How are you doing financially? (COVID19)

[DreamChaser23]

Is your job at risk? If you have lost your job how has job hunting been?

We are currently better off, but saving everything we can as redundancy is around the corner for me.

I'm an HMO landlord. For the first time in 26 years I have empty rooms. My income is down by about a third. I'll still be OK though.

Slightly better at the moment - DC2 is in paid childcare but we haven't had to pay out whilst not attending. That has wiped out the small debt we had accrued from me being out of work for five months after his maternity last year and we've also managed to start rebuilding some savings. Both work in HE so no change so far, however due to the loss of income and fewer students, both institutions are in debt and they need to make staffing savings. Fingers crossed DH's job is okay (but you never know) but I am on a fixed-term contract. Originally talk of it being made permanent but I don't know whether this changes things.

We are ok, no changes to income. My job contract has been extended for another 18 months. Ds1 home from Uni so an extra mouth to feed but generally spending less on everything except food. Saving on dh's commuting costs and my weekly city centre parking costs.

We see much much better off as we have saved on all childrens' activities, meals out, holidays and petrol. However. Dh has just been furloughed so it's not looking great...

The savings we made might come useful if he loses his job but the worry is how long will it take to find another one?

I really feel for those who are not doing so well financially at the moment, this must be a depressing thread to read in places that others can save and are better off.

I've taken a 10% pay cut but our expenses are down so it's not too bad. Randomly DH just got a massive backdated benefits payment (he can't work) so we're weirdly up on where we'd usually be. Feels strange when so many people are struggling so we have donated a bunch of it to charity. Work is by no means secure but about as secure as anyone's these days. Hoping I can keep plugging away.

Kind of the same. I’m furloughed and the main income so that’s been a massive hit, but it’s balanced out by slashing all outgoing and nursery fees being suspended.

I was better off , now I'm being made redundant in the next few weeks and can't find any work relevant to my experience or below it.

Can't go on any type of benefit as in 3 months I'll be in university so no point applying as I'll get one months worth.

Majorly affected my savings for uni (which I needed to live on)

I’m WFH in a secure job but DP is self employed and has had no income since March and can’t claim under the furlough scheme as he’s only been self employed for a year. We are managing because we are spending so much less on petrol, going out etc.

We are better off as well. Both in secure jobs earning our normal wage and my husband is working from home so saving a great deal on travel costs and lunches etc. We are also saving on wraparound care (no charge for keyworker childcare) and all the children's activities. We have also saved a lot on eating out and holidays etc but have spent way more on food shopping and things to keep us occupied at home. I feel extremely lucky and feel deeply sorry for others for whom financial stresses and loss of livelihood have compounded an already awful situation. It seems very unfair.

Much better off but thank our blessings every day and fully understand how crippling this has been for some

Our financial situation still the same. We both key workers so both still going to work everyday.
I have spent a bit more sending money to my adult DC who are respectively furloughed or now claiming universal credit but l can afford to do that.

We are doing ok, I'm wfh and my husband was furloughed until the beginning of May but back now, feel very fortunate to be in this position but under no illusions that things are going to be tough with a recession on the way

I have a public sector role and things have been much busier since lockdown. We were sent home the week before lockdown was announced so have wfh ever since. My job is certainly secure for the rest of this financial year and likely to remain so afterwards (though of course you can’t be certain). I have no commuting costs anymore & while I never spent the whole of my personal spends “allowance” anyway, I’m now really struggling to spend even half what I’d normally spend on days/meals out, petrol, snacks, cinema etc. We’ve also been given a tax free wfh allowance - small but adds up. I’m saving extra above what I normally save & am using my personal spends to invest in things I’d normally budget for.

My partner is a supply teacher/private tutor & initially we were very concerned but he’s now got a small number of online teaching sessions each week which are enough to tide him over as he’s barely spending anything. It’s possible over summer I’ll cover all our food costs so he has one less thing to worry about. He chose not to take a mortgage holiday but it is a possibility if needed.

Just to add, I recognise how lucky we are to be in this position and certainly am not taking it for granted.

Worse off which we shouldn't be because of not spending on petrol, childcare, going out, kids clubs. But weekly shop has gone from £110/wk in aldi to £180/wk in Asda to get deliveries

Well DH lost his job back in March when lockdown was announced. By some amazing good fortune he got offered a job from a waiting list he'd been on and started in April. So what could have been a very difficult situation turned out ok. The job doesn't pay as well as the previous one but it's more sociable hours so every cloud and all that.

I'm NHS staff bit work in a role that I can do the majority of work from home so my income hasn't been affected and I'm saving on fuel.

So all in all we're pretty much the same as before, maybe a little better off even.

We're better off. Dh on furlough. But we get a uc top up which has been more due to lower wage.
No travel expenses 50pm.him.
I was using 70pm .fuel in running kids around.
Not paying for activities.
And not spending for sake of it when out.. Lunch etc.

We've cleared 80%of our cards
Brought things like bbq, garden toys etc as out 1st house so didn't have all that
Re decorated lounge dining room hall our room and eldest room ( we had most of the paint) and accessorised mainly asda etc when shopping and online
And brought our furniture.. All without going on the card

I'm a sahm.. Dh job is safe and hopefully go back in july.

I agree I realise how lucky we are too. We had a shit turn of luck 18m ago with DH work and were piss poor hence racking debt. But I've seen this as a be sensible and get sorted. It's been hard as have a 5m old and toddler as well as a teen.
S hoping had gone up in price tho

Calm before the storm. Save whilst you still can.

Better off. DH wfh. I am foster carer so at home with FC and paid same allowance. FC has all activities cancelled. Swimming 3 times a week, cricket training 3 times a week, Scouts camp cancelled. Cricket training miles away do no fuel cost, latees while watching him. We usually eat 3 times each week, 1 breakfast, 2 dinners. It was 2 months before we could get a takeaway. Gym have not taken membership fees for 3 months. Not going out do no impulse buys.

We have 6 b2l and have been incredibly lucky as 5 have tenants and all paid each month. Doing work on other property.

2 adult sons living at home furloughed. Helped do worked on house so did not had to pay tradedmen. Dd furloughed at home with dgs.

Dd now been told losing her job so I will have to help her out as she has large mortgage. Will be giving her help each month until she gets new job.

1 D's back to work beginning of May the other hoping to return in July. He has had phone call to warn him going back in July.

FS now restarted 1-1 cricket sessions 3 times a week so £90 week spent on that.

Both on 100% pay and nothing to spend it on. Two holidays cancelled and refunded. I expect we will be £10k better off by the end of the year but with a greater threat of long term job problems.

Worse off. Lost salary as employer refused to furlough and put me on unpaid leave. Supposed to be shielding but have returned to work as I couldn't afford to stop off.

Much better off. Both wfh on full pay. We’ve saved quite a lot as no commute, day trips, holidays or meals out.