Living on 1k a month advice please

[Debtgalore]

Hi MNers, long term poster but name changed as embarrassed.

Due to corona we've had a massive drop in income. We're still very lucky that we have £1,000 a month to live on (but that's significantly less than we're used to). Can we have any advice on how to make it stretch? There's two of us, two 10 year olds and a dog. It'll need to cover all food, petrol for 2 cars (we commute in opposite directions) and everything else.

Using the MSE boards we've made a budget for all our bills, switched energy suppliers, cancelled Sky, etc etc. The thousand is what's left over.

We sometimes shop at Aldi but will do this as our main shop now.

All help appreciated, I'm worried it won't go as far as we need.

Thank you,

£1k/m left over after all housing costs and bills are paid = seen as a problem. Only on MN

But it's probably nowhere near £1k pm. Have they fully accounted for home insurance, things like appliance replacement, car repairs and replacement, vets fees if they have pets etc? All those essential irregular bits and pieces that can add up to quite a lot over time.

Many people on here spend close to £1k pm on grocery shopping alone. How many times do we see people talking about £2-250 pw grocery bills 'because good food is expensive' and they couldn't possibly understand how people get by on £40/50/60 pw 'because they spend that on fruit and veg alone'?

OP, good to see you've looked at Moneysavingexpert. It's really the best place to go, Mumsnet is hopeless for anything money related.

Make sure you look at the sections about dealing with the debt. If it's a big debt and you've lost a good chunk of your income, you'll probably need a formal solution and professional advice. Don't fall into a trap of plugging away for years with high interest debt where all the payments go on interest and charges and you get nowhere, despite throwing all your disposable income and more at the debts.

For days out, you should be eligible for a CSSC card as NHS staff- it is a few quid a month and gives access to English heritage, kew and wakehurst for free (also the Welsh equivalent) plus you can get discounts on loads of other days out and I think if you're savvy, shopping too. Cheap cinema tickets as well.

£1000 is what some bigger families live on for one month full stop. Bills. Food. Clothes. Mortgage/rent. School meals. Going out. Car fuel etc etc
It is possible but not easy. There are plenty of frugal living sites on facebook full of guidance/ideas.

If you have £1000 to live on AFTER bills i think you dont have a problem.

You're taking the piss.

£1k after bills... Try having a £1k a month full stop and your rents £500.

Sorry but bullshit does anyone with 2 children get only £1000 a month in total and have to pay £500 a month rent themselves fully.

Op - it must be shit for you at the moment. Like a pp said - it is the psychological shift that is also hard. You can do this, you will do this - you have had some great tips on this thread (some that I haven’t thought of either so will be using) I am a single mum on minimum wage with 4 kids - it is amazing what you can achieve when you are in the right mindset. Take the good advice from this thread and ignore the arseholes.
Ps my tip is (depending on how old your kids are) I let my 15yr old do the food shop list and menu plan - she has become a demon at it and knows what our budget is and regularly comes in under budget! A great life lesson for her too and she is now an amazing bargain hunter!
All the best to you op

^"We have £1000 a month to live on... any advice on how to make it stretch?... I'm worried it won't go as far as we need."
^
These phrases are why some people are getting annoyed with OP. It makes the situation seem desperate, when in context it really isn't.

That's a good point about CSSC card. The English heritage and cinema discounts alone cover so much entertainment for a year

Ah a thread on mumsnet where if you dare to have a household income of over £3k a year you’re the devil. Bit of compassion maybe? Yes £1000 after bills is a lot but it’s less that the op previously had to work with and she’s probably stressed about it

Bollocks. The op has got exactly the response she deserved.

Our income after bills is similar for a family of 5. We live fairly well and save a lot. We save less some months and live very well those months.

If the op had neutrally stated her income after bills asked for ideas about how to spend/save it she’d have had mainly different responses.

Instead she bleated on about how she was worried about making ends meet with a grand a month

Although I can’t say it hasn’t been entertaining. Reading the ‘budgeting’ advice like how you should simply change your car to an electric one to conserve fuel when you’re skint has given me lols.

Reading the ‘budgeting’ advice like how you should simply change your car to an electric one to conserve fuel when you’re skint has given me lols

Almost as good as “have you thought about moving house”

This is not me being rude or goady, but is this not more than most families live on after bills etc?

I don’t think we’re poor (I’m a teacher, DP is self employed and we have a toddler) but our food/entertainment/clothing etc budget is about £500pm....

Single working mum of 3. I earn £1000 a month! We live off that. Once bills paid its £50 per week for food, clothes, trips out, Xmas birthday, everything else! I dream of the kind of money you’re worrying about ! I’m struggling to understand your anxiety but I hope you find words of wisdom that help you here. We each can only walk in our shoes ..... or in my case ... second hand charity shop ones if I’m v v lucky !

There's a lot of unkindness on this thread. The OP has gone now and I don't blame them but just saying "you'll live!!" isn't really going to help anyone. If you've never had to manage money tightly before it's a really challenging thing to have to do. It's not a judgement on anyone else, it's just that person's particular context.

ememem84
I’d put money on the op spending more money in fuel for two cars than putting food on the table, you may find that funny- I find it sad

Single working mum of 3. I earn £1000 a month! We live off that

In those circumstances you'd be entitled to quite a bit in top up benefits especially if you pay for childcare and/or are renting.

