How has your life/income/job been impacted?

[moomoobaabaa]

Hi
Interested to hear about how COVID has impacted your household income and working hours.

I'll go first:
Myself and DH are both WFH on full pay, trying to fit full time hours in around a 2 year old. We are managing but it's tough and having to work weird hours with barely any time to relax, as we are either on duty with the 2 year old or working. DS usually goes to private nursery but he is obviously now home with us.

Health wise we have been mildly unwell for a couple of weeks - coughs, sore throats, some gastro issues, blocked sinuses etc. Basically had a virus of some sorts but no idea if it is corona or another virus.

I feel incredibly lucky that we can WFH for a long period of time if needed.

The news is focussed on the medical side of things, numbers in hospital etc. I thought it would be interesting to hear how lives/incomes are being impacted.

I’ve been furloughed for one month and it’s being reviewed after that. DH is working from home.

DH is wfh full time and I'm wfh part time, both on normal pay. Neither of us wfh usually, but have adapted fairly well. I've changed my hours from three days to five short days so that I'm around to help our three DC with their home schooling more easily (obvs they're off on Easter holiday now). Luckily none of the DC were due to take exams this year, and no little ones - that would be really hard. Also lucky to have a garden. Health wise, none of us have had it.

Overall we are doing well although worried about how this will end.

We are very lucky. We both teach at university and are still doing that but online so our money situation hasn't changed. I don't really like teaching online but am glad to keep my job! Our children are primary and senior school aged but old enough to keep themselves occupied while we are "in" the classroom.

My husband is a key healthcare worker and working 13 hour shifts 5 days a week, on the weekends he is only a shadow of his usual self as he is having to make very stressful decisions. He can't sleep and he is still working remotely. I feel for him but struggle to give him a full break from the kids (2 and 4) at weekends, because I feel for my patience to be sustainable I just need some time to myself.

As for me I used to work full tune in the office, I now work 2 days over 5 from home. My role is only running at 25% capacity because of corona, so it is good I am not having to be deployed and trained. I couldn't apply myself to anything right now, not with 2 kids at home with me. My job isn't at risk which is good I guess.

I was hoping to try for a baby in June (I will be 39 in July) but I guess that wouldn't be sensible right now. I always thought I am would have 3 kids but I don't really want to be a mother in my 40's

My OH has been furloughed on full pay for a month and it will be reviewed and possibly extended.

I'm WFH on full pay. My company are giving us a bonus over the next couple of months. I feel really fortunate. If anything changes though, I could end up furloughed.

I miss the gym as exercising at home isn't the same. I also miss my family and friends.

I am working in social care. Lots of extra hours to cover staff shortages.

DS1 is home from Uni and is doing some online lectures. He has 2 assignments to complete before the end of May. It's good he is home because he is looking after DS2 who has severe SN. He could be in school as they offered him a place but I chose to keep him at home. I am glad I did because one member of staff has already been admitted and discharged from hospital with CV. I am paying DS1 to look after his siblings as his bar job is no longer for the time being.

DD is okay, she is in year 6 and is learning from home. She is struggling a little with it but she is reading a lot and got some.new books yesterday so that cheered her up.

Spending loads more on food! DS1 tripled his appetite since he started Uni in September.

My job is now very very busy (financial sector) so I’m putting in more hours than I usually would. Due to constantly changing trends my actual work is much harder than usual.

My boyfriend has lost his job as he was only a trainee, we work in the same sector so there’s a chance my employer will send some work his way as he would still be under necessary supervision.

My four year old is doing okay actually, he has had one bad day, but apart from that he has been very good.

Boyfriend has had to move in here as his housemate has CF, boyfriend got paid a small amount at the end of the month so I paid half his rent, I’ll pay his full rent next month unless he has managed to get quite a few hours of work.

I’m in two at risk (but not shielding groups), so while I’m still going to the park etc boyfriend is doing all the things like shopping.

My investments are a bit fucked, I removed them on the Friday before lockdown which massively reduced damage there.

July holiday will be cancelled, which is obviously fine. What is annoying (but understandable) is the Bingham Cup being cancelled, I was looking forward to it so much and I had just secured my place on the team. It has been postponed for two years.

I am off work at the moment but on full pay. I'm in the public sector so my job security is fine although I think we will see pay freezes and voluntary redundancies as a result.

