26, no savings feel stuck

Houseplant26

Haven't had a chance to properly log spending lately and also no doubt someone would get a bit cross at me!

Have £85 to last next two weeks. Have quite a bit of food in so just small shop tonight will be making things with lentils like curry and sausages and lentils and a big chicken stew type thing.

Houseplant26

£6 on my half of food shop yesterday

Houseplant26

Yesterday was a NSD. Today won't be sadly as I need a few boots essentials.

rtho782

Lots of people have given you spending advice, so I won't.

I'm 33 now. When I was 26, in 2009, I was on about the same amount of money as you.

I lived in my flat on my own, never went out, was in rent arrears, and debt. I didn't see that I'd ever have a way out. I was really depressed.

Now, myself and my fiancee have bought our first house, we're paying it off on a short mortgage, we're both a decent way above the national average salary. Sometimes it makes me pause when I realise I don't even really think about things like purchasing a Hive Thermostat for £200 these days.

We saved for the house ourselves, no help from parents etc.

Back then, I'd have saved up for months to do that.

I'm just trying to say that, even if you don't see a way out, even if things look impossible, things can work out, in ways you can't imagine right now.

Houseplant26

rtho782 wrote: »

Lots of people have given you spending advice, so I won't.

I'm 33 now. When I was 26, in 2009, I was on about the same amount of money as you.

I lived in my flat on my own, never went out, was in rent arrears, and debt. I didn't see that I'd ever have a way out. I was really depressed.

Now, myself and my fiancee have bought our first house, we're paying it off on a short mortgage, we're both a decent way above the national average salary. Sometimes it makes me pause when I realise I don't even really think about things like purchasing a Hive Thermostat for £200 these days.

We saved for the house ourselves, no help from parents etc.

Back then, I'd have saved up for months to do that.

I'm just trying to say that, even if you don't see a way out, even if things look impossible, things can work out, in ways you can't imagine right now.

Thank you so so so much for taking the time to write all of that down. That's so good to hear and you've done so well. It can be demoralising feeling like I will never own my own home, see the world etc etc and then I spend money I don't need to on bits and bobs to make me feel a bit better about that. You're proof you can achieve it!

Today's been a bit spendy, mostly essentials but probably could have found better deals so a bit annoyed at myself. Needed to get some things before shift at work.

£9.50 food
£13 mums Christmas present
£10ish essential toiletries and bin liners
£5 Christmas cards for parents and sister

Rest of this month is going to be tight if I don't want to dip into savings which still stand at £125.

Getting worried about winter fuel bills need to do a meter reading. Partner and I have both overpaid into joint account since Feb and we now have a buffer of £390.

me1234

Rtho782 has absolutely nail on the head


I am 32 and in 2009 I was on the same money as you too. It was a dire struggle having to clear debt and felt like it was going to be a long way out.


Now, I'm married and bought our own house (on our own with no help from anyone) with a mortgage on which we are regularly overpaying. It's just a process of sticking through it, being determined but also enjoying life a little as well!

Houseplant26

me1234 wrote: »

Rtho782 has absolutely nail on the head


I am 32 and in 2009 I was on the same money as you too. It was a dire struggle having to clear debt and felt like it was going to be a long way out.


Now, I'm married and bought our own house (on our own with no help from anyone) with a mortgage on which we are regularly overpaying. It's just a process of sticking through it, being determined but also enjoying life a little as well!

Thank you!
I've chose study and then jobs in area(s) I know aren't great for either earning potential or career progression, I guess for the love. I sometimes question if I've made a silly decision but I made decisions that have been right for me at the time and I guess that's all I can really do. Apart from trying to plan my next move(s) and having ideas of where to go next!

I'm proud that I haven't got huge debts, or any debts really apart from my student loan. It's just that situation of trying to live and work in a city and rent and council tax being a huge chunk of my income at present. I guess I need to try and stay positive and motivated and slowly add my pennies to a savings pile as best as I can. I do want to persue other opportunities for earning but I've found my 4day job mentally feels like 5days (I do 32hrs a week) and I'm struggling to find the mental energy to apply for other things or persue self employed options.

rtho782

Just keep at it. By logging your spending here (which you seem pretty good at sticking to) you're obviously doing everything you can.

I never thought I'd be able to afford to go abroad either. When I was in my flat I could barely afford to run my car, and when it came to MOT time I'd have sleepless nights as I needed it for work and couldn't afford repairs.

