1,5k disposable income a month is enough

[Myglorioushairdo]

AIBU to think that a disposable income of £1,500 a month is enough for a family of four? That is after all living costs, fixed monthly bills and food/household essentials.
DH and I were a bit unfortunate and made a major life change just before the pandemic, and this is what our household income has now been boiled down to.

DH is majorly stressed out and says its not enough, I say it's OK for now. We are able control all the other costs with careful planning and even save a bit! We don't live in a big city and our kids are still primary school age. What do you think?

[arethereanyleftatall]

Yes, it's 'enough'. Just cut your cloth accordingly. Technically, 'enough' is having enough for food and bills.

[HilaryBriss]

Of course its enough. What exactly will it need to cover if you have already budgeted for bills/food/living costs?

[PestymcPestFace]

It seems quite a generous amount of pocket money.

I think a lot of people will wonder how you have high paid jobs, if you really have the low level of critical thinking and empathy that your post indicates.

[LovelyWeekAway]

That’s a huge disposable amount

Especially after food and bills

[OoohTheStatsDontLie]

It sounds a lot to me. I guess a lot depends on your lifestyle and how much savings you have if your shower or boiler etc breaks and you need to fix them at emergency rates.

Why don't you sit down with him and work out a kind of monthly disposable income budget eg a bit for savings, how much you realistically eat out, takeaways, coffees out, entertainment costs, clothing budget, kids shoes budget (which always seems bigger than clothes) etc etc.

It might make him feel a bit better and settle the argument.

Not sure what the answer is if it's clearly not enough for you though other than cutting down even more

[Prufrocks]

I think a lot of people will wonder how you have high paid jobs, if you really have the low level of critical thinking and empathy that your post indicates.

Precisely.

[bluebeck]

I think it sounds like more than enough.

Does DH have very expensive hobbies?

What would that £1500 disposable income usually be spent on? I think it's spreadsheet time.

[Disappointedkoala]

Does your husband want to buy a new TV every month or something?

[AWiseWomanOnceSaidFuckThisShit]

[QueSera]

You win the prize for Problem that Is Definitely Not a Problem.
I can only dream of having your 'problem'. Have some sensitivity, consideration and empathy for the many people who are actually struggling.

[Sanitisethat]

£500 per week after bills, food and living costs is plenty. That’s £125 per person in a family of four, every week. You will be absolutely, comfortably, luxuriantly fine.

[2020isnotbehaving]

What would you normally spend it on? Covid is at least an excuse to stop clubs hobbies gyms and other mixing events.

It’s £18k a year! For treats holidays and entertainment. That’s a family wage for lots of people.

[Hiremee]

What a ridiculous question. Engage your brain.

[Myglorioushairdo]

I definitely mean to offend anyone with my post! We don't have high paying jobs at all, just very low living costs! I think that is the thing that stresses DH the most, that we earn less than before, but we also have much much lower costs now.

After all fixed bills we still need to pay for possible hobbies, clothes, petrol (we have the option to not use the car too much if need be), occasionally eating out, holidays (we haven't had one for years), toys, birthdays, new bikes as kids grow etc etc..

It all goes, but I'm trying to be clever with the money that is left over from fixed bills..

[HoneysuckIejasmine]

Jeez op, thats a huge amount of money. Some people don't even make that in total and manage to live.

If you can't live on that you need to have a good hard look at your spending habits.

[Enchantmentz]

More than enough, your dh needs a reality check. If you have a lot of extra curricular spending that would chew into it then naturally you should cut your cloth but £1500 free spending is more than plenty for a family of 4. If it was me I would be chucking half that into savings.

[littlemsattitude]

Your disposable income is more than the total income of some, you are being ridiculous.

[NearlyGranny]

It's plenty! If your housing, grocery and direct debits are being covered, that much for saving and extras is plenty.

I guess it depends what your family is used to spending on, really. If you or your DH have expensive hobbies and you carry on spending at your former rate, you're going to steer onto the rocks.

Sit down and make a budget together to avoid going into needless debt is my advice. Then spend a week noting every penny either of you spends and see where it leads you.

[Myglorioushairdo]

Of course meant to say that I DO NOT want to offend anyone!! And I'd like to add, we used to earn more, now partly because of cover we earn less.. Our major life change meant that our living costs are now smaller than when we used to live in a big city. I think DH struggles with seeing the much smaller numbers coming in every month, when in reality we are absolutely fine as you all point out..

[altiara]

£1.5k after ALL your bills and food have been accounted for? Of course it’s enough, you could probably save most of that seeing as going out is not the fashionable thing nowadays!
Or what would you spend it on? And why would you need more? I’ve only come up with petrol, eating out and handbags.

[speakout]

What is this "disposable income" that people speak of?

I truly don't understand it.

Is that money for frittering away on stuff you don't need?
I earn more than I need but I have never understood the concept of "disposable" income.

[vodkaredbullgirl]

WTF

[Mintjulia]

Me & ds are currently living off less than that a month. to cover all food, bills, mortgage and anything else that pops up - this month a new front tyre.

I'd hate to see your dh in a real crisis.