To be sceptical about his finances?

[kcchiefette]

I am a single mum on around £2.5k per month and manage to save around £500 per month.

I have a boyfriend who earns around £2.8k per month. He pays £625 rent, £200 for car, £100 car insurance, other total bills per month, I would say £600 (food, electric, oil, phone).

He says he has been struggling to save and living to the line by the end of the month.

I am struggling to understand why, as I pay rent, all other bills plus childcare etc and still save £500 per month ( I only have few hours per week chdcare to pay)

Should I be sceptical about his finances? He wants to move in together in the future and I am worried that he can't seem to save as a single person household at the moment.

Don't move in with him. But some people have different spending habits. As long as it's not affecting you and you're not paying for him its his own issue. It's not uncommon to struggle at the end of the month.

Yes, you should - and good on you for paying attention and actually thinking the detail through, some people don't put nearly enough focus on stuff like this! He's got over a grand disposable income if your estimates are conservative, where's it all going!

Does he have debt that he hasn’t told you about?.Think very hard about him moving in he thinks his life will be easier.When he can prove he can budget and save and prove himself maybe think about it.How old are you both?Well done for saving.

Yes thats what I would like to know!

I equally pay for date nights etc also and on a lower wage, more bills.

I have no idea where this money has disappeared to unless his idea of skint is not my idea..

Well ask him?

What @Ragruggers said. Never hook your waggon to someone who isn't on the same page financially. If he had good reasons for running out of money each and every month, he would have told you by now.

I'm 31, he is slightly younger at 28.

He hasnt told me about any debts, except a finance plan for a fridge but as far as I was aware it was only say £40 a month.

Saving is difficult but I stick to budgets, withdraw cash and leave my card at home. I only started about a year ago, but the goal is to own my own home in a few years 😊

Hmm. Why would a single man without any responsibilities or dependants need to take out a finance plan...... for a fridge?!!

Good to ask here… people can guess, but would it not be more insightful for you to ask him?!

He says the remaining is going into savings, however, I wouldnt leave myself struggling if I was saving £1k+ a month, so I cant really comprehend it

Are you sure he’s only paying 625 a month for rent? Unless he’s in a house share as that’s very low…

Does he have expensive hobbies?

We are in Northern Ireland so rent is a lot lower here than mainland

Does he go out drinking with friends? That can easily add up.

Not at all!

Is £600 for other bills and £200 for car accurate?
Just thinking eg that food shopping for one is surprisingly expensive because it's easier to cook for 2-4 and save per portion than cook for one. Same with utilities aren't always that much cheaper, is his £200 everything for the car or just the car payment? Because fuel, insurance etc can add up a lot. Then adding in the little bilks that can easily be forgotten - internet, TV licence, house insurance, road tax etc plus if he has any subscriptions, private dentist.

I earn similar to him and honestly if I was paying everything out of one wage I could see it wouldn't go that far. Yes to saving, but not saving loads.

When you're comparing wages are you taking into account any extras you might be getting eg any benefit top ups? Appreciate you might not be entitled but assuming he's no dependents then his wage is everything and that can be quite a difference sometimes.