Are other full-time working families finding there is nothing left?

[fatface001]

Alarm went off at 5:30 this morning, then an hour stood on a packed train into London for the commute. We are a normal family: one child and two full-time jobs. I’ve always enjoyed working and have always worked hard, and I don’t mind that at all — but I do expect that full-time work should still mean there’s something left at the end of the month for a normal life.

But that really doesn’t feel like the case anymore.

There’s nothing left at the end of the month. Everything has been stripped back, all non-essentials have gone, and even basic things around the house are being put off or done ourselves because there isn’t spare money for trades. It’s just constant cutting back.

What’s hard is that we’re both working really long hours and doing everything we’re “supposed” to do, but it still feels like we’re going backwards rather than getting ahead.

When I hear talk about “those with the broadest shoulders” contributing more, I honestly don’t recognise it anymore in real life. It doesn’t feel like anyone in our position has anything left to give — it feels like the pressure is entirely on ordinary working households just to stand still.

I’m not looking for luxuries — just the sense that working still gives you a bit of breathing room. Right now it doesn’t feel like that at all.

Is anyone else feeling the same?

Didn’t mean to quote

It is alot, of course it was one of these things that have evolved over time as the children have become better and started competing etc.

How has Sir Ian Wood exploited the masses? How has JK Rowling exploited the masses?

Give me the name of a billionaire that "has exploited the masses" @Suncatch

Yup! As a family earning more than we ever have, but skinter than we have ever been. It’s so demoralising

Our salaries increased a lot in ten years between late 20s - late 30s and we can afford a much higher mortgage that the one we have but we stayed in our two bed terrace in a less desirable area because I’d rather spend or save my money freely than wrapped up in the bank and bricks.
We go on multiple holidays a year and have one child.

DP has recently had a big pay increase and promotion but we’re staying in the two bed terrace so he can still step down or move careers if he wants to.

Hi, is your mortgage high?

I sympathise with your position but when people say "those with the broadest shoulders" they don't mean you

We take home £6.5k a month between us. We’re two adults, DH pays maintenance for one child, his daughter is an adult and my son is also an adult who has left home. We certainly don’t feel loaded.

£1300pm ( i think its just about to go down to £1200 as we have just renewed)
Property value £350kish
£180K left on mortgage

We extended our 3 bed to a 4 bed about 7 years ago which bumped up our payments.

I’m ok Mortgage paid and recently work part time. DH full time.
However: moved from SE to North years ago and bought a very small, cheap house. I couldn’t afford to live in my home town as a single person so got costed out. As a result, I was able to overpay on the mortgage.
I have a little left over at the end of the month but still live payday to payday. We have some good bargain shops here and can get cheaper food at the markets sometimes. Shop in charity shops or look for bargains generally. I’d say we have a good life. My old friends live in the SE as does my DH’s family. I think we’d be in a lot of debt by now.
The government doesn’t care about the middle. Or the poor.

Well if you think that spending £1000 a year is necessary then do not complain you have no money!!!

I hope you are including the passive income from the super rich who literally earn as they sleep. That’s non working income.

I have no childcare costs

I think that’s too early but that’s by the by.

Surely when you decide to have a child (I know it’s not always a decision as it can be thrust upon you. Our oldest was a result of a drunken New Year party), you factor all that in though?

Thanks for the update, mine is out of nursery age now thank god, so not 100% on today's rules.

If you take a look at Britains billionaires (UK citizens by wealth) the top 10 have mostly already left the UK due to high taxes. Some remain and take pride in paying full taxes here in the UK. Billionaires absolutely do leave if the feel the government are using them as cash cows. Most of the billionaires are self made. Take Denise Coates, who started bet365, James Dyson, Mr JCB, Jim Ratcliffe. All started their own companies and were successful, creating well paying UK jobs. Do we want to encourage or discourage these people and others like them to remain in the UK?

Are you actually serious. This isn't struggling

Yep and Labour just stick their fingers in their ears! Did anyone listen to the MP they had on LBC this morning? What a joke of a human being - apparently the government are putting a website together to help us find cheaper fuel, whilst most major European countries and Australia are offering actual support! If you’re not on benefits Labour could not give a shit about how much you’re struggling! I will NEVER vote for them again!

It's the "bite off more than you can chew" trap.
You get used to the nice house and going on holiday but are trapped having to work very hard, usually with a significant commute, just to attempt to maintain the lifestyle. If any income is lost to inflation, redundancy, illness, many of those affected will whinge about it, or be so like Tiny Tim that it breaks your heart.
I've worked stressful and stress-free jobs and whilst the stress-free jobs were understandably far less remunerated, none of the workers had financial worries. They had never had much money so didn't spend much.
Working in a stressful job tends to breed ambition which, outside of the interest in the actual job, also means getting more money for buying nice things. And the more money you get the more you want. See also: Jeff Bezos.

Well I wasn’t, but yes I think think super rich should receive less universal credit, child benefit and housing benefit.

If everyone starts resenting everyone else then there will be a push to more individual small state political parties, as is happening.

And we are seeing how connected we are globally, financially at least, and we are connected socially nationally as well.

If you have workers resenting benefit claimants and benefit claimants resenting workers, and add in pensioners, people with children and any other group you can think of, it will turn into the politics of envy each election and very little will improve.

Who wants to live in a society where everyone resents everyone else? We already live in a world where so many people push for everything they are, or think they are, entitled to, that it’s already reaching breaking point and the potential economic fall out of the Iran War could be the straw that breaks the camel’s back.

I hope it isn’t, but I have a feeling it’s going to be a nightmare, more of a nightmare, for a while.

widespread resentment isn’t going to solve anything.

Well that's awful. Sorry x

The last thing we want is to breed ambition. - Labour slogan for 2029 election.

You’ve actually said yes and tried to obfuscate.

@BeebeeBoyle They had never had much money so didn't spend much.

This hits it directly on the head for me. I come from poverty. Regard myself as comfortable now (despite being on 1/2 of what some of those on this thread claim is struggling!). But I would no more piss £4 a day on a take-out coffee (over 1K a year if it really is daily) than I would buy a Tesla!

I'm comfortable because I always have a calculator in the back of my head, working out the best thing to do financially.