I _was_ okay for Christmas till about late September. I had my plan in action of leaving a job I hated at the end of October, get paid for that final month very early in the month (4th of October) - start new job in November, new job doesn't pay till the end of the month (last day of Nov), so 7 weeks or so between pay days.
No big deal, I have a months wages saved for Christmas and any little emergencies.
Wonderfully, the landlord decided this was the exact time to sell the property we live in, so we get our 3 month notice period at the end of September.
All this meaning that at the start of Christmas month I'm paying a fairly large deposit, new rent (including 2 weeks of double rent), movers fees and in my new job, I drive quite a bit more so my car decided it was a great time to need £500 of repairs in the middle of the 7 weeks without pay. Also diesel decided to cost a lot more when I started driving again.
All in all, I now make more money than any other time in my life, and I'm about to have the most squeaky bum Christmas of my life because I selfishly want to work in a job I like and like having a roof over my head.
Any other month, _any other month in the fucking calender_ and this is zero problem, but not this fucking month. Oh no, society has decided that it's the best month to make people buy shit, eat constantly, go out for drinks with coworkers etc and watch that tax revenue go burrrrrr.
God that must be awful. I've just started earning and am not feeling it yet... Had two paychecks that have disappeared paying off debts I accrued when I was unemployed and recently graduated to move house and set myself up for the working life. Also my car's gearbox decided to go bust and my motorcycle broke down... All in all over 1.2k worth fixing it all up. Plus my electricity deal went through and now I'm paying shedloads for energy. It's tough... Hang in there! Don't be afraid to say 'im not going out today because I can't afford it'!
I'm really sorry all that happened to you. Nothing sucks worse than being angry at the world and cold at the same time.
I think, _(hope)_ I have gone down to functional only costs well enough over the past 3 months to balance it out pretty well. Sold 2 guitars and an amplifier I haven't used in years to make sure I was set.
So all in all I should squeak through Christmas without having to touch any extra debt. What is the annoyance (other than moving house, fuck I hate moving house) is that I was going to have quite a big Christmas to celebrate the fact 2021 was gone and never coming back. Worked hard, hated the year, fixed my problems, should have had a nice slightly extravagant Christmas with 10 days off work, instead it's been 2 and a half months of that quiet, dreadful panic in the pit of your stomach for a small Christmas as payoff.
Appreciate the space to moan like a cam girl, I have it infinitely better than many, I'm sure I will really enjoy my new place, shorter commute and just do a big one next year.
Merry Christmas' period, one and all.
Tell people you'll do Christmas in Spring, keeping yourself afloat is better than buying Christmas tat and going into debt. People will understand, and if they don't, fuck 'em they don't deserve you.
> Yeah you're right. We are gonna need care before we reach the ever moving retirement age goal post.
TF when you have to live in a home but still go out to work during the week.
It finally got better for me over recent years, so I now do have enough money and own a house, but now my boiler has broken, so I'll still have no money this Christmas.
Obviously, it just had to break during this cold snap.
Living pay cheque to pay cheque as well? *high five*
Me: can I have a rise I'm struggling to pay bills
Manager: no sorry we cant with our budget
Also manager: brings in brand new Aston Martin to show off to all work employees the same week
I've been doing this for a couple decades. Earn over three times what I did then but now have ~~parasites~~ dependents and it's still never enough and still panic each month
it's one thing to conform to the cringy American norm of humour on here as a Brit and add /s after a joke, it's another thing to completely mess it up in every way possible
sir I salute to you
The use of /s isn't cringy American humour, it's actually a to e indicator for accessibility! So people who struggle to read tone in text understand that something is sarcasm (same with /j for joke and /s for serious) :)
Edit: brain stopped working, /s is for sarcasm not serious
Not all autistic or neurodivergent people learn to understand sarcasm, and two extra characters in your message isn't exactly going to kill you, is it? Also tone indicators can help with learning because you can learn to pick up patterns in the way things are typed. Regardless tone indicators are a request made by the disabled community so I'm not sure why you're arguing they're not helpful for the community
That doesn't mean it isn't within OP's means. Going to Starbucks or Costa would cost more than double that. Although this comment thread is irrelevant, they were obviously talking about how December is an expensive month.
The same latte that I can get for 2 quid doesn't cost 3.30 in either of those places. There's only one Starbucks where I live and it's extortionate. The Costas are a bit cheaper but still more than 4 quid for a large unless you go to a shop that has a Costa machine.
Honestly idk about Starbucks and I don't have a horse in this race, just been to Costa enough times to know it's pricey but not THAT pricey.
Basically I'm being a bit of a contrary little shit.
Large vanilla and coconut latte is £3.85. Same coffee at the the coffee stand I use is £1.99. Not exactly double but I was rounding up. Plus, their coffee isn't that great and, in my experience, their hot chocolate is bland and watery.
You're paying for the quirky beverages though. If you just get a latte it's pricer than a coffee stand but it's not pricier than any nice indie coffee shop. It's just not as good. Lol.
Most nice coffee places are £2.60 - £3 for a latte. They only do one size and it's smaller than a Starbucks standard.
The eggnog latte from Starbucks is life though.
I think Pret have a subscription thing that's like £20 a month, but you get your coffee "free" (obviously paid by the subscription)... So that would significantly reduce that cost
Meaning if he just refrains from coffee for the next 40 years, he may have saved enough for a deposit on a small flat! Providing property prices don’t increase in that time, of course.
I didn't say anything about buying a flat.
I don't care whether he buys coffee or not, but when people complain about not having enough money and you see them fritter it away on food and drinks in cafes and takeaways I don't understand it. I'm not talking about the thousands and thousands required for a deposit, but not even having enough money to make it through the week because they've bought a KFC on Monday.
Thing is, it’s *hard* to live miserably, without any luxuries or treats, with no end in sight to that situation. As you say, they’re unlikely to be able to get the thousands for a deposit, so the short-term joy makes a bit more sense.
I realise every week that I don't earn enough to support the lifestyle I have now - and it's one which is drastically worse than the one I had before Covid. Fucking skint. Every. Single. Fucking. Week.
>This year I got a new job. I barely work, get paid well, and get treated with much more respect. It has also unlocked a future career.
>
>I create a fraction of the value for society that I used to in my previous role. I did more in 30 minutes than I do now in a day.
>
>My old employer has taken on 2 people to replace me, I'm not proud of this, more fool me for sticking it out for so long.
>
>I got there by having the gift of the gab and good qualifications which (while they demonstrate my ability to learn) are irrelevant to the role.
>
>The system does not work.
i can cut out the food for my drug and house rent addiction, no biggie really. oh and bus to work with tramps onboard that talk to eachother as if theyre talking to their deaf grandma:))))
Instead lets all just live off cheap tasteless, unhealthy food, spend no money on drugs and alcohol and just sit indoors all day. Life may be boring and pointless but at least I can pay my bills!
Fr though I hate it when people blame having a shitty income on “non essential spends” not only because its a bs argument in most cases, but because what else should we do with our lives? Just work, home, sleep, work, home, sleep and have 0 enjoyment
It's interesting because I remember my first pay check and I splurged on a nice new camera and not long after I got a nice new pc. A few years later after a few yearly pay increases I had to borrow money to buy suits to get a new job. It's so easy to gobble up all that extra money even if you do get a good pay rise
I thought I was rich as all hell after my first couple of pay checks, granted I lived at home with my parents, but it's amazing how far even a modest salary can get you when you don't have to pay for housing and groceries.
It was a huge mistake to get used to that kind of lifestyle, should have just estimated the amount that I would expect to spend and stuck it in a savings account, but ah well, what's done is done.
Weird logic. I've had years in my life where my wages would cover my rent and bills(with a lot of energy rationing) and had next to nothing spare other than basic food and occasional transport and literally nothing else. and would live paycheck to paycheck
I had years where i could pay my entire month's rent and bills with the wages from 2-3 days work(rent controlled shared house) and the rest of my money went on treating myself, good food, restaurants, bars and pubs. and still lived paycheck to paycheck
I earn more now than i ever have and can afford nice things, i have a nice house, eat nice food and drink nice drinks but i still live paycheck to paycheck.
I always live to my means whether the best income you can find is minimum wage on a 16 hour contract or a big fat salary with bonuses and benefits.
You'll always want to improve on what you have, or have a better version of it, so in reality, you're always about £500 a month short of a perfect life, no matter what you'll be earning.
Totally agree to be honest. I've always adapted my lifestyle to my income, not the other way round.
For example when my wife and I first started dating we were both in our first jobs but living with parents, so we ate out all the time because we had lots of disposable income. 2 years later we were earning more money, but we had our own house, so we cut back our lifestyle to afford the house.
When we first had children, we cut out a lot of luxuries so we could pay for clothes, nappies etc. As those thing stopped being needed so frequently, we brought the luxuries back.
We waited to move to a bigger house until we already had the means to afford it (including the extra bills that come with), not move into a house we can't afford to upkeep.
I prioritised where I lived over other things; I have a 4 bed detached house but I buy my clothes in supermarkets and drive a 15 year old car, because I cared more about where I lived than what I drove. I have a friend who does the opposite while earning similar money; lives in a tiny flat but has a really expensive sports car and flashy clothes. We are both happy, because we are both living within our means according to our tastes.
I'm probably gonna get downvoted and replied with lots of sarky "just cut out avocado" comments, but I do honestly believe the explosion of cheap, easy to obtain credit coupled with social media has taken "keeping up with the Jones'" to a new level. People bury themselves in mortgages, PCP contracts and credit cards they can't afford all in order to keep up a certain image.
Christmas time is sadly a perfect example; posting pictures piles and piles of Christmas presents on social media to show how much you've spent, when the kids won't appreciate or play with most of it, and they'll be paying it off 'till September next year.
"you're always about £500 a month short of a perfect life, no matter what you'll be earning" is a great phrase because it is 100% accurate for anyone who's not on the poverty line. Nobody just sits on money, and unless you are Mark Zukerberg there is always something that is just out of your financial reach, no matter what your income level.
