“I really regret not going to college because companies ask for college degrees. It is because of this that I’ve ended up working as a security guard for a low wage. At night I sell goods next to a mosque to supplement my income,” said Abu Ameen, a 47-year-old from Madinah.

“It’s very tough to provide my family with the basics of life. I don’t know how to give my children the right living conditions where they can study and graduate from college so they do not end up like me,” he added.

The cost of living is increasing by the minute and individuals like Abu Ameen earn very low salaries with little prospects of getting promoted.

“Real estate and rent is getting expensive. I don’t own a house, everything is rented. My paycheck goes toward my car, rent and groceries. Sometimes I have hardly anything left at the end of the month,” said Jameel Ibrahim, a 44-year-old schoolteacher. “When I got married I planned to save a part of my salary to ensure a good future for my boys but with things the way they are at the moment, my bank account remains almost empty,” he added.

Begging and selling on the streets is the only option for Khaled Abdul Mannan, a 59-year-old school janitor. “I’ve been working at the same school for over 30 years now and my salary has not increased by even SR1 since the day I started. I get paid around SR1,700 a month and with the economy the way it is, I can’t survive,” he said.

“My children are now going to college and I’m thankful I’ve made it this far. But I am constantly worried because if something happens to my children and they need money I don’t know what to do. I guess I would end up knocking on doors and asking for money,” he added.

“I looked for a job for over two years and know how it feels being poor and hungry. I’m thankful I have a job that feeds my children and puts a roof over their heads but what next? How can I provide them with a secure future or even a small amount of money after I die?” asked Salem Najjar, a 32-year-old taxi driver.

“I drive all around Jeddah picking up and dropping off people at different locations and I’m thankful for the money they tip me but it’s still not enough because nowadays you need to earn at least SR5,000 a month just to survive,” he added.

Aside from studying at university, 22-year-old Mohammed Najeeb is a part-time delivery boy.

“Being away from home most of the day might be worth it if I could save some money for my little baby daughter when she grows up. I lived in a small house with seven siblings and watched my father struggle to feed us. I don’t want my children to go through what my brothers and I went through,” he said.

“As soon as I graduated from high school, I applied at a fast food company and have been working as a delivery boy. It’s been two years now and I can say that I have made a good amount of money,” he added.

“I don’t wish to continue like this but I know that as soon as I stop I’ll be poor and hungry again. So, until I graduate from college and get a better job, I’ll continue delivering food,” said Najeeb.

Providing their families with the basics has become very hard for Saudis who earn low wages.

“I used to be a schoolteacher and my salary was enough to pay house rent and to buy the groceries, but when I retired I was left with nothing and my debts were increasing day by day. It was because of this that I went and found a job even though I was too old to work,” said Ali Abdul Hakeem.

“I now work as a salesman at a thobe shop in Jeddah and my salary is way lower than what I used to get paid as a teacher. I sold my car and my wife’s jewelry just to pay my debts and now I’m living in a rented apartment with my wife and three children. I wish I had saved some money to at least buy a house and save myself the headache of paying rent,” he added.