to think this should be more than enough to live of?

[Jennyscarkey]

I am feeling really shit at the moment. I never seem to have any money and I work long hours and thought I had a decent income. I’m one of the lowest paid in my team but I came from a poor background and I’m just grateful to have had the opportunity to earn more than minimum wage. Yet even though I earn more than I ever thought possible for someone like me and where I grew up, I don’t think I can manage my money at all? My take home pay is 3,600. I am a single parent and also get 300 on top of this for maintenance. My rent is 900 and my little girl goes to nursery full time and that costs 1,400 a month. I claim the tax free part. I don’t have other outgoings expect 200 a month on a loan and usual utilities. Don’t have sky or Netflix etc.

I have gone through my cards to see what I’m spending and honestly it is just food, petrol, entry to soft play or a lunch here and there. I don’t buy clothes or make up or go on holiday. I was paid again yesterday and I had 2 pounds left before the money came in. I just don’t know where I am going wrong? I will never be able to afford a mortgage at the way this is going.

3600 take home is slightly more than minimum wage!

@WhereIsBebèsChambre yep it’s loads more and I wanted to get on the property ladder for some security and it feels impossible, I am going wrong somewhere

How come you can earn a salary where the take home pay is £3600 but you can’t work out where your money is going?

Have you got online banking and can you use a spreadsheet?

You need to write down a proper income and expenditure form. It’s much easier for you to see and for us to comment. It will look clearer that way.

Surely your nursery fees are the killer here.

How old is your daughter OP? If you can hang in there, child care costs should be dropping im the not too far distant future? Some light at the end of the tunnel at least.

Nursery fees won't be forever and then you can start saving to buy your own home. You still have almost £1400 left for bills and food etc so I don't quite understand what the problem is ? You are on an income many could only dream of.

The math is not mathing, OP. You get 3,9k income. Your nursery + rent + loan is 1500. Let’s be generous and say your winter utilities are 400 a month. This still leaves you with 1k disposable income. Let’s be even more generous and say you spend 250 on petrol a month. 750 sounds a lot to spend on food, soft play and a few lunches.

It’s the childcare. Your salary is good but also a single income household so I would expect for you to save much. Be kind to yourself, it’s so very expensive at the moment!

It sounds like you need to look at "entry to soft play or a lunch here and there..."

After rent and childcare you have about 1600 left, if 200 is for other bills then you are spending 1400 per month on food petrol and "the odd lunch out". So about 350 per week.

You are just jumping ahead, property ladder as a single parent while paying full time nursery fees just isn’t realistic, your time will come though.

@Catza her childcare alone is £1400 and rent is £900 - it’s your math that isn’t mathing lol

The math is not mathing, OP. You get 3,9k income. Your nursery + rent + loan is 1500. Let’s be generous and say your winter utilities are 400 a month. This still leaves you with 1k disposable income. Let’s be even more generous and say you spend 250 on petrol a month. 750 sounds a lot to spend on food, soft play and a few lunches

Childcare is 1400. Rent is 900
That's 2300..plus 200 for bills..2500

From the figures you have posted— you get 3900 a month, 900 is rent. Its unclear if the nursery costs are before or after tax few. Lets say before. So down to 1600. How much are you spending on food, petrol and utilities as you essentially have about 350-400 per week for these? Have you done a spreadsheet? This will help you with some budgeting skills

@Ihaterhymingrabbit it’s going on petrol and food, some lunches but not expensive ones. Heating is quite a lot but usually no more than 300.

@TeaKitten I’m already 34 and spending so much on rent, I won’t earn more than this so looks like I’m trapped in rentals

So you'll have to cut back on what you spend on food. And stop eating out. Make your own lunches.

Not sure you read what I wrote OP, you will eventually have an extra £1400 a month when nursery fees go. Probably £1000 if you have to use school wrap around. Save the £1000 a month to save up for the deposit. Budget better in the meantime. It is achievable.

So you have around £320 a week/ £45 a day. Are you buying coffees and snacks in soft play? How much on a lunch?
You just be paying for things like MOT, tyres and what have you?

Have you actually done a proper budget? With every single regular outgoing on it plus variable costs?

I have a spreadsheet which I use which has every DD and the date is comes out plus an allowance for food and going out.

You’ll soon see where you’re overspending if you are.

Have you looked into applying for Universal Credit? As a single parent who is renting, you may be eligible for a proportion of your childcare costs at least.

Lunch is maybe once a week with an friend and costs around 20 quid. I don’t buy lunches at work I usually skip lunch in the week. I have looked at all my cards and it’s supermarket costs coming out high but I’m literally buying the basics, last week it shows 140 on Tesco and 30 in Morrison’s which includes everything like shampoo, cleaning products, food etc

OP we have a very good income and don’t go out for lunch - ever. We know it’s the number one waste of money along with Starbucks and that sort of thing.

go to Aldi at Least for the tinned stuff.

I bet you could make a lot of savings.

Nursery fees - total pita I know and we used to feel that. But at £3600 you should be in a better position.

£20 per week for lunch is 80— 100 per month. Your shopping bill sounds high— we don't spend that amount and we're two adults and a small child.