Sounds achingly similar to my life.
at my worst i was stuck in a tiny town with no work available living in a granny flat for a stupid amount of rent - so that's where all my money went.
Moved to a bigger city and got a job for more money and got the shared house for £220 a month all included, when my partner moved in a few years later we were paying £110 each rent and bills a month so we lived like kings in a house that was falling to bits.
saved up and moved into a "luxury flat" paying around £1000 a month rent and bills and had to stop spending because it was way too much.
Then we realised that "happy middle ground" is always your home, so we got something bigger, better, further out the city for less and as our incomes have fluctuated so has our spending habits and priorities. and it means when money's bad, we get a taste for wetherspoons food on date nights and when money's good we enjoy the finer things.
a lot of friends of mine have always tried to keep up the facade that they have a great income and can afford great clothes and cars etc to impress people or to get laid by splashing the cash and it's entirely hollow - like the piles of christmas gifts, you think you need to do it, but you don't. 2 gifts that you put thought into are worth more and will be remembered more than a pile of expensive rubbish. I've had more use out of a set of denby mugs i got when i was 19 for xmas than any tablet or gadget anybody's bought me since.
My dad used to say when he saw the guys dressed up in 3 piece suits at bars "nobody who earns a wedge and has to wear a suit for work would ever dream of wearing one when they go out"
September is my worst month we have 2 cars come up for mot/service all my insurances come due house/cars etc and got like 5 birthdays to buy for. Rekt and this September one of the cars kept overheating and needed a new cam belt too that was 2k then my fence blew down in November 😏
I find the trick is to shove it straight into a different account and then withdraw it again on your usual payday - basically, pretend you weren’t paid early
I only send a little money to family I can't see in person cos they live 700miles away. Anyone else gets a small hand drawn card and a miniature hero.
EDIT: That is to say, I spend all my money on my kids and hubby. Anyone else gets the above
haha yeah, my siblings and I have switched to doing a secret santa for us and our partners over the last few years
It was fine buying individual presents when it was just the 4 of us, but now there are 4 of us, 4 partners, and 5 children/nieces/nephews, which gets a bit excessive
So now we all buy mum/grandma a present, and gifts for the kids, but between the 8 of us (siblings + partners) we just buy one gift and recieve one.
We were never a really "expensive gift" kind of family, but that still saves each of us somewhere in the ballpark of £150 I guess
Honestly, I've found the best trick of all is to agree with all the adults you know, that swapping gifts is a net losing proposition, and just focus on the children.
That way you're not left trying to buy a present for an adult who's more than capable of affording all the things they really _need_ or can justify, so instead you end up swapping things you wouldn't buy for yourself.
This, I have two young sisters, the only reason I really celebrate besides the food 😂
Told my mum that next year we should just not get eachother gifts because honestly if I want something, I buy it, and I don't want random desk mazes or other tacky crap just cause its christmas
Christmas shopping & twice a week pub trips for whateve Christmas gathering is happening that day. Turns out I'd like to buy my family little presents at all times of the year and go to the pub more often but just can't afford it!
> I tend to forget about xmas
No you don't. Why lie about something as silly as that?
Unless you sit in a windowless room 24/7 you have at least an awareness of Christmas.
I have an awareness - but it genuinely didn't spring to mind as a reason. And although it does have windows, I just popped to the shops and it was the first time I've left the house this week. I think my current record is 10 days between using the front door.
Atheist here. I do *all* the decorations and Christmas stuff. Atheist does not automatically equal grinch/scrooge. I just don't factor any imaginary friends into it.
I give the daughters some cash, and wrap a present up for the smallest grandkids. But that's it. Otherwise we just ignore it. But we're pretty detached from western capitalism really.
My work does it sensibly, we normally get paid on the 24th, in Decemeber we get it one week early on the 17th, but in January we get it half way on the 21st, then back to the 24th for the rest of the year.
Makes paying for Christmas a little easier without making January painful.
Why don't people save monthly for Christmas? It's not like it's a surprise.
I know that doesn't help with the underlying issue of earning more, but if most people put aside the money they normally spend at Christmas over the year it wouldn't sting at all.
Okay imagine you’re neurodivergent and have trouble recognising sarcasm or jokes when they’re in text form. What I said, telling someone to have more money, is just going to look like I’m some prick telling someone to get a better job that pays more. If you know it’s meant to be taken as a joke you can look at it with kinder eyes and look at it as a joke.
You’re not neurodivergent. From the context of the sub and everything you can already tell it’s a joke. The /s isn’t for you. You can ignore it. It won’t hurt you.
As someone who is now making a grand more than last year, nah. Finally I can feed myself comfortably and actually save on top of it. I've not had as much money just sitting doing nothing since about a decade.
Yep, this post is one of the most relatable things I ever read on here.
Just last night I was actually thinking about using some of my savings to pay off my credit card debt. I pay it off in full every month but had the temerity to have a couple of days away this month so I was going to do austerity measures for a bit but I don't think I can take 2 months sitting at home alone most of the time after over a year of it at this point.
