I'm on Universal Credit & it's tough surviving – I even lost £600 due my husband deciding to get a job, it's impossible
WITH the cost of living crisis squeezing everyone's finances, one mum is questioning how long it will take to see progress in her own situation.
Melissa Kerrighen, 29, who has a five-year-old daughter, is on Universal Credit but is struggling to make ends meet.
Universal Credit is a welfare scheme that replaces six other benefits with a single monthly payment for those who are out of work or on a low income.
Melissa, who works as a sewing machinist making saddles, is now resorting to different money-saving methods in an effort to stay afloat.
Taking to her TikTok page ' islaandmeadventures ', Melissa shared a video with her 14.7k followers, detailing her current struggles.
She is currently budgeting £50 for the month and explained that before she started keeping track of her spending, she would end up with no money left in her account by the month's end.
'I was paying the minimum amount on my credit card, which was slowly going down because half of the payment I made would be eaten up by interest,' she explains.
Melissa would only manage to save around £40 a month.
She continues: 'With life at the minute, and with bills constantly going up, it's always one thing after the other, isn't it?
'Trying to manage your finances on a low income is hard.
'It's not just hard on a financial level, it's hard mentally.
'And all those odd spends throughout the month that you just don't seem to notice.'
I'm a mum-of-2 on UC & fed up with people calling me a scrounger - yes I've got a £1.5k pram, I can have nice things too
This is why Melissa has started tracking her spending, recognising that 'no one else was going to change' her financial situation.
In March, Melissa lost £600 a month from Universal Credit after her partner, a workshop manager, started a full-time job.
She says: 'That isn't easy to absorb. But even though I'm on a part-time wage, I still have the same amount of bills to pay. It doesn't change, does it?'
Melissa goes on to ask: 'If you're on Universal Credit, are you managing to make ends meet right now?'
She revealed that on day 13 of her budgeting, she had £21.99 left in the pot for the rest of the month.
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Her video gained 4,820 views, with many people commenting to share their thoughts and experiences, some in similar situations.
One wrote: 'My partner works and we claim UC (Universal Credit). [We're] struggling atm, it's because food and bills are so expensive.'
A second added: 'I'm disabled and on UC, have to say I'm struggling.
'I'm really trying to manage my finances but every time I think I know what's happening, something major happens.'
Whilst a third said: 'I'm really struggling and food is so expensive these days.'
And a fourth shared: 'My partner works and I claim UC.
'It's really hard, especially this year as the kids are going on a school trip and we booked a summer holiday. I wish we hadn't as I can't physically save any more.'
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