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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Could you survive on 1k?

485 replies

coffeeanteac · 06/04/2023 08:55

If you had £1000 left after the main bills.

Could you survive on £1000 for food amd petrol and everything else takeaways, gifts, fun.

DH thinks most families couldn't. I think it should be ok. There are only 3 of us and we all live about three miles away from work and school.

OP posts:
ScentOfAMemory · 06/04/2023 08:56

After outgoings?
I'd be living the dream.

iloveyankeecandle · 06/04/2023 08:57

Definitely!!

ShowOfHands · 06/04/2023 08:57

Yes of course.

MeMyBooksAndMyCats · 06/04/2023 08:57

Easily. 😂

fyn · 06/04/2023 08:57

I think most people probably do!

Sweetladyjane · 06/04/2023 08:57

I’d be very happy at that. I have around £300 a month after bills and make it work. £1000 would be amazing.

TheGirlWhoLived · 06/04/2023 08:57

Haha that’s literally a pipe dream! We have £400 after bills - for food, petrol and all the fun stuff 😂

Screwedupworld · 06/04/2023 08:57

Of course you can.

Beantag · 06/04/2023 08:58

Yes of course, if bills are squared away then £1k is more than many families have, he's being deliberately obtuse or he's very ignorant.

MovinginCircless · 06/04/2023 08:58

I think you’ll find many families don’t have £1K after their main bills are paid.

People adapt to their income and manage accordingly. What an odd question

thecatsthecats · 06/04/2023 08:58

Frankly, your DH is a bit thick.

Whaleandsnail6 · 06/04/2023 08:59

Yes. Thats a lot more than we have spare after bills now

JustGotToKeepOnKeepingOn · 06/04/2023 08:59

Survive on a lot less than that already...

Welshrainbow · 06/04/2023 08:59

Honestly I’d find it difficult but food is £100 a week or so now, petrol for me would also be £200 out of that by the time I added in kids activities, clothes etc it’s doable but there wouldn’t be anything left for savings.

CornishTiger · 06/04/2023 08:59

I think your DH needs his head examining. Most people do!

ChaChaRealSmooth · 06/04/2023 08:59

Your DH needs to join the real world.

drpet49 · 06/04/2023 09:00

thecatsthecats · 06/04/2023 08:58

Frankly, your DH is a bit thick.

This. £1000 would be a dream!

Martinisarebetterdirty · 06/04/2023 09:00

Of course you can, but if you are used to living on a lot more then you’d find it tough. It’s astonishing that neither of you know that you could and you clearly don’t have an idea of prices to be asking that to be honest.

CantFindTheBeat · 06/04/2023 09:03

What do you mean by main bills?

What's to be included in the £1000? If you take out £500-£600 for food (easy now it's so pricey) that only leaves £100 per week for extras.

Obviously things like holidays, meals out, theatre, regular new clothes, haircuts, gym, hobbies etc are non essentials, if they are part of your general lifestyle, that money will soon disappear.

JPduck · 06/04/2023 09:03

Easily

fussychica · 06/04/2023 09:03

Of course.

Timeforabiscuit · 06/04/2023 09:04

It really depends. It takes time and energy to resource plan, so if it's two adults working full time and a young child it's going to harder to organise and make joint decisions on reduced resources. Let's face it, you get a takeaway when you are tired.

Two adults fully on board, no additional pressures in the mix, then it's doable.

SleepingStandingUp · 06/04/2023 09:05

Your DH isn't really in touch is he?

Of course there's lots of people who'd say no, because they don't have to. But if you cut their income down they'd cope, not die of starvation.

Gingerlygreen · 06/04/2023 09:05

We'd couldn't.
Our combined petrol is around 450, I've never added up the food but it's easily over 400 and there's no way we could afford our caravan, kids activity, birthday/Christmas, diy, house maintenance, car maintenance etc on the remaining 150.

coffeecupsandwaxmelts · 06/04/2023 09:05

What are you spending your money on if you can't live off £1000 after bills? 😳