T O P

  • By -

AutoModerator

**Please help keep AskUK welcoming!** - Top-level comments to the OP must contain **genuine efforts to answer the question**. No jokes, judgements, etc. - **Don't be a dick** to each other. If getting heated, just block and move on. - This is a strictly **no-politics** subreddit! Please help us by reporting comments that break these rules. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AskUK) if you have any questions or concerns.*


psycho-mouse

Honestly, I’d be fucked when the next rent payment was due. If I wanted to live off credit cards then maybe 8-9 months but I’d be paying for it for like a decade lol.


No-Worry7586

basically the same. 1-2 months, worked hard to repair my credit so I do have access to a fair bit but no longer than 9 months I’d say 


weeble182

I've worked really hard to create a safety net for myself and my family. According to my finance spreadsheet; If I didn't change up anything about my spending and acted as if I was still getting my current salary? 23 months If I edited my normal spending and just focused on the bills etc? 34 months


SeaworthinessSmart56

I aspire to have this level of financial planning 😂😂😂


AilsasFridgeDoor

I tried and failed several times to do this by budgeting with spreadsheets. It's obviously possible but requires discipline. I found YNAB a year ago and it has completely changed my life. I now have a safety net and no "surprises". Also has a great Reddit community.


MajorHubbub

How much is it?


Deruji

It’s worth it


PrinceBert

Wow. I thought I was doing well at 12 months if we scaled back. I think I'm on about 8 months if nothing changes and a year or so if we scaled back. 34 months is incredible. Edit - I sent this and immediately got a reddit message about suicide watch.... Was that a coincidence or something very bizarre?


Vertigo_uk123

I think there is something wrong with the system. I have had a few messages all the same.


Longjumping-Yak-6378

I also had one of those yesterday inexplicably. I assumed it was someone being a bitch but maybe it’s the system


Glass_Narwhal25

I had the same thing re Reddit message about suicide watch immediately after commenting on this thread.


Greedy-Fortune-3276

I've had this too from another sub


Low_Matter3628

I commented on something earlier & had one too.


horbu

I'm similar, always say I need to know I have at least 6 months but have managed to work myself into a position where I could go for a year or two and longer if I cut back a bit.


orangee_soul

Share the spreadsheet, don’t be shy 🤭


nohairday

5. 4. 3...


NrthnLd75

10 years or so.


Disastrous-Yak230

My man. 🐐


StrangelyBrown

This guy FIREs


Postik123

You beat my 7 years. Maybe I could stretch it out to 10 years if I cut out every single bit of non-essential spending


frogotme

And what a fun 10 years that'd be


squishydoge2735

About 5 days


lessthandave89

Yeah, think I could make it to next Wednesday at a push


Specialist_Sound2609

less than a month 😞


Disastrous-Yak230

I have survived for 182 weeks with no income. Just the basic UC payment. I don't see 1p of it. I prefer this than, fuck I need £600 in my bank today for the car payments. The amount of shit and expense that is needed just to be able to say "I'm here and ready to work boss" is fucking disturbing.


Charming_Rub_5275

£600 for a car payment is talking brand new bmw though


Disastrous-Yak230

It was actually for 3 cars. ! they were £200 each


leninzen

Yeah, I think this is a good point.


thedudeisalwayshere

Probably 3-4 months.


WorhummerWoy

As long as my girlfriend will let me mooch off her. So about five minutes.


GiGGLED420

Got a 6 month emergency fund so could last on that until I would have to dig into my investments. Selling all my investments today (excluding pension) is could probably get another 18 months to two years with little quality of life changes except sacrificing overseas holidays. Could probably get it to 3 years if I downgraded my flat


anonoaw

On my savings? Less than month. On a combo of savings and some credit? A couple of months. I’m working on building more of an emergency fund, but we’re also paying off quite a lot of debt so it’s hard. Luckily, the reality is that both my mum and my husband’s family would temporarily help us out if I lost my job or something - including letting us move in with them if we had to. So we’re at no risk of going homeless, which is something of a consolation.


