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An NHS nurse says she is living off just £24 a week after her bills due to the rise of living costs. Single mum Heather Johnston, 30, struggles to get by since the cost of her bills has rocketed.
With two young children, Dominic, 12 and Olivia, three, Heather is finding ways she can keep herself afloat and be able to feed her children. From remortgaging her house and downsizing her car, as well as avidly buying yellow sticker food, Heather has the tough decision of choosing to work extra shifts for more money or spending time with her children.
Heather explains: “Everyone is struggling but people are under the impression nurses are better paid than most, but that isn’t true. “I’m a single mum, I have no government support, I work full-time five days a week for eight hours, and I pay nursery fees.
“I only get 20 per cent back for childcare, but my bills are horrendous. I know there are people worse off than me and the jobs people do regardless of healthcare I know people have less than me but nursing isn’t a well paid job and the impact the costs of living are so bad, I don’t know how people are managing.
“I only have £24 a week to live off after all of my bills are paid, it’s tough. I’m now not buying anything new unless it’s underwear. If I want anything that is out of my bills and the £24 I have left I will have to work extra shifts.
“I already work five days a week but I would have to work an extra day. I do that quite a bit now, and even on my annual leave I did two extra shifts. I cant afford to not work. I have remortgaged my house which has saved me an extra £70 a month, I have downsized my car from a Ford Ecosport to a Fiat 500 which is saving me £60 a month. It’s not most practical but what I need to do and I wouldn’t be able to afford anything else.
“I have tried so hard to reduce my outgoings, and I have also paid off my credit card and got rid of it so don’t have stress of having a credit card and having the stress off maxing out. Before the rise of bills, my electricity and water was £70, it has now doubled. It was such a sudden jump.
“I thought people were joking when they said things were going up. I have a very exhausting job and deal with a lot in a days work so I can already come out deflated just from work. My monthly outgoings are now going on my mortgage which is now £335, my council tax which is £140, I have a loan repayment of £240, the electricity and water is £140, my car is £232 and the insurance is £50. I also pay £500 for my daughter a month and my wifi is £60.”
In total, Heather spends £2000 per month but she makes cuts where she can. She praises the reduced items for slashing her food shopping bill to £65 per month.
She adds: “I mostly do yellow sticker shopping but it’s difficult to go at the best times as I have the kids however Aldi is brilliant but not everyone gets same reduction, it’s important to know what you can and can’t freeze. It just means I need to plan a lot more in advance.
“I can’t afford to buy fresh fish or meat, so I would only buy it when it’s reduced and freeze it. “I’ve taught myself how to batch cook and I typically cook lots of Bolognaise and pasta dishes, I also make chicken curries and basic dishes as well with peppers onions and mushrooms.
“For example, if there is 30 per cent off mushrooms, I will buy in bulk and batch cook them, I just find anything that is reduced and base my meals around what I get. It makes it hard though as you don’t know what you will buy, you have to see what’s there. I’m now noticing more people finding and buying reduced food. I wasn’t something people would have done and relied on before.
“I’m not even embarrassed anymore like I used to be when buying yellow sticker food.”
Heather has been a nurse for five years, working as an addiction nurse in prisons, after dreaming of being nurse since she was a child. She doesn’t ever want to stop being a nurse, but she isn’t surprised to see the number of people leaving the industry or leaving the NHS and working privately.
No longer being able to afford new clothes, Heather has found a love for online second-hand sites such as Vinted and searching in charity shops. Heather adds: “90% my of clothes aren’t new, I get clothes from my sister too. My daughter also gets clothes from friends and family but it’s so nice because gets excited about getting a bag full of clothes, she see’s it as a present she adores it.
“Luckily my children aren’t those who want branded everything. The only thing I won’t buy second-hand is my son’s school uniform as I would hate for him to get bullied because of it.
“I have also started selling things on Vinted too. I have already sold a few items which has been really helpful. I work Monday to Friday from seven until three, but I don’t finish on time usually as I have to respond to a lot of emergency situations such as overdoses, so I have to give reversal treatments which means I can’t just leave.
“It’s so sad because a lot of time have to phone my so and hell him I won’t be able to pick him up on time and then call the nursery telling them I will be late. It’s horrible, I don’t want child to be last one there. I know it takes such a toll on my children. They are my world and that’s why I did nursing, I wanted to go into job where I cared for people, I care so much and I enjoy working with people but I also I understand why people are leaving.
“I’m happy I’m doing, I don’t regret any form of nursing as I’ve always wanted to do it since I was young. My kids come first and when daughter goes to school I will have a little more money left over, but how much more will cost of living go up?
“I haven’t been on holiday and I don’t have anything planned, I want to take kids away but can’t at the moment. I only go to Costco for petrol as it’s cheaper, I will take detour on way to work just to save anywhere I can.
“Something has to give soon, I hope so.”
