To use the child benefit payment as my grocery budget?

[iwillsoiwill]

Would it be unreasonable to use my child benefit as my grocery budget for all 4 of us??
We get 280 per month so in a 4 week month that’s 70 per week, which is my average weekly spend! Or should I assign to to something more child specific?does it really matter?

[GypsumFantastic]

I think most people use it for day to day living expenses don’t they?

[lovemenorca]

Oh FFS OP - how will you know that the money you take out from the bank is the very money that the gov paid in for CB?

If you “assign” it to something else, you will still need to spend money on groceries, won’t you?!

[Frenchfancy]

YANBU Feeding them is about as important as it gets.

It is supposed to help the family budget not give kids extras.

[Polly111]

No not unreasonable. I’ve no idea what I spend the child benefit on as it just all goes into one pot of money.

[Ffsnosexallowed]

Eh? Our CB just goes into our account and gets used with the rest of our income.

[Oysterbabe]

Do you have a separate account purely for CB or something? Mine goes into my current account and just gets spent or not depending on what we need that month.

[iwillsoiwill]

@lovemenorca because I know the exact day it comes in...dh and I don’t get paid until later in the month. I like to budget my money...there’s no need to ffs about it.

[GunpowderGelatine]

OP what else do you think child benefit is for?

Spend it on whatever you like you don't need permission from strangers on the internet

[Jollitwiglet]

It doesn't matter, no conditions are placed on how child benefit should be hs. Feeding the family benefits the children anyway

[Jollitwiglet]

*should be spent

[iwillsoiwill]

@Oysterbabe no but cb comes in at the start of the month and or wages at the end of the month.

[BananaSpanner]

Isn’t that the point? To help with living costs of having children ie feeding them?

I’ll be honest, when mine got paid this month I though “great, I can afford to get my hair done”. I’m broke this month because DS has had a growth spurt and needed new school shoes, trainers and rugby boots and his birthday is coming up so have been buying presents and had to pay for wrap around school care for both dc and club fees aswell. Been an expensive month so anything I need is always last.

I don’t think you have to designate it to a particular thing.

[MarigoldGlove]

Feeding the family benefits the children anyway

That's an understatement!

[Thereblegeopart]

The Daily Fail will be watching this thread closely.

[iwillsoiwill]

When I had first dc I used it for anything for baby. Now it has doubled after 2nd dc it just makes sense to use it as good budget...I know no one cares. I guess I just feel bad after using it all along as just dc money. 😬

[dawnc27]

how come you get £280 a month? you said to feed the 4 of us so i assume 1 is you and then 3 kids? i have 3 but only get around £183 a month

[iwillsoiwill]

• food budget

[NoSquirrels]

Are you asking if £70 a week is a reasonable grocery budget for a family of 4?

Whether you allocate £280 to more ‘child specific’ stuff just depends on your overall budget.

[Redshoeblueshoe]

Marigold

[GunpowderGelatine]

OP no one is going to tell you YABU for feeding your children.

Is this actually a stealth boast that you only spend £70 a week on food

Also I'm assuming you mean child tax credits not child benefit? I have 2 I claim child benefit for I get £137 a month

[iwillsoiwill]

@dawnc27 no me, dh and 2 dc 140 per child

[NoSquirrels]

You shouldn’t get £280pcm for 2DC?

[AloeVeraLynn]

Isnt it like £33 ish a week for two?

[NoSquirrels]

For 2 DC you get £137.50 a month, OP.

[AnotherEmma]

You mention 4 people, DH and 2 children. Child benefit for 2 children is only £34.40/week. If you can buy a week's groceries for 4 with that, hats off to you.