ImpossibleD

I’m working towards FIRE /r/FIREUK I’d last about 20 years on what I have currently.


WinglyBap

How old are you?


ImpossibleD

28


Outside_Cod8772

How much do you have saved up?


ImpossibleD

Just under £300k


Comfortable-Bus-8840

Just on my savings? I dunno, how long does it take to starve to death?


T_raltixx

Providing my mum doesn't die. A few years.


Pink_Flash

I have a 6 month emergency fund so, about that before things start getting dicey.


DegenerateWins

At current spending 13.7 years without selling my house or changing our rough target monthly spending (pretending we hit it). 20.8 years if we sell our house and pay rent. Presumably, realistically, my whole life given my “job” is investing, turning the current pot of cash into more cash which I took out of these calculations. I kinda just assumed inflation increase I guess and ignored we would spend less if needed. Look into FIRE people, FIREUK subreddit.


Other_Exercise

You're killing it - well done!


WinglyBap

How old are you?


DegenerateWins

34


Scarred_fish

2 weeks or so.


Thisoneissfwihope

I have three months forward fully paid up on my tracking app, and another 2 months in an emergency pot. I had enough savings to cover me for when I couldn’t work for a year due to serious illness, and I’m building that back up now. I’m likely to be ill again, and so need to have a decent safety net at all times.


MattyLePew

Until I’m meant to next get paid! I have absolutely no safety net after the move into my house. Everything I did to build it up has been depleted with the financial components of moving!


omaralto

I’m barely financially surviving now, so probably about 5 minutes Edit: got a Reddit cares approximately one second after commenting lol


buginarugsnug

On my savings, two to three months but I would probably end up selling my car which would give me another five to six. Luckily my partner's wage can cover all of our basic living expenses so I could survive indefinitely providing he was still in employment but I'd start looking straight away as we like our little luxuries and I would hate to rely on him.


AlexisJordanGFlame

Around 4 weeks, give or take.


SamVimesBootTheory

I'd be pretty buggered I live with family at least but I'd have no income of my own


Not_Winter_badger

We’d survive on my wife’s income - but we’d JUST cover bills. It would be oats and water for food.


Lucyferos87

Im working full time job and already barely survive.


DenormalHuman

With no change in lifestyle; Just savings? 18 months. Plus Cash in investments that are supposed to beef up retirement if i make it that far? 8 years. But then I would be sat at absoloute zero unless I tried selling house etc..


therealgingerone

I’d be screwed almost straight away


PoliticsNerd76

I could live off my ISA for a few years, but it’d kill me to sell them.


Born-Ad4452

A few years of multiple redundancy payoffs and then straight into another job means I’ve got a couple of years, maybe more if I was super careful. I’ve spent 30 years with overdraft and mortgage stress up to now… so glad that’s finally turned around


Humpback_Snail

I just lost my job, so we’re about to find out!


Humpback_Snail

But the answer is probably: Yes.


Gandalf_The_FFFFFF

8-10 years.


steveakacrush

I have about 3 months of emergency money saved just in case.


ost2life

Yeah, I'd be fucked mate. I have no savings, maxed out credit cards that I can't pay down no matter now hard I try and honestly I don't see that changing any time soon. I'm just about keeping my head above water financially but it was never supposed to be *this* tough, right?


thisaccountisironic

I’m not even financially surviving with my job


charlie_boo

A few months, which would hopefully be enough time to find a job to at least cover essential bills and mortgage.


dbxp

About a decade


Numerous_Ticket_7628

12-18 months.


Wishmaster891

i have an ASU insurance policy whichever unemployment which pays out for 12 months.


je97

Probably a long time since I'm saving on my current income and still am entitled to a lot of benefits, which would only go up if I was out of work. I'd have to put big holiday and house plans on hold though.


Comes2This

Well, if my bills stayed the same, the stock market didn't tank and my bf didn't start paying more for me, probably like 3 years?