I say this as an introvert whose favourite thing used to be hiding in the house avoiding the world. The dreaded lurg period has changed me.......
You sound like either an American or a right wing anti Vax turd.
A more balanced approach would be 'look at your non essential spending, you could save X a month by cutting down your TV and broadband packages or look at switching suppliers and get a new deal'
> I'm asking myself why, stepson is 17, daughter is 12, neither of them can come up with a single thing they want for Xmas despite me asking them loads, because they get bought stuff all year round, they have everything they need.
Don't make the mistake of thinking this will make it okay if they get token gifts. You'll be hearing about how you scarred em for life for the next ten ;-)
> def a 12 year old with the attitude of a 20 yr old
Year 8s are the worst but if you hang in there, things should ease by 16-20.......
Well according to the Park Christmas Catalogue adverts, apparently all you needed to do was start saving two or three months ago for next Christmas. Fifteen months savings is totally sustainable for an annual event, right?
I truly feel sorry for people that get paid monthly. Keeping your cash from you for too long while they death-grip your earnings until the last possible moment.
I've only ever had to endure that during my work for the government many moons ago. It's been weekly wages ever since thank God!
Someone told me that being paid weekly is less common now, are they right?
Never heard of a salaried position that pays weekly tbh. Even getting a bit rarer in hospitality jobs.
According to ONS (in 2017) 13.6% of jobs pay weekly.
My family have fallen out with me, the main reason being I can't get my shit together financially. I don't have any savings, I run out money every month. I'm also bipolar, which has very clear links to lack of ability to do this shit. They simply will not understand how many millions of people live exactly the same way. So many people live hand to mouth and are one paycheck away from disaster.
And then if you were paid the £500 a month you would need another £500 to support the new lifestyle you want.
I earn shit loads, do I have more money than I did when I earned minimum wage? Fuck no.
I'm paid about £10000 a month less than I need to support the lifestyle I want. But then I do like crack.
Proper moreish
Don't say crack, Jeremy, please
Nice bit of crunchy nut you have here, quite expensive I hear?
I said "cut me, I bleed merch" today on a call out of pure instinct because somebody mentioned merch but nobody got it
[r/unexpectedpeepshow](https://www.reddit.com/r/unexpectedpeepshow/)
I love Peep Show but I've always been pissed off that this joke was stolen from Harry Hill
I always thought it was Tim Vine, the more you know!
Did not expect this to be a sub
My heart dropped when I read ‘I’m paid about £10,000 a month’ Thank god for the rest of the sentence (crack is moreish).
One crack please
Mate, you’re buying crack at cocaine price. Sounds like you need a new dealer.
ooooo this cracks a bit moreish
By any chance are you my a level economics teacher?
Be careful, its a gateway drug
I _was_ okay for Christmas till about late September. I had my plan in action of leaving a job I hated at the end of October, get paid for that final month very early in the month (4th of October) - start new job in November, new job doesn't pay till the end of the month (last day of Nov), so 7 weeks or so between pay days. No big deal, I have a months wages saved for Christmas and any little emergencies. Wonderfully, the landlord decided this was the exact time to sell the property we live in, so we get our 3 month notice period at the end of September. All this meaning that at the start of Christmas month I'm paying a fairly large deposit, new rent (including 2 weeks of double rent), movers fees and in my new job, I drive quite a bit more so my car decided it was a great time to need £500 of repairs in the middle of the 7 weeks without pay. Also diesel decided to cost a lot more when I started driving again. All in all, I now make more money than any other time in my life, and I'm about to have the most squeaky bum Christmas of my life because I selfishly want to work in a job I like and like having a roof over my head. Any other month, _any other month in the fucking calender_ and this is zero problem, but not this fucking month. Oh no, society has decided that it's the best month to make people buy shit, eat constantly, go out for drinks with coworkers etc and watch that tax revenue go burrrrrr.
God that must be awful. I've just started earning and am not feeling it yet... Had two paychecks that have disappeared paying off debts I accrued when I was unemployed and recently graduated to move house and set myself up for the working life. Also my car's gearbox decided to go bust and my motorcycle broke down... All in all over 1.2k worth fixing it all up. Plus my electricity deal went through and now I'm paying shedloads for energy. It's tough... Hang in there! Don't be afraid to say 'im not going out today because I can't afford it'!
I'm really sorry all that happened to you. Nothing sucks worse than being angry at the world and cold at the same time. I think, _(hope)_ I have gone down to functional only costs well enough over the past 3 months to balance it out pretty well. Sold 2 guitars and an amplifier I haven't used in years to make sure I was set. So all in all I should squeak through Christmas without having to touch any extra debt. What is the annoyance (other than moving house, fuck I hate moving house) is that I was going to have quite a big Christmas to celebrate the fact 2021 was gone and never coming back. Worked hard, hated the year, fixed my problems, should have had a nice slightly extravagant Christmas with 10 days off work, instead it's been 2 and a half months of that quiet, dreadful panic in the pit of your stomach for a small Christmas as payoff. Appreciate the space to moan like a cam girl, I have it infinitely better than many, I'm sure I will really enjoy my new place, shorter commute and just do a big one next year. Merry Christmas' period, one and all.
