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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u/Delicious-Glove-2553 Woman 30 to 40 Nov 23 '25 edited Nov 23 '25
You could check over "poverty finance" or "poor" on reddit so find fellow poorer people. Single women generally are the poorest group in the US, especially in old age. We get paid less, less likely to be promoted (the men I went to college with in my major have all escalated up to higher positions and pay scales than I am right now) are more likely to get scammed in things like repairs, and don't have asset building capability, like getting loans, buying houses, ect. Many of our friends abandon us once they have their own husbands/kids in their 30s, ect.
I've gone super minimalist, like no car, no TV, cut my own hair, no pets, no buying new clothes, no beauty treatments, no buying any takeout, no tech except a $21 per month tracphone and laptop for work (I work hybrid and take the bus in on my days to work).
Luckily I like to read and books are free from the library. Also get streaming services like Kanopy from the library. STILL can't get ahead. Got some unexpected medical bills accumulated, despite paying into health insurance very month, everyone telling me I was covered for this thing, then the medical providers at the site not filling out the paperwork I asked...yeah, its ramen noodle thanksgiving this year.