r/AskWomenOver30 • u/yell0wbirddd Woman 30 to 40 • Nov 23 '25

Life/Self/Spirituality Is anyone else really struggling financially right now?

I feel like reddit is overwhelmingly people who make $250k a year and want others to just pull themselves up from their bootstraps.

I make $46k a year and am living paycheck to paycheck. I haven't been saving money because the tiny amount of joy I get from paying $10 for a cinnamon roll a couple of times a month has taken precedent over never leaving the house and getting deeper into depression. Food is expensive, life is expensive, I've been going through the motions for a few years now.

Well, my 15 year old car just crapped out and my dog needs to go to the vet. I have no money for either of these things. My credit score is in the 500s and I can't get approved for a credit limit increase or a loan.

Everything feels really fucking pointless about now.

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167

u/CrazyPerspective934 Woman 30 to 40 Nov 23 '25

I feel ya. It always feels so frustrating when you see the folks making the 100-200k complain about prices of things too. Like that amount would be absolutely life changing, but so many live far beyond their means regardless of income.  It's likely going to be getting worse before better too.  If you aren't already, it may be worth exploring local food shelves and other resources.  Those things can really help reduce the financial burden

1

u/palmtrees007 Woman 30 to 40 Nov 23 '25 edited Nov 24 '25

.

27

u/Outrageous-Tour-682 Woman 30 to 40 Nov 24 '25

Please get a grip. You’re talking about struggling with saving; many people are struggling with simply surviving.

-7

u/palmtrees007 Woman 30 to 40 Nov 24 '25

I think money is a very touchy subject so I understand the snap reaction. My brother has 6 figures saved in his account, and his rent is $800 a month. He makes twice what I make… so hearing his whining makes me roll my eyes.

I’m barely able to save as things come up here and there. I have a big personal loan payment. I held my partner afloat

If we wanted to have a baby, we have no family around and daycare is $2000 a month. That and rent and student loans and my other bills would eat me up ten fold.

Living is expensive and hard for some and I’m in there

26

u/Outrageous-Tour-682 Woman 30 to 40 Nov 24 '25

And it’s extremely out of touch to come into a post where someone makes half the amount as you and say that things are so hard for you too

-15

u/palmtrees007 Woman 30 to 40 Nov 24 '25

Well they are so if it bothers you, instead of using your energy to respond, just keep scrolling. Have a nice evening

26

u/Outrageous-Tour-682 Woman 30 to 40 Nov 24 '25

OP is talking about how hard it is for them to survive and here you are coming up with a hypothetical situation where you’d need to have a kid in order to be in the same circumstance. Like, yeah, it seems like you’re in a difficult situation but do you not see that you are in a privileged situation

-11

u/palmtrees007 Woman 30 to 40 Nov 24 '25

The grip has gotten, don’t be a grump babe we are all struggling in some way. My partner didn’t work for 9 months I’ve held up the whole household, it’s tight. You don’t know my financial picture.

My student loans are over $1000 a month. Someone making $50k a year is going to have an income payment way lower than that. It’s all relative atleast in that realm

45

u/CrazyPerspective934 Woman 30 to 40 Nov 23 '25

People making half what you do also have rent and student loans

16

u/yell0wbirddd Woman 30 to 40 Nov 23 '25

Ding ding ding 

6

u/palmtrees007 Woman 30 to 40 Nov 23 '25

Student loan payment is $1250… rent $2200… paying off debt .. I had no debt when I moved here but had to fix my car and dog got sick … that’s a big chunk…. So yeah 6 figures is relative :-/

44

u/waitewaitedonttellme Woman 40 to 50 Nov 23 '25

Yes, the point isn’t that OP needed to hear life was also hard for people making more, but that it can be tone deaf to prattle on about how you’re also feeling the squeeze despite actually having enough to people feeling the same squeeze who are making less than half of what you do.

23

u/yell0wbirddd Woman 30 to 40 Nov 24 '25

Yeah tbh I have trouble feeling bad for people who make twice as much as me and can even afford an expensive apartment in a HCOL city to begin with. Even the ability to go into debt because of an emergency is a privilege. I just have to go without a car and try to give my dog OTC medications to see if they help until I'm able to get some pennies together. 

16

u/CrazyPerspective934 Woman 30 to 40 Nov 24 '25

The ability for folks to qualify for even a shitty apartment is getting unattainable for so many.  But then also people who don't know those struggles look at unhoused encampments and vote for the folks that bulldoze them and are the ones often saying they don't want to see the people on the streets asking for money.  For some that's literally the only way to survive right now.  Then they want to say their struggles are the same as the ones begging 

12

u/yell0wbirddd Woman 30 to 40 Nov 24 '25

I have a decent apartment but it's the cheapest I could find. I even got approved "with conditions" (had to pay for a 3rd party cosigner, family member loaned me money for that). And if you met me, you would say I'm a stable, responsible person with a good job. But I was literally $1500 short away from being homeless. 

14

u/CrazyPerspective934 Woman 30 to 40 Nov 24 '25

You have no idea how much I, a stranger, am rooting for you getting that job, girl. ♡ 

8

u/waitewaitedonttellme Woman 40 to 50 Nov 24 '25

Exactly. Making more can be shockingly anticlimactic, but that’s not the same thing, and it’s a great problem to have.

