to ask how much disposable income you have every month?

[FunnysInLaJardin]

Following on from another thread, yes I know!

We have about £2,800 but save £1,300 which leaves just enough for the month for us to live comfortably. The saving go on long term bills, holidays and all Christmas and birthday gifts for the year.

I know we are fortunate, but every month live until the next pay packet.

I know people have far tighter budgets than us but am interested to know what folk generally live on.

I agree some hurtful comments. It also depends where u are in life as well.

When we were just starting out. My husband wage was less. We had a young child to pay for. And we struggled.

We are now in our 40’s. My husband is now the manager of where he is but I am now riddled with medical problems and can only work a few hours a week.
We can’t go out much because of my medical problems , I can’t eat out on restaurants or sit in the cinema ... so we get Netflix and sky and stay at home.

We don’t have anything to save at the end of the month as I spend it on stuff during the week.

Nobody should be judged for how much they earn or what they spend it on.

Amazing savings - we gross over £4K but spend most of it on mortgage (£1k) bills (£1k) food, school fees, university maintenance etc. Never ending list

house no by paying an extra £250 a month off and using the remaining £500 for treats. This only covers things like coffees and soft play so should be doable. We don’t spend all of our disposable income currently anyway.

Don’t worry - plenty of cuddles already in our house

I never understand the point of theses threads which appear ad nauseum .

Threads like these are ridiculous. You’ll get both ends of the spectrum, from those who are struggling on NMW +/- benefits, to those who earn £20k+ per month with no mortgage - with the range throughout the middle.

Likewise you’ll get people just starting out with larger mortgages, childcare costs and comparatively lower salaries through to people towards the end of their career with children long since flown, top salary scales and minimal debt. All these have a bearing on disposable or discretionary income.

I could say I have $25,000 a year discretionary. Or $25. Or nothing. You have no way to verify this. As far as I can see, this subject merely allows the well off to bask in their lifestyle and the worse off to feel like crap in comparison.

As LightastheBreeze has pointed out without a lot more details (which some have volunteered) these threads are pointless.

A 56 year old bringing in 4k a month with a small or no mortgage & older children will likely have a lot more disposable income than a 30 yo on 6k who has recently bought in the SE & has young kids. Also what does one count as disposable income? Nothing to do with jealousy.

Well I love these types of threads. Gives you an honest insight into other people’s lives that you can’t really get anywhere else. In rl you tend to be surrounded by similar people so that’s your personal norm. Interesting to see a more nationwide picture.

I think threads like this are actually interesting.

It gives me an insight into how other people live. And what they budget for. Already this morning I have changed something in our budget due to what someone has said on this thread and the other one.

It makes me grateful for what I do have. And it is interesting in the fact that even though other people have more money than me they still struggle as well. Grass isn’t greener etc etc.

I always read these threads with interest.

I agree it depends a lot on your life stage though, that’s a good point.

Yup. You put a £2000 a month income with someone who has three kids it will not last long. But if you gave that two another couple without kids who are a bit older and perfectly do able.
My wage is not much as I have stated before. But combine that with my husbands and if my son didn’t live at home there would be more free money.

Also you can’t judge as different areas having different living amounts.

Also some will want to spend their income on things like school fees but will include that in their bills but really that is disposable income which is used.

We have approx £5678.99 left over each month to spend on knick knacks and frivolities.

Our bills and outgoings (in this i include EVERYTHING such as mortgage, utilities, food, travel, money for activities, takeaways, clothes etc ) come to about 2100 and then we save 1000 per month which leaves around 400 in the account which, despite planning out everything we will need for the month, always gets spent. Sometimes I save an extra 200 if I'm being really strict. Savings are used for holidays, home improvements, emergencies etc (for example boiler broke last year so we were able to just get a new one with money out the savings)

Yup. That’s why I love threads like this. So interesting to read what priorities people have. It’s like a sneak look through the curtains.

We make things at home a priority. But also a lot of money goes on scouting stuff and trips out with that. Other people may say that’s a waste of money but my husband and son love it.

I have sky as again I’m stuck on the sofa a lot. But I don’t have a fancy phone as it doesn’t really bother me.

I spend money on more ore made food as some days that’s easier for me to be able to manage. But I know other people have organic food as something they care about.

I would love to know how other people set out thei budget for the month. May help with tweaking mine. So interesting

It doesn’t matter - I spend it. I always have done and I always will :)

I don’t budget or meal plan, not even sure if im allowed on mn! 🤣

Surely disposable income is disposable thus you can spend it?!

I should also say I'm possibly not going back to work after mat leave so we will drop the entire amount we save each month and a bit more so things will change quite drastically but I've had a lot less money in the past than I've got now and I was just as happy so it doesn't worry me and I look forward to the time gained from the drop in income

@madnessIsay me either. But I need to. I may start another thread to ask how people budget for food etc. Do they have a set amount what happens if they go over. Etc.

Well we don't spend £3500 pcm of net income on school fees anymore. Apart from that I have no idea. But I did buy a new mattress cover yesterday and checked prices in TKMax, House of Fraser and M&S.

I would dearly love to know how anyone feeds four adults, including pet food, toiletries and cleaning stuff for the £250 to £350 pcm figures I see quoted on here.

Savings can mean different things. To me savings isn’t what is spent in the holidays / gifts for a year, that’s just included in what you spend. But they are something saved long term.

So I wouldn’t class the savings in the op as such. Need more info

I know I spend far too much on clothes & shoes but I am good at shopping around & finding discounts so I get what I want at the best price & I eBay lots of my old stuff.

I too find these threads fascinating. How some people have so much, how some people manage on so little.

1500 left after bills and it always gets spent! Ideally I'd like to save 500 a month.