To think 2 adults can live on £800 a month not incl rent?

[abacucat]

Just that really. I think this will be perfectly fine to live on and pay bills.

Is this £800 after all bills are paid?

For us, the commuting costs for 2 are >£800 per month so it very much depends where you live.

You just need to be really honest about your outgoings, down to the last penny. And to be transparent about your spending, again to the last penny.

One of you needs to actively control a savings pot - car repairs etc. It can grow slowly, but it must grow - and be used, grown again, repeat....

It's doable if you live quite simply, as it sounds like you do.
What about savings? emergency fund eg central heating breaks down, car needs fixing, dental work etc etc.??

What are your goals, what is your timescale?

Morgan £800 a month after rent.
Yes it doesn't probably leave us enough slack for car repairs. That would be an issue.

So, no more regular bottles of wine, nights out, cinema etc. You'll have to have another savings pot specifically for 'leisure'.

How can your bills come to more than £800 a month?

Council tax - £550
Gas/electric - £150
Water - £30
Broadband/phone - £50
House insurance - £50
Car insurance - £100 (about to be doubled if dc passes test)

Then there's petrol, breakdown cover, MOT and servicing, annual travel insurance.

Really depends on your outgoings. Our car loans alone amount to £300 a month. Our outgoings (inc groceries) come to about 2000 a month but that includes mortgage and child maintenance. If we take off the mortgage and child maintenance we're still paying out about £1000 a month.

Dental work just need money for check up and fillings. I have had a tooth already pulled because I couldn't afford root canal. So would be minimal cost, but does need to be covered. Also reminds me that DP wears glasses for driving, so appointments and new glasses need to be covered.
Thanks it is easy to forget all these little extras.
Vivaldi Goals are not to go into debt. That is all.

You get 3 nights out for £30? For the two of you? How is that possible?

You have both agreed agreed you would pull out any teeth rather than pay for a filling?

I don't think it's 'perfectly fine'. As you've said, what about when the car needs money spending on it? What about when the boiler goes? When the washing-machine breaks? When you need a new laptop? There's absolutely NO wiggle room in your budget and no room for savings for emergencies, let alone treats. What if you want a weekend away? Or get invited to a wedding and have to pay for travel, present and something to wear?

You can manage, but I think that's all you'll be doing - managing.

titchy Ah! Okay you must have an expensive house to pay that much council tax, and that is eye watering car insurance.
And forgot to include water bill. That isn't optional.

Housing is the main cost.

Of course it’s survivable. Just extras and entertainment would be limited.

My bills
Council tax -150
W,G,E-150
Phones-20 ( sim only)
Insurance-30

Leaves 450 for food and entertainment. Not too bad.

Abacucat make those lists.

Go back through bank statements, don't guess. I started with 6 months worth - you can probably download your bank statements into excel spreadsheets. Work it out down to the last penny, categorise all spending.

You will be very surprised at how much money you spend doing nothing other than working, eating and sleeping.

itsbetter No we would pay for fillings. I have had a tooth already pulled out because I could not afford root canal work.

XiCi Easy. We go with friends once a week to a pub. Neither of us are big drinkers, costs about a £10. Normally have friends round once a week or go to friends house for a drink and chat. Cost is a bottle of wine. Play in a sports team once a week, cost £3 for both of us and a drink at the pub afterwards. So yes £30 for both of us for 3 nights out a week. Also have 1 friend who often pops round for a coffee and chat in an evening. Other times we go out tend to be more expensive though.

I think you could survive for a limited amount of time by being frugal, not using the car more than necessary, etc.

But... Firstly, living like that with no end in sight would be grim (no holidays, no treats, and what happens when you get invited to a wedding and need to stay overnight etc?). And secondly, sooner or later you will need to buy a new car, or move house, or something that requires many hundreds of pounds. So as a long term plan, I just don't think it is workable.

Yes good idea to go through bank statements. Will get them out now.

Is one of you planning to quit work to go to university or stay at home with a baby? Something with a limited timeframe?

You technically can live on it but I've no idea what might make anyone want to do so long term.

Yes it’s possible, just not very pleasant. But I don’t understand why? Is it to save up for something? In which case, yes it’s doable if you’ve got an end in sight, otherwise it’s a pretty grim way to live indefinitely. Me and my husband make around £1400 between us taking off rent and tax, and still struggle most months.

No this is long term and is to do with taking decisions about serious health issues. There would be no end.

In that case, I’m sorry, but I don’t think it’s feasible, especially if one of you isn’t well. Might be worth booking an appointment with citizens advice -there may be things that you can claim for, eg working tax credit, income support.

Do you have a choice about this, or has it been forced on you?