Annoyed with it all!

[plinkyblonk]

So my partner and I are I would say average earners, so earn too much for help but not enought to ride the storm and have little impact. I was part time until recently but went full time so we could have a wee bit more money to go on holiday, do the house up etc etc. However the way things are the extra earns have pretty much been soaked up with the rise in mortgages, food costs etc. Feel like we are back to how much we had left before going full-time. Granted we are in a better position than if I were part time but just feel disheartened with it all that so many people who are working and should be reaping the rewards for the work they are doing are now working just to survive. I'm sure I'm not the only one feeling the same?

I feel exactly the same. A few years ago we’d planned to move and upsize within 3-5 years. So much has changed since then, it’s not looking possible anymore. Extra money for a bigger mortgage is being swallowed up now.

Plenty of people are unfortunately in the same situation. It can seem like one step forward, two steps back. Personally I think that it will not get any better for a while yet.

Not alone at all.

Same position being that we are both average earners, both work full time and entitled to no help at all. We are early 30's and TTC our first baby, but circumstances have changed so much I petrified of how we're going to manage on maternity and reduced income with mortgages rates up like they are (due to renew next year, looking at an additional £350pm) and everything else rising.
We'd have been quiet comfortable before all of this - it's so disheartening... I've had sleepless nights over it all.

Even when I'm on maternity, my DH is still considered to earn too much for any kind of help other than CB. They don't factor in mortgage rises, CT, Debts etc etc.

It feels like you work hard for the life you want and your penalised for it.

Mortgage costs are going to be a challenge for the welfare system given the trend in rates. They've already eased access to Support for Mortgage Interest by reducing the wait time and removing the disqualification for people with earnings. It's still a secured loan though.

I don't think debts, except those related to a purchase mortgage or home repairs/improvements will ever count for benefits.

@Weetabixagain we have bits that need done in our house new windows etc which will be put on the back burner for now. @LadyKenya absolutely don't think it'll get better for a few years which is why it feel like more a kick in the teeth. @Minnierose11 my DD just started school so hence uping my hours after years of juggling childcare etc I was thinking of going for no. 2 but right now I think it would be financial suicide and push us in to poverty tbh.

We don't have debt as such mortgage, car had to get a new car as DD is disabled and our old car boot could fit wheelchair etc other than that not much else but bills and general weekly shops are sucking any disposable income.

Im hoping in a few years it'll settle and we can get back to normal and enjoy our hard earned earning 😊

I agree. It's very disheartening when you are both working full time and still can't save a bit of have some left over to enjoy yourself. i bought out normal sack of dog food today and it had gone up by £12. Prices are crazy.

This seems to have been life for me for all my adult life. I'm 57.
Just when we think everything is coming together and going to plan, something comes along that we have no control over to shit on it. The latest thing is a terminal cancer diagnosis.
I really hate my life

Sorry to read this.

I feel the same. Feels like im giving up so much I enjoy because of the cost.

We live in the same house but pay so much more for it, the mortgage, bills, everything.

We need (ok want - they are stained and looking a bit grubby) new carpets and how I miss the days out, weekends away, takeaways.

I nearly wrote this post yesterday. We both work full time, we pay our own way with everything no help at all and we barely make it to payday each month. We have no savings and I'm sick of it.
I've worked since I was 16, at one point I had a full time and part time job at the same time and I just can't get ahead.
Not helped that we have had to borrow on a credit card after covid so now trying to pay that back as well.
Im so sick of only just getting by!
Rant over 😂

Not trying to be provocative, but why should debts be taken into account when it comes to benefit thresholds? I can understand the argument about mortgages,but debts? No.

You are not alone. I’m done with it too. Im sick to death of spending all my time thinking about money and having no life. It was DH’s birthday yesterday and I couldn’t afford to get him a present and we couldn’t afford to go to the country show that we would have really enjoyed so we stayed at home and did housework. Fucking brilliant!

Oh and we both work full time too for nothing. Meanwhile our friend who is on benefits is out drinking 2 bottles of wine every weekend night and nagging us for a night out this weekend because she’s child free. Yeah, we can’t afford to eat let alone drink but you enjoy yourself 🙄.

Just to check OP, are you claiming DLA for your child? Probably a silly question!

I feel the same. I'm finally in a role I have worked my whole career for, with what used to be a really good salary. But with the cost of living and mortgage rate increases all the benefit has been swallowed up. My salary is the same as it was for the same role in the late 2000's, but the buying power now is way less. I used to look at people in my role with their holidays, nails, flashy cars etc and think "one day" (not that I'm bothered by cars or nails 🤣) but now I'm here I'm managing but with very few luxuries for all my hard work. I do appreciate I'm extremely lucky and luckier than many to be able to afford my bills and food on the table, but life shouldn't be about existing...

Yes. And I get that we’re fortunate, I honestly do. I would never dream of moaning in real life because you just don’t know much someone else might be struggling. It just feels as
though we’re sprinting flat out just to stay still though.

@HazelTheGreenWitch yeah she gets DLA which helped when I was part time as I used it to be there for DD appointments etc or new shoes etc when she gets new splints, theapies etc. But it's pretty much being swallowed up in the bills at the moment.

So sorry to hear this 😔 I hope once this storm blows over you are in a much better position x

I suppose because it means that many would just spend what they like and expect the government to cover the expense. I get what you are trying to say though that if you've fallen on hard times and used loans etc to try and survive the end up on benefits then there should be help to cover loans etc but I think it would open up a can of worms of people racking up debt and not caring.

So fed up. I downsized a few months ago (just as mortgage rates started rising) because my last house was really big and expensive to run - my mortgage is smaller than it was but with all the rises, the difference isn't as significant as I thought it would be. I can't imagine how I would have kept up with my last house had I stayed there.

I keep on thinking that at some point it's got to get better and we have to be in the worst of it right now.

Yep I feel you. I know that they say that if you're on benefits you're skint all the time but everyone I know that's on benefits seems to have the best clothes etc so 🤷🏼‍♀️.

I've thought about posting a few times but sat and added up how much outgoings will be when our mortgage renews and I pretty much wanted to cry. I will be cutting cost like subscription etc but it probably won't make a big difference tbh.

We bought our house 2 years ago and so glad we went for a smaller house that was well below our mortgage budget. I was so tempted to push it and buy somewhere bigger or that needed nothing done but I think our mortgage would have been ridiculous now. God know how some people are coping

If your referring to my comment....

I wasn't saying they should be considered in regard to benefits. I wouldn't expect band outa because of a financial choice ... however, it wasn't a choice. My husband was made redundant during the lockdown, finding another job in his profession (mechanical engineer) was difficult because most garages locked down (enforced) we had to take out a loan to keep our heads above water. It wasn't spend on luxuries or holidays.. but on bills and maintaining our mortgage.
We were managing fine once he got back into work with repayments and all bills but now they've hiked up - and we get zero extra help. Those on benefits have been given several hand outs. And if they had debt, they'd be able to get a debt relief order and be at no risk. We don't have that option without the risk of loosing our home we worked damn hard to get. We are stuck between and rock and a hard place. And without factoring in debts, it looks like you are covering all outgoings (essentials) but in reality, many aren't.

So it begins, the claims that people on benefits are somehow living it high on the hog. Typical, not one person who I knew who was on benefits was doing anything other than just getting by. What is stopping all these people who spout this nonsense from going on benefits if it is all so cushty?