So you've either overlooked rather well publicised financial help for low income families, or you're being economical with the truth.

On the matter of fuel, £200 pm for two cars commuting isn't actually that much.

Is there any scope for either of you to commute by bike, possibly even looking into getting a bike or ebike through a cycle to work scheme so you don't have to pay upfront, so you can drop down to one car and lose the running costs?

So after deducting the petrol costs (which vary wildly between different households so you really should have done that in your first post!) you have £800 a month or £185 a week. Or £46 per person per week - and a 10-year-old needs just as much food as an adult woman. Indeed less per person because you need to deduct the dog food.

Yeah, that's not a huge amount. Food is doable if you buy good value things and cook. If you're used to having ready meals, pre-prepared stuff, and premium brands and products, you're really going to have to stop doing that. If you're big fruit and/or salad eaters you might find it hard to maintain that too. Salad can be a lot of money for next to no calories and you can't live on vitamins and minerals alone!

There won't be much money left for luxuries but there should be some.

ivykaty I don’t think that’s funny actually. I was laughing at some of the rather extreme budgeting advice which short term won’t help. Like in my previous comment someone usually suggest moving house.

I said that the op was probably after practical advice due to a change in circumstances and didn’t deserve the almost abuse that was given.

On the matter of fuel, £200 pm for two cars commuting isn't actually that much.

It’s 20% of the budget, I’d say that was a large chunk

80% of the time a private car is sat in a parking space not going anywhere, so for it to take such a large part of the budget seems disproportionate

Selling one car and using an electric bike could not only free up 10% if the budget, it would also decrease the bills budget as insurance for cycling is around £30 a year, no VED or MOT or services etc

It’s not possible for everyone to do this, but a motorcar is a Hugh drain on finances

£200 a week to live on? After fuel? Ish?

Get to Lidl and Aldi and meal plan.

You should be able to grocery and pet etc for around £90/100.

Stop drinking if you do and have squash.

I actually think that’s very doable. But then I’m a single parent and have kept me and dd on that, after bills, for years. And sometimes a lot less.

(Wage plus tax credits plus child benefit)

ivykaty44

What I meant was that it doesn't translate into huge commutes, although I can see that I wasn't clear about that, ie they're both probably not 20/30+ miles away from work, so it might be possible for the person with the shortest commute/least running around with schools etc, to cycle instead of driving.

'Find joy in nature. A picnic, a park visit, a long rambling walk can all bring a lot of fun and joy.'

Yy to this.
Its amazing the amount of people who think that all children want are expensive trips out especially when they get to the age of 9 or 10 and no fun can be had with free days out.

They dont. I live in quite a deprived area and a treat is a trip to the sea side or a picnic because thier parents are skint and its appreciated.

We dont have a lot of disposable income at the moment probably a bit less than the op. My kids have never really had the expensive trips out because I've never had the money instead we go to national trust etc.

I've got 10year old a 13 year old and 17 year old. They are happy with the national trust, trip to the beach and picnics.

Dd13 walked up a local well known hill with us last week and enjoyed it that much shes asked for walking boots for her birthday.

Doesn't have to be trips to the city and theme parks all the time

Wow there is some nasty jealous people on here! Ignore the horrible comments, they are angry that they have a low income. £1000 isn't a lot at all, especially when you are used to more. I think it's probably manageable but not easy/fun. We have around £2500 after all bills/mortgage and certainly don't feel rich. Food shopping I always make a list of meals each day and what is needed me stick to it.

Re. finding joy in nature etc., being skint - or in the OPs case not actually skint! - after being quite well off is incomparable to being poor for a long period.

The OP is not losing their home, presumably in a decent area, and will likely have amassed loads of things.

When you're poor for a long period, it is all much tougher. The biggest issues being caused by housing and neighbourhood.

This is why many stupid, ignorant and unkind remarks are made by 'middle class people who once had a few too many bills' to 'people who are long term financially fucked'.

Hmm I've been skint for most of my adult life and I mean skint. Rent arrears, bailiffs, on benefits, domestic abuse, disabled children, just about to lose my job so iknow what it is to be long term poor. I cant afford and I've never been able to afford things like theme parks and Harry Potter studios etc. I'd love more than anything to be able to treat my kids but I cant. I cant even afford chester zoo.
So yes we get a lot of pleasure out of free things we do, things we have no choice to do and my kids dont moan because they know thier mam has no money

I'm not middle class never have been

@ghostmous3

I didn't mean to argue with you, I just think there really is a lot of difference between tightening belts for a time and not having enough money for essentials long term.

I know you didnt labyrinth I just wanted point out that there was a lot of pleasure to be had in the free stuff in life even if you are long term skint like me. Too many people write off the benefits of fresh air or a picnic with family or going for a walk.
Yes I've had times when I've felt absolutely shit when I see my friends jetting off to Spain with thier kids and we dont go anywhere yet again and my kids are dressed in stuff they've been kindly given and ive run out of electric but weve survived and me and my girls are very close now. Dp has just moved in and that's made things even more unstable for a bit, were both on minimum wage but I'm being made redundant next month but as hes brilliant with budgeting and pulls his weight we will be ok