Uk finances. how do people do it!

amother

Thu, Jan 19 2023, 1:50 pm

someone please tell me that im not the only one in this matzav.large family kh. husband works full time - commuting - leaving house at 5am home at 7pm or 8pm depending on day... I cant work due to 2 little kids at home and little childcare options availabe (im from out of town...) husband earning 650 a week plus abit of commision based pay at the end of the month (which covers the mortgage). I cant cover my week . I now have 1 boy in yeshiva and 2 girls going into into local (english) sems next year. I cant even find the £150 for sem registration fees!!! how is this supposed to work???
£340-£380 groceries including meat and fish (family of 10)
£60 supermarket- fruit and veg/toiletries
£35 morning playgroup for toddler
£85 yeshivathis includes maaser
£90 for extras /one offs - clothes, shoes, school trips etc....
utilities etc get paid by gov. benefits...
comes to anything extra like sibling chasuna etc, and dont even have £40 to get a cheap dress for chasuna.....

amother

Midnight

Thu, Jan 19 2023, 2:36 pm

We both work. We couldn't manage otherwise. I work for a school which means I have off work when they have holiday (vacation). The school also offers childcare at a good rate. And we are on tax credits which allows us to claim back some of the childcare costs. Even if 90% of my wage was eaten up by childcare, that's still 10% more money than I had before I was working. We don't have a lot of money but we manage to get by month by month.
But yeah life isn't easy. I look at people around me who seem to spend money and I don't know how they do it.

amother

Milk

Thu, Jan 19 2023, 3:06 pm

Wow that’s hard!

What are DH hours, sounds like a long day.
Mine has a 40 minute commute, works 9-6, he’s out 8:20-6:45.

Have you checked that you are claiming all benefits you are eligible for?
Working in school might be an option. School holidays, cheap crèche. Or babysitting at home.

amother

Thu, Jan 19 2023, 3:13 pm

amother Midnight wrote:

thanks for the validation.... I was working in school till by baby was born but the creche wont take 2 kids. To send my toddler to childcare (even with paid childcare) would cost enough that I would end up working 3 afternoons a week for £80 a week. with a family of 8 kids, and a husband not in town all day, it wasnt worth the incredible effort it takes to go to work ....

amother

Thu, Jan 19 2023, 3:18 pm

amother Milk wrote:

it IS a long day. commute without traffic is 1 hr. hrs are 8-6. needs to leave at 5am otherwise gets stuck in traffic and arrives late... home is rush hor Mad

I daven every day that he should find a job closer to home ....
yup been through benefit and grant options many times....

amother

Milk

Thu, Jan 19 2023, 3:32 pm

It is tough.

I hope he does find a new, very satisfying new job!
One which pays better, he does long hours for under £35k.
You should both have a lot of koach.

I think the reality is sinking in, people haven’t realised yet and somehow are still living it up.
Reality will hit everyone soon. I’m not sure how luxuries are still so widespread.

amother

Yellow

Thu, Jan 19 2023, 4:19 pm

Just think how lucky you are you dont have $100,000 in tuition bill per year, & $20,000 for medical insurance before you even see a doctor or get any medication!
I know its difficult everywhere - and will probably get worse before it gets better, but always try to look at the bright side. Many people are in debt but keep up with the luxuries. Try not to look at others and daven that we all will have the parnosa that each needs.

amother

Apricot

Thu, Jan 19 2023, 5:29 pm

BH you have a mortgage!

How are you earning £34k pa and the government pays your bills?
Do you have no school fees either or mobile/Internet?

This is why nurses are striking. They earn on average 35k and its not enough to live on. And I doubt there are many nurses with 8 kids and a mortgage.

Unfortunately the reality is you need to try to be earning more for those 8 kids. Can you work from home or in the evenings maybe?

(I hope this doesn't come across rude, I know posts can get misinterpreted here)

amother

Catmint

Thu, Jan 19 2023, 6:33 pm

We just about swing it now, in so nervous for the future. Our mortgage is going up from April, and we have a son starting yeshiva in elul iyh. I don't know how we'll do it, but Hashem has helped until now so just got to daven. I work part time and can't work more than that at the moment. I try my best.

Lego80

Thu, Jan 19 2023, 7:25 pm

amother OP wrote:

Im sorry for your financial struggles. I live in the USA but my weekly expense list is much longer than yours.
My list is everything you have plus babysitting (not an option since I work full time), tuition, electric, gas, water, phones, internet, gas, tolls, car payments, I'm sure im missing stuff, it's endless.
My husband and I both work full time and after taxes we bring home almost 13k per month between the 2 of us but its not enough. I dont know how you do it, hashem should help us all. I just paid 7$ for eggs today. It's not normal

amother

Lavender

Thu, Jan 19 2023, 7:25 pm

amother OP wrote: