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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask for budgeting advice

34 replies

Kitten678 · 07/08/2025 12:06

I am 35 and make around 28k a year including overtime.

I owe £1200 on a low-interest supermarket loan.
£750 on another loan.
£800 on a credit card.
£250 overdraft.

I earn £13.85 an hour for a 37-hour week and I do overtime as much as possible, the problem is it's capped so some weeks I won't get it. In September I'll restart tutoring to earn an extra £70 a week.

I'm not bothered about having £0 debt, but looking to just get it to under 30% utilisation if possible.

I live alone and pay £850 for mortgage and bills, the other expenses are braces £55 a month, yes they weren't essential but my teeth were horrific and braces have significantly improved my self esteem.

Otherwise I pay student loan repayments, no car, I have the cheap Netflix £5.99 subscription and honestly can't think of much else, my credit card debt was higher so I took the loan out as it was low interest.

I want to have the balance reduced in a year, I only have £100 in savings. Sensible suggestions only please I'm not selling my TV! I think buying my flat and being in low paid work has set me back financially but I have a couple of interviews lined up with better pay.

OP posts:
Pepperpie14 · 07/08/2025 13:13

Right, now you need to list all your bills out for us, ie:
rent x
council tax y
electric z
Get last month’s bank statement out and list it all. We can’t help without this information.

Original poster
Kitten678 · 07/08/2025 13:11

Pepperpie14 · 07/08/2025 13:09

Why are you talking about your student loan as if it’s an additional payment - does it not come straight off your wage? You do not make enough to be making additional voluntary payments towards it.

I have £455 arrears from when I lived abroad and no longer have payslips for some of that time, I did tell them I was abroad, but this was 7 years ago and im unable to get payslips now. SLC wouldn't accept only the contract, they wanted a payslip for every month and so I'm now paying the above arrears at £20 a month.

OP posts:
Pepperpie14 · 07/08/2025 13:09

Why are you talking about your student loan as if it’s an additional payment - does it not come straight off your wage? You do not make enough to be making additional voluntary payments towards it.

Statsquestion1 · 07/08/2025 12:50

You need to work on the basis of your basic pay with no overtime. Use that figure 1st anything else is a bonus.

So let’s say your basic take-home pay is 1800 use that to work out your budget.
Any extra, you are in in a month throw out your debt. Pick the debt with the highest interest rate and pay that off first.

SunnyPrague · 07/08/2025 12:46

You’re going a good job of breaking down your budgeting and living simply. Good for you.

I’ve got two areas of concern:

  1. Your income is low. If you can get this up you’ll really be able to get ahead. In your position I’d be making this a priority
  2. You haven’t got emergency savings. One horrible emergency (eg boiler dies/ whatever) will knock you off your feet.
In your shoes I would: Take on a second job - eg pulling pints to get your income up while you go hard on trying to get a better paid job. Save up a £1000 emergency fund Clear your debts

Now you can see your way clear.

Sending you good wishes.

Agix · 07/08/2025 12:44

Kitten678 · 07/08/2025 12:12

Take home varies tbh, I'm on weekly pay, if I did no overtime I'd get £435 net a week, usually 4 weeks a month but occasionally a 5 week month which helps, all mortgage and bills about £850, then it's about £230 a month debt repayment, transport about £120 a month, then things like student loan, then obviously food, toiletries etc. And savings, then whatever is left

Show quote history

The issue is we can't guess what your student loan is. You need to tell us all your necessary costs - the non-negotiable ones.

Do things monthly, with your basic pay.

435 x 52 / 12 = £1885 per month.

1885 - 850 = £1035, after all mortgage and bills as you say.

  • 120 transport = £915

Deduct all necessary expenses. We won't know what these are or how much these are for you. Leave out the debt repayment for now as ideally you'd be paying as much as you can towards your debts to get it all gone as quick as possible.

We need to know this information to know how much you have to play with after your necessary costs are paid each month.

Original poster
Kitten678 · 07/08/2025 12:12

Agix · 07/08/2025 12:10

Confirm what your take home pay is, deduct all your necessary and non-negotiable expenses to show what's left.

Take home varies tbh, I'm on weekly pay, if I did no overtime I'd get £435 net a week, usually 4 weeks a month but occasionally a 5 week month which helps, all mortgage and bills about £850, then it's about £230 a month debt repayment, transport about £120 a month, then things like student loan, then obviously food, toiletries etc. And savings, then whatever is left

OP posts:
Agix · 07/08/2025 12:10

Confirm what your take home pay is, deduct all your necessary and non-negotiable expenses to show what's left.

Original poster
Kitten678 · 07/08/2025 12:08

I shop in charity shops/Ebay
No eyebrows/eyelashes/nails treatments
I do get my hair cut every few months, but I colour my own hair
No luxury holidays or expensive hobbies
Shop at lower cost supermarkets
Don't really go to expensive restaurants
Don't drink alcohol or smoke

OP posts: