To ask how much you spend per week?

[Flipper673]

Not including kids as I know this will obviously cost more than a single adult.
I work full-time, earning around 28.5k and I try to budget £135 a week.

That is to cover all food, transport, toiletries, cat food and litter, anything like haircut, hobbies, going out with my boyfriend etc.

Obviously varies week to week but I am finding it slightly tight. The rest goes on my mortgage (live alone) bills, credit card repayments, little on savings if I can, anything like that.

If I pay for a meal out that can easily be almost half of the week. I'm hoping to learn to drive but can't really afford lessons atm..
Just wondered if this sounds like a reasonable budget?

I don't really buy any expensive clothes, make up etc ..my hobbies are the odd fitness class and some tots but rest of my hobbies are free.

Even when everything was cheaper it’s always hard for anyone doing it alone. As you have a BF any chance of you both wanting to live together?

Our budget is as a couple and the annual figure for spending not including housing as we have paid our mortgage and zero debt to service was 28k last year.

We will hopefully move in together soon so that'll help.
I always see on these threads how 'poor' people or low earners are expected to strip back on every luxury whatsoever, rather than just recognising that wages are poor in a lot of roles.

It's always assumed that they're just terrible with money and constantly splashing out. Then another thread it's 'oops I've just spent £500 on candles! Heehee' .
I wouldn't spend more than 5 pounds on a candle.

And the average working week is certainly not 6 days a week. Im not 20, I can't physically do just one day off a week for the foreseeable. I am applying for higher paid roles.

I would consider things like food and cat food along with the essential bills like mortgage and utilities. Then look at what you’ve got left after that as fun money.

I probably spend about £100 a week on going out. This will include things like eating out, cinema, theatre, drinks, and transport, mostly spent over the weekend. Seems a lot but it doesn’t go far. We enjoy a cocktail so even just 2 drinks at the weekend will easily be £20.

It’s not so much saying that low earners have to strip back on every luxury so much as you have to make decisions based on the money you have & your goals.

Luxuries are exactly that- a luxury. Not something everyone can have all of the time.

You can recognise being on a low wage while also acknowledging that if you want to survive on a low wage, especially while in a one income household, you do have to give up certain things.

Hopefully a better paying job comes up for you but if not and you move in with your boyfriend you will see a big difference even on the same salary if you were to split say 50/50. £28k as the only income to fund an entire house & your life is quite low, but two people on £28k is much more manageable.