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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to ask what you have left monthly after bills?

187 replies

Manth0914 · 23/03/2026 17:23

Hi all, I know this is a VERY broad question but AIBU to ask what you have left each month after all bills. Money you use for food, fuel, clothes and so on? I ask as a single income mum of 2 with a part time job. Just wondering with the way things are how people are getting on?

OP posts:
whatdoyouthink123456 · 23/03/2026 19:51

@Statsquestion1what does CB stand for? Child benefit?

Jane143 · 23/03/2026 19:45

BlueEyedBogWitch · 23/03/2026 19:32

Jesus fucking Christ. I thought I was doing ok until I opened this thread.

Me too

Jane143 · 23/03/2026 19:44

Flamingowigglesworm · 23/03/2026 19:27

I’m exactly the same it seems everyone on here is minted! 😂🫠 I think after food and everything we are lucky to have £100 spare

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Same here x

2026problemsandDDcanbeone · 23/03/2026 19:42

After everything essential (bills, food, transport, etc) probably £400-£600 depending on the month. I always think “wow that’s great” but it really doesn’t go that far, so I have to do things in stages and with a lot of planning. I also have debt that I’m paying off.

Single parent household, 1DD.

LadyKenya · 23/03/2026 19:41

Torchout · 23/03/2026 19:02

I suspect a lot of these high amounts are pie in the sky dreaming

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Who knows, there are people out there who earn serious amounts of money. Maybe someone, who can be bothered, should start a thread enquiring about what jobs all these high earners actually do.

reversegear · 23/03/2026 19:41

Jeeeze what side of mumsnet am I on.. we have zilch left, we have to dip into savings and rummage around monthly.

We consider ourselves well off and enjoy life, I can’t even imagine having 9k a month joint income. That’s impressive and I feel like shit we need to earn more.

ay30916 · 23/03/2026 19:38

It depends. This month nothing as we are having a break at Easter & have a few bits to pay off
Next month about £500 as we are having a small May hol
The following month approx £1700

most of our monthly savings get spent each year on holidays. We are fortunate that we have other savings for emergencies.

IcyAzureMoose · 23/03/2026 19:36

About 6k, I am aware of how lucky we are. We both had great pensions and then chose to carry on working after we took them as we are young in our early 50’s. Not mortgage either now. Yes we do give to charity and also give a lot back with our time too. Ive been a single extremely poor mum so I’ve seen that side of life and it was tough.

Ihateboris · 23/03/2026 19:35

😅😅

BringBackTeletext · 23/03/2026 19:34

I’ve got a week until payday, and £373 in my account.

Single parent of two teens and an 8 year old. Ridiculously happy with my life, my incredible job and our charity shopped lifestyle ☺️

BlueEyedBogWitch · 23/03/2026 19:32

Jesus fucking Christ. I thought I was doing ok until I opened this thread.

Flamingowigglesworm · 23/03/2026 19:27

Ihateboris · 23/03/2026 18:52

God, I wish I hadn't opened this thread. 😫 After rent, utilities, insurance, fuel road tax etc, I have about £300 left for food, toiletries and unexpected expenses. I'll be well and truly fucked next month when everything increases. I'm obviously the exception on Mumsnet and not the rule.

I'd seriously consider going on the game if I had the energy and the body. At 56 I don't think anyone would pay to shag me though 😂

I’m exactly the same it seems everyone on here is minted! 😂🫠 I think after food and everything we are lucky to have £100 spare

ThatAgileLimeCat · 23/03/2026 19:26

Was 3700 but just dropped to 1700 due to redundancy. Haven't included things like subscriptions, mobiles, sports clubs, travel etc though.

Statsquestion1 · 23/03/2026 19:25

@Jane143 i have two dc to save and provide for. A house to pay for. A pension to pay into. The way I see it we’re not taking much from the pot, we are ensuring that we are as self sufficient and secure as possible without having to rely on the government.