I eventually lost the flat, and moved in with a friend, which was even worse.

Then, I lost my job, this was in early 2013 or so.

I then met my future fiancee, I was so ashamed of not working etc at first, but I then found a new job... we got a flat together, she was still at uni and we scrimped for 2.5 years on my wages alone.

When she finished Uni we moved across the country for a new job for me, and she found a job nearby. Suddenly we had two wages, we saved our deposit in less than a year, and spent £230k on our first house, which we bought 6 months ago. We've been on a couple of nice holidays (Portugal, Tenerife) since, my first time abroad in about a decade.

In 2013, just 3 years ago, if you'd told me I'd own a house in 3 years, or, hell, ever, I'd have laughed at you.

Back when I was living in my flat, I literally had no energy or motivation to do anything, as I felt like it was all pointless. I felt like, it didn't really make a difference. And hell, it got a lot worse before it got better!

But the truth is, even if you just manage to tread water, some new opportunity could be just around the corner. So, as long as you can tread water, you're in with a shot.

I don't mean to keep posting rubbish on your thread, I'll go back to lurking now :P

Houseplant26

rtho782 wrote: »

Just keep at it. By logging your spending here (which you seem pretty good at sticking to) you're obviously doing everything you can.

I never thought I'd be able to afford to go abroad either. When I was in my flat I could barely afford to run my car, and when it came to MOT time I'd have sleepless nights as I needed it for work and couldn't afford repairs.

I eventually lost the flat, and moved in with a friend, which was even worse.

Then, I lost my job, this was in early 2013 or so.

I then met my future fiancee, I was so ashamed of not working etc at first, but I then found a new job... we got a flat together, she was still at uni and we scrimped for 2.5 years on my wages alone.

When she finished Uni we moved across the country for a new job for me, and she found a job nearby. Suddenly we had two wages, we saved our deposit in less than a year, and spent £230k on our first house, which we bought 6 months ago. We've been on a couple of nice holidays (Portugal, Tenerife) since, my first time abroad in about a decade.

In 2013, just 3 years ago, if you'd told me I'd own a house in 3 years, or, hell, ever, I'd have laughed at you.

Back when I was living in my flat, I literally had no energy or motivation to do anything, as I felt like it was all pointless. I felt like, it didn't really make a difference. And hell, it got a lot worse before it got better!

But the truth is, even if you just manage to tread water, some new opportunity could be just around the corner. So, as long as you can tread water, you're in with a shot.

I don't mean to keep posting rubbish on your thread, I'll go back to lurking now :P

Thank you so much for taking the time to write this. I particularly loved the bit about 'as long as you can tread water you're in with a shot!' Love that! I often (always) feel like I am only treading water, such an apt way to describe how I feel. I have low self esteem and struggle a bit with my mental health and really I need to try and be proud as I'm keeping a roof over my head, looking after my health, have a decent job if poorly paid (it's in a sector I love that's notoriously quite hard to get into, if terribly paid compared to other sectors). I need to remember my take home pay and assets do not define me asperson or at least aren't the only way to define my success! I am going to try to remember your saying.

So I get paid in 9 days. I have £5 to my name BUT I'm not yet in my overdraft, and I have £125 in my savings pot. I'm going to try my best to make do and not spend more but if I do have to borrow from my savings I will just take £10.

I'm hoping we almost have enough food in house and I have my bus money for therapy.

Things I've learnt this month:
- I probably didn't need another hat, but when I'm cold it is very warm and it's silly Pom Pom cheers me up.
- I shouldn't have bought a lipstick
- I value buying my (small) family presents, not all of the extended, but my parents sister and grandparents and this is something I will not sacrifice (but I will and have looked for bargains, and I've done most of it this month apart from OH).
- I can cook tasty affordable meals (I did already know this one actually) BUT I need to bulk buy and/or make tasty grab and go breakfast items and snacks, as I have a tendency to spend on these and I'm a nightmare when I am hungry!
- I need to eat and buy slightly less biscuits, and find some cheaper ones we like
- I can save some of my wage, on a lean month £50-£75 on a less lean one £100-£125.
- Next month will be lean and I have some
More presents to buy but I will aim to save £75

Houseplant26

I should have declared a few more spends which I didn't.
I forgot to keep track of some, I guess because I felt guilty about them! (Snacks!)

Other one was £13.60 on rest of grandparents presents, card and gift wrap.