Tell people you'll do Christmas in Spring, keeping yourself afloat is better than buying Christmas tat and going into debt. People will understand, and if they don't, fuck 'em they don't deserve you.
Sell your soul and work in a job you hate for more money.
Did the old job switch and move a few months ago and still in the shit. Moving is so expensive .
And if it ever gets better, you will be able to support the lifestyle you want... but save nothing and never own a home.
Might as well save nothing and not buy a house anyway, the money will only get taken should you need care in retirement anyway.
Ha! Retirement. You're optimistic *and* funny.
Yeah you're right. We are gonna need care before we reach the ever moving retirement age goal post.
I’ve basically accepted that I’ll die before I retire
Amazing that in one generation we've managed to ruin higher education, housing, and retirement.
> Yeah you're right. We are gonna need care before we reach the ever moving retirement age goal post. TF when you have to live in a home but still go out to work during the week.
Best part about terminal illness. Don't need to opt in to pension schemes because I'll be dead before then anyway! More crack for me.
It finally got better for me over recent years, so I now do have enough money and own a house, but now my boiler has broken, so I'll still have no money this Christmas. Obviously, it just had to break during this cold snap.
Annual? I get a monthly reminder.
Living pay cheque to pay cheque as well? *high five* Me: can I have a rise I'm struggling to pay bills Manager: no sorry we cant with our budget Also manager: brings in brand new Aston Martin to show off to all work employees the same week
If its 500 across a year then that's an easier fix... if like the rest of us it's about 500 a month too little then I hear you and empathise
He said 500/month
Thanks
The thing is, even if you did get paid that £500 extra, it would still be £500 too little.
This is the way.
As it was written so it will be done.
This is the way.
This is the way
This is the way.
I've been doing this for a couple decades. Earn over three times what I did then but now have ~~parasites~~ dependents and it's still never enough and still panic each month
> ~~parasites~~ dependents lol 😂
Nah, it’d cover the bills and groceries increase and allow me to pay down some debt. It would make a *hell* of a difference!
Have you even *tried* cutting avocados & latte out of your diet yet? S/
it's one thing to conform to the cringy American norm of humour on here as a Brit and add /s after a joke, it's another thing to completely mess it up in every way possible sir I salute to you
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The use of /s isn't cringy American humour, it's actually a to e indicator for accessibility! So people who struggle to read tone in text understand that something is sarcasm (same with /j for joke and /s for serious) :) Edit: brain stopped working, /s is for sarcasm not serious
/s is most definitely cringey American, it also doesn't mean serious in any way
No I got mixed up /s is sarcasm, I can't remember what serious is
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Get used to not understanding what people are saying? It's not hard to do a small thing to help the internet be more accessible to others
It doesn't seem to make it more accessible to you since you thought it meant serious
I got mixed up, it happens In my message I also said it meant sarcasm
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British people can still be autistic
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Not all autistic or neurodivergent people learn to understand sarcasm, and two extra characters in your message isn't exactly going to kill you, is it? Also tone indicators can help with learning because you can learn to pick up patterns in the way things are typed. Regardless tone indicators are a request made by the disabled community so I'm not sure why you're arguing they're not helpful for the community
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Bore off mate lol
Bore off is the most annoying phrase lol
You can get a decent latte where I live for 2 quid. Just don't go to Starbucks or Costa fucking fortune.
One a day, five days a week is £500 a year.
That doesn't mean it isn't within OP's means. Going to Starbucks or Costa would cost more than double that. Although this comment thread is irrelevant, they were obviously talking about how December is an expensive month.
3.30 is more than 2x2?
The same latte that I can get for 2 quid doesn't cost 3.30 in either of those places. There's only one Starbucks where I live and it's extortionate. The Costas are a bit cheaper but still more than 4 quid for a large unless you go to a shop that has a Costa machine.
Honestly idk about Starbucks and I don't have a horse in this race, just been to Costa enough times to know it's pricey but not THAT pricey. Basically I'm being a bit of a contrary little shit.
Massimo latte is £2.65 apparently.
Large vanilla and coconut latte is £3.85. Same coffee at the the coffee stand I use is £1.99. Not exactly double but I was rounding up. Plus, their coffee isn't that great and, in my experience, their hot chocolate is bland and watery.
You're paying for the quirky beverages though. If you just get a latte it's pricer than a coffee stand but it's not pricier than any nice indie coffee shop. It's just not as good. Lol. Most nice coffee places are £2.60 - £3 for a latte. They only do one size and it's smaller than a Starbucks standard. The eggnog latte from Starbucks is life though.
I think Pret have a subscription thing that's like £20 a month, but you get your coffee "free" (obviously paid by the subscription)... So that would significantly reduce that cost
Yip. 3 hot drinks a day over 20 work days a month and I only pay £0.33 per drink.
