To ask if you can live on £500 a month?

[calliiee]

No housing costs but council tax, electricity and gas and insurance, phone, Internet and groceries. Is it doable?

[PetalMettle]

Would be very tight I think.

[calliiee]

Yes, it comes to about £140 a week. Which is guess is doable. Council tax is £60 p/m if that helps.

[Manumission]

Have you checked your entitlement to TCs? Don't be afraid to take what's available to help you through the pre school years.

Or is this living budget low because it's net of childcare costs?

[happypoobum]

Yes it is doable but tight. Do you work? Are you getting tax credits?

Is there a chance you could get a food bank referral?

[Manumission]

Choices of nappy and seemingly simple things like that will make a big difference.

If you have other options, consider them all carefully. There was an extended period a long time ago when Asda's 7p noodles made up far more of my diet than was healthy. It gets wearing.

[calliiee]

It's not the current situation don't worry :) I'm just considering the future.

[Eevee77]

At a push. I've been there. Utterly miserable.

[SansasEscape]

Just for me, yeah sure. Others too, no way.

[Manumission]

Do you already have the baby?

[calliiee]

I do yes

[nancy75]

I am surprised by some of the figures given here, £75 for gas & electricity? My electricity bill is over £60 a month, the gas closer to £100.

[Seryph]

It's not impossible but it is foul.

For the past 4 years I have lived on £7000 a year, going into year 5 of it now (thankfully not paying bills for much of this year though), and it is appalling. There's no money ever for anything, there's always a worry about how you are going to pay for things. How you are going to afford Christmas/birthdays/etc.

Thankfully DP has a good paying job now and we can afford a but more, and with luck by next autumn I will have a good paying job again too and we will be able to live like real people! (Can't even begin to explain how much a £20k salary sounds like to me, impossible money!)

[Manumission]

Is child maintenance in payment/possible/applicable?

[calliiee]

I'm not sure of the finer details Manu but I kind of have to work out a bottom line and anything above that is a bonus. If that makes sense. But no I don't think so.

[DirtyDancing]

No I dare say I would struggle. Phone, internet, basic clothes, car, food shopping, travel costs. I would really stuggle. I suppose I could have a much cheaper phone, no internet at home and get the bus to work (which would take me 1.5 hours so a bit of a nightmare) which would probably make it douable. I would need to be much more savvy with my food shopping as well. It would be tough if I am honest

[expatinscotland]

No, not long term under those circumstances.

[PinkiePiesCupcakes]

I think it would be tough and it would depend on a lot of things.
This is our Essentials Outgoings budget:

C/Tax £110.00
Gas £40.00
Elec £30.00
Food £100.00
mobile Phone1 £10.00
Mobile Phone2 £4.00
Car Debt £35.00
Savings £50.00
BT £34.59
Water £63.82

Total: £477

doesn't leave much in way of luxuries like Netflix, going out, clothes etc etc.

[nancy75]

Op, I think we need to know more details.
Will you be working, paying rent or mortgage, claiming benefits? It makes quite a difference, e.g. If you claim a certain level of housing you get a large discount on council tax

[AyeAmarok]

So 500 after council tax.

Say another 100 for electric, gas and insurance. Another 50 for phone/Internet.

Leaves 350 for groceries and everything else.

Tight, but doable.

[ENormaSnob]

Yes I could, just for me and a baby.

[Mymothersdaughter]

What matchingbluesocks said

I personally couldn't but I probably spend £500 a month just on wine (that's a joke)

How would you save for unexpected expenses or Christmas or holidays?

[Manumission]

Well this is all very mysterious

But having been single with a baby on a low income, I would say aim to boost that to £700-800 pcm if it's possible, but if it's a question of your sanity/safety/psychological wellbeing then do what you have to do and you'll survive in £558.

Babies like free and cheap stuff and just being with their Mums, thank goodness.

Good luck

[JsOtherHalf]

www.turn2us.org.uk/Find-Grants

Run your figures through this for your area, which will give a bit more information about Council Tax discounts, etc for your area.

[allowlsthinkalot]

You would probably get council tax benefit.

It wouldn't be much fun but doable.

[calliiee]

Well tbh I just wouldn't be able to celebrate Christmas (only got the baby to buy for) or go on holiday. Not trying to sound all woe pity me but you just wouldn't would you?

It's not mysterious lol :) I'm just thinking of maybe leaving. With Dbaby. And trying to work out if/how we could live.