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?

@Marleymerm

May I recommend Vinted for shoes? Amazing bargains

A leg of lamb, I used to but one at least once or twice a month, they are so expensive no, I haven't had one in months.

Can you afford to get your shoes mended @Marleymerm? Usually that would be much cheaper than buying a new pair.

Glasses can be really expensive, if you need a complicated prescription. A basic pair of NHS frames is around £30, but if you have different prescriptions for each eye, astigmatism, need varifocals, etc, it can be hundreds of pounds.

@lannistunut really? I have had 4 children since 2010 and got a years free dental treatment and free prescriptions despite having no financial need for either of them so no; all help hasn’t stopped. I also see people getting free prescriptions from the pharmacy so that’s what I was referring to in my post.

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
Fine, but they do just fine. Who would decide to go without and not see adequately because they can't afford the absolute best.

It would be like saying you have to go out freezing everyday because you don't have a coat and when suggesting a £20 one from Asda, stating that it's not Gore-tec so not worth buying.

I do get that people struggle and gave to make choices, but it's not very credible when people only expect to be able to afford the luxurious alternatives.

Was for me!!! As it happened my dad did have glaucoma but no proof needed. The optician basically said it was fine. No probs.

@HellothereSHThoughts and Prayers🙄

Just get hauled over the coals for saying ‘first world problems’ in some areas of the internet. So be careful.

My teeth are ok but I would love to have more cosmetic dental work done... can't afford it! Dentistry is incredibly expensive.
For me to have the teeth of my dreams I'd be looking like 20k+
If I were a millionaire that would be peanuts but I cant in good conscious spend that on myself when my children might need it or some life emergency.... so even though I'm not struggling, I'm not sloshed either.

And be bring the conversation down even more...glasses get more expensive as you get older. I need varifocals now, which cost an arm and a leg.

I buy all of my clothes on ebay now. The price of new clothes horrifies me.

Another one who can’t afford glasses after being given a new prescription. I need prisms and have astigmatism, so the lenses aren’t cheap.

Other things I can’t afford off the top of my head:

A plumber to fix a leaking sink. Tried to fix it myself to no avail. I just don’t use it.

A plumber to fix my badly-fitted bath and messed up sealant, causing a constant growth of mould I can’t keep on top of.

Someone to lay some missing floor tiles in my bathroom, just have to not use that corner and put up with it.

Someone to fix my oven. Can only use one setting.

A boiler service.

Heating.

Eyes & teeth here too. I'm pretty certain that I need glasses but they're just to expensive, same for teeth, pretty sure I need a couple of fillings.

I thought the thread asked for things we can’t afford. I haven’t spotted the caveat that only abject poverty can be talked about.

We are all experiencing a drop in living standards. @HellothereSH is mentioning what they can’t afford, as per the thread title.

I couldn't afford new glasses last month, and the frames covered by the NHS voucher were horrible. So I used the voucher to have new lenses put in my old frames instead. If that wasn't an option I'd had to have been less fussy, so I'm grateful it was.
Its was recommended that DS2 and I both had our lenses thinned, which would have cost extra for both despite him being a child. So we didn't have it done, luckily we also don't think it was needed, but if our prescriptions get stronger it might need it another time.

I can't afford the dentist and there's no spaces at any of the NHS ones here. I've lost a filling in 1 tooth and another tooth is really painful and feels like the root is exposed.

I need new shoes that I can't afford. All my trousers are too big and I can't afford new ones. And bras.

DS1 needs new clothes.

I'm on the verge of not being able to afford painkillers if my sinus infection doesn't clear up soon and the associated pain fuck off.

Haven't had my heating on for years so that's nothing new.

Can you tell me what the change was? The only thing I've found in google is is an article from the Guardian suggesting a change that was more like the opposite of what you are saying, from simply measuring the amount of money coming in to taking other resources into account. The article also say that the change in definition didn't result in a change in the number of people considered to be in poverty. (Presumably people who fell out of the definition were replaced by other people who were now included.)

(This change is being written about in 2018, so maybe it's not the same one you're talking about.)

www.theguardian.com/society/2018/sep/16/what-is-the-new-uk-poverty-measure-and-why-is-it-needed

The same for me, but my brother had to get a letter from my mother's optician.

I was assuming that was a government change, but reading to the bottom of the article, perhaps not.

Dentist, and that's even with being lucky enough to have an NHS dentist.

Car repairs. Our cars are vital as we live rurally and the kids are in 3 different schools due to lack of school spaces locally.

I'm scared as things will get so much worse financially for us next year.

Interesting!

I also thought that very often high street opticians have offers for free eye tests so obviously keep an eye out for those promotions when they appear.

Oh, dear God :( I bet he must feel awfully guilty :(

I'm the same as a lot here. Dentist, optician, heating, clothes/shoes for myself, I'm constantly browsing eBay for some bargains. Even a haircut, I have short hair and it usually needs done every 8 weeks, it's now been 12 and I look a state but I'm holding off as long as I can so the one cut will do before Christmas. It's just so hard for so many. And it's very depressing. And I'm embarrassed to say to people.

So far it’s only luxuries really. We are on oil heating and have a full tank, although it is sometimes a PITA but it’s nice to know you have paid for it and don’t have to worry about a high bill. It should last until Spring if we are economic with it. Our electricity is still on a cheap fixed.

We can still eat well, have had to compromise on things quality wise (eg meat) but we have more than enough. I’ve given up alcohol most weeks as too expensive.

I bought some essential new clothes (sale) and pair of boots recently. I do need a new winter coat (have done for a couple of years really), but that will have to wait unless I see one very cheap. I have one but it’s too tight. I need riding boots and a new hat but they are far too spendy, they will be on Christmas list.

I did just buy new tea towels as ours were stained and revolting and that felt ridiculously decadent! But I was utterly ashamed of the ones we had. I am hoping they will bring some joy 🙈 but that’s a sad reflection on how things are and we are in the “middle income” category. Sodding tea towels!

I am grateful we have what we do though.

Leisure shoes for DS - he only has his school shoes. His feet are so narrow I can't just buy him cheap supermarket ones.

New clothes and shoes. Christmas will be a wash out and it's never been over the top. Heating still isn't on although to be fair, I haven't really felt the need for it yet. There is something wrong with the heating in the car - takes about 8 miles before any heat comes out - but that'll just have to wait and I have gloves. We are currently only shopping every second week as a means by which to use up some of the tins etc. in the cupboard and to cut costs that way, ditto I'm not buying anything at all in the supermarket until the one I have is used up (I usually have things like handwash, washing up liquid etc. to hand). I have stopped having milk delivered and whilst I recognise this was something of an expensive luxury, it did stop me popping in the supermarket several times a week which was money-saving in itself. It is not desperate for us as a household yet, but my money isn't going nearly as far and I'm really not saving now which is a worry for repairs to the car and house.