To ask how much disposable income you have at the end of the month?

[Mrsshearsagain]

We have about 1000 left at the end of each month after everything is paid and still feel skint

When dh was out of work, now that was a struggle. Luckily we had no debts when he lost his job otherwise we would be up the swanee.

I think the best way to look at your situation OP is you have £1000 a month spare. Some people start the month at -£1000. Count your blessings and be happy.

OP, if it's a genuine question like you said, then my answer is YABU to feel skint with £1k left over after bills. You must realise that? I'd suggest that you're frittering your money away on lots of little things (coffees, magazines, lunches out, toiletries) and need to keep a money diary of what you're spending your money on. You shouldn't feel skint with that left over. Are you comparing yourself to others?

DH and I are on modest incomes but watch our money, live frugally, haven't had a holiday in years but still manage to put (some) money away for emergencies. My brother, who earns more than both of us, has debts and no savings because he spends it on crap/going out all the time. He's just irresponsible.

It would be my dream to have A£1,000 left every month. I don't. I don't have that to start with.

Why do you need to know what anyone else has left overood for you! to sort your own finances out??

You have money left over-good for you!

If you spend less on non essentials you'll have even more left over

My first ever

Mrshearsagain I cant' face reading this whole thread because I know it will be divided into people who think £1000 is not a lot of money and people who are scratching around for 50p pieces at the end of the month (I am in the latter category).

If you feel skint, please examine what you are spending your money on. For example. I would be less skint if i gave up diet coke and and bus fare.

£1000 at the end of the month is something I dream of, so I am finding it hard to empathise... but I know that we all see these things differently. If you feel skint, then I'm sure you can economise.

YABU We have about £1000. £100 goes into dc's savings. £500 towards savings for house deposit. So £400 left, about £100 a week. £10 pocket money for dc's. If we have a family activity at the weekend that can use none or all of it, dh and I can be left with up to £40 each max or nothing at all. So whilst I certainly don't feel skint at all, and are most certainly better off than many, I don't feel flush either.

An obvious windup

Sorry if anyone has been offended, that was not my intention at all, it was a genuine question, I obviously need to start keeping track of things a bit more closely.

I'd suggest making a budget and sticking strictly to it. That's what we did, stopped wasting money on a Starbucks every time I went to the grocery, stopped spending on random clothes for the kids just because they were on sale or carryout dinners because I didn't feel like eating what we had in the house. It's made a huge difference.

Not having enough money to make ends meet is a terrible problem, but not being able to manage the money you do have is also bad. It's a skill a lot of people aren't taught. People are funny about money, they don't like to talk about it, and as a result a lot of people grow up not knowing how to handle it. We do the Dave Ramsey plan. You might check out one of his books.

Im wondering what exactly constitutes disposable income.

We've been £50-100 overdrawn the last two months. Theoretically we should have about £300 a month left over but birthdays, new spectacles and vets bills have wiped that out.

We have about £2600 left over after all bills, food etc are paid. However we lost a lot of money on our last house (bought high, sold low) so need to save most of that, make overpayments on the mortgage, etc in order to feel like we're working towards a reasonable retirement and to be financially secure for our ages (in our forties). It's not all champagne and fast cars around here by any means (tesco own brand wine and an old banger are good enough for us). I feel lucky we're able to save and very fortunate to be in this position (still kick myself over past mistakes, though).

I have lots, I am married to the monopoly man not really

I would define disposable income as what's left over after rent/mortgage, council tax, utility bills, commuting, insurance, professional fees if applicable and basic food.

wickedwitch I gave up on the concept of retirement a long time ago.

Nothing left at all, I rely on credit cards to get me through to pay day. I am very careful with my money. Don't drink don't smoke and no holiday again this year. 2 kids single parent after nearly 20 years of marriage. Working 3 days a week.

Consider yourself lucky op

Wow i am currently living on 140 every 2 weeks ( waiting for other benefits to come through )

after they do i will have after rent food elec gas milk , nappies etc ...550 pound a month disposable money.

£97.51

That's after rent, council tax, bills and direct debits, but before food and petrol. Hence, I don't use the car much!

...

We are comfortable I earn £115 per month so DP is the wage earner

Although we don't have masses of money left over we do put money in children's savings, holiday savings etc so what we would consider to be necessary outgoings will be luxuries to someone else

I've just worked it out. And have £75 left to play with.

I think everyone probably adds different things in so its hard to say exactly. Do you all add in things like children's after school activities and haircuts and so on in or do you class them as things to be spent on with disposable income. I have put my details into 2 website, one was Shelter and the other was a money site (forget the name). The Shelter site told me I was basically in big trouble and spending much more than I was earning (I was shocked as I didn't think things were that bad) and the other site seemed to tell me I was doing great and had more than £300 left a month to play with which also surprised me as I'm certainly not finding that. Its hard to know exactly how much you are spending/saving.

I'm sad to say none. We strive to break even, which is gradually becoming more of a possibility.

Not how it should be as we both work bloody hard.

Oo, this one is easy. £0.00