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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask what is your disposable income and how you split it?

82 replies

Noseysoso · 08/07/2017 10:56

Decided to post here instead of S&B for more balanced results.

I'm due to start a new job and I am currently daydreaming about finally having some money. Thought I'd ask and get more views to aid with my daydreaming and budgeting. -I'm also just nosey-

At the end of the month, how much disposable income do you have and how do you split this up (e.g £100 on clothes, £100 on meals out, £100 at spa) ? Lastly, what percentage is it of your net income?

Disposable income = money to play with (after bills and food).

OP posts:
MirandaWest · 09/07/2017 16:51

I check the bank balance daily. At least. And log spending and saving in a spreadsheet.

But I have had issues with money in the past and this way I keep on top of it so that doesn't happen again

frieda909 · 09/07/2017 16:55

After bills and food I have about £20-30 a week leftover to 'play' with if I'm lucky. That has to cover clothes, haircuts etc, any birthday presents I need to buy, night out etc.

I don't save a single sodding penny.

It's a good thing I love my job because the pay really is shit.

WankYouForTheMusic · 09/07/2017 17:01

We have about £1300 a month after all bills are paid and groceries bought. That would still have to cover things like shoes, clothes, school uniforms, trips out etc. I include already established monthly expenses for the kids such as activities in the bills, but not eg a school trip. And also some luxuries: we have Netflix and Sky, and I don't particularly try and keep our food bills low.

Trying really hard to overpay at the moment, so we are still quite frugal. In terms of what DH and I actually spend on ourselves, probably no more than a couple of hundred each most of the time.

Worriednurse · 09/07/2017 17:24

Currently about £1000 for me, dh and 3dcs. I am thinking of getting a lower paid job for various reasons so this would go down to £600 which is worrying me!

frieda909 · 09/07/2017 17:31

MirandaWest I also check my bank balance at least once a day and have a spreadsheet tracking everything. I honestly don't understand how anyone gets away with not checking their balance (by having a lot more money than me, I suppose!)

I recommend getting a prepaid debit card for weekly spending money. I put my 'allowance' for the week on mine every Sunday and then I know that's the money I'm allowed to spend that week. I used to log it in the spreadsheet every single time I spent any money but that nearly drove me mad!

Cailleach666 · 09/07/2017 18:54

I honestly don't understand how anyone gets away with not checking their balance

I rarely check my bank balance.

blinkineckmum · 09/07/2017 19:14

I put half my wage in our joint ac, dh does the same. This pays for mortgage, bills, house and car maintenance. The rest goes in my ac and whenever the balance is over £500 that gets transferred to my savings. My savings are generally used for house deposits and mat leave (3 lots). His are for unexpected bills and saving up.
I never allocate any money for anything. I know we have enough between us not to get in trouble and just live within our means.

user1492023898 · 09/07/2017 19:23

We are in the luxurious position of having about 70% of our income as disposable. This certainly won't be the case forever, so we put most of this into savings.

blinkineckmum · 09/07/2017 19:31

Sorry, so to answer your question, I guess my disposable income is about £500 pm and I don't split it.
I do have a very cheap mobile, no tv, no dishwasher or tumble dryer, a modest house and mortgage but the house needs work. I have 3 kids but use lots of hand me downs. Spend £500 per month on childcare but that's out my wages beforehand. Rarely buy clothes or go out. Eat veggie. Drink about one bottle of wine a week. Haircut every 12 weeks. One car between us. We sound boring but we rarely splurge which means there is always money for a holiday or birthday if we want it...

HelgaHufflepuff76 · 09/07/2017 19:41

I'm absolutely stunned at some of these replies 😧

Original poster
Noseysoso · 09/07/2017 19:56

Frieda I love the idea of a prepaid debit card ! I was honking of withdrawing cash weekly but then it would get too confusing with online orders etc ...

OP posts:
WankYouForTheMusic · 09/07/2017 19:56

Realised I didn't give percentage of income after bills and housekeeping, it's about 50%. But we should be saving 25% easily and it often seems to not work out like that.

frieda909 · 09/07/2017 20:32

Cailleach666 Good for you! You must either have a lot more money than me or be far better at mental arithmetic. I go down to £0 at the end of every single month so I need to keep a close eye on it and check that it matches my spreadsheet for the month.

