Anyone else struggling financially so much

[wtfisgoingonhere21]

After losing thousands and thousands over 18 months thanks to covid and our emergency fund being wiped out by appliances going wrong during the pandemic we were hoping by now things would have picked up and got easier after working two jobs each to claw our way out but it just seems to feel like it's not getting any easier and now we have the price rise in fuel electric gas food and tax to look forward to

I don't think I've been this stressed about finances for about 7 years or so it's ridiculous.

I've been through every d/d and bill to lower what we can and cancelled anything not needed but now the fridge has gone wrong and I've just had a car bill for hundreds so it fees like two steps forward five steps bak right now.

Working opposite hours and two jobs each is making us exhausted and stroppy.

Keep gritting my teeth and saying it will get better but I'm finding myself eye rolling whenever I say it now

Please tel me I'm not the only one

OP I am not in the same situation but many people (including myself) are never far from it happening to us and I'm sorry it's rubbish for you right now.

If you have stripped back expenditure, is there a way you could increase income? Changing jobs, a sideline etc.

I think lots of people lost jobs or had reduced income over Covid. The cost of living is going up, and that will make people struggle more.
It sounds like you have done the two biggest things- increased your income and reduced your outgoings. Are you claiming everything you are entitled to?

Not in this situation now but certainly was when the kids were younger and we would dread the next car bill.

Thanks for replying everyone.

We both have full
Time jobs working opposite hours and we have taken on another job each Aswell just temporary to try and bridge the gap while the tightened budget kicks in.

Am sat here now doing meal plans and have explained to the dc they need to stope chogging absolutely everything we buy within a few days because we are only going to be going into a supermarket once a week from now on.

Looking through statements at how much we've spent on food in the last month and for January is eye watering and a lot of it has been for convenience because we are juggling two jobs each and the house kids and everything else.

I've requested to condense my main job hours into less days which will work as my clients are flexible so that I can use the other two days to earn the extra rather than trying to do it evenings and every weekend.

We literally work 7 days a week at the minute so somethings got to give.

Two years ago just before covid lockdown number one we had the first holiday abroad for 9 years booked and paid for,a trip to a city with hotel booked for shopping and adventure days and a fairly good emergency fund in a seperate account.

Roll on two years and it's unbelievable how it's changed

I'm glad isolation if positive is being cut because we earn too much for the £500 help payment but only get ssp so we've spent two years panicking about it.

Sorry for the moan it's just really got to me this weekend for some reason.

OP, have you done a benefit calculation to see if you could get any financial help?

benefits-calculator.turn2us.org.uk/

Sounds awful. How old are the DC?

Can they help out by doing some of the cooking while you work so much?

If you're talking about snacks and soft drinks, sadly they're luxuries that not always affordable, and do no-one any harm to do without.

If they're hungry they'll have to have toast or porridge. Or if you have somewhere they can get to, perhaps give them a budget for Too Good to Go and see if they can bag anything. I've given up with it, because the likes of Greggs always seems to sell out really quickly.

You are not alone

Same here. Feel like we just about claw ourselves back to an even keel and then something else comes along to knock us off balance again. Car bill, computer repair bill (need it for work and it went kaput), one of the kids feet grows and they need new shoes, trainers and wellies all at once….there’s always bloody something. Feeling a bit fed up about it. We were trying to save for a shed but we keep having to use up what we were going to save each month. So DDs bike is in the lounge and the understairs cupboard is full of shed stuff and that’s making me grumpy too. I’m selling everything I can on eBay. We both work, have applied for UC but most months we are above the threshold (I’m self employed so it varies). The thought of the price increases in energy etc is making me a little sick with worry 😩 there’s not really anything else we can cut back on.