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Diary entries cover a variety of topics, some of which you may find triggering. These topics include self-harm, suicide and domestic violence.
29 Jan 2024
Q&A

Roxy N

Does being on a low-income impact relationships with family members?

As a single parent on a low income, this is a subject that is quite massive in my family. The majority of my family are in couples where both work and live in an affluent area. So when it comes to school trips, school dinners, et cetera, I have to find the cost, obviously. But whereas it comes easy because they've got two wages coming in, but there's a lack of understanding because if I say to them, I'm struggling to afford the school trip this week, they're like, surely you've got 25 pound? Like, who's not got 25 pound? I'm like, well, I've got one wage. I'm paying all the bills. You've got two people with two wages. And they're like, well, no, because we have two lots of things going out. We may have two wages, but we still pay for two cars and stuff. And I'm like, yeah, but you have one rent, one gas and electric bill. Those bills aren't doubled. They're like, well, no, we have more expenses. Two people. There is a massive lack of understanding. Yeah, okay, you pay for two cars and you pay a bit more for your food, for the extra person, but you have two incomes. People just don't understand that as one person, you're paying out a lot more than a couple with two incomes. And until you live it, you don't understand it. And it causes me so much stress. Like you get asked, do you want to go out for a meal? No, I can't. I can't afford it. And then it's like they look at you like you're bad with your money when you're really not. It's just the way that things work when you're on a low income, being a single person hard.

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Use Roxy N's words in your own research or editorial
Changing Realities (2023), Roxy N. https://changingrealities.org/e/d8gdH (29 Jan 2024)
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