Is £600-£700 per month doable?

[Lagoonablue]

Due to a change in circumstances our joint income is changing. My sums tell me that after all bills which I pay monthly come out, petrol is accounted for and £100 per month put away for contingencies, we will have £6-700 for food, clothes and entertainment.

We are a family of 4. We waste alot of food so don't know what the average spend is and what is comfortably do able.

Obs holidays etc will be curtailed for a while but it is the day to day stuff am concerned about. Does it seem a decent amount to live off? Albeit frugally?

[PotteringAlong]

It's a decent amount to live not frugally! £700 for nothing but food, clothes and entertainment? Not even petrol? It's loads of money, honestly.

[hettienne]

Even spending a generous £400 a month on food, you still have £200-£300 for clothes and entertainment. How much do you usually spend?

[Fragglewump]

Erm.....I think you'll survive!

[Lagoonablue]

I don't know how much we spend. I know that is terrible isn't it? I am very free and easy with food shopping, topping up the weekly amount, buying Takeaways etc.

I could cut back to a smaller food shop . Meal plan, make packed lunches....

How much is the average food shop? That is where my money goes so need to cut back.

[stiffstink]

Hard to say without your figures, we manage on much less than that. Are you putting money aside for birthdays, Christmas, holidays, annual costs such as car tax?

[valiumredhead]

Very manageable!

[Lagoonablue]

Yes good idea about saving more. Forgot to factor in car tax too. Thanks.

[WinningBread]

That's loads!

[pizzaqueen]

very manageable!!! we have £400 a month for food, clothes and entertainment. We have to plan carefully but still manage two (uk) holidays a year, to eat well and not dress like scruffs. There's three of us though.
Ds gets swimming lessons out of that too.

[Lagoonablue]

Thanks for giving me a sense of perspective. I don't want to be entitled.....just we work hard and want to be able to enjoy life a bit. I know we need to cut back and budget properly but want to be able to buy myself a posh coffee now and again?!

[pizzaqueen]

I treat myself to coffee/lunch out about once a week.

Budget properly and you will be fine. Make sure dh understands and buys into the budget too ( do it together ) then you both know what's reasonable to spend.

Make sure you know when extra costs might crop up - birthdays, haircuts, new shoes, school trips etc - so you're not left short with an unexpected cost.

You have contingency savings to for emergencies too...

[Pluto]

£600 - £700 is definitely do-able! I have been much more careful about doing shopping lists and doing meal plans since we have also had to make some cut backs. Our total food bill for a family of four, including packed lunches for two of us, is now between £60 - £70 pw, instead of an average of £115 - £120 before this frugal period. You will be fine.

[Mintyy]

I posted a very similar question recently as we need to tighten our belts as a family, and I estimated that we would need £2000 per month after standing orders, although this did include saving £300 for holidays.

So I am really pleased to see that we should be ok on a lot less than that!

[Lagoonablue]

Great thanks. Was getting a bit wobbly but nice to see others doing it. And I know people do get by on alot less.

[cozietoesie]

You should be just fine - all that wasted food can stop for a start, eh?

This might be quite good for you in fact. Once you start being even reasonably careful with money, you'll find it becomes a habit and your savings will likely start to build up.

Best of luck.

[specialsubject]

that is a luxury lifestyle.

you might want to stop wasting food as that is really not a good thing to do.

[Lagoonablue]

Getting better at not wasting food now to be fair ever since we were given food recycling caddys from Council.. Brings it home how much you consign to the bin. I freeze more now too.

[MrsPeeWee]

After all bills, food etc. We're left with about £50! I'm sure you'll cope.

My DH has been in the Armed Forces for 5 years and this is what it pays.... great bux!

[RibenaFiend]

You're fortunate!

Best way to not waste food IME is to draw up a weekly meal plan and shop for it accordingly. Doesn't mean you can't throw your hands in the air and spontaneously say "screw it lets have a takeaway!" but it does mean you know what to freeze when you have a takeaway meal instead.

We write up the week's menu on a drywipe board in the kitchen. Everyone knows what's for dinner, everyone's involved in choosing before the big shop too!

We have saved a small fortune by bulk buying and then portioning into sensible sized portions then freezing our meat to defrost when we need. We have a Costco for that. It does involve a large investment (usually £200 odd) but it lasts a very long time.

[emmelinelucas]

I have just done a monthly breakdown, as I am having to give up work (my choice) and we have £600PM after bills - elec/gas/CTax etc.
No mortgage or car.
When I looked at what we used to spend, my salary went on frivolities, really. Magazines/books/takeaways/clothes etc
All bought to cheer me up cos I was so miserable at work, basically.
It is doable, certainly, but the savings are a definate must to keep up to.
I am in a credit union, and Its surprising how £10 a month adds up.I have put in a bit more when I have had some spare cash.
I use that money for Christmas.
Wasting food is largely due to making too much for meals.
I make very average portions (or make more and freeze) and serve up meals with bread and butter to fill up. My DM did that and it works !
Yorkshire puddings are served before the main meal - again, to fill up.
The biggest waste is pet food (fussy cats).