to think the amount of money im left with by the end of the month is ridiculous?

[yellowcheesepie]

I recently went back to work after mat leave and am sat here wondering how on earth this is worth it ?! after paying all my bills of food, rent, electricity, water, internet, netflix, phone, commute and childcare etc i'm only left with £200 a month to save? i'm not a big spender either, all my income goes on the mentioned above plus £100 spending allowance for myself.

I'm not trying to rant, but i'd like to understand how other working mums do it? is this a reasonable amount to save per month or is there something very wrong in my finances? I live with my DH and we split all bills / expenses if anyone is wondering

[blameless]

I've always thought that the number at the bottom right of your pay slip was 90% of your cost of living - that's how it's always worked for me.

[PinkyFlamingo]

berksandbeyond ·

I agree that its shit but you'll get everyone being competitively poor on here

You think £300 a month spare is shit?

[OakTreex]

Save! If you're able to save in this economy you're doing okay. Times will hopefully get easier eventually.

I do sympathise.

Saving is a pipe dream for me. I'm a single mum and I get through the month with pennies left over, if I'm lucky.

[cruisin2022]

Yeah, I’d be absolutely delighted to have that much left. I’m usually at zero before pay day.

[MrsTuxedo]

YANBU. Things have changed.
When I started working, I was able to save 1/3 of my wages. It is less than that now. Everything has gone up. I don't buy my lunch, because I hate the lunch deals, and the healthy options are either overpriced or still processed. I don't buys coffees since we have a Nespresso at the office.
Fruits and vegetables have gone up quite a bit.

[usernamealreadytaken]

@Mrsmch123

£200 left at the end of the month is shit when you have two income family. I get why your frustrated, I would be!

OP has £100 to spend and £200 to save, so presumably DH also has money left over. £600+ disposable income after all bills and childcare are paid is pretty decent...

[Solonge]

So…often when people start work they may be living at home with their parents…so either keep all of their salary…or most. Then you move and flat share or move in with a partner and then you have rent and utility bills….but if you have a good job…still plenty of spending money…then you get to have a family…mortgage etc….and there isn’t much left over. We all work to put a roof over our heads….heat our home, feed ourselves, have a nice Christmas or other holiday and maybe a week or two away in the summer. That’s what the salary is for. My daughter had a couple of friends in high powered jobs with three or four kids… earning a great salary….and barely had money left over at the end of the month….it’s why they call it a treadmill.

[2021mumma]

How do you split the bills with your DP?

[horseyhorsey17]

YANBU but this is Mumsnet so everyone will be telling you to hoist your bosom and be grateful to your overlords that you have any disposable income at all. How dare you not be grateful you’re earning enough to survive etc etc.

[1000N]

Wish i had that, if im left with a positive balance of £1 at the end of the month that’s really good!
i have a good job and i have ZERO personal expenses- example the last time i went to have my hair cut was July 2021, been doing it at home since ( looks awful)!

[PeopleAreNuts]

Can I ask how much your salary is? What makes it a good job in your opinion? I'm not trying to be rude etc, I'm genuinely curious what different people could as an average salary, good salary, and so on.

[PeopleAreNuts]

@1000N

Wish i had that, if im left with a positive balance of £1 at the end of the month that’s really good!
i have a good job and i have ZERO personal expenses- example the last time i went to have my hair cut was July 2021, been doing it at home since ( looks awful)!

I meant the above question as a quote, my bad.

[kateandme]

Op I. I it might not feel like you’d always dreamt of.but right now your situation is and would be a blessing to so many so try to just hold that as a reality.
if you really can’t earn or save more then yes it is in fact bloody marvellous amount to be left with in current climate.and you are beyond lucky.

[KateRose]

I was in a slightly similar situation for many years wondering if it was ‘worth it’ until I was able to WFH thus saving travel costs, but still without your ‘me’ money or ‘savings’. For us as my husband had irregular freelance earnings my wage was essential for any borrowing / remortgage calculations, should you want to factor that into the bigger picture. (Apols if it’s been mentioned earlier I haven’t read all the comments here).

[Barney60]

This.
So it pays all your Bill's and you have money left over?
Your extremely lucky!

[Longbarn5]

Childcare costs in this country are horrendous!!Most people I know who pay for care for one or two children are living hand to mouth even though they have two wages coming in. Those who have their own homes and aren't renting (because of housing costs in our part of the country) are now losing sleep over the huge rise in mortgage payments so you might actually be quite lucky.

[Scottsy100]

Another woe is me post when you are left with more than some people can only dream about, seriously what is up with you people

[23Elfie]

🤣🤣 try not having a pot to piss in and maxing out the overdraft on things that keep you alive, then come back and moan! Joker!

[Mrsmch123]

@usernamealreadytaken yeh IF her husband has the same left over then that's a good amount. However if he has none then it is indeed shite. £300 isn't a lot for "all other things" particularly if you have children.....a trip to soft play for example £7/8 entry £4/5 a meal x 2 kids soon adds up.....

[Itchybites123]

@Cuddlywuddlies

If you stop paying your bills you’ll have waaay more 😁

…but honestly what do you want? You can pay your bills, keep a roof over your head and feed your family and STILL have something leftover. That’s what is important.

Until inflation gets worse or something breaks?

[1000N]

@PeopleAreNuts

I meant the above question as a quote, my bad.

Around 41k/year.

[CatOnAHotTinRoof]

Only on MN could you find someone crying they only have 300 quid spare a month. AND still get others agreeing that it's

God, if I had 300 quid a month spare to just spend on myself and actually squirrel away savings, all while still being able to cover every one of my bills

I just about cover my bills. I'm living in my overdraft though to do it. And I work my tired AF self employed arse into the ground every bloody week. And I consider myself one of the lucky ones compared to a LOT of other people who are much worse off.

STFU OP and count yourself very fucking lucky. As well as the rest of you lot sympathising. It's so fucking insulting it's nauseating.

[vickylou78]

It feels bad when child care costs are high but remember the childcare costs is a cost for both parents and it allows you both to bring home a family income. When childcare costs are less you'll have benefited from keeping your career going, you'll have paid into your pension and employer hopefully paid pension payments too, you can concentrate on getting promotion etc. And don't have to search for new employment and start at the bottom again.

[Watchamocauli]

You’re not just unreasonable but you’re incredibly shortsighted.

staying in a job helps build skills, experience, career and with it increments in earnings. When your childcare drops you’ll have a decent saving.

plus doesn’t financial independence mean anything to you??

[Mamanyt]

I can't even imagine having that much money left at the end of the month! I'd be happy if I could count on half of that.