Would you say myself and my partner are living on the higher end of the breadline?

sophiedeana

I'm 17 and my weekly salary is £300 pw as an apprentice at the Royal Bank of Scotland, and I receive £105 of Personal Independence Payment (PIP), weekly. Roughly, I get about £1,620 per month. This, for me personally, is a lavish amount as those of you who've read my previous posts will know of the financial crisis I was in only weeks ago.


My partner is 21 in December and brings £460 per week home, so about £1,840 per month. Together, that's a financial status of £3,500 per month. I thought this was a pretty decent amount, taking into account also my age! However, I spoke to a few friends, of whom were shocked, and said they 'felt sorry that I was in such a financial upset and should find a man to co-habit with who could 'look after me properly' if I was going to live with someone at such a 'care-free' age.


I was totally mesmerised by their comments and did actually lol (laugh out loud). Might I add these are women in their twenties (although University students that seem to believe the world is a fluffy cushion.


Am I right to believe I'm no where near the breadline and on a struggling amount of money? Or are they correct?


Thank you, just wanted some opinions really lol!

PasturesNew

Personally I've never known/met people with such a high income - in their 40s. You're rolling in it. If I had that I'd be laughing, singing, doing hobbies, having holidays, buying things.... happy, happy, happy. LOADED!

Get some new friends.

maninthestreet

£3,500 a month is £42,000 a year - and over £20,000 of that would be tax free. For a 17 and 21 year old, that is hardly living on the bread line.
To put that in perspective, when I had my first full time job after leaving university in 1985 at the age of 21, I was earning £8,500 a year - with inflation that equates to £24,435.43 now.

[Deleted User]

Is that £1,620 before, or after tax? Either way, you're no way near any breadline

PeacefulWaters

sophiedeana wrote: »

I'm 17

You were 16 two weeks ago.

I hope you enjoyed your birthday, which isn't until September.

Goldiegirl

I'm also not sure whether this sum is before or after tax?

To put it in perspective, last year, just before we retired we were bringing home between us £3200 per month after tax

This was the high point of our earning capability after a lifetime of work.

We felt this was a very good income, so good in fact that we've been able to have lots of good holidays in recent years and retire early.

If these two young people are bringing home £3500 between them after tax, I'd say they are doing very well for themselves, and should count themselves lucky.

Even if it's before tax, it's still a very good income..

As a side point, I'm surprised and disappointed that these women in their 20's think a man should look after a woman financially.

After 40+ years of equal pay, there are young women who seriously think like this? Depressing really!

Goldiegirl

PeacefulWaters wrote: »

You were 16 two weeks ago.

I hope you enjoyed your birthday, which isn't until September.

Ah.......... Maybe all this should be taken with a pinch of salt?

Rosemary7391

I have £1,150 (with no tax to pay) and I reckon I live rather well on it - the breadline for me would be more like half that amount. I guess it matters where you live as accommodation prices vary wildly across the country. Unless you've a ridiculous rent though that sounds great!

Goldiegirl

Has the partner had a rise recently?

He was on £200 pw in May?

missbiggles1

And you were only just thinking about applying for PIP last month when you wrote "I earn next to nothing, around £50 per week. "

Do stop wasting people's time!

missbiggles1

Goldiegirl wrote: »

Ah.......... Maybe all this should be taken with a pinch of salt?

Make it a bucket full and you'll be about right.