£200 for 10 days

[Itsabitproblematic]

Could you manage on that? Petrol etc paid for already, food to last until Tuesday..possibly could stretch to Wednesday/Thursday, then some will need to go on food. We’ve spent a fair amount in food, so will cut right back with simple things after the Christmas
excess. We won’t be paid until the 2nd Jan and just thinking would this be enough for you? We’ve done all the nice outings/activities etc, so will just chill at home/go for walks mainly from now on

God sake at my worst I use to live on that for EVERYTHING per month.

Granted I was homeless at the time (couldn't afford rent and bills) but you aren't and said your bills are paid and you even have transport and food so thats just luxuries... of course you can make it a week and a half.

You know what luxuries are right?

£200 when you have all your food, petrol and are not planning on anything other than walks???

Don’t be ridiculous.

He is a grown man. If there’s not the money to buy many cigarettes then he has to cut down.

Why are you trying to keep hold of money. He is an adult. He should have full view of the money and be working with you to get through and work with the budget. Making decisions that are best for your family.

You're taking the piss, surely?

Call 111 or your regional equivalent. Seems like a dire emergency.

I can see why people think this post is goady and I think you kind of have to read the room here on MN OP.

I do know where you're coming from as me and DP (and DC) would struggle with £200 for 10 days - but we also realise how fortunate we are to call that a struggle and wouldn't broadcast it to people that are barely scraping by at Christmas time.

So how much of the £200 will go on DH's cigarettes? £50? £100? Because that's your money problem, right there.
I know he can't probably give up overnight but he could roll his own and cut that bill right down. And long term get help to give up.
I speak as an ex-smoker, and very much an ex-roller through need to keep the cost of it to a minimum. Actual packeted cigarettes are a ridiculous cost if you have money issues.

Of course it fucking is

Then he pays for the smoking out of his own savings

£11 for 105 nicorette gums OP. Get him two packs, a family round of hot chocolates and a big bag of shopping. You can then enjoy yourselves doing free activities, hanging out at home etc.

You have a husband smoking problem… Otherwise £200 is easy. I have £24 per day until I get paid mid January. Totally fine. We don’t spend much more than £10 a day on food (no meat, no booze etc)

Oh, and I do loads of treat things for my dc but we always make it cheaper - eg take a flask of hot chocolate with some mini marshmallows rather than spend £3/£4 per person. Homemade is often nicer and they don’t care so long as they get a hot chocolate!

Or movies on the cheap day and we take popcorn and a drink etc.

Or free museums and we take a really nice packed lunch. Give my children a packet of hula hoops and they think they’ve won the lunch lottery 😂

But OP, I do understand. I used to have a husband who smoked and ate ridiculously expensive food (preprepared meat from M&S etc) and he ate lunch out every single bloody day. And multiple coffees. He spent at least £500 a month on eating lunch out and coffees out on work days. And then a packet of cigarettes every 2 days. I am SO much better off now we’re not married (not saying LTB, I’m sure your husband has redeeming qualities and I didn’t leave mine because of his penchant for Buying multiple packets of M&S tiny chicken pieces)….

I think you can manage. Just say no to any treats. I always seem to have unexpected things happen which isn't great. Also a major expense us travel anywhere. But as long as you are close to home and keeping a careful
eye you should be good.

I could easily live on £20 food for myself (bought from the right shop) but with lots of kids it's not so easy to say cheese on toast for lunch because they just won't eat it. Or will eat it then be hungry an hour later. And the hour after that. And the hour after that. Etc

If all your direct debits have come out I'm not sure I get this. A food shop for a week is less than £100 for (the 3 of) us without even budgeting properly and the period between Christmas and New Year is probably the cheapest bit of the whole year for us because the build up is so hectic that we don't feel the need for days out/activities and DS has new stuff to entertain him etc. Unless we wanted a takeaway every night I think we'd struggle to spend £200!

Smoking is so expensive....if you want to build up savings instead of being in this position again then this is the obvious place to cut.

ours is going in earlier because of the days it falls on

Yea, I think the issue is more if you wanted to do something out like go to the cinema, or even go for a coffee or two, it would pretty quickly eat into that budget - and I don’t smoke, just have two DC who will ask to do a couple of things like that between Christmas and New Year. But on £200, it should still be do-able. £100 would buy our food (including cat stuff and cleaning products etc) for the week, which leaves another £100 for entertainment, which is a generous sum. I do agree that it can easily disappear though, if you are not careful.

If you're abroad then how can we possibly know? It depends on the cost of living where you are surely?

In you're circumstances, you're paying for what you chose to spend.

Yes, we all have to live on what we have, unless you get some sort of shady loan, which I don't advise.

I mean, you could take advantage of a food bank but that would be an utter p*ss take.

You have all your essentials paid, the 200 is just extra pin money. This is a 'joke. '