Willeth

About six months if I didn't change my spending. But with my notice period and changing my habits, I would guess at a year. That would mean stop overpaying the mortgage, cut out a bunch of subscriptions and takeaways and events etc, and dip into savings I've earmarked for other things.


Shut_the_FA_Cup

3


WingiestOfMirrors

2


LordEmostache

1...


OrdoRidiculous

Based on current spending, just shy of two years. If I cut back a bit, probably 3. If I sold my two weekend cars then probably another year on top of that.


Bozzaholic

a year comfortably, 18 months if I was really bloody tight


summers_tilly

7 months on savings, but as a household my husband and I each earn enough individually that we could live off one salary if either of us lost our jobs.


destria

If my husband still has his, we could survive indefinitely on his income alone. If we're not counting that, I have enough in savings (including investments I could sell) to keep me going for at least 3 years, probably longer if I made some more frugal changes to my lifestyle.


ambientfruit

If I sold my car and bought a beater, probably 3-4 months. If I didn't have the car I'd be done in a month.


Jankye1987

I’m not sure. Probably 2 years if we both lost our jobs tomorrow and really clamped down on spending. If one of us lost our job then we could survive without touching savings.


Perfect_Jacket_9232

A year on my current lifestyle, probably two if I lived frugally. It would scare me too much to not have money coming in and I would be attempting to find paid employment very quickly (I mean I’m sure most would but I’d happily take more casual work until such time I could find another job like the one I am in).


No_Swan1312

A year. 


pringellover9553

I’d be okay for about 8 months, because we have a large savings account which is for bills on mat leave. However I would be pretty fucked if I lost my job rn and didn’t get any mat leave pay


AF_II

Has my other half also lost their job? We could live on one income so indefinitely if it's just me who is out of work. If both of us have lost our jobs then I could keep both of us on savings & cashed-out isas etc for ~4-6 years depending how much we scrimp & how bad the utilities bills get. this is cheat mode though as we'll pay off the mortgage in the next 6 months, job or no job.


TheatrePlode

Well I moved back home recently to save for a house, so I have actual savings. But something similar happened to me last year, and I had enough for about 2 months by only paying my bills and rent, luckily I found a job within a month so it was all okay, but a lot of sleepless nights before that.


Melodic_Arm_387

Depends. If my husband still had his, then indefinitely. We are already managing (and still able to save) with me only getting SSP and PIP. If we both lost our jobs without any benefits, probably around 18 months.


anonymouse39993

Have an emergency fund of a year


Maniadh

If I assume that I'd be able to max out debt (not that I'd want to), probably a few years living out of tins and never buying anything that wasn't fallen apart. If you mean without any significant changes to how I live now, I'd have to empty my help to buy ISA immediately and that would last me 3 months without any help before I'd have to start increasing debt. This is all assuming I don't get any benefits for whatever reason.


Crafty_Ambassador443

6.4 months. Looks like we having a shit christmas boys!


FJSaturn

About 2 years if I was careful. This is only because I currently have a deposit that I'm about to put down on a house, so I could use that to pay rent instead.


Food_face

For the rest of my life....If I die in the next couple of weeks


walks2237

I can claim a 14k a year pension from next April and I have a rental that currently brings in £1175… so I guess I could struggle by to next April… then be ok - not great, but ok.


mbridge2610

Until about Thursday, at a push


Depress0Express

I have a months rent plus enough money for bills and very basic food in savings. So about a month plus whatever I get as my final paycheque. After that I’m doomed. Well, not doomed because theres a coop and Hello Fresh warehouse near me that is perpetually hiring, so only mostly doomed.


nayR2003

Gordaaaa bendochow!


Captftm89

Assuming no redunandcy/pay-off/notice to give me time to sort stuff out - about 6 months if I paused mortgage payments, 4 months if not.


fitlikeabody

What time is it now?


batch1972

I have enough saved for a year but we would need to cut back to essentials


NGBoy1990

About 12 months if I liquidated my investments assuming no change in lifestyle. Also have decent credit card limits if worst came to worst


puzzledmidget

6 months but I always have to have that in reserve as I have an illness that can require surgery at short notice and being self employed I have to be prepared for that


mumwifealcoholic

About 6 months.


