wondering if our monthly expenses/budgets are ok?

[yumyumchocobun]

hi, i know this might be an odd one but just out of curiosity after having a convo about it with someone i'm wondering if our monthly expenses/budgets are decent and if you would consider them tight/normal/comfortable.

we are a small family: husband, me and 1 year old baby.

our mortgage on a 2 bedroom 2 bath flat in london, a 2014 car, internet, phone bills , electricity, water, gas, insurance, service charge etc is all paid for without any budgets.

the (monthly) budgets include:
£450 for groceries including food and cleaning supplies.
£50-£60 gas for the car
£200 for spending (going out as a family, or buying stuff for the house or baby. example: if we need a new jug or pan, or going to the zoo as a family, eat out, or if our baby needs new shoes etc)
£200 for me personally (to spend on clothes, shoes, cosmetics, if i go out with my girlfriends, etc)

We have 1 longer Holiday a year thats not within the budgets and if we decide to go somewhere extra for like a weekend it would either have to be for an event such as birthday or anniversary or we'd have to save for it from the spending budget.

larger items for the house are usually purchased annually with my husbands bonus (for example this year we bought a new ikea tv stand shelving unit for £650 + babys new carseat £200 + outdoor storage unit)

Birhday gifts / family gifts / wedding or graduation gifts for other people are usually also extras not within the budgets unless i'm going alone to my girlfriends party then i'd pay for her gift from my allowance.

we save around £1300 a month on average.

would you consider this life tight, normal or comfortable?

also not sure if this is relevant but i am a stay at home mum so all this is provided by hubby.

also not sure if relevant but im 25 and hubby is 27

Wow what an odd post
Many people are struggling, it's very obvious your not. What's the point in this post? And asking posters what they do for a living and how much they earn is bloody rude!

You are saving more than lots earn in a month.

Instead of asking random strangers to post what they earn and stealth boasting, maybe use some of your savings to see a financial advisor.

If you want to know where you sit the ONS will have better data than a random MN sample

don't worry i have a decent paying career and could live well myself , im currently at home for my baby's sake not because i couldnt find a good job :)

Not really sure what you are asking but on the household income, I would want more than £200 monthly for myself and for family.

It's £200 more than her DH has.

Spending money for him isn't even mentioned in the 'budget'.

Your mortgage must quite small considering you are in London.
The average rent on a two beds two bath probably around £1800 - £2000 unless you live in zone 4-6.
Also, in London £200/month spending going out for a whole family plus buying household stuff is also quite low.

I think for a family of three on a single income in London you are doing well for saving £1300 a month.

YABAR..( absolutely ridiculous and you know it

The manner of the responses of the OP clearly suggests they are enjoying the ensuing bunfight

Money Matters is where this should have been posted for sensible responses that take into account their stronger than average financial position.

but OP wanted AIBU, the ensuing melee has begun, and OP I hope you’re enjoying it

If someone thinks you're doing very well in your situation (earning £90k at 27, living in a mortgaged property in London, you can afford to be a SAHM) then they're right.

If you've had a 'convo' with someone who thinks that '£100k isn't really that much in London' then they're delusional fools who don't inhabit the same world as just about everyone else.

Plus what do you gain by asking the question on here? Unless you ask a representative sample and they answer truthfully, you're just getting a list of random numbers that mean nothing.

Less fun, but if you really want to know, you could look at ifs.org.uk/tools_and_resources/where_do_you_fit_in

You’re extremely comfortable, and it’s ok to be curious about others income/expenditure - I am!

Fwiw I am similar to @QforCucumber , unable to save, very limited ‘extra’ money. No holidays. Credit card debt building up (I’m talking for school shoes, MOT, pet vaccinations) 3 kids, mortgage and both work (me part time, will increase when youngest at school).

im not really sure what you're talking about, in fact i have been quite apologetic in my responses. the reason why i posted it on here is because im fairly new to mumsnet and i didnt even know that there is a section called money matters... some of you just have too much prejudice about someone you dont even know lol

thank you, for a moment i thought i was a cunt for being curious about money matters

Come on OP, I think you know very well that being able to save £1300 a month means you’re doing just fine. What was the point of this post?

I didnt because most of my family/friends come from very similar circumstances. i thought we are very average but after speaking to my friend today she told me that we are considered in the top percentage for the UK. i didnt believe her which is why i asked on here but hey, if i had known the backlash i would get for asking i would definitely not have asked

“we save around £1300 a month on average.
would you consider this life tight, normal or comfortable?”

Like others it seems, that makes me want to tell you to read the room and piss off 🤷🏻‍♀️

Your friend is correct

“ i thought we are very average but after speaking to my friend today she told me that we are considered in the top percentage for the UK. i didnt believe her”

I’m glad you posted then, so that you can learn, and I hope you find your ignorance uncomfortable.

A stealth boast but one from a person who isnt even earning the wage, lol.

“don't worry i have a decent paying career and could live well myself , im currently at home for my baby's sake not because i couldnt find a good job :)”

Given your level of ignorance, finding that hard to believe.

@yumyumchocobun it would have taken less time to Google UK average salary than to write your post (for reference - it’s around 27k)

Look around all the people you see every day, not just your family and friends.

See all the thousands of people on public transport going about their daily business, travelling to work in shops, cafes, as nurses, cleaners etc etc.

Do you really think they're in similar financial circumstances to you, all 'very average' and able to save £1300 a month? Most of them won't even earn that and they'll probably have to pay rent that takes up most or all of their income, so they'll need a working partner or live in a house share, or way out in a cheaper area, just to get by.

You must have a very limited social circle if you really think you are financially 'very average'.

When someone tells me my husband is going to run away with his secretary in a few years and i’m going to be miserable, i’m going to tell her to put her feet in cold water, in the bitchiest way possible 🖕

Extremely comfortable. I've worked with people on the verge of bankruptcy and about to lose their home.