when you reach breaking point

sjprmc01

This thread saddens and scares me! I'm not completly struggling, not by a long shot, but we have just recently got a new car that needs paying and debts from years ago we are still paying back (at a rate that seems like a trickle) and I am too used to just chucking money away left rit and centre.

Our tax credits have stopped, although I have to call up about that on Mon but they have made a huge muck up and I can see us footing the payback which is going to be a major struggle

As I say we are not poor by a long shot, and I'm lucky that we both have jobs (for now, OH is contracted and his contract could be up before Xmas)

I've coped with little money in the past you get used to what you have and actually I think the less money you have the wiser decisions you make when shopping but this thread saddens me to hear that there are many out there who are currently in a modern poverty situation. When I was growing up. My mum and dad separated (and then divorced) when I was 5. My mum was a single parent of 5 and we never seemed to struggle as much as some seem to do so now. Bar the fact that I am well aware I didn't have the latest clothes and toys. We were well fed and clothed and warm etc. I'm beginning to think I don't know what is becoming of the world.

cyclingyorkie

I have to put the heating on in winter - DD1 is an ME sufferer and the cold makes her joint pain so much worse. she has fluffy socks and slippers and layers up, but she gets so cold..... it doesn't help that she is a size 8 with no 'natural insulation'!

GreyQueen

Great post, Grouchy, post lots more pls.

My income is actually no higher than it was several years ago, but everything is costing a lot more. I looked at litre bottles of cooking oil today and they're in the £1.60 range, which is up 100% on where they were 2 years ago, ditto for other basics like bread. We're not talking fanciness here, just the very ordinary old stuff. Baked beans at 50p or more a can, fer crying out loud. And this is before the predicted rises in commodities feed thru onto the supermarket shelves.

My rent and service charges increase every year whilst the wages are static. At the moment, I'm doing a few SPAVE things (spend to save) to make life more thrifty in the long run, but that will be a temporary blip upwards on my personal spending. It certainly won't drag the economy out of recession.

I was raised OS and thank my lucky stars for it, although I've been the odd one out for most of my life, even among good friends. I know a helluva lot of people who are teetering on the edge of a financial cliff and it will only take one bad bill to push them over. And they're not the people you'd expect to be in trouble, either; these are people in well-paid jobs with high status and their own homes and they're quietly having hysterics because it's all about to come crashing down around their ears.

I'm genuinely worried about some of my friends losing their homes.

I don't think politicians have a clue how far the cost of living has outstripped many of our abilities to keep up and I think they don't give a darn either.

I don't have any pat answers, but I agree with LiR about trying to go for quality ( I buy good gear second hand and take care of it) and just try to do my best. I always vote and I'm planning to corner my MP at his next surgery and give him a grilling. I'd like to give him a beating (coalition party MP) but not enough to get arrested for it.

susiejq

Hubby hasn't had a pay rise in 10yrs and as a sub contractor work is variable and payment often slow. I haven't had a pay rise in 3 yrs. Our daughter has just had her Uni offer and will be going in September. Her loan doesn't cover her accommmodation and she won't get a grant so we will have to pay her a weekly amount to live on. I just don't know how we are going to manage to meet the bills and eat and help her as well. She has been saving from her little part time job and knows the value of every penny she has (she's known us be really poor for many years until I got a decent job). Like all of you I can't see where we can possibly make the savings. Our allotment was a disaster this year with anything that did grow being eaten by slugs but most things not growing at all. Last year I knocked £20 a week of the food bill with what we grew but not this year. She says she wants to get a job but I know how hard she will work to get her degree and don't really want her working until she knows what she's taken on in terms of studying. We really want to retire in two years time (hubby is 64 now) but that dream is becoming more and more remote as we would need to pay off the mortgage first.
Good luck to everyone who is trying to live on less and less money and any ideas on how to do it would be gratefully received.

Rummer

COOLTRIKERCHICK wrote: »

I am really glad i am not on my own, worrying about when that financial breaking point is/comes...

There is no doubt that you are not alone. It is scary how a slight change in income or increase in prices can have such a huge impact in personal circumstances.

We have lived comfortably for the last few years but are now faced with a major lifestyle change due to a variety of factors and it is hard to adjust.

quintwins

GreyQueen wrote: »

My income is actually no higher than it was several years ago, but everything is costing a lot more. I looked at litre bottles of cooking oil today and they're in the £1.60 range, which is up 100% on where they were 2 years ago, ditto for other basics like bread. We're not talking fanciness here, just the very ordinary old stuff. Baked beans at 50p or more a can, fer crying out loud. And this is before the predicted rises in commodities feed thru onto the supermarket shelves.