MiddleAgedDread · 23/03/2026 19:23

Torchout · 23/03/2026 19:02

I suspect a lot of these high amounts are pie in the sky dreaming

Show quote history

I earn £62k a year (give or take the pennies), also get a car allowance of £200 a month on top of that. Do salary sacrifice which apparently saves me something on tax or NI and put 13% into my pension which gives me a take home pay of £3400
minus essential bills (averaged per month where paid upfront for the year:
£600 mortgage
£55 management fee (includes buildings insurance)
£7 contents insurance
£213 council tax and water
£27 boiler cover
£61 broadband, tv & tv license
£90 gas & elec
£54.50 car insurance, tax, service & MOT
£88 insurance policies
£50 mobile (but handset almost paid off so that will drop)
=£1250 (give or take a couple of £]
so £2150 left each month (over estimated earlier as I was adding up in my head!)
add in non essentials like savings, over paying the mortgage, amazon prime and gym membership and outgoings hit £1800 a month so £1600 left over.

Satarn · 23/03/2026 19:23

After bills food about £1000.
Live alone no kids.

Statsquestion1 · 23/03/2026 19:22

Jane143 · 23/03/2026 19:19

Are you actually joking or taking the piss? Have you thought about giving some to charity?

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How do you know I don’t donate to charities randomly? I do give my time more so though tbh. I work in a homeless kitchen once a month as part of a programme at work.

Morepositivemum · 23/03/2026 19:21

Very lucky food wise as I work in a supermarket with a great discount and put a tenner weekly into a gift card so if am stuck can use that for food but at the moment have a full tank for the car and fuel for the burner and have a good shop in so all good but had to get a loan from 13yo as our car broke down and we both get paid at the end of the week. Last year would have money left over but have had a lot of things break (eg burner) and so had to catch up on bills we had to neglect. Goal is to someday have savings can dip into.

youalright · 23/03/2026 19:21

About 1k but I remember years of only having £200 left over so I feel rich now

Statsquestion1 · 23/03/2026 19:20

Jane143 · 23/03/2026 19:18

Whatever jobs do these people do that can actually spend over £7000 in a MONTH!! That’s actually quite obscene when you see charities and families all struggling to survive ☹️

I earn 50k and dh around 70k in fairly average jobs. (He is lower management) we save 2.5k per month from that.

Jane143 · 23/03/2026 19:19

Statsquestion1 · 23/03/2026 19:16

😅 yes it’s ridiculously managed

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Are you actually joking or taking the piss? Have you thought about giving some to charity?

Jane143 · 23/03/2026 19:18

Whatever jobs do these people do that can actually spend over £7000 in a MONTH!! That’s actually quite obscene when you see charities and families all struggling to survive ☹️

Statsquestion1 · 23/03/2026 19:16

Jane143 · 23/03/2026 19:14

Bloody hell!!!!

Show quote history

😅 yes it’s ridiculously managed

MrsKeats · 23/03/2026 19:16

About 6K but we are old. There has to be some benefit!

Jane143 · 23/03/2026 19:14

Statsquestion1 · 23/03/2026 17:38

This is our monthly budget

Me 3100
DP 4100
CB 280
Total 7480

Housing
Mortgage: 1900.
Insurances(life, house): 150
Property tax: 50
Total Housing: 2100
Utilities
Electricity 150
Waste collection: 25
Broadband & TV: 70
Mobile phones x3: 60
Total Utilities: 305
Food & Groceries
Groceries & household food: 500
Dining out / takeaways: 200
Total Food: 700
Transportation
Fuel: 150
Car insurance & tax: 150
Maintenance & NCT: 100
Public transport / Parking: 20
Total Transport: 420
Education & Kids
School books, uniforms, fees: 50
Activities, sports, clubs: 55
Pocket money/treats: 60
Total Kids & Education: 165
Entertainment & Lifestyle
Family outings, hobbies, gifts: 250
Subscriptions: 20
Miscellaneous expenses (haircuts etc): 60
Personal spends:250x 2 = 500
Total Entertainment: 830
Savings & Miscellaneous
Emergency fund / Savings: 2,000
Holidays (monthly allocation): 500
Clothing: 200
Miscellaneous buffer: 300
Total Savings & Misc.: 3,000
TOTAL MONTHLY SPENDING: 7,480

Bloody hell!!!!