If you were absolutely flat broke in this situation, how would you make money?

[stressedoutstudent]

Some context - single mum of 3 teenagers. Qualfied as a nurse a year ago, so on the lowest increment for band 5 pay. i work all night plus extra bank shifts to maximise my income with enhancements. Moving up pay scales/banding is impossible at the minute. The extra shifts means my UC entitlement is 0 most months. I get CB for 2/3 of the children. Eldest has autism and whilst he works, he doesnt earn enough to be contributing anything substantial to the household. Ex gave up working and claims benefits, i get the standard £29 a month deduction from his benefits via CMS, he hasnt seen the children in over a decade so doesnt contribute anything further. I dont drive and theres no public transport running at a time that i can get to work, so i have to pay for taxis which are expensive but i have no other options. Its a 2 hour walk before/after 13 hours shifts and i usually do 4 or 5 in a week, im so exhausted i cant do this walk on top of my very busy active shift. We live in a rented house, which is a reasonable rent for the area, but still expensive. 1 child in school who can walk, 1 child in college who cant walk as its too far so i have to ay transport costs for them. I have some "unnecessary" outgoings, gaming subscriptions and streaming services, however my children are home alone 4 or 5 nights a week so they need something to keep them occupied as i dislike them going out and about whilst im at work, as i work in a very busy A&E department, im not easily contactable and like to know they are safe. I have some small debts im paying off from when i was a student and really struggled to get by.

Every month i run i out of money, its just impossible. I cant work more, i cant see where i can reduce out goings. I cant get a third job (my substantial and bank are two different contracts). I cant afford christmas, which i know isnt the be all and end all. But, when i was a student i promised my children a better future when i was stressed writing assignments doing placements and missing important events. But its not gotten better. Infact im worse off each month now than i was when studying. The recent NHS payrise left me worse off, as it bumped me into the next pension bracket, so the little i got backdated last pay, i now owe in pension arrears from April when the pay rise was back dated to. This amount is more than i received in back pay last month.

Life is just impossible. I cant give my children any standard of living, despite working my arse off to improve my career and do as many shifts a week as i am physically able to do.

What would you do? Genuinely? My only potential plan at the minute is the WFH pip assessor roles, its the same money im on now, but no travel costs. Keep my bank job to pick up an extra weeked shift each week. But its a job role i struggle with morally, and i would lose the patient contact element of my job for the most part. And A&E was my dream job, i love it, and the experience is vital for my future career aspirations.

This i also something i have thought about, and asking my parents to loan me the money to buy one. I have a driving licence (though ive not had a car in a decade becuase i havent been able to justify the cost) and think a scooter/moped would be cheaper to run and insure than the taxis.

Taxis cost me £15 a shift. I occasionally get lifts of a nurse who lives locally, but she does majority day shifts.

Theres no closer hospital, and no private hospital in my area either.

Jobs are also few and far between, theres currently 5 nursing jobs available on NHS jobs in my trust. Alot who just qualified cant get employent due to the over seas recruitment drives. Changing with in the NHS to keep the pension/benefits is unlikely gioven the current job market for nurses. Side point - this doesnt mean wards and areas are fully staffed, it means theres no budget to hire more staff as the pots are empty.

On moneysavingexpert forum there's a section where you can input all your income and outgoings and they will troubleshoot with you to find solutions.

For example your debt: maybe it could be put on a payment plan? Where you pay a minimal amount as you are in financial difficulty. It would be worth looking into.

I can't believe I'm having to suggest this to someone who works full time as a nurse but access local food banks if you are struggling. What a ridiculous system we are living in where people are working so hard just to survive. 😔

Would you consider agency nursing instead of the NHS? Your hourly wage increase will be significant and you won't be beholden to the dreaded off duty.
As others have said, consider trying to cycle if you can.
Horrible situation for you. Remember it's not forever, things will improve.
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Good luck.

I have no suggestions but I agree with PP that it is disgraceful that someone who has worked really hard to get themselves a profession is having to struggle like this financially.

I do think you're in the worst bit now - 3 kids in the house who no doubt eat like locusts and aren't old enough to get proper jobs. Plus you're really early career so the money isn't quite there yet.

You're doing everything you can, I hope it comes good for you next year. Hang on.

Im very lucky my A&E department does majority self rostering, so i get to pick my shifts and ensure i get parents eve and the likes off work.

Sorry I haven't read the comments so ignore if this is unrealistic - could you get the kids to share so you have a spare room and take on a young person from the Shared lives scheme? It is usually a 3 month placement so you don't have someone long term. You get paid but you don't have to do a huge amount.