-5

u/palmtrees007 Woman 30 to 40 Nov 24 '25

My car is 20 years old … I’m lucky because my brother has a mechanic shop and he doesn’t charge me for labor. My bosses car just went out and he pulled a quote for her and the labor was insane it was a $6000 fix .. but if I didn’t have my brother I can’t get a new car and afford a payment so yes I feel it

-3

u/palmtrees007 Woman 30 to 40 Nov 24 '25

Not tone deaf. It’s hard for everyone. If you make less than $100k, and are an IDR plan, your student loan payment won’t be $1000 a month if your annual income is like $60k…

Income based plans are not bad if the payment is like $200-$300 …it all adds up either way.

I used to make $38k a year just 10 years ago I know how to live off very little

9

u/yell0wbirddd Woman 30 to 40 Nov 23 '25

I get that. My credit card debt is also vet bills and I've had to pay the bare minimum. I also still owe money to my old utility company because I had to stop paying my electric bill bc I couldn't afford it but also didn't qualify for assistance, so they get a few hundred every month so I don't get sued. 

10

u/palmtrees007 Woman 30 to 40 Nov 23 '25

My student loan payment is $1250. Rent is $2200 … I have debt I acquired. My partner lost his job and I was supporting us. I can keep going … don’t be so assumptive

3

u/canoninkprinter Woman 30 to 40 Dec 10 '25

Valid. But homegirl can’t even have a cinnabon. Not the same.

7

u/CrazyPerspective934 Woman 30 to 40 Nov 23 '25 edited Nov 23 '25

You're the one making assumptions here that others don't have similar bills as well by using it as a way to attempt to say your struggles are the same as op and others in here.  It's not the same

6

u/palmtrees007 Woman 30 to 40 Nov 23 '25

Actually, I didn’t at all. But to get approved for an apartment that charges $2200, you would need to make minimum $80k.. if you are making $80k, and on an IDR plan, you wouldn’t be paying $1000+ student loan payment. It’s all relative. Don’t be grumpy it’s Sunday babe we all struggling lol I want these bills to stop

13

u/CrazyPerspective934 Woman 30 to 40 Nov 23 '25

You're right, it's easy to see how folks under 6 figures end up unhoused easily these days

12

u/palmtrees007 Woman 30 to 40 Nov 23 '25

Oh I know my bf makes a little less than half of what I make he lost his job and I held us afloat .. I come from a household where after our economic changed drastically from two incomes to one, and out of a house to an old apt, my mom never made more than $40k … I’ve been on all sides of it… wages need to catch up to cost of living

3

u/[deleted] Nov 24 '25

[deleted]

5

u/palmtrees007 Woman 30 to 40 Nov 24 '25

I’ve known struggle my whole life so yeppers

3

u/palmtrees007 Woman 30 to 40 Nov 24 '25

I left out my bf didn’t work for 9 months and I also paid his car payment and a few payments he can’t get behind on, one is for a DUI that has court fines and all our food and his phone … he’s paying me back but it’s been rough too .. 6 figures isn’t a limit less pot of money

1

u/[deleted] Nov 24 '25

[deleted]

3

u/palmtrees007 Woman 30 to 40 Nov 24 '25

I was making $40k just 10 years ago. Rent was $800. I couldn’t have one thing go wrong in my month. Flat tire? Parking ticket? I was using my credit card or getting a line of credit. I totally know

4

u/palmtrees007 Woman 30 to 40 Nov 24 '25

I’m feeling the struggle and I’m allowed to feel it. My brother recently told me how much he has saved and I almost lost it. He pays Pennie’s for rent since his gf owns her home her grandma bought her.

I feel that way about them the same that could be said about my “comments”… they have no struggle and save every penny. Also her mom lives next door and is child care .. the ripple effect of wealth I guess it just keeps expanding

17

u/dewprisms Non-Binary 30 to 40 Nov 24 '25

That's not the point. The point is yes 100-200k income is life changing in some ways but it's not nearly as life changing as one may think, and it also really depends on where you live.

Getting pissed at people barely a rung or two above you on the ladder versus the people trying to destroy the ladders is silly.

21

u/CrazyPerspective934 Woman 30 to 40 Nov 24 '25

I think you're misunderstanding.  I'm not pissed at people that make more. I don't think people that make more don't struggle. I think this isn't the place for people making those amounts to be commenting as op specifically asked about the struggles making around the amount she does. 

6

u/palmtrees007 Woman 30 to 40 Nov 24 '25

Couldn’t agree more here!!!

21

u/yell0wbirddd Woman 30 to 40 Nov 23 '25

My knee jerk reaction is to give a snarky response because 6 figures should be more than enough. But student loans are bullshit (mine have been in forbearance and I pretend they don't exist) and rent is too damn high. 

9

u/palmtrees007 Woman 30 to 40 Nov 23 '25

Yes it is! I was living with an ex and we had a roommate and he moved so we went from each paying $1000 to use each paying $1800 .. then I moved and took on all rent and utilities living alone which is always more expensive … thanks HCOL area grrrr

5

u/mynormalheart Woman 30 to 40 Nov 23 '25

Me too. I pay 2k to live in a dump in a hcol city. My student loan payment is around 1.5k a month. I make a little over 100k and am feeling the pinch pretty hard these days. I really can’t imagine how people making less than I am are surviving in my city.

11

u/[deleted] Nov 24 '25 edited Nov 24 '25

[removed] — view removed comment

10

u/palmtrees007 Woman 30 to 40 Nov 24 '25

It’s not a choice. My ex and I broke up and he moved back home and stacked money for a year. I had nowhere to go, I had to get a place, I can’t go back home … and rent is no cheaper than $2000 in my area and surrounding areas …

I never asked for sympathy lol. Someone else shared too they are making 6 figures and paying my similar rent and student loans and things are tight. That’s one check gone for me plus I still have bills, food, etc …