How do people survive on minimum wage in the UK? I don't know how I am going to do it.

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Apprehensive_Oil_808@reddit

Universal credit, it basically props up the entire lower wage class. Most goes to pay off private landlords mortgages.

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CandidBar4794@reddit (OP)

I'm pretty sure you don't get that if you're working full time.

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Apprehensive_Oil_808@reddit

I work full time and get it. Rent is the issue, not wages.

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CandidBar4794@reddit (OP)

What do you mean by, 'rent is the issue?'

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tiny-but-spicy@reddit

FB marketplace has free furniture. What’s your budget breakdown like?

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CandidBar4794@reddit (OP)

I still have to collect it though. My budget breakdown each month or for furniture?

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tiny-but-spicy@reddit

For each month, what is everything you spend in a month, and what do you spend it on exactly?

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CandidBar4794@reddit (OP)

Flat £725 Phone bill/Internet £35 Bus £120 Gas £83 Water £31 Food £165 .T.V. licence £15

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tiny-but-spicy@reddit

Kind of a ripoff that bills aren’t included in your rent. You don’t need to pay the TV licence, the enforcers have no power to check, I’ve never paid it, their letters are all bark and no bite.

Anyway, all of that only comes out to £1174, you said you have £300 left over so you’re only getting £1474 per month? Min wage is 1700 after tax so that’s not right

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CandidBar4794@reddit (OP)

It's a council flat. The bills are never included. Cool! What do you do, if you don't mind me asking?

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tiny-but-spicy@reddit

Ah ok, idk about that, I’ve always rented privately. I work in environmental data science

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CandidBar4794@reddit (OP)

Oh, cool! Did you not have to go to uni for that?

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CandidBar4794@reddit (OP)

But, you still only get paid minimum wage? That sucks! Is there ways to improve your position?

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Yeah lol fortunately I'm switching jobs and will be almost doubling my take-home soon, the salary wasn't so bad 2 years ago when it was a grad job, plus the fully remote perk is great but I didn't get a raise at all in 2 years so off I go to a new role hahaha

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CandidBar4794@reddit (OP)

Well done and good luck

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tiny-but-spicy@reddit

Thanks, you too!

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CandidBar4794@reddit (OP)

Thank you

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Ok-Rain6295@reddit

They either go without other things, get help from family or have debt.

I live on universal credit and LCWRA- so £1,200 a month give or take. I do not get subsidised housing. I just about scrape by. I can pay my rent, water, electricity and internet bills. But I did have to ‘ration’ my heating as I only have electric and that’s £0.5ish per hour so I often couldn’t move my hands they were so cold this winter- I simply couldn’t afford to have the heating on as much as I needed.

I have a gym membership and have Disney+ and Spotify as my entertainment. I could spend a little less on food but that’s one of the only joys I have. Plus I stress eat.

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CandidBar4794@reddit (OP)

I'm on that atm. You must also be on .P.I.P., because lcwra is more like £823. I am better off on benefits than working.

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Ok-Rain6295@reddit

Not on PIP, but on LCWRA for a couple of years. As you’re in a council place imagine you don’t get housing element and you rent is paid directly to the council?

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CandidBar4794@reddit (OP)

That's strange. We don't get that much here. I get £1,123, including my .P.I.P.. I am confused, sorry.

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bow_down_whelp@reddit

So if you had a partner, your available money would be more

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mattymattymatty96@reddit

Getting women into work was supposed to increase your disposable income not create more value for the rich.

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bow_down_whelp@reddit

The NHS was supposed to provide lifelong care cradle to grave, police are supposed to respond to any breaks in the law, I was supposed to retire at 60, university degrees were supposed to guarantee me a well paid job

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CandidBar4794@reddit (OP)

You're right. It would be.

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Icy-Belt-8519@reddit

300 after everything is paid? That's actually not too bad, some people litrally have no disposable income

Furnishings I'd look at FB market place and charity shops, work on a higher paid job

Do you have a partner, if you live alone you may be entitled to a council tax reduction, if you have a partner with similar income easier to split

Alot of people on min wage do house shares too

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CandidBar4794@reddit (OP)

I mean, I'm not even on it yet. I'm on disability benefits, so I could get even less than that. Then not be able to furnish my flat, so have no bed, fridge, microwave etc.

I don't know what I could do to get a higher paid job.

I don't have a partner atm.

