Do you use a credit card to cover food until payday?
Are you relying on Buy Now, Pay Later for school uniforms or bills?
Does your overdraft feel like part of your monthly income?
Many people are using credit not for luxury, but simply to live. To get by. To bridge the gap when income doesn’t stretch far enough.
This blog will help you understand what’s happening, why it’s so common, and what support might help you feel more in control.
What does ‘using credit to live’ mean?
It means using borrowed money, like:
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Credit cards
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Overdrafts
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Buy Now, Pay Later (e.g. Klarna, Clearpay)
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Loans or catalogues
…to cover essential costs, such as:
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Groceries
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Utility bills
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Petrol
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Kids’ clothes
If you don’t have enough money to cover the basics, credit becomes the only option.
Why this happens
Credit use isn’t always about bad habits. It can be about:
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Wages not covering rising costs
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Benefit delays or cuts
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Unexpected expenses (like car repairs or school costs)
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No access to savings
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Shame or fear around asking for help
When income doesn’t meet needs, credit can feel like the only lifeline, but it often comes at a high cost.
Why can it cause problems later?
Credit might feel like it’s helping short-term, but over time it can create:
- Growing debt – small balances build up quickly
- Interest charges – costing more than the original purchase
- Stress and anxiety – from juggling repayments
- Dependency – where borrowing becomes part of your monthly routine
It’s like trying to plug a leak with a bucket, helpful for a while, but exhausting in the long run.
What you can do
If you’re using credit to survive, it’s not your fault, and there are ways forward.
No judgement. Just a calm, private way to take back control.
1. Get clear on where your money’s going
Use a budget tool like IE Hub to see:
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What’s coming in
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What’s going out
- Where support might help
You don’t need to fix it all overnight, just start by understanding your situation.
2. Look for support with essentials
You might be able to get help with:
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Energy bills
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Council tax
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School costs
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Food support
- Benefits you’re missing
Use IE Hub to check what you’re entitled to.
3. Speak to a free debt advice service
They can help you:
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Talk to creditors
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Freeze interest
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Create a realistic repayment plan
- Explore writing off unaffordable debts
Useful support links
If you can’t stop using credit to live yet
That’s okay. You might not be able to stop immediately. But here are a few ways to soften the impact:
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Pay more than the minimum if you can, it reduces interest
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Avoid new credit where possible
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Try to cover essentials with income first, not borrowing
- Track your borrowing, knowing how much is owed can reduce panic
Final thought
Using credit to survive doesn’t mean you’ve failed. It means you’re doing your best with what you’ve got.
But you deserve better than just surviving.
Whether it’s finding support, building a clearer budget, or exploring other options, there is help out there, and you don’t have to figure it out alone.
At IE Hub, we’re here to help you take the first step, calmly, privately, and at your own pace.
