To wonder how other families get to the end of the month?

[gundigirl]

DH and I are both middle earners, with a combined income of around £90k. We have one DD in state school – no fees, but she does a few clubs and after-school activities, which add up.
With the rising cost of living, I’ve had to take on a side hustle. I actually enjoy it, but still – without that extra income, I wouldn't have been able to cover recent repair bills, for example.
I honestly don’t understand how other families (especially those with two or more DC, or just one working parent) make it to the end of the month. I’ve never felt more financially squeezed.
I’m not exactly a super-saver – I like the odd hair appointment – but I do try to save or invest a bit each month when I can.
What am I missing?

I never mentioned £50 a week - you did, which was weird because you were wrongly claiming that that’s the cost of what some people on this thread to feed them and their families of four. I guess it was a lame way to try and prove your point.

You think 90k is a middle earning?? Try 24k

That’s minimum wage for one person. It’s not middle earning dual income.

It always interests me when I hear things like this. I eat healthy home cooked food, always have done. Try and get the best quality meat I can. I also shop all over the place.

In Aldi's defence, I find their meat can be better quality than Sainsbury's, they also sell small pots of Greek Yoghurt (not just Greek style), just like Fage but a third of the price and more flavours. Their sausages have more meat in than most other supermarkets too. Their chocolate is palm oil free, tuna is line and pole caught (they were one of the first too). Their ethics are better than most other supermarkets.

Iceland are another who support the no Palm Oil iniative. You may remember the banned Orangutan Christmas advert.

@Eastie77Returns I couldn't agree less - we never spend more than £70 and that would be an olive oil nappies and laundry detergent week. We are a family of four - 2 adults 2 small children (one with a big appetite) - we eat very well and while I am not opposed to a packet of sausage rolls occasionally the vast majority of our trolley is whole foods, smart shopping is key and as little waste as humanly possible.

@Eastie77Returns oh and we do happily shop in Aldi - an apple is an apple whether it is from Aldi or if you picked it yourself from the kings own organic orchard.

English here. I can certainly smell UHT and don't want it in my tea! Life is too short for that.

So assuming your combined take home after tax etc is about £5k, the bills you’ve put a £ value to come to about £2380 per month.

Which leaves you £2120 per month. Which sounds very reasonable without knowing how much you’re spending on DDs activities.

Have you actually written out a full budget of where it’s all going?

So, after reading all your updates OP, you can pay your bills, buy decent food, go on holiday, run your cars and find money for big repairs, put money in investments as a way of saving and your children have a few paid activities each week.
I would say you are managing well on middle incomes.
People on lower incomes spend less on food, might not afford paid activities for children, and probably don't invest.
You're doing as well as expected really.

This company in Newcastle sell Melton socks;

https://www.jumpshoes.co.uk/collections/meltontights-socks-collection?srsltid=AfmBOooaAsseFGyHO0r8DGxV7EzC2eGGOGOixLRLfICWxvJ8SLz5duia

Thank you! They don't have blue ones but I'll actually buy some for myself 😁

Rebel Finance School would be a good idea. 10 week course, free, it’s not any sort of scam and they’re not trying to sell anything to you. They take you through how to figure out what you’re actually spending and how to cover emergencies better before dealing with the long term stuff like investing. Basically, monthly spending tracking, pay off all debt, 3-6 months worth of salary saved in an emergency fund for stuff like repairs and unemployment before you start investing.

Some people don’t have a clue, struggling on 90k I need to laugh otherwise I’ll just cry, I have £13 in my bank account and not much hun the way of meal stuff to feed my children or myself for the next week or so, then when I do get the 900 I do get it won’t be long till it’s all gone and I spend at least another 2 weeks struggling, frequenting the co op every night for reduced items, attending pantry’s and food banks.

And you are moaning about
90k 🤦🏽‍♀️

That exactly.

and the offense is real for people that are struggling…stretched is a nice dream.

£180/week on food?? I have family of 4 (two sporty teenage boys who eat LOADS) but I can get the weekly shop under £120 - I feel badly even then!

90K a year and struggling???? You must be eating a little of money somewhere.

I've read all of OPs replies and honestly, I don't know how you're not in a surplus at the end of each month?
We make about 80k between us. We have a 5 year old and pay £50 per week for her wraparound and dance club.
Mortgage and bills come to more than yours (£1700 a month). We own two cars outright too. We honestly have about £500-£800 left at the end of each month that we save.
We manage at least 4 holiday per year, all in school holidays as we both work in Education (usually 2 abroad and 2 in UK). We do loads of family days out and weekends away.
Maybe you need to look at your smaller spending habits? We don't buy loads of new clothes or "stuff" and lots come from vinted when we do. I do about 2 haircuts a year and don't do nail appts etc.
Do you get a lot of takeaways or have lots of subscriptions, expensive mobile plans? Go out for brunch/ meals a lot?
I really don't know because I feel like we are really fortunate to not be feeling the pinch at all.

We don't get any benefits, due to my husband's wage, and we didn't went I was part time before then. I've only been out of work since Feb and before that I was on around 9k. Working full-time meant we paid childcare are it was more than I was earning.

Mortgage is just over 400pm, and after bills we have a decent amount to play with tbh.

I genuinely think, for us, it comes down to how little we spend on luxuries and eating out. I do a lot of playdates at the house with their friends, as bad park visits, so days out really aren't an issue either.

You should try living on Universal Credit!

With respect, it also comes down to your tiny mortgage. Where we live (and work) we pay 2600 for a small 3 bed.

Your question/statement was that you don’t know how lower earners manage.

Answer

• They’d cut down on, kids clubs, that is a lot for one child imo
• theyd cut down on food costs (we spend less than you do on a family of 3 adults and one teen)
• they would probably give up the gym and go street running
• they would invest/save less

but yes you are right, it has got to the point where what was considered a decent salary for a comfortable lifestyle no longer is

We don’t, we use our credit cards by the end of the month!