Nosey seriously it's changed my life! I use one called Monzo but there are loads of others out there.

MaQueen · 09/07/2017 20:42

DH runs his own business, so income can vary dramatically month to month. Some months we can be really flush...other months we have to really rein it in. DH is often at the mercy of his clients settling an invoice [sighs]

But any disposable income is always for us both to spend as we like. We rarely, if ever argue about money - though I am the sensible one and DH the spendthrift.

converseandjeans · 09/07/2017 23:34

Earnings after tax for DH £1900 and me £1300 and we have about £400 each to cover going out, haircuts, clothes, occasional takeaway, dog walker, gifts for other people, mobile phone for me (only about £20) holidays.
Things have been tight since we moved house a year ago and often need to put some petrol or bit of food out of own accounts rather than joint one.
I always wondered how people could afford meals out and expensive holidays. Guess our salaries aren't all that amazing considering we live in an expensive part of the country. Equally not as badly off as others.

RebelandaStunner · 10/07/2017 00:05

We go out a lot and probably spend 20% of our income on that but that's after we have saved loads and overpaid the mortgage. Holidays are paid for by DH's bonuses. We buy clothes/shoes/stuff for the house etc whenever we see something. We don't split money, we have enough for needs and wants.

Cailleach666 · 10/07/2017 06:27

frieda909

Neither OH or I are big spenders. I don't like "stuff". I despise the marketing that convinces us the think we need endless tat, the shoes the lattes, the perfume.
I like basic living.
I don't need to watch my spending as it is always modest.
OH and I save a third of our income.

ohamIreally · 10/07/2017 06:49

Really impressed with the savers on here. Going to try much harder. Have about £2000 which is 50%. Almost all earmarked for fripperies.

ohamIreally · 10/07/2017 06:51

Don't split as no partner (but spend a lot on stuff for DD)

Cailleach666 · 10/07/2017 06:53

OH and I don't split money.

Everything is shared.

Sweetnessishere · 10/07/2017 07:00

£1500 here just for me, after I have paid my share of the family bills.
50% Long Term Savings
15% Holiday Fund
30% Clothes, hair and beauty treatments
5% Incidentals such as lunch and coffee

Silvertap · 10/07/2017 07:02

Wow I think some of these amounts are really high.

Like another poster we look at it another way. We run our own business so every penny goes into building those and therefore our future up.

We could afford to spend a lot more than we do but We choose not to have meals out etc.

EllieQ · 10/07/2017 07:08

I have £175 per month after household costs (mortgage, bills, food, childcare and other child-related costs (clothes, shoes), pet food and insurance). DH has a similar amount. This covers my mobile phone bill, a charity donation, travel to visit friends or my family, and any personal costs (coffees out, clothes, haircut, makeup, toiletries). I'm trying to get out of my overdraft, so I give myself £40 a month for the 'personal' costs.

I always thought I was fairly frugal, but I've found it hard to stick to the £40 limit! Haven't bought any new clothes for a while, and I need a haircut. It's eye-opening seeing how much other people have. Not sure what DH spends his spare money on - we have a joint account for all household costs, but personal money comes from our own accounts so we have some privacy Smile

pastafairy · 10/07/2017 07:09

As a couple 40% household bills 20% childcare 20% disposable and 20% savings for my next bout of maternity leave

EllieQ · 10/07/2017 07:10

I have £175 per month after household costs (mortgage, bills, food, childcare and other child-related costs (clothes, shoes), pet food and insurance). DH has a similar amount. This covers my mobile phone bill, a charity donation, travel to visit friends or my family, and any personal costs (coffees out, clothes, haircut, makeup, toiletries). I'm trying to get out of my overdraft, so I give myself £40 a month for the 'personal' costs.

I always thought I was fairly frugal, but I've found it hard to stick to the £40 limit! Haven't bought any new clothes for a while, and I need a haircut. It's eye-opening seeing how much other people have. Not sure what DH spends his spare money on - we have a joint account for all household costs, but personal money comes from our own accounts so we have some privacy Smile