To wonder how do people afford everything?

[JL642]

Just that. How does everyone afford everything?

Coffee shops etc packed here. Social media full of people doing expensive things.

DH and I ate high earners so I don’t get it.

I dread to think what a £20 hotel room is like.

@50percentNamaste50percentGoFuckYourself Well if you look around you, you'll find that most of the world is very silly.

Depends where you go. You can get fabulous rooms in some countries for that price.

Here is the ensuite room, with fridge, kettle, tea, coffee making, bottled water, free pool. Did not include breakfast

Think it's about choices

we are highish earners - got rid of the car, don't buy ourselves clothes often - budget and meal plan very carefully, rarely buy things like make up, switched to dying my own hair, staying put in our 2 bed flat instead of ever getting a bigger place - probably won't have a second child

in return we afford 4 holidays a year and get tickets for all the music festivals as that's what we prioritise spending our money on!

@Arapawa

Where are you getting hotels rooms like that for £20?

Flexibility is the answer. If you've got fixed ideas about location, dates, amenities, facilities, etc., then you're not going to get deals like that as you're too inflexible, but if you're flexible in every way, willing to be open minded as regards location (country as well as resort/town), dates, holiday length, open to last minute booking, etc then you can get good deals.

We've a neighbour who literally books the day before travel sometimes and she's had some cracking deals, takes her all day to search the websites, try to find matching flights, etc., but usually gets something pretty spectacular very cheaply (such as Mexico and Sri Lanka which were 5* hotels for very little money!), but sometimes that does mean some level of compromise, such as maybe having to move hotel half way through, i.e. 3 nights in one and 4 in another, or sleeping "rough" one night (arrival or departure days usually sleeping in the airport), but that's the compromise!

Last year I stayed in Edinburgh in a Premier Inn, with a view of the castle & gardens with my friends, £20 each in a shared ensuite room, per night

Did not include breakfast

There are bargains out there, especially if you avoid all peak times

I save every penny that doesn't go on bills and the mortgage, I've got retirement coming up. I would never waste money on regular coffee and cake.

I do hope there are still some people buying new clothes otherwise vinted and charity shops are going to run out of stock judging by this thread!

We are fortunate to have a champagne (but own brand only) income but shandy tastes. Our hobbies are allotment gardening and sewing. They don't pay for themselves but do mean we can have nice things (fruit, vegetables, flowers, new curtains) for a low price.

Same goes with home improvements. DH is good at DIY so a kitchen or bathroom refurb costs us the materials not labour.

You can get good deals on multi person hotel rooms if you go during the week. The photo a pp posted looks like the sort of room families would commonly have, so it makes sense it might be a good price during the week in term time. I can well believe it might've been £20 pp for 3 or 4 people.

I think lots of people are deeply in debts.

My friend was having a moan the other day about how expensive clothes/make up/skin care is and how do people (me) afford it all.

I pointed out to her she has had two holidays a year every year since I’ve known her (7 years), has many weekends away and is busy almost every weekend. I on the other hand am lucky to have plans once a month and have had one holiday in 7 years! So because of that I spend my money on other things that make me happy.

I kind of agree with you. I’ve just had a weekend in London with 2 friends (all early 50’s, financially secure). We did some expensive things, Magic Mike, Hamilton, nice restaurants etc, including hotels probably around £1k each including travel. All very nice and great fun. What surprised us though was how crowded everywhere was, and full of all age groups from teens up. No judgements about it, just surprised how crowded each bar, theatre, restaurant etc was.

This.
My local “nice” pub is packed with people eating and drinking every day and night, roads are chocka block full of cars, supermarket ( I work in one) is heaving, sporting venues packed. People on another thread are saying £300 is reasonable for 5 basic items of clothing I honestly don’t see much behaviour change despite the cost of living crisis.

I presume you have absolutely no knowledge of most of their situations and finances. Take me as an example, I retired in my early forties on medical grounds and live a pretty nice life. To outsiders I look unemployed and the cost of living crisis hasn't affected the way I live.
I have no mortgage, a fairly generous trust and a husband who works. All the big things in life are paid for. I'm only saying this in reply to your OP. Outside of DH no one is aware of how our income is derived.
I buy quality over quantity so it lasts. For example, you'll see me wearing £400 boots but they last forever. Wear for wear I've found they're cheaper than a £50 pair. I drive a new Volvo SUV. I need a good reliable car and this one can basically drive itself. I also eat out very regularly but it's the way my (older) DC choose to spend one on one time with me. I can't do anything physical.
It's so easy to look at the outside and make a judgement of someone's life but it's rarely correct. I'd give every material possession to be back at work, climbing mountains and playing sports. Be careful what you wish for.

Or not. Not everyone is struggling. Don't know why this is so unbelievable on Mn??

I'm guessing it's priorities. I have a pretty low-income job, but love holidays. I have one big (for me) blow-out holiday a year, and the rest of the year I'm living a pretty simple life, so that I can afford the holiday. In fact, it's coming up quite soon! A 2-week cruise to Norway and Iceland!

And remember, social media isn't real. The friends you see out for dinner, with big smiles for the camera, are just as likely to be sitting there thinking, "okay, I'll buy the cheaper bread and yoghurts for a few weeks."

of course lots of people are in debt.

that doesn't mean that there aren't also lots of people who can easily afford a more luxurious lifestyle.

I am a low earner and single....however i own my house and car out right and do not owe a penny to anyone...once my utility bills are paid it means i am left with nearly £1000 a month to do as i please with..
It helps that i am quite low maintenance regarding hair and nails etc.

I had my hair cut on the holiday with the photo
It was £4 + tip
I had not had my hair cut since before the covid restrictions

They budget I suppose. That's what I do. I'm a single mum with a mortgage and childcare to pay for. My ex does contribute his fair share but I still need to budget monthly. I earn just under £75k which is a huge amount compared to most. I make sure all my direct debits come out as soon as I get paid. I have standing order for savings (that's my holiday fund) and I transfer a set amount each month to a different account for groceries (£400 for 3 of us). Then anything left is for other stuff (clothes, shoes for the kids, outings, petrol). I go out with friends when the kids are with their father, I take them on holiday abroad twice a year. If I spent my money on fancy cars (my car is a very practical 10 year old estate), botox, spa treatments and hair extensions I couldn't do the holidays and treats for the kids. It's about priorities but I am aware I am incredibly well off compared to most single mums!

if you are a high earner you should be able to afford coffee and Botox. But you may have made a decision to have a huge mortgage or an expensive car.

what do you mean by high earner? I would take this to be individually earning over £100k each.

Can't you save for that whilst occasionally having something nice to do? Cheaply obviousl.

Maybe they are trying to get the work done quickly whilst they still have a lower fixed mortgage rate and more disposable income.

Whilst true, same also applies with social media for those with high numbers of followers. I have a friend from work many years ago who is a minor "influencer" on social media and she's had all kinds of freebies, including a very expensive suite on a cruise, but of course didn't say it was a freebie on literally dozens of social media posts during the cruise!

Yes absolutely! My work involves a bit of contact with influencers and it's eye-watering how much stuff gets thrown at them. In terms of ROI it's often much cheaper than typical advertising rates so it makes sense. It costs companies virtually nothing to provide samples, free stays or flights. Same for many extremely expensive but inherently labour-cheap procedures like teeth straightening, whitening or laser eye surgery.

I guess nowadays "social ladder" isn't just about money or class but influence as well. Having reach on social media is also a coveted status symbol and comes with loads of privilege.