It might be better to do a house share.

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Jumpy-Jello-@reddit

If you're disabled and on benefits, do not move out of your council flat.

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CandidBar4794@reddit (OP)

Why?

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Icy-Belt-8519@reddit

So you work plus disability benefits? Is it pip you are on? Or uc and lcwra? Or both?

Yeh a house share would mean buying less, but if not still look for cheap furniture

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Vellomanaca@reddit

If you have any local charity shops talk to them about your situation with furnishing they may have some super low cost items or stuff they can't shift and are willing to give to a good home.

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660trail@reddit

See a benefits advisor. Just because you work doesn't mean you won't qualify for any benefits.

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CandidBar4794@reddit (OP)

I'm pretty sure if you work full-time you're not entitled to anything

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SpudFire@reddit

I don't understand how you can have £300 spare after all bills, which can go on furnishing your flat, but also say you can't afford more than 3 food shops a month?

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Icy-Belt-8519@reddit

Some people just do 3 shops a month?, I've done it, 3 weeks of normal shopping with cooking a bit extra then a week of left overs, or done fortnightly shops with meal prepping

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SpudFire@reddit

I don't see the need to have mentioned how many times they'd do a food shop then. If they can afford food for the whole month then it hardly needs mentioning at all.

Saying "I have budgeted for 3 food shops a month... that's all I can afford" implies they can't afford food for the entire month.

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Icy-Belt-8519@reddit

I just read it as they budgeted for that cause that's what they do, obviously having 300 left over I didn't think it was an affordability thing!

However, their reply to your comment kind of confirms you were correct

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CandidBar4794@reddit (OP)

How do you not understand that?

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zbornakingthestone@reddit

They don't have subsidised accommodation either - so you're already up on them. They usually live in house shares. Are you planning on just not eating for a week or are you actually just going to shop three times? Obviously the former isn't possible.

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CandidBar4794@reddit (OP)

Some of the food from other weeks can run into that week.

I don't know if I can afford subsidised housing. I might be better in a houseshare.

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Individual-Gur-7292@reddit

I would strongly advise not leaving council housing to go into private shared accommodation. It would be a penny wise pound foolish move that you would likely deeply regret in the future

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CandidBar4794@reddit (OP)

I might want to move in with a future partner though

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blackbirdonatautwire@reddit

Compare the rents before you do anything. If you already have council housing your rent is probably lower than all but the smallest room in the most miserable flatshare. Council housing is gold dust. Also check what happens if you give it up. Will go back to the bottom of the list?

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Economy-Awareness475@reddit

I’m extremely frugal. All of my hobbies are either very cheap or free. Look at price comparison sites for cheapest utilities/insurance/internet/phone etc. I drive a 14 year old car. I’ve been abroad once in the last 10 years.

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CandidBar4794@reddit (OP)

I have no idea how you afford that car, but I can't drive anyway.

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Economy-Awareness475@reddit

I bought it outright 7 years ago. I work from home 2 days per week and only drive locally, so i fill up around every 6 weeks which is about £50-60 per tank

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Timely_Egg_6827@reddit

British Heart Foundation have really good furniture charity shops. And often do free delivery.

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CandidBar4794@reddit (OP)

They don't do free delivery, but they can be quite good.

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That-Sun-4492@reddit

Living within your means really. A lot of entitled people claim its “not enough” because NMW doesnt get you a 4 bed in Kensington.

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CandidBar4794@reddit (OP)

Right, so I am entitled? How about you live like that and see how you like it? It's not enough.

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PurchaseDry9350@reddit

What an ignorant and stupid comment.

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Who_Knows_M3@reddit

What are you spending £300 on each month furnishing?

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CandidBar4794@reddit (OP)

I haven't started yet, but I'm sure I will.

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GlitchingGecko@reddit

It's not really feasible to live alone on minimum wage, even in a council flat.

Plus, a lot of people live off of credit cards. I know someone who spent her twenties and thirties living off of credit cards, and now in her late 30s she's over 100k in debt and realistically never going to be able to afford her own home

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Some_Masterpiece6639@reddit

Living alone shouldn’t be a luxury, some people can’t cope with other people in a shared house and want their own personal space. Council flat rents are much cheaper than housing association and private rents, but unfortunately now social housing is only given to people in dire circumstances.

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GlitchingGecko@reddit

I don't think it should either, but them's the breaks, especially in urban areas.