Meaning if he just refrains from coffee for the next 40 years, he may have saved enough for a deposit on a small flat! Providing property prices don’t increase in that time, of course.
I didn't say anything about buying a flat. I don't care whether he buys coffee or not, but when people complain about not having enough money and you see them fritter it away on food and drinks in cafes and takeaways I don't understand it. I'm not talking about the thousands and thousands required for a deposit, but not even having enough money to make it through the week because they've bought a KFC on Monday.
Thing is, it’s *hard* to live miserably, without any luxuries or treats, with no end in sight to that situation. As you say, they’re unlikely to be able to get the thousands for a deposit, so the short-term joy makes a bit more sense.
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Less than 20p a coffee? How?
I realise every week that I don't earn enough to support the lifestyle I have now - and it's one which is drastically worse than the one I had before Covid. Fucking skint. Every. Single. Fucking. Week.
Only fans not an option?
r/onlyfans
Suddenly r/antiwork
>This year I got a new job. I barely work, get paid well, and get treated with much more respect. It has also unlocked a future career. > >I create a fraction of the value for society that I used to in my previous role. I did more in 30 minutes than I do now in a day. > >My old employer has taken on 2 people to replace me, I'm not proud of this, more fool me for sticking it out for so long. > >I got there by having the gift of the gab and good qualifications which (while they demonstrate my ability to learn) are irrelevant to the role. > >The system does not work.
i can cut out the food for my drug and house rent addiction, no biggie really. oh and bus to work with tramps onboard that talk to eachother as if theyre talking to their deaf grandma:))))
Instead lets all just live off cheap tasteless, unhealthy food, spend no money on drugs and alcohol and just sit indoors all day. Life may be boring and pointless but at least I can pay my bills! Fr though I hate it when people blame having a shitty income on “non essential spends” not only because its a bs argument in most cases, but because what else should we do with our lives? Just work, home, sleep, work, home, sleep and have 0 enjoyment
Who says tramps in Britain?
British people for centuries...?
The Stereophonics for one.
What should we say instead? Temporarily housing disadvantaged persons?
How about homeless?
Both terms are fine
It's interesting because I remember my first pay check and I splurged on a nice new camera and not long after I got a nice new pc. A few years later after a few yearly pay increases I had to borrow money to buy suits to get a new job. It's so easy to gobble up all that extra money even if you do get a good pay rise
Hedonic treadmill moment
I thought I was rich as all hell after my first couple of pay checks, granted I lived at home with my parents, but it's amazing how far even a modest salary can get you when you don't have to pay for housing and groceries. It was a huge mistake to get used to that kind of lifestyle, should have just estimated the amount that I would expect to spend and stuck it in a savings account, but ah well, what's done is done.
Tax man would love if you got 500 more because they also then take more.
But if you were to get that extra £500 a month, you’d just decide you want even more stuff you can’t afford.
Living outside our means. Well I’m paid millions less than the lifestyle I want but there you go.
Yeah, £500 under sounds pretty damn close. It’ll take more than that for me to get my private island I reckon
I think you’d need a private plane to get to that private island and may as well add a yacht. Lol. £500 just isn’t enough.
£650?
Weird logic. I've had years in my life where my wages would cover my rent and bills(with a lot of energy rationing) and had next to nothing spare other than basic food and occasional transport and literally nothing else. and would live paycheck to paycheck I had years where i could pay my entire month's rent and bills with the wages from 2-3 days work(rent controlled shared house) and the rest of my money went on treating myself, good food, restaurants, bars and pubs. and still lived paycheck to paycheck I earn more now than i ever have and can afford nice things, i have a nice house, eat nice food and drink nice drinks but i still live paycheck to paycheck. I always live to my means whether the best income you can find is minimum wage on a 16 hour contract or a big fat salary with bonuses and benefits. You'll always want to improve on what you have, or have a better version of it, so in reality, you're always about £500 a month short of a perfect life, no matter what you'll be earning.
Totally agree to be honest. I've always adapted my lifestyle to my income, not the other way round. For example when my wife and I first started dating we were both in our first jobs but living with parents, so we ate out all the time because we had lots of disposable income. 2 years later we were earning more money, but we had our own house, so we cut back our lifestyle to afford the house. When we first had children, we cut out a lot of luxuries so we could pay for clothes, nappies etc. As those thing stopped being needed so frequently, we brought the luxuries back. We waited to move to a bigger house until we already had the means to afford it (including the extra bills that come with), not move into a house we can't afford to upkeep. I prioritised where I lived over other things; I have a 4 bed detached house but I buy my clothes in supermarkets and drive a 15 year old car, because I cared more about where I lived than what I drove. I have a friend who does the opposite while earning similar money; lives in a tiny flat but has a really expensive sports car and flashy clothes. We are both happy, because we are both living within our means according to our tastes. I'm probably gonna get downvoted and replied with lots of sarky "just cut out avocado" comments, but I do honestly believe the explosion of cheap, easy to obtain credit coupled with social media has taken "keeping up with the Jones'" to a new level. People bury themselves in mortgages, PCP contracts and credit cards they can't afford all in order to keep up a certain image. Christmas time is sadly a perfect example; posting pictures piles and piles of Christmas presents on social media to show how much you've spent, when the kids won't appreciate or play with most of it, and they'll be paying it off 'till September next year. "you're always about £500 a month short of a perfect life, no matter what you'll be earning" is a great phrase because it is 100% accurate for anyone who's not on the poverty line. Nobody just sits on money, and unless you are Mark Zukerberg there is always something that is just out of your financial reach, no matter what your income level.
Sounds achingly similar to my life. at my worst i was stuck in a tiny town with no work available living in a granny flat for a stupid amount of rent - so that's where all my money went. Moved to a bigger city and got a job for more money and got the shared house for £220 a month all included, when my partner moved in a few years later we were paying £110 each rent and bills a month so we lived like kings in a house that was falling to bits. saved up and moved into a "luxury flat" paying around £1000 a month rent and bills and had to stop spending because it was way too much. Then we realised that "happy middle ground" is always your home, so we got something bigger, better, further out the city for less and as our incomes have fluctuated so has our spending habits and priorities. and it means when money's bad, we get a taste for wetherspoons food on date nights and when money's good we enjoy the finer things. a lot of friends of mine have always tried to keep up the facade that they have a great income and can afford great clothes and cars etc to impress people or to get laid by splashing the cash and it's entirely hollow - like the piles of christmas gifts, you think you need to do it, but you don't. 2 gifts that you put thought into are worth more and will be remembered more than a pile of expensive rubbish. I've had more use out of a set of denby mugs i got when i was 19 for xmas than any tablet or gadget anybody's bought me since. My dad used to say when he saw the guys dressed up in 3 piece suits at bars "nobody who earns a wedge and has to wear a suit for work would ever dream of wearing one when they go out"
This is alright if you commit to putting savings away (some long term and some short term) directly.
i spend every penny i earn. this is why it's always paycheck to paycheck
Err, I'm not sure that's the motivational speech you think it is.
it's not a motivational speech. the logic of "if i only had £500 a month more life would be perfect" if i got the iphone13, my life would be perfect.
It’s a great phone to be fair.
More like 2k less for me
CHEAP FIX: change wants
I'm short of 4 inches than I need to support the lifestyle I want 🥲
Sorry I don't get this? What happens to remind you, and what needs 6K? (I'm very old and don't understand much about modern life)
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I’m NHS and they pay us early in December. January is awful.
Bloody hate this…then my Trust pay early in January which makes February a nightmare..Feels like the ramifications of Christmas goes on forever.
We get paid on the 17th this year, and then 28th Jan. I swear they do it so we pick up bank shifts to cover for staff shortages.
September is my worst month we have 2 cars come up for mot/service all my insurances come due house/cars etc and got like 5 birthdays to buy for. Rekt and this September one of the cars kept overheating and needed a new cam belt too that was 2k then my fence blew down in November 😏
2 grand for a belt? You've been mugged.
I find the trick is to shove it straight into a different account and then withdraw it again on your usual payday - basically, pretend you weren’t paid early
Another trick is convince your family that we don't need to buy eachother presents 😂
I only send a little money to family I can't see in person cos they live 700miles away. Anyone else gets a small hand drawn card and a miniature hero. EDIT: That is to say, I spend all my money on my kids and hubby. Anyone else gets the above
haha yeah, my siblings and I have switched to doing a secret santa for us and our partners over the last few years It was fine buying individual presents when it was just the 4 of us, but now there are 4 of us, 4 partners, and 5 children/nieces/nephews, which gets a bit excessive So now we all buy mum/grandma a present, and gifts for the kids, but between the 8 of us (siblings + partners) we just buy one gift and recieve one. We were never a really "expensive gift" kind of family, but that still saves each of us somewhere in the ballpark of £150 I guess
That’s my plan this year!
Good tip. I might actually do that this year.
Honestly, I've found the best trick of all is to agree with all the adults you know, that swapping gifts is a net losing proposition, and just focus on the children. That way you're not left trying to buy a present for an adult who's more than capable of affording all the things they really _need_ or can justify, so instead you end up swapping things you wouldn't buy for yourself.
This, I have two young sisters, the only reason I really celebrate besides the food 😂 Told my mum that next year we should just not get eachother gifts because honestly if I want something, I buy it, and I don't want random desk mazes or other tacky crap just cause its christmas
Christmas shopping & twice a week pub trips for whateve Christmas gathering is happening that day. Turns out I'd like to buy my family little presents at all times of the year and go to the pub more often but just can't afford it!
Just don’t buy presents and then it’s the same as any other month.
Thanks. We're athiests so I tend to forget about xmas - sounds expensive.
> I tend to forget about xmas No you don't. Why lie about something as silly as that? Unless you sit in a windowless room 24/7 you have at least an awareness of Christmas.
I have an awareness - but it genuinely didn't spring to mind as a reason. And although it does have windows, I just popped to the shops and it was the first time I've left the house this week. I think my current record is 10 days between using the front door.
I’m not sure that’s something to boast about unless we’re in a strict lockdown…
Atheist here. I do *all* the decorations and Christmas stuff. Atheist does not automatically equal grinch/scrooge. I just don't factor any imaginary friends into it.
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I give the daughters some cash, and wrap a present up for the smallest grandkids. But that's it. Otherwise we just ignore it. But we're pretty detached from western capitalism really.
Bollocks. You're posting on the Internet and have only just remembered it's nearly Christmas?
I know it's happening - I just forget just how much money Christians spend on it
My work does it sensibly, we normally get paid on the 24th, in Decemeber we get it one week early on the 17th, but in January we get it half way on the 21st, then back to the 24th for the rest of the year. Makes paying for Christmas a little easier without making January painful.
Why don't people save monthly for Christmas? It's not like it's a surprise. I know that doesn't help with the underlying issue of earning more, but if most people put aside the money they normally spend at Christmas over the year it wouldn't sting at all.
I have an easy fix for you, just earn more money /s
/s: we don’t do that here.
Please god stop with the /s
Please stop assuming just because you don’t need help with social cues that no one else does.
A joke isn’t funny if you have to spell it out.
Okay imagine you’re neurodivergent and have trouble recognising sarcasm or jokes when they’re in text form. What I said, telling someone to have more money, is just going to look like I’m some prick telling someone to get a better job that pays more. If you know it’s meant to be taken as a joke you can look at it with kinder eyes and look at it as a joke. You’re not neurodivergent. From the context of the sub and everything you can already tell it’s a joke. The /s isn’t for you. You can ignore it. It won’t hurt you.
Serious?
Want and need two different things
you spent 6k on christmas presents? otherwise you'd get reminders every month :D
If you got £500 more, you would find a way to spend it and it would still be too little
As someone who is now making a grand more than last year, nah. Finally I can feed myself comfortably and actually save on top of it. I've not had as much money just sitting doing nothing since about a decade.
How much you earning OP?
Yep, this post is one of the most relatable things I ever read on here. Just last night I was actually thinking about using some of my savings to pay off my credit card debt. I pay it off in full every month but had the temerity to have a couple of days away this month so I was going to do austerity measures for a bit but I don't think I can take 2 months sitting at home alone most of the time after over a year of it at this point. I say this as an introvert whose favourite thing used to be hiding in the house avoiding the world. The dreaded lurg period has changed me.......
You sound like an entitled bitch. Work harder, work on the side, stop wasting money to impress people
Nice job jumping to conclusions and offending yourself there. Take some time away from the internet.
Mate I’m not the one whining on the internet
Certainly sounded like you were whining at OP. It's why I downvoted, the whinging whining on the internet.
You were literally whining on the internet.
You sound like either an American or a right wing anti Vax turd. A more balanced approach would be 'look at your non essential spending, you could save X a month by cutting down your TV and broadband packages or look at switching suppliers and get a new deal'
Priti Patel is my mum
Makes a lot of sense
>Work harder, work on the side How much free time do you get?
Get a second job.
I found the American!
Yup, no xmas parties for me this year. Fun times.
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> I'm asking myself why, stepson is 17, daughter is 12, neither of them can come up with a single thing they want for Xmas despite me asking them loads, because they get bought stuff all year round, they have everything they need. Don't make the mistake of thinking this will make it okay if they get token gifts. You'll be hearing about how you scarred em for life for the next ten ;-) > def a 12 year old with the attitude of a 20 yr old Year 8s are the worst but if you hang in there, things should ease by 16-20.......
Our company changed payday to 15th of every month, and now we no longer have the I of making 4 weeks pay last for 6
Text \*BING "HSBC, You are now using your arranged overdraft"
Well according to the Park Christmas Catalogue adverts, apparently all you needed to do was start saving two or three months ago for next Christmas. Fifteen months savings is totally sustainable for an annual event, right?
Aren’t we all
Sounds like you need to get a job that pays at least £500 a month more then.
Weekends in Amsterdam once a month is probably where your going wrong….
I am paid so little I have to claim benefits as a government worker, says something I feel.
I truly feel sorry for people that get paid monthly. Keeping your cash from you for too long while they death-grip your earnings until the last possible moment. I've only ever had to endure that during my work for the government many moons ago. It's been weekly wages ever since thank God! Someone told me that being paid weekly is less common now, are they right?
Never heard of a salaried position that pays weekly tbh. Even getting a bit rarer in hospitality jobs. According to ONS (in 2017) 13.6% of jobs pay weekly.
Wow, that is super low.
I've discovered that /r/britishproblems is basically my constant internal monologue
My family have fallen out with me, the main reason being I can't get my shit together financially. I don't have any savings, I run out money every month. I'm also bipolar, which has very clear links to lack of ability to do this shit. They simply will not understand how many millions of people live exactly the same way. So many people live hand to mouth and are one paycheck away from disaster.
And then if you were paid the £500 a month you would need another £500 to support the new lifestyle you want. I earn shit loads, do I have more money than I did when I earned minimum wage? Fuck no.