Low salary advice

[Cutegiraffe]

I am on a low salary in an affluent part of the UK - 17k net.

What advise can you give me on saving as much as possible? Any advice also on things we can do on the weekends (DP and I) so we can still enjoy our life without breaking the bank?

I pay £400 rent a month as my share - 1 bed flat with DP.
With council tax and Wi-Fi, gas, electricity, food shopping etc it is so hard to save. We eat veggie food from Lidl and we meal plan. My phone bill is £7 a month.

DP earns even less than me. We will earn more in a year or so when we are more experienced in our field. We both have good degrees and will stay in our jobs for the foreseeable future as career progression is good. However, right now we are finding it tough.

Any advice would be much appreciated

Could find a second job to boost your earnings?

I work 9-5.30 but in reality do more like 9-7 so that's not really possible

For free/low-cost weekends, make a list of all the parks in your area, ditto free-entry museums/galleries/exhibitions/architecturally interesting or historical buildings, then take a picnic lunch with you and spend a couple of hours walking round them. Rivers, docks ditto.

In decent weather, investigate coastal/beach/hill walks near you.

Cinemas often have a cheap night - tho tickets at my local cinema (in a v hip area of London) cost £5 all day every day, which is fab.

When I was pregnant with DS1 we were on a very tight budget and used to do the ‘£10 weekend challenge.’ This was in 2002 so you might need slightly more, but some things we did:
2 meals for a tenner at our local
Took the contents of the penny jar to the 2p machines at the arcade
A walk with a coffee and cake or a pub at the end
Cinema with our own snacks
Kite flying on the beach

It’s mad, looking back at just how little disposable income we had, but I have really happy memories of those £10 weekends.

In terms of ways to spend the weekends cheaply, what sort of people are you both? Running is a great activity to do with a partner - boyfriend and I complete ultramarathons together and have a great time - as is cycling, particularly as the latter is also totally free transport. You could get a National Trust / English Heritage annual pass; or set yourself a ridiculous or silly challenge to do together (boyfriend and I once vowed to lick every Anglican cathedral in south east England in a year.)

In terms of saving as much as possible, it sounds like you’d already got decent budgeting habits. And actually, I’d say don’t push yourselves too hard, particularly if being on a low income is really only a temporary thing. There’s no point penny pinching for the sake of it; be reasonable, treat yourself sometimes, each agree to save 10% of your take home pay each month, and when you’re earning more you’ll be in a position to save more.

TBH, if better pay is so close, then I would seriously batten down the hatches and ride it out. You don't need to be off out everywhere doing things all the time. See it almost as a challenge if that helps.

And I would get a second job too - I used to be a barmaid on top of a fulltime job and I really enjoyed it - it was great company and sociable work. I would do Thursday and Friday nights and Sundays.

(boyfriend and I once vowed to lick every Anglican cathedral in south east England in a year.)

Typo or weird fetish?

I agree with the saving thing. Yes get yourself a little cushion for emergencies if you can. But worry about a house deposit when you are earning more.

I've just got back from a lovely, and fairly cheap, weekend in London spent just mooching really; everywhere from the V and A to Niketown (thanks DS). Just being out and about is enjoyable.

Maybe go to a market or something on a weekend; nicer than buying your veg at Lidl.

Open a savings account and put what you think you can afford into it as soon as you've been paid. Think of it like one of the bills you have to pay and set up a standing order so it goes out of your spending money every month.

Just DP and you, no kids? Sure you can work in the evenings and weekends, if budget is that tight. I work full time and still manage to have a little evening job earning me a few hundred extra per month (and I have young DC). You can't save considerable amounts if you're already counting pennies.

Look at season tickets/membership for whatever you like to do, and make that your main weekend entertainment, cinema, National Trust, museums and galleries, gym, whatever. If you're paying a fixed price for as many visits as you like, it usually works out much cheaper.

But yes to put some money in savings as soon as you get paid, and watch carefully how much you spend on food and drink out of the house, because that can add up massively.

Always take packed lunch/coffee/drinks/snacks and if eating out, choose cheaper options and watch how often you go.

@BuzzShitbagBobbly - neither. Just an ambition and a silly motivator to get out of London more often.

I have to say, I'm a little disappointed, Comtesse

Licking cathedrals could be the next big thing!

Well, when I was just starting out at some points I was working three jobs, one of which was full time and included alternate Saturdays.

I think in your shoes I'd look for a Sat am job (cafe, library, shop?) Or a Sat evening job, or Fri and Sat evening. You only need to do it for a year or so (don't tell them that).
Or try joining a baby sitting agency?

It also means you have a bit less time you feel the need to fill with costly socialising.

Also do online surveys (YouGov, swagbucks etc) for points that turn into vouchers - I give myself targets, I currently have about £40 in swagbucks. And use cashback sites.

I also chase bank deals - last year I opened a NatWest account for the £150 cashback, then closed and transferred it to HSBC for £175 cashback. Also referrals between you and your dp. TSB do £100 each - if you open one (I can refer you!), then you refer him and you both get £100. It does take some discipline as they all have rules you need to adhere to for the account to stay open (if you even need it to!)/get the cashback etc, but once you've set it up it's easy enough.

As for saving money - you really need to look at every expenditure and asses its true value to you. Cut out magazines, newspapers, take away coffee, pret lunches, etc.
I'd rather have one nice meal out with dp than a whole week of Pret sandwiches!