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Some_Masterpiece6639@reddit

Obviously London is out of the question because it’s a luxury place to live, and gentrification has priced working class people out of areas they grew up in.

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GlitchingGecko@reddit

Yeah, but even most city centres are more expensive when compared to the next town over. 5 miles outside of my county's center and rent drops £100pm.

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OwnLunch2133@reddit

Well, there's plenty of us who don't have these £300 after paying bills. I wish I had!

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CandidBar4794@reddit (OP)

I mean, I'm not even on it yet. I'm on disability benefits, so I could get even less than that. Then not be able to furnish my flat, so have no bed, fridge, microwave etc.

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Garden-Rose-8380@reddit

Have a look at Freecycle in your area and on food check out Too Good to Go and Olio.

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QuickSpace3289@reddit

If you're on disability benefits you can get grants to furnish your home.

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AffectionateAd8377@reddit

Speak to jobcentre. If you are on MW it's likely you could also claim UC and receive money from them too depending on your hours and circumstances. It's there to help top up low earners who are essential to the country, not just fund what the right wing nut jobs would call 'benefit scroungers'.

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CandidBar4794@reddit (OP)

They don't give you anything if you work full-time

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AffectionateAd8377@reddit

It goes off earnings, not how many hours you work. At one point I was working 32 hours a week and got some from them. Not a lot, granted but it helped. Obviously the more hours you work the less you get. If you are sure you earn enough to not be eligible then fair enough. But if you haven't checked it might be worth it.

Either way, good luck with getting sorted.

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badreligionlover@reddit

Please dont compare or chase. Work within your means.

You will find many are defaulting on credit, getting help from parents or are so in debt that without more debt, this life they are leading is impossible.

Focus on you. You will be better for it later in life.

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AskUK-ModTeam@reddit

This topic has been discussed either too often over time or recently.

Please search the sub or Google instead.

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tomelwoody@reddit

No avocado on toast and a huge inheritance…

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filbert94@reddit

I used my inheritance to buy shares in avocados

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Flyawaymoss9747@reddit

The harsh reality is they don’t, not without help from parents or family. And those that do have a low quality of life and one broken kitchen appliance away from financial ruin. And they may potentially work more

You’re gonna have to do your best to see if there are any charities that could help, some give out free bathroom products (razors, tampons etc), and tinned beans.

There are also charities that can help if you have had a harder start in life (which is normally related to a poor financial situation), for example you were estranged or had mental health difficulties that also have the free stuff

As for furnishing it depends what you mean. If you mean, if you mean needed repairs for a decent quality of life then you need that. If it’s furniture, while you obviously need it and I’m not saying you should have to choose, could you buy it slowly just so you have more cash on hand to make you feel a bit better? Buying second hand may help if not considered, especially for a TV

Also aggressively look for jobs and other cash opportunities like baby sitting for example, consider uber eats if you have a bike and it’s popular in your town

Good luck mate

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CandidBar4794@reddit (OP)

I don't know how to make more money. I can't ride a bike.

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TheRebelPercy@reddit

Do you live alone? Shopping doesn’t have to be expensive.

Bag of oats - £1
Six Bananas - £1
Greek yoghurt - £1
Tins of chickpeas, tomatoes etc - 50p
1kg of rice - £1

Lentils, broccoli, potatoes, carrots and such like are no more than £1.50. Add in some yellow stickers for your proteins and you can be comfortable.

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Jumpy-Jello-@reddit

Preparing food when disabled can be much more challenging, it often is a bigger expense as pre-prepared meals are often needed.

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Internal_Lion_1836@reddit

i’m on just a bit over 26k. i’m gonna get another job on the weekends but that’s still not a lot of money lol

i do drive but my car is a 1.2L petrol so not too bad

i buy most of my stuff in bulk so it lasts me longer, i’m conscious of money but not excessive. i live in a houseshare where the rent is 500

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duvagin@reddit

i live in a rented houseshare (hmo), basically a bedsit with shared amenities

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WGSMA@reddit

Min Wage is actually quite high now

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THROWRAsaltylemon@reddit

High compared to what? It's not a livable wage.

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WGSMA@reddit

Other countries. The UK itself only a few years ago. Average UK fill time pay today.

It’s up 300% in 20 years, well beyond inflation or GDP growth.

