1,5k disposable income a month is enough

[Myglorioushairdo]

AIBU to think that a disposable income of £1,500 a month is enough for a family of four? That is after all living costs, fixed monthly bills and food/household essentials.
DH and I were a bit unfortunate and made a major life change just before the pandemic, and this is what our household income has now been boiled down to.

DH is majorly stressed out and says its not enough, I say it's OK for now. We are able control all the other costs with careful planning and even save a bit! We don't live in a big city and our kids are still primary school age. What do you think?

@Whattodo1610

titchy - Read the fucking thread. This ISNT OP's disposable income at all - which she later clarified.

YES it is her disposable income .... which she clarifies in many posts!

OP that is a huge amount .... definitely think this is a stealth boast.

No it isn't. It's her fixed monthly costs. Her problem is that she doesn't view other essential expenditure as a fixed cost, but she needs to treat it as if it is. Then when the car needs £1500 spending on it to get it through it's MOT she scrabbling round trying to find pennies to buy dc a new pair of school shoes.

All the disparaging comments are because OP has said this is disposable income. It isn't. If it was she'd be minted. But her dh recognises that this isn't disposable income at all - OP doesn't however, hence saying it is on this thread.

@PestymcPestFace

It seems quite a generous amount of pocket money.

I think a lot of people will wonder how you have high paid jobs, if you really have the low level of critical thinking and empathy that your post indicates.

Haha!

Surely this isn't a serious post? Some people need a reality check

Of course it's fine... it's loads. What are you doing? Buying a holiday every month?

A few days out, clothes as needed and the occasional meal out and you could still have a grand in savings every month...

Of course it's enough! All of your bills are paid, your family is fed, and disposable income is for things that you don't 'need', you'd just 'like'. I think it's a really decent amount to have left, and should allow you to save a fair bit, too.

WitchesNStuff yes it’s plenty- unless op is buying her kids £200 of clothes a month and spending £100 per friends birthday present...

OP, if I were you I'd go to the moneysavingexpert website and complete a statement of affairs. It doesn't sound like your "disposable" income is truly disposable. You need to include things like budgeting for christmas and birthdays (especially for the kids), hair cuts, petrol etc before you can really decide how much you can afford to put in to savings and spend on luxuries.

The bitter crew is out again - but what can you expect from so many people who are on social media mid-morning, there is some weird competition to the bottom on this forum and you just woke the bitter ones.

(I can tell you why I am on here, I am stuck in flipping train)

If you don't live on £2.50 a week you are accused of stealth boast, it's ridiculous (funny how everyone is very shy about the amount of help, benefit of any kind THEY actually get...)

As above, update your list of "disposable" for a start.
Your budget is not small, but it's not huge either - you do need to actually budget properly and you'll be absolutely fine.

You might not be able to afford the holidays you wanted, but you can only know that when you know what exactly is left after your real list of bills and expenses has been calculated.

@Myglorioushairdo

Ok..my apologies everyone!! Just obviously a bit clueless to come post something like this on here. If it makes any difference, we were on total zero income for four months during lockdown and used up every single penny we had stashed away and now trying to get back on our feet living somewhere new, doing new jobs. So I do know financial stress..

Like I said, the 'disposable' income must cover anything that is non-essential like everyone's clothes, petrol, toys, bikes, hobbies (if the kids want to got to a swimming school act..), car servicing, things breaking, birthdays, christmases and hopefully a bit of saving too..

You have no idea of financial stress or you wouldn't say that. Some people have no savings and a much smaller income than you. I earn much less than your disposable income.

Santa you are on here too lol

I live on 1600 a month for two adults, a toddler and dog before any bills. I think you'll be fine 😂

Though it's all relative, so as others have suggested, time to make a spreadsheet of outgoings

@Ladybird345

Surely this isn't a serious post? Some people need a reality check

indeed... but it's MN, anyone with a vaguely different lifestyle is attacked and abused.

Just because the OP is not homeless and completely destitute doesn't mean they can't have questions and financial struggles. FFS, the competition to the bottom is boring.

@OnlyFoolsnMothers no I'm not spending on stuff like that. We've only been having this income since August. Before that we had zero income for four months due to lockdown. Last week I fixed the car (was expensive) and before that we had to fix a few things in the house including a large window broken by a storm..
I think we are lucky not to be in debt to be honest. Many people are far worse off due to covid.

enough? are you having a laugh. Most people I know don't really have anything left once all bills are paid. 1.5k is a huge amount of money.

For example last week I had to fix the car which cost us loads and ate up most of our 'disposable' budget, but Ithink it's ok..

You need to work out your car running Costs for the year And add them into your essentials. Same with something for household repairs, kids school uniform, clothes and shoes they have grown out of and a reasonable amount per child for Christmas and birthdays. Perhaps a budget for their hobbies ( assuming it’s Brownies / badminton and not karting / a pony ).

What you have left is your genuine disposable income. That’s your fun money for clothes, hobbies and social life for you and your DH and family days out / weekends / holidays.

I don’t mean to be rude but how how have you got to be an adult with two kids and not know this basic stuff?

@ChloeCrocodile yes, good idea. However I don't cut my hair. I just let it grow it's super long

@speakout

What is this "disposable income" that people speak of?

I truly don't understand it.

Is that money for frittering away on stuff you don't need?
I earn more than I need but I have never understood the concept of "disposable" income.

Nope! Its to use as you wish. So save or spend!

Op, we have almost the small disposable income (although I bank £500 a month) so yeah definitely enough to get by & save!

That's more than I have BEFORE I've paid all my bills/living expenses 😳 I think you'll be fine!

Same

@ALLIS0N how how have you got to be an adult with two kids and not know basic courtesy

Wow I think you need some sensitivity to other people's circumstances.

[quote Myglorioushairdo]@ALLIS0N how how have you got to be an adult with two kids and not know basic courtesy [/quote]
I don’t have two kids.

You need a strict budget for everything, including a chunk into savings.
£1500 is plenty, if you budget properly you'll soon start feeling pretty secure.

We have the same income and the same expenditure as you OP so can speak from experience.

It's more than enough to live on. It's enough to thrive on. Our kids have bikes, we take holidays (UK breaks rather than abroad trips), we get takeaways, we have just got ourselves a second car (mega old banger), we are able to go and get the uniforms in August and the Christmas presents in December etc.

You will be fine.