To say there’s always a high earner thread? Tell me about your income vs expenditure if you are of the opinion that you are broke/not well off?

[Moneymadness]

Just that really. Every other money thread ends up taken over by those with large incomes and low expenses, or just large incomes tbh. If you want to. Post your numbers if you are bloody broke and just getting to the end of the month(or not)…a safe space that cannot be taken over by the higher earners maybe?

Ermm..pets are a choice.

So are a lot of things..like children. The question the op asked wasn't "How can I have more money?" So why are you jumping on to criticise people's financial management?
People's financial situation often changes due to things outside of their control. Relationships breakdown, people lose jobs, develop health problems and become disabled. You can't just evict children or pets because you are suddenly in a worse financial situation than previously. People struggle and make it work because they have to.

While this thread may have gone off brief (and aware I might be away to add to that) just wanted to offer another perspective.

I've been totally broke. I split with a partner shortly after a long distance house move. Had just taken on my first mortgage and earned just over £1,000 a month and the mortgage was £650 of that.

I had a food budget of under £10 a week (on a good week but usually something cropped up). I used to be able to claim small amounts of mileage from work and every time I thought that extra £50 would ease things, another bit fell off my car (which I needed to do the job). I can remember crying over that.

I went through the insanely cold winter (was it 2009?) in north Scotland only able to run one tiny electric heater. It was ridiculously cold. And I didn't know anyone but couldn't afford either petrol or the train to go and visit family or friends. It was bloody hard.

I did manage to get a better job about a year later. If I'm honest, I've never really changed the broke mindset essential to survival then. Every single penny has to be accounted for. No picking up a bottle of water while out and about or buying lunch in a shop. If you forgot it, you just didn't eat. I can remember crying when my shopping trolley pound fell on the floor and rolled down a grid.

But that mentality means I'm comfortable now despite our household income being fairly low (28k and 25k) for family of four. When interest rates dropped after 2008 I carried on paying the higher rate(was on a tracker) that I had been because I feared getting used to the money and never being able to claw in back. That reduced the mortgage which we were grateful for when things shot up.

I do understand what the OP means. There was a thread the other day about a poster trying to get kids to school now car has died and the 'well you'll have to find the money for another ' 'can't you ask family for a loan ' comments infuriated me.

I did not enjoy the hard times and could not see the end while I was living it but I think those times have helped me to have a much better quality of life now. Although I am still unable to treat myself (and I mean in small ways like buying a drink out) without guilt x