Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Covid

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Original poster

How is everyone coping financially?

85 replies

Gin96 · 01/04/2020 16:48

My husband won’t be furloughed because he started on the 2nd March, we are only entitled to £200 a month from UC, you don’t get any help with your mortgage ( I am going to ask for a mortgage holiday) How is everyone else coping?

OP posts:
welshweasel · 01/04/2020 19:40

Both still going out to work. Paying more on childcare as nursery closed but still had to pay April’s fees so now paying a nanny on top. But saving on nights out, meals out, clothes shopping etc. Trying to support local businesses as much as possible - takeaways etc but do recognise we are in a very privileged position.

Nixen · 01/04/2020 19:40

I may be on furlough soon on 80% but my wage basically just covered nursery fees anyway so since we aren’t paying that we will still be better off. If DH gets made redundant we may need a mortgage holiday but luckily our mortgage is low due to living in a 2 bed flat. We’ve been wanting to move but now I’m glad we hadn’t yet!

Arnoldthecat · 01/04/2020 19:44

no change

VodselForDinner · 01/04/2020 19:46

We’re exceptionally lucky and are both WFH on full pay. Jobs are quite secure, so far anyway. I’d imagine we might see some cuts to bonuses and benefits, but hopefully not much more.

Now I’m trying to help out some family members who haven’t been so lucky.

Also donating money each week to a local school who are doing food hampers for their students who no longer get school meals.

Atla · 01/04/2020 19:51

No change for us - I'm a nurse and dh wfh on full pay.

RaininSummer · 01/04/2020 19:58

OK this month as just been paid and working from home. I suspect this won't last however.

bettertimesarecomingnow · 01/04/2020 20:03

Ok so far but being at home has a tendency to cost me heaps as the kids eat me out of house and home and I order things online....

Need to break both those habits

CrocodileFondue · 01/04/2020 20:06

DH has just been furloughed but we are not sure if he will have a job to go back to, the company was struggling anyway and had cut his hours, it's not looking good.

mochajoes · 01/04/2020 20:17

I have been furloughed not sure how long the business can survive. DHs company is big & should be stable (600m plus profit) but all bonuses have been cancelled, ill just be grateful if we keep our jobs.

Hopefulmama34 · 01/04/2020 20:19

Not much change for us as I was a SAHM since Christmas anyway and DH is home on 80% pay, plus we both have some savings. I really feel for those who are struggling.

FAQs · 01/04/2020 20:21

35% pay cut, single parent. Will be ok as long as it’s not long term.

Imissthebeach · 01/04/2020 20:22

Nothing has changed for us yet. Hopefully it’ll stay that way!

Redcrayons · 01/04/2020 20:33

Furloughed from Friday so I’ll be 20% down which I think might be around £250/300 ish. My food bill has shot up with the teens being at home and my gas and electric will probably rise. It’s tight but manageable.
No idea if I’ll have a job to go back to and then the shit really hits the fan.

Drivemybluecar · 01/04/2020 20:36

My husbands work have been fine so far. They are only working one in the office at the moment and everyone else is at home but they are still paying them the full wage for now.

I’m self employed still working. But wish I wasn’t. Waiting to see if who I work for wants me to keep coming in.

We would have been fine as we are selling an asset ( inheritance house ) was supposed to be completed in April. That would have been wonderful to have at that moment. But I don’t know if it is coming through or not. But I have a wonderful mil who has said she will gladly help out if needed. So I’m not overly worried at the moment

YorkshirePuddingsGreatestFan · 01/04/2020 20:38

Up shit creek. I do agency work so I'm not entitled to either being furloughed or help under the self employed scheme. Frustrating when I've paid plenty tax in!

Benefits alone will not cover my outgoings. Single parent with no child maintenance.

Got a credit card with some debt on already that I was making good progress with at paying it back without a debt plan. There's room on that to run the debt back up but I'm having sleepless nights about getting deeper into debt and not knowing how I will pay it back.

I can't get temporary work as I'm in the shielding group and have to stay at home for three months. I have been tempted to risk it and apply for supermarket work to tide us over.

Crazybunnylady123 · 01/04/2020 20:41

At the moment no change. But scared because dp is a key worker and I’m pregnant!

WhatWouldYouDoWhatWouldJesusDo · 01/04/2020 20:47

Scraping by. Dp has been furloughed thank God but waiting on all of that. Currently having to live off my son's DLA which is humiliating but I'm thankful we have that. It's better than some.

Cancelled all direct debits and just going to have to not pay any bills. We don't have a mortgage anymore thank God. I paid it off about 6 months ago.........my heart goes out to people who have mortgages and rents to worry about. It's an awful time.

Scbchl · 01/04/2020 20:50

Iv been furloughed but only worked 18 hours a week and my dh is self employed so have had to claim uc as he cant work as he couldnt get materials as everywhere shut. We are getting a mortgage break and car finance said they would defer payments for three months. So hopefully we will be okay. Cant go out and spend anything but the food bill and gas and electric have sky rocketed with five of us at home.

Shitsgettingcrazy · 01/04/2020 20:54

Dps employer made him and a load of others redundant. They wont take him back and furlough. I think they were looking to be able to streamline the business before this.

Luckily I earn well. I havent been furloughed. I am working from home organising of several teams furlough and will be part of the skeleton staff. Communication from above has been awful.

I am grateful. But stressed to shit.

paradisefalls · 01/04/2020 20:59

It hasn't affected us. I started my new job at the end of last month and am still working as it's a key role. I'm a single mother to five so was already on UC and got my first pay from work yesterday. Dd works in retail and although it's closed she's still getting full pay infact they called her today to say her pays going up. We realise we're very very fortunate as so many people have been hit hard!
We've been donating to the local food banks in our area.

maddiemookins16mum · 01/04/2020 21:25

We’re ok, I’m working in the office as normal (with lots of overtime coming up), DP is WFH on normal pay and has just had a payrise. I know we are very, very lucky.

Qasd · 01/04/2020 21:28

Been furloughed so fine for the moment but yes really expect redundancy longer term if this goes on mucho longer I cannot see how the organisation could ever recover

AreWeAnywhereNear · 01/04/2020 21:36

Dh furloughed, I'm not thank god but stressed to death trying to work from home.

Teenagers at home who are eating machines and electricity bill will be through the roof! But we're saving on not going or actually buying random shite!

backfarblackcar · 01/04/2020 21:43

I am a supply teacher, but only working for my current agency 2 months so not entitled to anything through lack of work. Not entitled to any benefits as dh earns too much, however we still need both wages to cover bills. But dh is a nurse and I'll be back at work when there is no lockdown so long term we will be ok but for a few months it will be very uncomfortable. Might need to furlough our bills!
We are still paying for nursery though it's closed - we won't even need the place come September so not sure what our position is there.

Whilst we are not really spending anything day to day our food bills are currently huge. Five people eat a lot. I normally use multiple shops and online to get the best prices so with everything full price and often expensive substitutes it's double what I'd normally spend. I expect this is the case for many people though.

tillytoodles1 · 01/04/2020 21:53

I'm a widow on UC and I also get extra money as I'm unable to work due to long term illness so I get just over £300 on top of that. I live in a council flat and I've always felt so poor compared to all the people on here with their fancy lifestyles that I could never afford, but now I just feel grateful that I'm not going to lose everything like a lot of people .