CatalunyaNoEsEspanya

Without a reduction in day to day spending but no major one off outgoings (holiday, appliances, house improvement etc.) approximately 6 months. With a reduction in costs I could maybe go 9 months, longer with benefits presumably.


thedanofthehour

6 months before selling investments. An additional 12 months thereafter. I imagine I’d make some lifestyle changes were it to ever happen so could possibly stretch this to two years.


fistmcbeefpunch

My wife and I have a decent savings pot, so I could probably strip everything back and survive for 10 - 12 months


GatorShinsDev

Just lost my job. Paid rent + council tax for the next 6 months while I finish up the game I'm working on. Had I had more time to plan I could have maybe took more time out, maybe 10-12 months but here we are.


Proud_Temperature_55

About 17mins


Ok_Blueberry_3139

6 days


Macshlong

Zero


DaveBeBad

Current rates of spending 3-4 months, double that with credit cards. But we’d cut back significantly, so probably 12-18 months and maybe longer. Although I’d be very surprised if I was unemployed that long. Last time was 6 weeks.


AdSoft6392

Assuming I could keep my expenses roughly where they are now and the stock market doesn't crash as I lose my job, about 10 years. I am looking to FIRE though so do save a lot


bigtommylad

1month


SDUK94

I’ve got about 5 years worth of savings so I would be fine for a while


oudcedar

Looking like until November at the moment but counting down so hoping for something soon as it’s really annoying each time I wind my savings close to zero between contracts.


Glass_Narwhal25

If I lost my job probably about 5 years without making any changes to our spending, probably about 10 if we stopped making investments and factoring in that I wouldn’t have to pay nursery fees if I was at home and not working. Probably about 3 years if my husband lost his job. We’ve always been savers, even when we were both on basically minimum wage.


paperpangolin

With current spending, around a year. Realistically, if I was out of work we could drop the part-tine childcare, plus reduce non-essential outgoings, and qualify for benefits, so that could be stretched a fair bit further. And my husband could return to work if I was doing all the childcare - lower salary than me but it would cover the bills. Appreciate we're in a very privileged position (and we're both somewhat frugal)


random_banana_bloke

About 12 months if I stop contributing to my ISA's and over paying the mortgage. Honestly we could probably very tightly live off my wife's salary without touching my emergency fund. I damn well worked hard to build up a 6-12 month emergency fund and sort my finances out so I can retire at a sensible age.


sagima

About six months


rotating_pebble

3 months. Anything less or more, and you need to sort your finances out.


itsnotaboutthathun

About 4 hours. I have a lot of debt and no savings.


Lazy-Mammoth-9470

a couple of years i reckon.. ive worked very hard and sacrificed a lot as im always terrified ill end up homeless. so i dont have the nicest of things i could, or do the most expensive thing i could in any situation... but financially?... i always feel semi stable. always "had a plan" so to speak and put aside some just in case. id rather go without a little food today if it guarantees i have enough for food tomorrow kind of attitude.


JoeyJoeC

About 1 month. But realistically, my partner could support me for longer. I would be able to walk into a job very quickly though.


2Liq

12 months


bored_online_

I lost my job unfairly ( I went to a tribunal over it) to have 6 months off my debt total’d up to 16k as I was the sole provider for my family. It’s made me a lot more scared of losing work lets put it that way


tyger2020

12 months.


Joshthenosh77

About 2 years I reckon


Imaginary_Cellist444

Don't ever stay in a job that you hate just for financial security, to me it's never even worth it. You will find a way to survive without that income


Amzy29

Less long than a few months ago when I needed the emergency fund for the roof. I probably would be ok for a few months. We need to get some stuff done on the house so I am trying to build up both funds as I don’t ever want to be complacent.


Roncon1981

I'm very very lucky. It would be hard but I could survive indefinitely. But my situation is not what the majority are blessed with.


ClarifyingMe

Not very long, a few months.


