Have £245 until the 27th Feb, does this sound ok?

[Cantwaitforaholiday33]

This is what's left over, all bills etc. Are paid, This is for food, toiletries, transport and anything else, for me and an adult cat, I live alone.
Not intending to buy anything else like clothes, make up etc.
Supposed to be meeting up with a group of friends next week but worried I'll have to cancel. I don't drive and the place they want to meet at will cost me around £25 return on the train, and it's a high end restaurant. Wish we could just have a coffee or something but I know they're all high earners.

I've got the credit card as a last resort but really don't want to use it. I'm sure people would manage on less but grateful for any suggestions.

You should only have to pay council tax ten months of the year (for the year).

Even if I go and order just a starter and drink water, the train fare will still bring the whole thing up to around £40. I'll try and be brave and invite them to a housewarming, I doubt they'll come but I'll try.

I would cancel until things are on more solid footing financially.

Regarding the boiler, if its not ancient, I would sign up to a new warranty deal that includes any parts it may need in the future and also includes a yearly service. I had one that only cost £16 a month but it avoided me having to pay big bills like the one you just had.

Thanks, yeah luckily I've signed up to one now! I had to get an emergency call out for that day because British gas told me they wouldn't be able to come for 2 days, so I'd have no heating or hot water until then but luckily from now on I'll have the monthly plan.

In terms of your budget, have you worked out what are known, almost fixed costs (like cat food and transportation to work)? I'd do that and then work out how much was left, exclude a further amount for emergency items, and then do a meal plan based on whatever is left. I'd aim to cook in bulk and go mostly veggie (if you worked out a plan now, you could probably build up enough dinners in the freezer to get you through the final week without having to buy much in the final week). Porridge for breakfast is a cheap option.

Cancel any socialising - tell them the reason. Refuse their charity (usually people say we shall pay for you). Chill at home - lovely!!!!!

We must live in different worlds because it sounds like loads of money to me.

I buy a bottle of squash from Tesco which is 47p, get so bored of that, but I don't like tap water.
All my meals are very basic and cheap, no alcohol either.

I’d do the meet-up but explain to the friends you’re economising and just want to pay for what you have then order cheaper meals and just drink water. It would be a shame to miss out.

To be honest, this will be my true take on it if it was me. If it was me, I would be cancelling the night out. I would be waiting for the money to come in from my court case and I will be keeping that money and putting it in my savings. I wouldn’t be using it for other things that are unnecessary. I will be trying to keep that money and get myself an even kill so that when these things happen in future I have a back up.

If you can walk to work then that sounds absolutely plenty. I earn well but have a ton of outgoings (travel abroad once a month to see family) and often only spend £30 a week on food. Veggie, lots of lentils and everything made from scratch. I eat well. Of course that doesn't include any social engagements. And I hardly drink.

But honestly your situation sounds more than doable, comfortable even.

Top priorities - food and transport to work.

I agree you can’t really afford to go out with friends. However, when you live alone community connections are very important. I see my group of old friends once or twice a year, and would absolutely put the cost on credit if I needed to, as my social world is so small. How important is the meet-up to you, and - without banking on the pay-out from the ex-landlord - are you likely to be able to get on top of repayments in the next month or 2?

I must live in a different world to most of the commenters here, because that seems like MORE than enough. Say £40 a week for your food, still over £100 left.
Do you need to travel to-from work on that money? I drive, but work at lots of different sites around my county. Some are only 3 or 4 miles, others are 15+, and I spend about £15 a week on petrol.

Id prioritise the meet up and eat beans on toast/ pasta and walk to work rather than take the bus. If necessary, put some on credit card.Also, decide ahead of time what you'll be eating and drinking at the restaurant so you can budget accordingly - and if you're in a 'let's spit the bill' group, give them a light heads up ahead of time that you're going for X (eg set menu, x2 courses, Diet Coke) and will have to go for a pay-as-you-eat contribution rather than splitting the bill

How much are you currently putting in savings each month? If the answer is zero then I would sit down and try to make a budget, even if you could only put 20 in a month. And you use the money from the court case to start that savings it’s a great little boost.

You need to have a conversation with your friends to say that your budget is more towards going for a coffee at the moment.

Unless you've told them this, they won't know..

Until I pay off my credit card I'm putting in spare change only atm. Probably got about £10 in there! I was aiming to put £20 a week but don't see it happening this month..

@Teenybub I live in the same world as you because yes it does seem like alot of money to last.
I have £5.80 to last me till Friday. All shopping is in for the week so it'll just go on milk. I have kids. I walk to work, kids walk to school.

The thing with that group of friends is that they have much more expensive tastes than I do in general. So they're only into quite high end places whereas I'm not, and they won't 'lower' themselves to something like a Wetherspoons.

A an aside, I think you'd be wise to save any compensation you may get from the deposit not being lodged, for the deposit you'll probably need again very soon on your next rental.
Rightly or wrongly, it's highly likely that your landlord will serve you with a section 21 notice.

There's a middle ground between Wetherspoons & high end places though isn't there?

This topic looms large for me at present. Am I right in thinking the 245 is for food and entertainment till the end of the month please?

Food, toiletries, transport, any other essentials and emergencies.

I own my home now so don't need to worry about renting again.