Sick of having plenty of money on paper but not enough to actually live!

[MrsMop2026]

We get around £3,000 a month on paper that is loads.
Shouldn’t be struggling at all but why am I always struggling to put clubcard vouchers & pennies together at the end of the month.

Rent - £1,200
gas & elec - £300 (paying back some debt)
council tax - £150
water - £35 (on a special tarfif)
petrol - £200 (but obviously that’s now going up and god knows what that will come too - and yes I use my free bus pass where I can and no I can’t use less)
cats - £200 (i have four so it’s expensive Im trailing the cheaper supermarkets litter at £2.99 for 10 litres atm so hoping to get this down and next I will try cheaper cat food)
Food - £600 (cant get this cheaper ones diabetic other has AFRID)

leaving me with £260 a month but that just seems to go so quickly with school uniform, school trips, the occasional day out. :(

I don’t drink, I don’t smoke, I don’t do expensive days out, takeaways are a luxury in this house.
It is so stressful isn’t it? How does everyone else manage?

Why have you not applied for UC ? Your missing out in that aspect,

https://lha-direct.voa.gov.uk/

check how much your LHA is, and what rate DLA do you get and I’ll be able to work out how much UC you will be Entitled too.

Meant to say “isn’t loads”

Sorry your monthly salary aswell

Work weekends or evenings? Or your husband could?

Most people work. Hardly any parents who’re living in the same home, running a house and supporting their school age children can afford for one parent not to work. That’s your answer. I’m appalled you’re thinking of applying for universal credit when you’re capable of working.

I think it’s the stigma & i feel so cheeky applying I also didn’t think we’d get anything with my wages & husbands CA i thought it would wipe it out.
i am going to have to bite the bullet and put in an application!

Why would you feel bad?
They wont give youanything if you dont meet the criteria
Apply

I’m sorry OP but £3000 a month just isn’t “loads”. I make more than that just me and DH brings in another £2500.

We're looking to move and I don’t really want our mortgage payments to be more than £1400/month

We don’t have pets either.

You don’t feel like you have a lot of money because your outgoings are high and your income is low. You could rehome the cats or look to cut back on other things but the answer really is you need to make more money.

Have you applied for DLA for your autistic child if they require a lot of medical appointments and are refusing to go to school?
Even if they don't get it, autism is a disability and you may qualify for UC due to the extra care you need to provide.

I do work? Have you actually read any of my comments or are you just wanting to get on your high horse?

Yes sorry, you said later on you do work. But my general point remains.

Have you posted about this recently @MrsMop2026?

Don’t put an application in today, do it tomorrow, it’s to do with assessment periods and definitely not, your salary isn’t high so you will be entitled to something

So my husband should go to work and we just leave our non independent diabetic child to fend for themselves?

Is the 1st the better time to do it? Thank you. I will look at it tomorrow after work then.

Assuming you work say 9 to 5 Monday to Friday, can your OH not work evenings and weekends when you would then be home with the kids?

Your internet is high. I pay £23 a month for 150mbps, not a social tariff or anything.

How old is the diabetic child? You might be entitled to care.

It’s ridiculous but I had the same situation where I couldn’t afford to be out of work to care for my severely disabled adult son but social services were willing to pay £2.5k a week to provide care for him. So it’s actually costing the tax payer far far more than simply paying parent carers an amount they can live on but that’s how it works.

I would advise asking for a care needs assessment and getting care in place for your child so that your partner can work.

Lots of parents with children who have high levels of need cannot work. No need to kick someone when they’re down.

Also Ignore people,
I just did a quick calculation based on the bare minimum and it’s giving circa £1000 but I don’t know what your salary is, level of DLA or your LHA.

carers allowance does get taken off £ for £ of universal credit but you’ll be entitled to carers element of £202

if your child recieves low rate/middle rate DLA it is - £156 extra , If it is higher rate is is £487.

kids from September will also receive free school meals. You’re missing out on money to put in the family pot

Who are you with please?
Yes he was working until diabetic child diagnosed, dc was extremely poorly when diagnosed and he obviously had to take over and lost his job. he has been applying for weekend/evenings jobs but its all things like pubs/shops which aren’t really taking on. He has an interview saturday though for three evenings a week 🤞🏻

Oh fantastic thank you lala i really appreciate that. I will definitely put that application in then even if it just tides us over for a while.

I didn’t say that.

I will give it a go and try social services, they told us no for autistic child though and that was just asking for respite once every few months!

£3K a month isn’t much.
£200 on cats is a lot if you can’t afford it. Are they insured? We’ve just stopped our pet insurance as cat is elderly and the premium just doubled to over £100 pcm - when I called the insurance they said many people stop it when the cats get old.

Sadly £3k isn't that much these days when you have a bigger mortgage or rent. Both of you need to work really. Can't your DH get a weekend or evening job. Even a bit more money would make a difference