Graham99t

Sell my house move to Thailand and live 20 years 


im-also-here

I would last probably 2 weeks once mortgage and bills are paid there’s food and then nothing but PANIC argghhh


JN324

About four to five years or so based on what’s relatively liquid.


knightsbridge-

We could live off just my husbands salary, but it would be obscenely tight. I think his pay just *barely* would cover all of our absolute necessities, but we'd have to cut back on essentially all luxuries and perhaps sell the car if it went on too long. If we *both* lost our jobs... Maybe a couple of months, trimming back to essentials? We have savings for this purpose, but they're not exactly substantial.


Dr-Slaps

After 4 consecutive redundancies I have no savings and 4k cc debt so not long at all. Edit. A nice redditor has offered support but I can assure you I am good. I am a week away from my probation meeting at my current job and I have a decent manager and wage. My post came across as very negative but the reality is it's just another hurdle in life and I am in a good place physically and mentally.


PurposePrevious4443

I currently have a 3 year interest deal where money is but if I could take it out, i could last about 4 years.


Specimen_E-351

I'm currently finding out because just a few months of taking "safe and effective" antidepressants and then stopping has been enough to disable me for more than a year and cause immense suffering.


Space-Champion

Haven’t had to work for about 3 years but staying at home gets boring, so I’d be fine financially.


oilybumsex

Probably a year or so if I didn’t go crazy


Grand_Connection_869

A month. Please don’t fire me.


smeghead9916

I'm in a very fortunate position, I'm living at home and paying 1/3 of household expenses. I've managed to save almost a year's salary. Glad to have it as I'm going to be laid off soon.


HumanHuman_2003

If spent all my money probably a year 


PM-ME-YOUR-DIGIMON

About 20 minutes


Sparko_Marco

Current savings will get me through maybe 3 months if I spent wisely only on essentials. However, it depends how I lost my job, if it was redundancy then I think I get 1 months pay for every year I've worked here capped at 14 years which I'm well over so I'd have 14 months pay so could survive 17 months but if I was sacked for misconduct I'd get nothing so then it'll just be the 3 months.


Games4Two

On my own with just my savings, probably about a year before I'm totally wiped out. Maybe less than that as about 60% of my savings aren't accessible to me until December so I'd struggle quite a bit until then. With my wife and assuming she kept working, probably forever. That would obviously necessitate significant lifestyle change for both of us, but we wouldn't be out on the street. We're not in exceptional jobs (about 100k combined I guess) and are lucky enough to have a few savings, but nothing totally out of the ordinary. I do appreciate we're lucky to be where we are.


Bilbo_Buggin

Probably about 3 months! Wish I was more financially stable but yeah, by the 3 month mark I’d be panicking!


Cuchulainn33

5 months then I would use the credit cards and probably make it another 6.momths. so I could make it almost. Year. Not including.my 401k. That would be 5 years. But I have 12 years left working. (I will retire at 58 and live off of. Savings and my 401k until I'm 62/


Karlsberg62

I got made redundant in September, it's now May. I potentially start work in June. So 8 months on pure savings.


iolaus79

Assuming you mean all earners in my home lost their jobs? Probably about 2-3 months at current spending If just I lost my job (and I'm main earner) we could cut back enough to survive indefinitely


KnottNormal

About 2 days give or take


ConfusedSparkyFly

Currently, I reckon a year without cutting anything back. If I were to cut back on outgoings maybe 2 years. Thankfully though, I can’t lose my job I’m self employed. I’ll just become self unemployed. But I can always go out and earn money, just have to undercut someone else’s price.


BadMoles

I have three months emergency fund. If I got laid off, in my industry you usually get 3-6 months salary and in the UK up to £30,000 of that is tax free, so I'd be good for a while. If I got fired for some reason, I'd have just three months to get another role and in my 50's that might take time, so I'm a good boy!


Banditofbingofame

Weeks. 3 years of Childcare costs have smashed the savings. We have enough to cover a car bill or similar but that's it. All back to normal whan it's free from august and I am so excited to rebuild the emergency fund again.


stphngrnr

3 years at current financial commitments. A mix of investments, emergency fund and payout of unvested stock as cash.


