To be so sick of being broke?

[PrincessC0nsuelaBananaHammock]

This is pretty much just a moan really. I'm already doing everything I can to try and improve our situation financially. Although nothing's working atm. 😑

Both DH and I work full-time, on minimum wage. Me 45 hours per week, him between 40-50 depending on the week. And we still can't make ends meet. I'm talking having about £50 left in the bank 2 days after payday because all the bills have come out.

Not entitled to any benefits as earn too much for UC (on MW? 😐). Kids are grown up (22 and 18) but still living at home. DD1 is in college and on UC and waiting to see if she's entitled to PIP for her autism. DD2 is starting uni next month and works part-time herself.

I'm just so fucking sick of the cost of everything. To the point I'm questioning whether I can afford to buy a £6 pack of Benadryl for my fucking hayfever! 😡

Applying for multiple better-paying jobs every week and getting bloody nowhere! Urgh.

no wonder you don't cope. A lot of dept. Also 100 for 4 mobiles are bonkers. We use Giffgaff and are on £8 each so 32 for a family of 4. Many internet deals with super fast fibre broadband are about £25. you definitely waste a lot of money in things where it's not needed. Can you cycle or run etc instead of using the gym? Bonkers how someone in so much debt spends almost £100 on a slimming drug. Cut that, alongside phone and internet costs and you have saved already 200.

Based on this I'd say some of the issues are:

1. Debts - eventually the Utility Debts will be cleared but keep up with current costs of those as priority too - any room for negotiation such as extending repayment period? What is the thing just listed as 'debts' - can that be negotiated as above?
2. Food is high, even for 4 adults.
3. Is the weight loss medication really an essential just now?
4. Any working young adults need to contribute something, even a small amount toward food etc would help.

agree, food is very high. do you have a loot of take aways? even with toiletries, this is an awful lot.

Minimum wage dont forget

You're broke cos you're buying shite you don't need

Thank you, you've obviously solved all my problems. I'm break my mobile contracts, stop paying for the devices I have and get PAYG instantly. Why didn't I think of that?

Thanks I'll stop buying food for everyone instantly.

Weight loss meds? Gym membership? Subscriptions and VPNs?

You KNOW people don't mean stop buying food 🙄🙄

No, no takeaways. That covers dog food/care, household essentials too.

You're right, I forgot that because I'm just a lowly minimum wager I shouldn't be allowed access to luxuries like Netflix, and a £10.99 VPN. Let alone something like a weight loss drug that should obviously only be allowed to middle classes.

I LITERALLY said in my OP not looking for help or advice, just wanted a moan. Every post told me to list my outgoings so I did. Now I'm being told off for having Netflix and having the audacity to think I can access a weight loss drug. 😂

If I were earning 50k and paying for an extravagant mortgage would I then be allowed to be on Mounjaro?

As it stands I'm getting it for at last half the price because I'm getting it through She-Med, I'm also locked into a 12 month contract. 6 months to go.

Weightloss meds are obviously needed by some people, ignor anyone saying otherwise. I wish my mum had used them, being obese killed her

A lowly minimum wage worker? Bro I'm on benefits as a carer for my disabled husband so I'm in no position look down on anyone.

It's a fact that you are skint cos of stuff you don't need. You know this.

On the bright side some of that is going to stop eventually, and make life much more comfortable.

I'd stop the weightloss drugs, gym membership and VPN immediately. Revisit the subscriptions. About 150/month.

The phones can switch to PAYG once the contracts are up - and the kids can pay for their own phones. Another £50 a month
The gas, water and counciltax will all drop once the debts are paid - how long til the first finishes? That's around another 400/month. Add all the above up, and you will suddenly have slack in the budget.

It’s very tight OP. I’d agree with others that food is on the high side, so as a realistic (I hope) step look at how many meals each week / £ and then plan a few very cheap ones - veg soup and cheese toasties or garlic bread, egg and chips and so on.

Hi OP, your income is going less far than it could because of debt repayments. If you've not done so already, you should contact a regulated debt charity for free help with your debts - such as Stepchange, National Debtline, Citizens Advice etc You might be able to get the debts written off or made more affordable at least.

£450 for gas and electricity in summer is quite a lot. How much is for arrears? The energy companies have grants you can apply for, potentially wiping out arrears. Who is your supplier?

As well as getting debt advice, I think you could look to see if some of your outgoings could be reduced. For example, I WFH too and require decent broadband but mine is less than £30pcm. Check out the 'Money Makeover' on MSE: https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/family/money-help/

Good luck!

On MW it’s very unwise to pay for a private weight loss drug and then moan that you’re struggling.

Hi OP. How much longer are you paying off the debts? Is there light at the end of the tunnel? It’ll be noticeable when those are paid off for sure.

What are the subscriptions for?

I do think your groceries are high - can these be reduced at all?

Moneysavingexpert is a great website. The forums are good and were a lifesaver when I was in debt.

This . .. We dont know how you acquired so much debt so I won't comment on that, but while you are paying it off you need to minimise your outgoings and if possible increase what you have coming in .
Both your adult children have an income and need to make a small contribution to household costs .
You need to cancel or reduce anything that won't incur a penalty , eg gym ,weight loss meds and subscriptions.

I understand these are valuable to you but they are not essential in the short term .
Your food bill is high , even for 4 adults. Try to trim this by 50-100 per month minimum .
See if you can renegotiate any debt payments over a slightly longer period .
When are your council tax arrears and fuel bill debt due to be paid off .
I was once in a position where debt became hard to manage and we had to make some very tough choices to enable us to become debt free.

And why is there council tax debt?

Are you claiming the tax rebate for WFH? My IT company (also WFH) reassure me that I don’t need a VPN. If you need one for work, claim it back.

could you negotiate lower debt repayments?

What stuff don't I need? Mounjaro? I've been trying to lose weight my entire adult life, I've lost more weight in the last 6 months than I've ever lost! I'm staying on it until I'm healthy! I have no desire to have a heart attack before I'm 50. Netflix, Amazon and a VPN so I can watch a bit of US TV are treats thanks. Some people drink and smoke, I like a good binge watch.

As for the gym, my DH works his fucking arse off! If he wants to "waste" 25 quid a month so he can go for a swim and lift the weights a couple of times per week it's fucking worth it!

The problem is everything is so expensive now compared to wages. I sympathise with you it’s really tough and horrible. I feel like there doesn’t feel like there is anything to look forward to anymore. It’s not like you are being frivolous these are just normal things you are paying for. Things seemed so much easier years ago with a lot less money imo 🥰

I've never heard of that! Thanks I'll look it to it!

How much does the tax rebate save?

Because I couldn't afford to pay my council tax when we were living on one wage and £65 per week tax credits after all my dd's disability benefits stopped! She didn't become any less disabled just because some twat thought she looked normal! (Go figure, autistic people look exactly like the rest of us, who'd have guessed!)