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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

33k and struggling

190 replies

farmanimals · 30/01/2023 14:56

I don’t understand what I’m doing wrong. I’m earning just shy of 33k which is a really respectable salary. Yet I’ve just budgeted for the month and I’m really struggling to save anything or even have anything to spend.

My total for rent, all bills, food, car, phone bill, subscriptions I need for work is £1400. My bills have skyrocketed. I am earning £1900 a month.
This does give me £500 but this has to go towards all outgoings including petrol, all my toiletries and make up, I have to get my hair done because it’s really damaged as well. So if I want to socialise it’s basically out of the question.

Also I’m putting a lot of pressure on myself to save a deposit for a house. I’m putting lile £100 away at the moment a month if that, and only have £2k in a LISA. Makes me think I’m never ever ever going to buy a house.

Am I wrong in wondering how this is possible?

OP posts:
HairyKitty · 30/01/2023 16:19

I can’t get past £500 a month on petrol, toiletries and make up

Overthebow · 30/01/2023 16:19

AtticusFrost · 30/01/2023 15:39

@Nw22 Large pension contributions are a choice though.
I earn about the same as you and take home about £2300 a month. I pay statutory minimum into a pension as that is all my employer will match.

If you are paying up to £400 a month extra into a pension above the statutory minimum then you will be short of money.

Student loan payments, higher pension contributions (some mandated by contract) and some extra benefits like work private health insurance and other insurances ca make a bit dent in take home pay. Student loan in particular gets me, it's around £200 per month off my take-home pay just for that.

AIBUYesSometimes · 30/01/2023 16:20

@PinkSparklyPussyCat Off topic but have you tried La Roche Posay? Or other brands like Avene and Neutrogena?

IdidntshagHarry · 30/01/2023 16:21

£500 a month disposable income is pretty good. What have you spent that £500 a month on for the last year? Look at that and see where it is going!

SpringtimeCherries · 30/01/2023 16:21

Ouch. The £1400 a month HAS to come down somehow, has it not? That is unsustainable. I would be absolutely brutal about this

  • can you change your rent?
  • drop your car?
  • Drop subscriptions?
Crikeyalmighty · 30/01/2023 16:22

I think many would be suprised at the monthly payments on student loans- my sons is around£160 a month - he's on similar money to you, slightly more and still is only getting around £2175- even after cutting his pension back a bit (he's only 24) shared flat rent plus all bills is around £1480(London) - it doesn't leave loads to play with if you are on your own

AIBUYesSometimes · 30/01/2023 16:22

What does it entail getting your hair done?

You might get away with some lovely hair masks at home for a fraction of the cost. Are you paying monthly for treatments or something?

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 30/01/2023 16:23

That is tough OP, really hard.

People’s salaries just aren’t keeping pace at all with inflation. I know that’s obvious but it’s just really hard.

AIBUYesSometimes · 30/01/2023 16:23

I agree about student loans. One of my DCs is paying back over £250pm.

Original poster
farmanimals · 30/01/2023 16:25

Thanks all so much! Some really helpful things to think about.

I live in the south east so it’s super expensive. Also in fairness I do buy drugstore brands like rimmel and Revolution makeup but could probably cut down! I have awful skin and found Cerave skincare works well but that’s not cheap either sadly.

My pension is £90, national insurance £175, tax £290, student loan £70. Does this sound about right?

OP posts:
Dreamstate · 30/01/2023 16:25

Also that £1400 includes food - so how much is spent on food, maybe OP is spending alot on food? Its hard to know without a better breakdown

Original poster
farmanimals · 30/01/2023 16:25

Oh also my car was bought using a bank loan which is £150 a month 🥲

OP posts:
Original poster
farmanimals · 30/01/2023 16:26

I’m very good with food, making batches and food prepping etc. I do buy the bare minimum and could easily spend £20 on a food shop. Finding it’s closer to £40 these days though.. and I shop in Aldi!

OP posts:
Desperatetime · 30/01/2023 16:26

2 people surviving on 34k here

CastleTower · 30/01/2023 16:27

You can check if your tax etc is correct on listentotaxman.com.

Lasereyes12 · 30/01/2023 16:28

OP I earn £35k and take home £2100 per month. My immediate thoughts:

Your bills are quite high. Do you live alone or share? I had to share for a few years to save for a deposit. Now my mortgage is £500 per month which isn’t too bad. Bills would also be cheaper when sharing as you could split council tax etc.

Are you running a car on finance? Again when I saved for a deposit I sold my car and made sure I lived somewhere with decent public transport (not London). It was annoying but that was another couple of hundred saved on fuel and car payment.

People are exaggerating the toiletries spend a bit as you said it includes petrol and presumably clothes, socialising. I can see how that adds up. You could try vinted for clothes? Swapping pubs for wine at home? I used to run to work instead of paying to commute.

Also how old are you? Sometimes you just have to wait it out until you earn more and things get easier. I think COL crisis is hard on younger people especially when single who have no one to share the burden.

Overthebow · 30/01/2023 16:28

farmanimals · 30/01/2023 16:25

Oh also my car was bought using a bank loan which is £150 a month 🥲

Your payments, car loa and food shop doesn't sound overly high. Could you post a rough breakdown on what you spend £1400 per month on and what you spend the £500 leftover money on?

Lcb123 · 30/01/2023 16:28

id Wonder about reducing pension for now, as others said that seems a low take home for that salary. Still keep some contribution though! Otherwise socialising doesn’t mean lots of money can you have food / drinks at friends houses, or do free activities

rothbury · 30/01/2023 16:30

Do you live alone OP? That’s quite a luxury in the SE on that salary.

Do you absolutely need a car?

Original poster
farmanimals · 30/01/2023 16:33

Sadly I do need a car, I work in healthcare and have to commute to lots of different places with all sorts of assessments/resources/games. It was a requirement for my job!
And I live with a flatmate, our rent is £700 each, but our energy bill was £150 each and our council tax was also £145 each this month (but I think this may drop)

OP posts:
Lasereyes12 · 30/01/2023 16:34

Quite controversial but is there anything holding you to the south east? Could you consider relocating?

Xenia · 30/01/2023 16:35

33k if there were no student loan is £2205 a month in England. if your student loan is 70 a month then the net pay quoted still seems too low. check your pay slip is correct. You could give up paying ito a pension. I don't bother. I do my own hair too and don't wear make up (and bought a car outright so no monthly payments)

Rosei · 30/01/2023 16:35

This is what you should be taking home on £33k with that student loan....ish....

33k and struggling
impossible · 30/01/2023 16:37

I think it must have a lot to do with the outrageous rental prices in the South East and of course living alone.

Desperatetime is clearly not paying twice your rent for two people (they couldn't afford it) - and she and partner with will be paying no tax on their first £25,140 as they will both have £12,750 tax free. They will also share bills and council tax. So not at all a fair comparison - though of course lucky them.

In your situation farmanimals rent seems to be big spend. Could you find somewhere cheaper, perhaps shared? If you live alone do you get reduced council tax? Should be 25% reduction.

SouthCountryGirl · 30/01/2023 16:38

Have you had a look at the money saving expert budget spreadsheet? You might be able to make savings somewhere.