Also thank you for all the suggestions, im slowly working through each one to see whats feesable.

Just to add, you could even get another job that pays very similar hourly rate as nursing (closer to home, better hours etc) and then just do 1 or 2 bank/agency shifts to top up.

@stressedoutstudent

Look into the salary sacrifice scheme for a small car. Might be worth doing the figure sums and seeing if it will be cheaper. Most of them are automatic and easy to drive and include everything in your one payment so no need to insurance or repairs or tyres etc, I've just had my 3rd one delivered today. Wouldn't be without it now

I have autism and adhd myself is prob why I manage it as my brain is waaay to wired/stressed after a 13h day to relax when home (albeit currently doing the joys of a 3h return train to work until Feb as my training programme has dumped me in London lol counting the days till I can cycle to work again and get my life back!). Albeit i have no kids (regularly volunteer with an autism chairty mentoring them weekly though and do all the cooking/housework/cleaning

Do you have a care home near you that you could pick up bank work shifts? Yes, the pay would be less but every little helps.

I wouldn't like to bike in the dark especially on main roads.

Felt the need to come on and say you are already giving your children everything they need- they’ve an amazing role model, they are in education and you count their needs (gaming/ subscriptions) as necessities. You don’t want to hear this but you’re bloody awesome (in the real and true sense of the word!)

This isnt doable, i have 3 beedrooms and 2 boys and a girl. The boys stopped wanting to share so one moved into my dining room (which was rarely used as a dining room) but its the access to the kitchen, so everyone walks through his "bedroom" constantly anyway. Its not a space i could rent out if i made the boys share again.

Could you take a lodger? Maybe a female one as less risk around your children

So you are doing 4-5 shifts a week and paying £15 a shift for a taxi? Thats around £300 per month. Could you see if it is worth investing in a small reliable car as it looks like it may be a similar amount? Getting a moped would obviously be cheaper though.

whats the long term prospects in the role? Are you starting out low but in 5 years will be in a much better position especially with experience behind you? If this is the case see it as an extension of your study for the short term.

You’re doing so much it’s revolting you’re struggling so much nurses deserve much better pay!

What do you think is your biggest expenditure, besides rent and utilities? I’m racking my brain for how you could get to work cheaply, a moped as someone suggested upthread may be worth the initial outlay if your parents are able to help? Can your eldest get his own transport or find a cheaper way? I’d say that’s an area that’s probably costing you so much. Do your parents live nearby?

Can you opt out of the pension for a short period and clear the debt/use the money towards driving/moped until you’re more solvent?

not sure the type of debts but could you look to see if you could consolidate them into one smaller monthly payment over a longer period of time, obvs not the ideal but might free up a bit of monthly cash or if they are nearly paid off just think it’s just a few more months then you will have some extra each month and you just have to make it to that point

Could you get an electric bike under the cycle to work scheme, so it would a) be on a payment plan b) be tax free c) reduce costs on taxis in the long term d) not be as exhausting as proper cycling?

could an electric bike or a scooter take the place of taxis for yourself and college attender? Or is it possible to relocate walking distance to the hospital and get your college attender an electric bike or scooter? The taxis must cost a fortune.

could you offer private injections. B12

Can I ask how much you earn a month? Before and after reductions. I know someone who was qualified as a nurse but left to do private care as there was more hours available at a similar rate

Or an electric scooter for your son

Can you write well? I often see healthcare companies looking for copywriters who are medically qualified. Might be worth looking into. Roles are often part-time freelance stuff, so you can fit it in. Might not be much going until the start of the New Year though.

The issue is saving the money to be able to pay out for one, i have nothing left to save as i would need to keep paying the taxis in the mean time.

I think my parents would potentially help with a moped, which weirdly seems less scary than getting back behind the wheel of a car after so long not driving, and the outgoings would be cheaper than the car. We dont "need" a car, i live very close to a local supermarket for shopping, and 10 minute walk from the town centre for anything else. Having a car was an unnecessary expense.

@stressedoutstudent a salary sacrifice leased car could work out cost effective for you if your trust offer this.

The monthly cost reduces the tax and NI you pay which makes the car much cheaper than finance. It does reduce your pension contributions which s something to think about.

After that monthly payment you only pay for fuel/electric. Everything else is included (tax, insurance, repairs) so no horrible surprises.

Erm not a stupid idea at all.
Salary sacrifice scheme
Reduced price, monthly affordable payments,it's pretax so reduces her tax and NI burden

If she's spending £30 a day on taxis( guessing), works 3/4 shifts a week and the e-bike is £66 pcm she will be absolutely quids in -at a guess by £300 a month or more plus less tax and NI