Never been as poor in my life!

[babyblog]

Hi girls, just wondered if anyone is finding it increasingly harder to manage at the moment? To the outside world my Oh and I probably seem like we have decent jobs and a decent lifestyle but it doesn't feel like that.I am currently pregnant with our 2nd and people keep asking whether I am going back to work afterwards, I feel like saying of course I bloody am, I have no choice as we are barely existing as it is.OUr tax credits will be stopping in April as we are deemed to earn ' too much ' and luckily our second baby is due then so we will get child benefit but if it wasnt for that I would be really worrying. We do not nave a glamourous lifestyle and are living month to month as we can but any extras really throw us- nappies, birthdays, car tax and mote.I feel like we are sinking and I'm startingto get worried, anybody else?

 

[toffee87]

Yep! We don't have kids, but I'm on a low wage. With xmas coming up, my car servicing etc we are skint!

 

[Tantan]

We're the same. We are meant to be saving for a mortgage but there always seems like something else comes up. I get paid by the month and by the time I pay everything I'm left with enough to do our food shopping. I'm hoping that I slim down quickly after the baby cos if I don't I'm going to look terrible as I can't afford to buy new clothes.

The only thing that is keeping me going is that I have another 3 years max of this struggle and my loans will be gone. And I will never get into this sort of debt again

 

[mlyn26]

Sorry you are experiencing this worry. Is there anyway you can make any extra money, I know you have already made lots of cut-backs. Can you really drive the holiday home rental and get extra cash from that? Or limit how often you go down there which will save petrol at least, maybe until March?

I would also say, shop around. Get stuff from Lidl/Aldi if you can in bulk - like juice and tins etc. You will also have to just do more stuff at home which i know you do anyway. It's depressing but you will manage hun, you have to. xx

 

[babyblog]

Thanks ladies.I know we are in a better position than some, and I don't mean we cannot afford to live but I am wondering just how much harder it is likely to ge.Both OH and I work for public sector so we have a pay freeze.MY OH can barely afford petrol to drive to work each day and is thinking of selling car but that would mean me having to drop LO to my mums everyday before and after workmwhich means I can't go swimming which I would really miss. I am getting sick of not being able to afford to go out, even just for a meal would be nice.OH andi had planned to go out next month for a cheap meal but now we can't even afford that.Our shopping budget is already 240 quid a month so it's not like we go mad.It's just all getting me down at the mo

 

[wishingonastar]

Yep I'm in a scary financial position which is gonna get worse tax credits deemed us as earning too much as well so when I finish mat leave my salary is literally almost to the penny the cost of my childrens nursery...basically I'm going to work voluntarily!!! My OHs salary is enough for mortgage and utility bills and tv licence but doesn't cover food, nappies, clothes for the children, or anything else like car tax and so forth.

I genuinely don't know how we will survive but I've sold almost everything I can so we just have to wait and see.

 

[wishingonastar]

Oh and I am also employed in public sector and subject to a pay freeze yet I heard the other day teachers have still been getting pay rises???? (I know two teachers and both have received rises this year!) Bit gobsmacked that rules apply to some and not others and thinking I may become a teacher!!!! (This is not a dig at teachers by the way as they obviously don't make the rules!)

 

[babyblog]

Oh and I am also employed in public sector and subject to a pay freeze yet I heard the other day teachers have still been getting pay rises???? (I know two teachers and both have received rises this year!) Bit gobsmacked that rules apply to some and not others and thinking I may become a teacher!!!! (This is not a dig at teachers by the way as they obviously don't make the rules!)

It is really worrying isn't it as what will happen when we actually cannot afford to shop and buy petrol anymore?I just understand how people are expected to surviv.MY Oh is a teacher and whilst his salary is frozen he still gets his yearly increment, which I don't! I'm not sure why that is

 

[toffee87]

Petrol is just ridiculous! There is an e-petition on it

Hopefully inflation is going down, so food prices should to x

 

[wishingonastar]

That's what I mean, not sure how teachers get their increments but other workers don't

 

[MrsNorthman]

Hey, just wanted to reply and say I completely understand your situation as I am pretty much the same. OH is currently unemployed and probably will be for quite a while so we just have my wage and a mortgage and every other bill that every house has. So every month we basically pay the bills and we have about 40 to 50 euro left per week to do shopping, get diesel and any other extras we might need. Sometimes I just feel so fed up as well, wo uld love to be able to go out for out tea or just head to the cinema or even go and buy a new top.

On the other hand I know how lucky we are, we have great families who help out as much as they can, a lovely home and a new baby on the way but sometimes it does just get in on me and I wonder how we will cope with the baby but i'm sure it'll all work itself out, baby wont go without thats for definite!!!

I did think though at this stage in my life I would be in a much better position financially but then I never budgeted in the recession!!!

 

[AirForceWife7]

I am too hun .. still trying to figure out how we're going to buy Christmas presents & throw a birthday party

 

[babyblog]

Thanks ladies, it's reassuring yet sad that so many people are in this similar situation.HOpe it picks up for us all soon!

 

[JASMAK]

YES!!! I feel like we are struggling so badly, and I work full-time, hubby works full-time and we have good well-paying jobs!!! I thought I was going to have so much money going back to work...but it all goes into child-care, gas and a second car. We have no money and are so behind in our bills. It truly SUCKS. I have no idea what to do about Christmas, and people keeping asking me to donate...it's like...why don't you donate to me! I am what they call the 'working' poor. It sucks, it truly does. I love my family, and I know money doesn't = happiness, but it helps, it really helps.

 

[Ruby x]

ditto this. Me and OH had an argument about money the other day and both agree that its all we think about!! Even getting (good) second hand clothes for my little one which is something I never throught ild do...

but at least I have a job to go back to, and for that I am truly grateful.

 

[LouLou78]

Ditto what everyone has said. We both work, decent jobs, 3 kids, 2 cars, petrol and childcare fees.................its difficult at times.

 

[satine51]

I am already very worried what I am going to do when my maternity money runs out. My salary sed to cover the mortgage, but with childcare costs, I may as well not bother going back to work. God knows what we are going to do, it's scary!

 

[Laucu]

Also in the same boat. We don't buy anything except the essentials - no new clothes, no meals out, no takeaways...nothing. and we always seem to have to scrape by the end of the month.

When my second baby arrives I will not be going back to work, I only earn £640 a month (part time) so it is utterly pointless paying for childcare for 2 children!

We'll get by...we always do!

 

[fluffyblue]

Yep feels exactly like our situation, we used to have loads of surplus income at the end of the month but now for some reason its just so tight, I like you appear to be ok on the outside but it worries me every day and I have to budget so carefully x

 

[fluffyblue]

YES!!! I feel like we are struggling so badly, and I work full-time, hubby works full-time and we have good well-paying jobs!!! I thought I was going to have so much money going back to work...but it all goes into child-care, gas and a second car. We have no money and are so behind in our bills. It truly SUCKS. I have no idea what to do about Christmas, and people keeping asking me to donate...it's like...why don't you donate to me! I am what they call the 'working' poor. It sucks, it truly does. I love my family, and I know money doesn't = happiness, but it helps, it really helps.

Yep I couldnt have wrote it better myself, I have a company car but we have a family car as well. I used to earn in excess of 1k a month in commission now I get paid quartely and is unachievable so I get just my basic, we miss the benefits now !