Slightly ot but my lidl has veg oil at 5 litres for £3.99 on offer this week (i'm in n.i) or in you have an ethnic food isle in your tesco they do 5 litres for £4.99, i know it's a big outlay but it won't go off before you use it. and branston beans are regularly on offer somewhere.

We're not struggling at the moment, but have noticed a huge increase in prices, but as you can see from above i stock up on offers when i see them and i'm trying my very best to only use my car when it's needed.

bluebag

Got no answers sorry. But I agree it's getting harder and sadly the news for the near future ain't all sunshine and lolly pops either.

I remember my mum tellling me how they used to buy a cow's stomach for a penny and have to wash it for hours to make a stew. She's still here. We are OS'ers. We will do this if we have to. We will still be here.

gettingready

Oh dear.. so glad to have found this thread.

I think I just got to my personal breaking point as realised after all expenses (all bills travel etc) I have £80.00 per month for myself.

My pets (a large dog and 4 cats) cost a bit for sure - was on double of my current salary when I got them so they are staying put even though their food/litter were all downgraded dramatically but they are staying put.

How am I gonna surwive on my £80.00 per month (single person, London) I have no idea but someone on Pet Forums Section (where I normally spend most of my free time) pointed me to Old Style so will be looking for ideas on here....

prepareathome

I wish I had an answer for you but nothing in the short-term I think is going to change but I doubt this can go on for to long as we will be falling over the homeless and starving in the streets and that eventually if nothing else will get to the government, they can ignore the foodbanks at the moment but not the starving that will come in the next year or so thanks to all the changes.

My husband has had a pay rise past few years, but before you get jealous this is because he is on NMW and so when it has gone up so has his pay. Last year they reduced the hours and made a lot redundant so hubby now on a 20hr contract with extra hours when he can.

This has meant we have lost tax credits as technically he is on 20hrs and weeks he does 30 don't count as they want him to do them every week and will not pay it just for weeks he does.

So firm hit us and now government has as they have decided anyone who works part-time must be lazy and just not want to work so don't deserve help any more. We also have to pay back the Tax Credits we had got from when hubby's contract changed even though till May he was guaranteed 30 hrs and worked them, but that work not available now. So an extra £50 to be paid to them for next 18months as well as losing what they gave us and nothing I can do about it- they did ask at first for every penny we had ever had and I got bills dating back to when we first claimed it in 2007 adding up to £6k but copies of his contracts for previous years showing he was on 36hrs a week stopped that thankfully. What makes me mad is they say they can only go by his contract over how many hours he works yet they could check what he paid in tax that would tell them what he earned last year and show he earned enough to cover min 30hrs every week. Rant over.

I just try and keep going and taking advantage of special offers and reduced price items. I buy all fish, meat and chicken only when reduced price. I never go to shops saying I will buy any of them just see what if anything is reduced and buy it. Only what we eat I should add, don't buy anything we don't like and will never ever eat no matter how cheap it might be. I portion everything before freezing it making the portions as small as I can but so hubby can still see he is eating meat,fish or chicken.

Every spare penny goes on my stock cupboard as I am on ESA support - one of the lucky ones who didn't have a medical, put in work group but within a week, after a call from MP changed to support(they suddenly realised I fitted at least one of the descriptors to be put in support group), but I know I cannot assume I will be left alone for the two years they said it would be till next assessment, it can change in a heartbeat and if that happens and we lose my money we will only have hubby's income and I live with a fear that never leaves me of what will happen to us then. Someone on an advice team told me if I lose my money I will be seen as capable of working and if I don't look for work we could then be refused HB and CTB as not being able to work without being on ESA is not acceptable. So am scrimping and saving where I can in case the worst happens and so can put off the day when we might join the throngs of homeless and starving in the streets, which I know in my bones will happen to many unless there is a miracle.

Sorry I am such a party pooper

Some useful threads.

Make Do And Mend for Tougher Times - general chat to keep us going and a place to moan when things are bad....all welcome

Preparing For Winter Useful info and help on how to stay warm on the cheap and prepare your home for the cold

£7.00per week menu ideas plenty of great ideas to get you through really tough times, might not be the healthiest but will keep you alive, fed and still have energy for the fight ahead.

2012 Frugal Living Challenge - Part one Lots of people trying to live on as little as possible, some because they have to,others because they are saving and others just because they don't like spending money.

Soworried

What a good but bad thread.

I am worried, I am currently on the sick with no sick pay. We have went from having over what we needed money wise to now a £900 shortfall each month. I do not know when I will be well enough to work again either.
OS has been a life saver to me and my family and we are learning the tips fast. We have changed our lifestyle completly. To be honest we are enjoying this way of life but are worried about the shortfall each month.
I have cut everything we can, it is just a case of will our savings run out before I can get back to work.