To think that saving money isn’t optional?

[CraftyNavyDeer]

It feels like common sense but I’m constantly surprised by how many people don’t save at all. At the very minimum, everyone should have an emergency fund - yet plenty of people live pay check to paycheck with no backup.

AIBU to think that saving should be non-negotiable? Or do some people genuinely have valid reasons for not doing it?

err??? if people are paycheck to paycheck they don’t have the money to save. what a privileged post

How privileged of you. You realise living paycheque to paycheque means a lot of people have nothing left to save at the end of the month.

I'd say it is entirely optional if you're having trouble keeping your house warm and your family fed. Oh and it's only going to get worse thanks to government policy.

There's never a good time to be poor, but now moreso than ever.

“valid reasons” 😂😂

YANBU for those who have a disposable income so are able to save.

YABU if you are applying this to those who need all their income to meet their essential living costs (obviously)

Wow.

Oh bliss. Another one of these. 🙄

Another goady money post, really?

We need a bit of variation in these posts if they're gonna keep cropping up, who's posting all these is it Mumsnet? Because they're getting really tiring now

What do you mean non negotiable? Non negotiable means you have to do it. No one is going to make you save money!

but also, people use their savings you know. There is an element of false security with “everyone should have 3 months savings” great. Then when you need it, you use your savings and go through the process of saving it all over again. Obviously having 3 months, or 1 months expenses as savings is something that takes people years to achieve, so they start again in the interim, they do not have 1 or 3 months expenses saved away.

So yes it’s a great idea but kind of obvious why people don’t always have it.

This. FFS OP some people don't have spare.

At the very minimum, everyone should have an emergency fund - yet plenty of people live pay check to paycheck with no backup.

Obviously then, it IS optional. It may come with risks but if plenty of people are living without it, then saving is quite clearly optional.

Three word name, one of which is a colour.

Goady "To think...." title.

Gosh, how original.

Come on OP. You can't possibly be this dense.

You have to give them a break, they haven't been programmed to have fully functioning thoughts yet

If you’re on the bones of your arse then there’s nothing to save is there??

How do you suggest people save if they literally have nothing to save.

You are being ridiculous. I can save money easily now. But 20 years ago l was a single mum, living pay day till payday. Sometimes l didn't have money to top up the electric card, or l would only have enough money to feed kids not myself. That was despite me working in a relatively well paid job.
How would l have saved money?

Do you understand what paycheck to paycheck means?

You’ve never been skint have you OP?

Didn’t realise there was a limit on discussing money! It’s an important topic, and clearly, people have different views on it.

I live pay day to pay day. I can't afford to save

I need to squirrel money away to replace a window in the house, it needs trickle vents for ventilation to let the room breathe. Unfortunately in the last week that has been overtaken by now needing to spend on my boiler that is going glitchy and the cigarette electric charge point in my car that won't work properly, I need it for the dashcam and sat nav.

So actual saving is always being pushed back. I do add to my small pension though so I'm not entirely screwed yet.

it’s not different views. it’s different finances. are you thick?

I get that savings fluctuate - life happens and people dip into them when needed. But my point is more about having the habit of saving, rather than assuming you’ll always manage without a safety net. Of course, not everyone can save at the same rate, but treating it as an essential rather than an afterthought makes a huge difference in the long run.

Or do some people genuinely have valid reasons for not doing it?

valid reason number 1- some months you don’t make it through the month money wise. If someone is an overspender you can say we’ll make sure on payday you transfer x amount to a savings account but if they watch their money and barely make it through the month nothing they can do. Heard a financial consultant have a question once about savings and he said he didn’t agree with putting any aside if you honestly can’t get to the end of the month, are in arrears and are miserable