How are people living with a single income?

[chrlng]

Hi. I've been struggling to understand how people are living on a single income. Not about how are they living but about how they have enough to buy house and go for holidays abroad and be generally comfortable. Most of the people I know have 2-3 children and are living comfortably with a single income. I mean a close to minimum wage income. My husband is a driver. His wage is £25000 per year. It works out about £1600 per month. And I'm on maternity but from my job they can't find a part time position for me so it turns out we'll live on a single income soon. We're only having a 6 months old baby.

Our spendings now:
Mortgage £268
Council tax £122
Electric/Gas £120
Montly payment for car £125
Car insurance £120
TV channels/broadband/phone £55
Water £55
Charity £28
Pet insurance £20
Pet food etc £30
Home insurance £15
Petrol £50
Baby food/nappies £120
Groceries £200

Sum: 1,328

Remain £272 from my husband's wage without any extras, holidays, activities for the baby, toys etc. If I have to buy something more or travel to my country once a year we're below zero.

The question is : since I'm not British and I don't know how things really work. Is there something that people do to get benefits or earn from the government more than they're suppose to? I've tried the benefit calculator and I can't claim anything more than child benefit (which I already claim). I'm not asking what people are actually doing because I've heard about people doing something to trick hmrc. But is there really something that these people are doing to claim so much to have a pretty comfortable life?

Do you use brand name nappies? I use Tesco own brand and they are less than £4 for 40ish. It’s not much but it chips away at the cost.

We have one income and there's 6 of us. Luckily we enjoy simple activities like walks, almost all our clothes are Preloved, one car, holidays to visit family in the UK so only cost is getting there.

It sounds very much as if you are being made redundant illegally. Take a look here: https://www.acas.org.uk/your-maternity-leave-pay-and-other-rights

This will tell you if you can claim.anything: https://www.entitledto.co.uk/

forget the charity donation, you need to look after yourselves first for now

Would anyone take the pet? I don’t think you can afford the pet either.

Why have you replied to a thread from 2022?

Benefits, child maintenance which is not deducted from benefits, family help. My 2 cousins are both lone parents and get large amounts of help from their parents.

Because others were. Chill out.