hours in the kitchen batch cooking to save money.

I appreciate this is a can’t afford thread but if you were ever in a position to (or someone was buying you an Xmas gift) a cheap airfryer is a godsend and can be used safely by an older child. Hopefully your son could use if you were too ill to cook. My teen has a physical disability and uses ours a lot. Chips in one are nicer than Chippy.

We got our butter for 1.69 in Sainsburys last week with a nectar card. I've always thought it was a waste of time having one but maybe not!

It's worth checking Freegle regularly, lots of free items incl sofas. Depending upon where you are, we are Oxfordshire and there's some good stuff going. Also do you have a zero food west fridge locally. We have one called The community fridge, they give food away, always loads of bread ofter M&S and Waitrose, and lots of veg. Occasionally pies, and fruit, but enough to keep the food bill down quite a lot.

Waste not west 🙄

It wouldn’t help if you were certified partially sighted as there’s no help for the cost of glasses for people who are partially sighted or blind because of that, any help is due to other circumstance. You do get a free eye test though so there’s that.

Email Lindsay at Specs by post in Rotherham. They do frames or will reglaze your own frames. She recently did 2 pairs of titanium frames with complicated prescription for my 90 year old mum 166.00 for 2 pairs. I buy vintage frames and she does all my lenses.

I did my online food shop today. A small thing of salad cream, nearly £3! A jar of semi decent jam, also nearly £3. I added the cats "go cat", hardly a luxury brand, and I'd already spent £10.

I'm just bulking everything with various breads now. Normal bread, naan bread, garlic bread etc. I've rediscovered a love of chip butties! Nutrionally not great but tasty and filling!

Hair cut. I usually have one once every 12-18 months.

A new mattress.

I have a bit of money in savings, but it's the fear factor. Really need a new sofa and stair carpet, but my confidence that I will be able to afford bills in the future has gone. If something isn't essential I am holding off, and I suspect that many other people are the same, which is terrible for businesses and will probably spark a recession.

I can't afford pyjamas! I had a hope to find some cheap stuff at Primark but every single set costs more than £12! Grabbed couple pyjama tops from charity shop but couldn't find any trousers. This is sad. There is definitely no heating this year in our house (thanks God weather is warm),that's why nighties won't help.
I was also shocked how Primark increased prices for baby clothes.

Meklk do you have any leggings or similar, joggers etc?

I need new shoes, my 2 pairs both have holes in.
I need a light bulb in my bedroom but our shopping budget doesn't even cover food anymore and I have to go into my overdraft so having a light in there when its mainly to sleep in isn't a necessity.
I need a new bed, its caved in completely and I have the wood from an old chest of drawers under the mattress to try and stop the sagging but my body aches every morning.
We used to be fairly well off, but now I'm a single parent to four young kids trying make ends meet every month and their needs come before mine.
What a world we are living in right now...

I have minimum amount of "home" clothes - 3 leggings and 5 tops. Plus my sweating doesn't help. I need to wash pyjama every second night. I'll survive, have quite good charity shops around. But that's not OK. When we both work, have 1 child and can't afford pyjamas or linen. It's not a "nice dress" or "comfy leather shoes", its bloody pyjama.

A beautiful full fridge.!
Holidays other than a very basic one in our van.
To eat other than things like lentil curry.
We work more hours now.
We save our money for the joy of going out to the pub for live music.
And for heating for when guests come and more variety innfood.
These are our priorities.
I feel as if its very hard if you cant get a bit of joy in life . Hence our decision to go to live music as it promotes endorphins..! But no heat in house, and v v basic food which many wd not like at all. ( sick of lentils to be honest) but it is our choice.!

I also need to get the dog groomed, but the price has jumped up about £15 in two years. School milk money this a.m. - was £9 per half term a couple of years ago, now £14. It's just relentless, isn't it?

Do you have to send milk money? TBH I thought that was abolished years ago my dc didn’t have it and we all hated it at school was wasted. Send water bottle and they can have milk at home.

@Meklk have you checked ebay, I've sold unwanted pyjamas on ebay so new with tags for about £4 as that was going rate at time. Worth a look.

Went to farmfoods yesterday and even things that used te fairly cheap meals in tins have shot up in price. It's frightening.

No, it's provided in my son's primary. He likes it (it's chilled nowadays and not left on the windowsill for four hours!). I am in Northern Ireland. Provided free in preschool and special schools but everyone else has to pay.

I assume you can opt out. £94 a year on milk per child is a lot. Mine wouldn’t have drunk it.

Sorry £84 a year!