# 46 (2013) In It Together?

(source)

I shouldn't complain really but the budget passes me by because none of it ever applies to me.

As a maritally single, childless, self employed, non-drinking, non-smoking, recreational driving, house renting, white British female there is really nothing there for me. We're not quite 'in it together'.

The BBC Budget Calculator tells me I will be £68 better off in the next financial year (yes that's for the whole year) because of my £5 a week petrol habit and because I am self employed i.e. I earn so little that I fall under the new personal allowance threshold.

I don't feel any better off. In fact some of the reasons I fall off this radar are actually quite depressing. But equally I don't feel that scoring low on the budget is going to help me through this murky recession.

Like everyone else I am watching my bills and cutting back on food, heating and anything remotely resembling recreational spending. So I guess the next year is going to be much the same as the last. If economy recovery guestimates are anything to go by, I'm probably going to be worse off because the basic bills I can't shake off are costing me more.

Like everyone else I am suffering from an income that never goes up but outgoings that keep going up. And I guess that's the problem we're all having to contend with. I guess we are all in it together for very different reasons.