To think some people don't realise

[CybermanAshad]

A few years ago we were a surviving on 30k as a household. It was tight but fine. That was one wage. I was a SAHP as it was cheaper than nursery fees.

We're a family of three with two cats. That's 2 adults and a 4 year old.

Now we have an income of just over 40k and things are harder than ever and we've never struggled so much. That's one wage, child benefit and a student maintenance loan.

We have £5 in the bank to last until 25th of the month. Some food but not much. Both cars need fuel. Before if things were tight there was always some way to get by. Small savings pot (under 1k) we also overpay into our bills account every month not much but would mean if things got tight there might be a spare £100 in there we could use.

Now we have no savings, no spare in the bills account. A combined over draft of £2000 now maxed.

Never thought I'd be wishing DC was back at school to benefit from the school dinner every day.

Desperately trying to get a job. Looking for something that pays about 20k. Would replace maintenance loan and give us 11k extra a year. So far all rejections.

Partner has also managed to get a job paying 8k more a year but doesn't start until May so won't see the benefit until the end of May.

Just feels relentless at the moment.

Saw a thread on here recently with lots of posters saying 85k was nothing in London and people on benefits had a ton of money and had no idea what it was like trying to survive on 85k with no help. I know it's bloody expensive in London but from my own perspective, 85k would be a dream. We don't qualify for benefits beside child benefit which is £87.20 every four weeks.

As I said, a few years ago we got by on 30k and now we're struggling on 40k.

AIBU to think some people don't understand that there's a huge middle section of people who don't recieve benefits but earn under 50k?

I imagine struggling a lot more than those on 85k.

Who did you insure your home with at that price? It's amazing ..

Sorry, I wasn't deliberately ignoring your posts! I've just reread all your posts and they've been quite helpful. I grew up in a single parent household so I have the upmost respect for single parents.

Before I started at university I was doing PT cleaning jobs around my Partners job. Actually the first time I've been out of work was when I started at university. I was made redundant, that's when we decided I'd go to university. The student maintenance loan was double what I was earning PT so it actually made more financial sense for me to do that. And as before, it was perfectly manageable at the time, now its not which is why I'm trying to find a job again.

Yes, full time . Minimum wage has gone up a lot compared to mid tier wages ....

It's all relative. 2 adults working FT and couldn't afford 2 cars.

I wouldn't give up Uni and I'd take hit in the short-term! The job I'd love requires a degree but I just can't afford to not work being single. Doing it part time would take me 6 years and that's with working full time too plus the financial element. Take the opportunity you have now to study whilst it's there!

Is 20k a year minimum wage now? That seems quite a lot!

Did you think 11k was a lot in 2000 or 14k in 2010?

I hate to think what your Home Insurance covers at £60 a year. Is this buildings and contents?

Ours is around £700 a year. That is for building and contents including accidental damage and a few items worth over £2K.

I have a horrible feeling you are underinsured and suggest you read the small print. @SomeonesRealName @Englishrosegarden

@CybermanAshad Maybe the mistake you are making is looking for a 'job' paying £20K when you are supposedly studying full time. I'm not sure how you expect any employer to take you on as a full time employee, when they know you are in full time education (assuming you are).

You just need some work.

Supermarkets, pubs, cafes, cleaning, dog walking, ironing service, .....

Advertise in local shops, Facebook, go into local shops and ask.

You need to be more proactive.

You also need to seriously think if the degree you will get will open doors. Unless it's a vocational degree, or a science subject, you will be joining the thousands of new grads every year looking for work.

What are you studying?

It seems a bit of a luxury to be doing this with no guarantee of a career afterwards.

£700 a year 😱 That's a lot! Is that from a comparison site? Is it that much to cover the items over 2k that has bumped it up?

I ask because when I bought my house the broker did my house insurance for me which was about £400 per month and I just assumed that's how much home insurance cost. Then a couple of years later I really looked into it and put in all the same details as my current cover into a few comparison sites and was astonished to get quotes of £120 - £150 per year! I was being royally ripped off before!

The student maintenance loan was double what I was earning PT so it actually made more financial sense for me to do that.

It IS a loan and you will pay it back once your earnings are over a certain level.

Comparison sites are not independent- companies pay to be included.

I got quotes from the Big 3- Aviva, LV, John Lewis.
Some were more than what I am paying (with one of the above.)

It covers new for old, a few high value items, and all the contents (clothes, furniture etc) of a 4 bed home.

I don't have the big high value items and mines a 3 bed terrace so that will make the difference in price but mine covers everything else yours does contents wise and also building cover.

I think my contents insurance is about £13 a month with swinton
Buildings insurance is included as it's an apartment

We have full contents insurance for just £110 per year and buildings insurance around the same and we are definatly not under insured . We always search for a good deal . What the hell are you insuring at £700 per year ?

Yes, I do live in the North which I appreciate is cheaper. However, I know lots of people here would never have bought the house (run down, needed work) as it wasn't "Insta ready" but its meant we have a very cheap mortgage.

Lots of people are struggling through no fault of their own, especially with the CoL crisis but its not true to say that some people couldn't have made different choices which would have made things easier for them.

However, I know lots of people here would never have bought the house (run down, needed work) as it wasn't "Insta ready" but its meant we have a very cheap mortgage.

For most people now it's better to buy the insta ready house as renovation costs are astronomical...

Why are you not working. School hours at least. There's no excuse.

Me and my partner survive on his salary of 23k + 5k which I am currently getting for maternity allowance. It’s a struggle but we made a budget plan of all our bills , weekly food shop , petrol , bus fare etc at the end we have just over £100 each a month as disposable income for things we both want , for example a haircut.

Nothing structural, just shabby and needed painting. I agree if its huge structural costs as they can be 1000s. By my estimation we have spent £8,000 over the last 4 years (including a new boiler) but probably saved around £50-75K on what a 'nicer' house would have been.

Doesn’t matter how old cars are - both need tax and insurance plus fuel so you’re not broke whilst you’re running two cars. You’re fine, get a bike and keep 1 car.

I really think our benefits system is screwed up tbh. I know people who are on UC and scrape by. I know a few people who are on UC and have more money than mine and my DH wages combined. We pay nearly £1000 a month extra in rent. I totally get why we don’t receive help but I genuinely don’t understand how someone can get UC and still be able to afford weekend pub crawls, holidays and frequent shopping trips whilst someone else on UC can barely scrape by. Pupil Premium is a weird one too. 7 years extra help when the family are doing really well. No wonder we don’t have the money for those who really need it, moreover though it gives anyone claiming any kind of benefit a bad name. I hate money!

All I can advise is that you use your vote wisely. Decades of poor political forward thinking have led to us being exposed. I hate to turn this into a political debate, but the UK had a wealth of resources and export to offer.
Now, on a fairly decent salary, we struggle.
My wife and I bring in 72k a year and we feel the burn. We get zero financial help. We're very lucky have 1140 hours in Scotland. But that barely touched the sides.

What people underestimate is the amount of debt when on lower income. And once you get a higher paying job, all you're doing is repaying that enormous amount of debt and not really benefitting from the pay rise. The system is designed to squeeze everything out of us.

You're not being unreasonable. This is modern day Britain we have voted for.

What a heartless comment. Hope you showed more compassion when you worked for the NHS.

@Feelingss I would say it's unusual that a house that only needs cosmetic work eg repainting to be priced 50k plus less than similar houses.

All care homes crying out for staff from cleaners to carers and in your circumstances you’d be able to work nights for more money. Lots of menial jobs out there if you are need money.