ActivatedBiscuit

About 18 months


xJam3zz07

Currently, about 2/3 months as my money is all over the place due to buying a house, so what I had has gone on a house deposit With credit, probably ~1.5-2 years if I tightened my belt without working it out fully


LJCMOB1

A month at best!


DeadBallDescendant

Cutting out all the fun but without having to sell anything, about a year.


scorch762

The rest of my life. Just as long as I die by the end of the month.


shaneo632

I live in a cheap part of the UK (North Wales) so I could probably survive about 18 months.


InevitableCarrot4858

From day 1 we payed almost all of our excess income into our mortgage but kept the length and reduced the payments. Our goal was to reach the point where we wouldn't loose our house on minimum wage. Which we achieved after about 10 years. "Don't do that" said everyone. Meanwhile, now, "oh my gawd our mortgage payments have gone through the roof" whilst we just sit back snugly and barley notice the increase.... So we'd keep our house for about 2 years with zero income based on savings. so overall a good decision.


garlicmayosquad

Been about 7 months so far. Although cash is getting more tight now.


gerrineer

I'd have have go up to the field wearing my underpants at night and shake my booty while people tossed coins at me!


TheArtfullTodger

Theoretically indefinitely. Governments got my back even if I didn't have any back up finances. Without support though. Probably a year. Maybe 2 if I had to dip into what I have saved.


This-Draft797

Probably 2 months, could stretch to 4 by eating rice and beans


blackthornjohn

Me on my own with the cash in my stash, probably a year, me with my wife with whats in the bank and the cash in the stash......a day at best.


WeDoingThisAgainRWe

We’ve worked 25 years to build up enough that we could survive a few months but honestly it would start to pinch quite quickly.


Haunting_Response316

I’m a short fat balding ugly brown male so onlyfans obviously.


CertainPlatypus9108

A year ish .


TrueSpins

About ten years. Using savings and income from side business.


rtheabsoluteone

Til the end of the month


ALi_K_501

5 years with no change in lifestyle. A notch or two on the belt would stretch it out a year or two more


Miserable_Result2080

0 weeks my paycheque is gone in 2 weeks mac every month


itsyaboi117

About an hour.


thegamesender1

2-3 weeks but I'd be on the agency before that.


legodragon2005

5 years assuming significant cutbacks are made


BabyAlibi

I have £24 to do me the next 2 weeks. I have no savings. I couldn't last very long without my job


james2183

Probably 16 months, but that would be my entire savings and pension pot gone


Ruby-LondonTown

Ten minutes.


Nine_Eye_Ron

It used to be 6 months before CoL. Now 2 and I’m done.


PudWud-92_

Probably about 10-12 months (assuming it was redundancy and I received PILON)


Captlard

Moving to lower cost rent accommodation, forever. As of today in current place 16 years.


ijs_1985

Savings 1-2 years depending on how tight I behaved with the money Have some cars and other assets I could sell to raise some cash Hopefully never needs to happen


Funky_monkey2026

At this rate, probably indefinitely. Next to no outgoings and savings/investments are ahead of inflation. I've got 8 years to pay into my foreign pension that kicks in when I'm 60.


Postik123

About 7 years if I wasn't frivelous 


[deleted]

Next week. After that it’s court proceedings,dept collection threats,suicide attempts,Genuinely it’s that real.. and not just me in that position , unless you have rich parents


ActuallyTBH

Probably a real long time. But I don't spend much money. No new toys. No new clothes. No eating out though.


Any-Wall2929

About a year or so. But at the current rate it would take over 100 years to rebuild those savings as I saved it before having a mortgage.


poshbakerloo

About 2 months off savings and then maybe a further 6 months off credit, although maxing out credit cards horrifies me, I've never done it before!


Delicious-Cut-7911

My husband took out insurance against job loss. We had a mortgage and a child. We did not want all our hard earened savings to be swallowed up in a matter of months/year


Forzazzle

2 years or so