I like my job and I like the salary and benefits, however, I hate the people I work with and was trying to find another job before covid 19 hit. Now that it has, there will be less jobs for me to apply for, especially with my qualifications and salary requirements, and I believe more competition for these jobs also.

My DH is a key worker (non NHS) so is still going to work every day. He's still on full pay although many of his staff have been furloughed. I do worry about how it will impact him the longer this lockdown continues and also worry about the health risks.

He also has his own business that he does part time. No money is coming in from that but we are grateful that we have our main jobs and we will manage.

DD is 12 and is at home obviously. We are using this as an opportunity to encourage her to join the public sector when she is job seeking in the future as it is more stable than self employment and much of the private sector.

Dp works in a bank so he's on reduced hours and then one week in one week at home while responding to customer emails and calls. His pay is unaffected.
I am a self employed retailer. My sales disappeared to almost nothing for a week and then went through the roof. They've been steady away ever since. I work from home anyway and have no contact when posting stuff, so I will take the money while I can.
DS is 12 and well versed in being at home with me while I work. He's got lots of school work to do and then he's been learning other life skills. He's been much better this week as we got into a routine. It was a bit hit and miss at first and his school closed earlier than others so there was no framework at that point.
We're healthy and no concerns about family members.
Mentally I've struggled. We were getting married in seven weeks, my hen do was supposed to be last week, dp's stag next week. All these things that were so stressful to arrange and now it's got to be done again. Our mini moon took months of research before we found the perfect place. I spent months researching and booking our summer holiday to Sicily. Everything was just swept from underneath us, just as life was getting exciting and I just felt empty.
I miss my family and my friends, and choir practice. I'm just taking everything one day at a time because what else can you do? I'm going to put some suncream on and spend time out in the garden today while the weather is lovely.

I’m frontline nhs so nothing changed for me work wise, DH is a structural engineer in agriculture who has been furloughed but the company has said if lockdown goes on too long they may need to look at redundancies to save the company so do have that hanging over our heads, hoping that DH won’t though as if he isn’t there no buildings can be started. So money wise ok at the moment and DH is doing the home schooling!

We are financially fucked. I was made redundant in jan. No one is recruiting in my sector/area. I have underlying health issues so can't work out of the house. Not eligible for UC, only JSA as I have assets. But... I can't access them (buy-to-let property but obviously can't sell) and not eligible for self employed help.

DH is self employed but not eligible for any help. He's working 12hr days but most income has to go straight back into the business to cover costs.

DD is struggling massively with not seeing her friends and her behaviour is reflecting that. The atmosphere in the house is horrid.

So we are about £800/m short. If DH's clients disappear and the tenants can't pay we will be £2800 short each month.

But as worrying as it is, it's health that is important. I'm hoping as few people as possible get ill.

DH is self employed in construction industry so cannot work as all sites are closed. He earns over the £50k threshold so not eligible for any government support.

I'm freelance, WFH in events and in my last month of maternity leave. Due to start a contract this month which has obviously been cancelled. I own a ltd company and, unlike the majority, have not paid myself a wage and relied on dividends but with a maternity leave and only setting up 2 years ago I'm on eligible for a pittance of my usual monthly income.

Lifestyle wise, despite having no income, this is probably the happiest we've been for a while. My DH is seeing the kids more than he ever has before and my 3 year old is thrilled. We are sharing housework and cooking 50/50. We have a big garden and some fields at the back of the house so I am under no illusion how lucky we are in that respect!

Both working from home full time, home schooling 7 year old with SENDs and looking after 3 year old.
We are lucky as on full salary, but so far i have lost half a stone (no time for food, plus all decent stuff goes to the kids), and my back really hurts. Plus i don’t get more than 6 hours sleep, and i know we won’t get any holidays until Christmas. It sucks

I have no work in the near future .... I'm a hair and makeup artist. Everyone's events have been cancelled and we have also been forbidden from operating.

I'm on furlough from an educational setting. As I'm not paying petrol and afterschool club fees I'm no different in income. Husband is off on full pay. He also has a second job he does a couple of evenings a week. I'm loving the time with the family, but missing getting out and about with them. Luckily we have a garden which we are making lots of use out of.

Financially, no change. DH not working, I'm working on full pay from home.

I work in the pet food supply chain, and we are so so busy!! Pet food is considered essential, just like human food, and we are getting a much, much higher volume of orders than usual. I am supposed to be part time, 6 hours a day, but am pretty much working full time just to cope!