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Seafoxing@reddit

£300 left in this climate is pretty good. My situation is probably different to yours. Three kids. Mortgage and all the shite that goes with that - our food bills are insane. My partner earns okay. I’m on just above minimum wage. We have absolutely no disposable income anymore and zero savings - it’s all been eroded.

However, we manage. We get by, we don’t do holidays or takeaways and budget carefully- but we are happy, healthy and all have pretty fulfilling lives. Yes, it’s nice to have money but equally you can be perfectly happy without having all the stuff you see other people banging on about.

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YorkshireMary@reddit

I use Too Good To Go. The Greggs one is great. 3 days food for £3

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YorkshireMary@reddit

It's a phone app on Play Store

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flangeflangeflanges@reddit

Get a second job to earn extra cash. That’s what I did. Worked in a pub a couple of nights a week and one night at weekends.

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MightyDevOps@reddit

You survive ,dont have a life exactly as you said.

You need to climb corporate , good luck

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CandidBar4794@reddit (OP)

How do I climb corporate?

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Mysterious-Bid-9446@reddit

Just because someone has something does not always mean they can afford it

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Opening-Concert-8016@reddit

Living on minimum wage forever would be very hard. Minimum wage jobs are good to get experience and move up to better paying jobs.

Minimum wage stacking shelves at Tesco... Use that on your CV to get a job at Aldi or Lidl who work you harder but pay better.

Minimum wage jobs at McDonald's, show willing to management and push for promotions etc. branch managers at McDonald's get paid well and it's not a crazy amount of years to get up there.

Also, consider reducing your current quality of life set up, if you can see a career path that gets you to a higher pay in X years, could you also align that with moving to a house share? Reducing your outgoings more then a flat all to yourself. Do you need broadband and a mobile phone contract (I have an unlimited data SIM only plan for £16 a month with O2, in theory if it was just me I could just tether things to my phone instead of paying for broadband separately, assuming you're in a good 5g area).

Also look at where in the UK you live. Minimum wage jobs are available everywhere in the UK. Moving up north could lower your living expenses massively, combined with a house share in a decent sized town, you could build a good social life quickly whilst saving money.

Finally, and this one is really hard on minimum wage, but if you can, immediately put 10% of whatever you get paid (after tax) in savings. And then base your living expenses on the 90% less. This is super hard, but after less then a year you'd have a month's wage in the savings... The freedom that gives you is massive. Then you could enjoy a holiday or a treat. If you can build this into your money management now, and keep at it for the rest of your working life, so keep putting the equivalent of 10% away even after you get a pay rise, you'll set your self up for life (even if you spend 50% of your savings at the end of each year as a treat for yourself).

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unyieldingnoodle@reddit

Is the £300 really spare if you’re unable to afford more food??

In general, people prioritise their money differently; I would rather buy solid furniture from second hand places than flat pack. A good friend of mine thinks second hand anything is disgusting.

Some people want to have new soft furnishings to match different seasons/occasion and feel like it’s money well spent whereas others don’t.

The wealthiest person I know has literally had the same wash bag for 15 years and drives a 16 year old car.

I say this as it depends what you’re aiming for.

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MATE_AS_IN_SHIPMATE@reddit

Lots of people get help from parents.

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Haunting_Hour_4556@reddit

Don't forget the partner. Even if they're also earning minimum wage, you're splitting some of the big expenses.

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Suspicious_Flower_0@reddit

Or credit cards, cars on finance, holidays by Klarna pay etc etc

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EyeAware3519@reddit

And the state

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Neddlings55@reddit

You have £300 spare. Furnishing a property should be low priority beyond essentials.

The fact you have money over after all your bills is better than an awful lot of people.

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birdinthebush74@reddit

The TooGoodToGo app can be brilliant for cheap food

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Real-Butterscotch682@reddit

Depending on the job see if you can pick up extra shifts or get an evening/weekend job or sign up to do bank work somewhere.

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Puzzled-Barnacle-200@reddit

Most people just spend money differently to you. If you have 6 dogs, you'll find it harder than someone who doesn't. If you're a single parent, you'll find it harder than a couple with no kids.

My partner and I earn around the median wage. We currently live off about the take-home pay for if we worked minimum wage, and use the rest to save/invest/overpay the mortgage. But we're currently DINK and are hoping to change their reasonably soon, so expect our income to drop and expenses to increase.

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