I currently earn around GBP460 per month (Yeah... no typo... 460)<p>This is my first job as a programmer, so I'm coming in from the "I'll work for nearly nothing if you discard the lack of a degree for long enough to see how good I really am" perspective, though I have it written in to my contract that I get a wage increase of GBP0.60 for every 2 months I'm employed there for the first year, then if they still want me, they hire me for the same they pay their other employees who hold degrees.<p>460 is really low, I am broke all the time, I refuse to take government hand outs on principle (I am a very proud person) and my girlfriend doesn't work.<p>I came from a poor family, I wasn't expected to even attend high school, let alone graduate from it. The way I look at it this this, in a few years time, I could be very well off, or I could not be. There is really no middle ground for me, I will fight tooth and nail to succeed in this industry.<p>Add to this the news that my girlfriend is pregnant (I literally just found this out about 2 hours ago, clearblue pregnancy test which cost about 1/20th of my monthly wage decided to drop that bomb on me!) and you can see that my situation is pretty dire.<p>I would love to move on to another job some time soon, hopefully higher paying or in a nicer area, but this is unlikely to happen until I have some serious experience behind me.<p>All in all, I want around GBP800 per month, to be comfortable, but a realistic amount to start next year is probably more like GBP600.<p>Truth be told though, I'm still in shock (I'm only 19, wasn't really expecting this) and really worried about my financial future.<p>I live in Lancashire, England and I support myself and my girlfriend. Also, to digress slightly, I like the name Oliver John. Oliver John Armstrong - that's worth every penny I'll ever own.<p>Edit: Rewrote that god awful post.