How much disposable income do you have a month (including what you might put aside to save)?

[Greeendsyys]

I’ve been watching this show where people change lives for a week. £1,900 a week disposable income is expressed as extremely rich. Of course I know that’s a LOT of money spare. But surely that’s not really ‘rich’?

What do you have spare a month (before any that goes to savings)? And do you think you’re rich?!

Me, as I know people will ask, around 2.5k a month disposable but I save 1k.

Yeah there’s wealthier but 8k to throw away each month is still rich. Most of these people are multimillionaires how can you say they aren’t rich?

What do they mean by disposable? Money left after paying mortgage/rent/other essential bills? Or after food as well?

E.g. my "disposable" income will be a lot higher than many, not only because I am a high earner, but also because I chose to buy a teeny house in an inexpensive area of the country.

See also e.g. cars, do they fall into disposable income when you could have bought an inexpensive car? Gym memberships. Expensive phones...

Because if I just got up the absolute bare essentials I think I have £500 more disposable income PCM than on measures where I'm less stringent.

I have a lot less disposable income than the rich family described in your OP and I am very aware I'm one of the highest earning people in my town, top 5-10%. So I feel pretty well off compared to the vast majority of people.

I could make myself feel a hell of a lot less well off if I had a half million pound house, and a new car on lease, expensive phones etc though!

About £500 and in this economy it doesn't stretch far enough. I am planning to take a second job and/or replace my main job for something better paid.

Well, whatever number you pick, there’s always ‘wealthier than that’. But nearly £2k per week after bills? Yeah, that’s in the top tiny percent.

I’m not going to say what I have spare, but I feel very comfortable and privileged and it’s a lot less than that.

In what world could someone with £8.2k per month spare after they’ve paid their bills not be considered very rich?

Disposable to me means what I have left after essentials are paid for - mortgage, childcare, bills (including for things we could turn off, like Netflix), food, an amount to allow for irregular costs (such as kids clothes and shoes, regular household maintenance costs etc). Basically what's my committed base line unless I make significant changes. Everything else is disposable - so holidays, eating out, days out, coffees out, grown up clothes etc., because if money was right I could probably avoid spending on all of that stuff (or at least significantly limit my spend on it).

After every single necessity is paid inc. food - £3k

We save that £3k though.

We are quite comfortable, not rich.

Single, childless, £7,250 per month after bills and tax, but I am saving it all (temporarily) until my mortgage on my flat is paid off. Should take about 6-12 more months depends on if my house sells.

After that I plan to set aside £1,750 for discretionary 'fun' spending (I'm thinking the Maldives, Bahamas, snazzy new electric bike, Neptune sofa, new clothes....I would really like hairline lowering surgery) and the rest for saving into ISAs, to help my sisters get on the ladder.

My motto is to live everyday like you might lose your job.

I put 5k into my pension every month and another 1.5k into a stocks and shares ISA.

After that and bills I have about 5k spare each month.

My bills are pretty low though as I’ve paid my mortgage off, don’t have a huge house and no longer have childcare costs now that DS has started school.

DH also works so big spends like holidays etc are split between us.

My main aim is for us both to retire as early as possible. Unlike others I work with who prefer to compete with each other at who can buy the biggest house.

What do you do?

I've no idea of the exact amount because I don't have a brain that remembers numbers, but plenty.

Only on MN would a spare £100,000 a year after all the bills are paid be considered “not rich”.

Compliance Director for a large PLC.

You hiring? 😂

Combined income of just over 9k but our bills are low (about 3.5k including food).

Definitely experiencing lifestyle creep though so we probably save about 3-3.5k a month typically.

Would u consider 81k per year outside London to be 'rich'?

I think people forget tax in those self employed. My tax home is around £20k a month but obviously bulk of that is put aside for July and January tax bill, plus pension.

Depends what you mean by disposable really. I allocate all my money to bills, various sinking funds and savings etc and give myself £400 at the end of it.

What business do you do?

I’d consider a spare £81K even inside London to be rich if it’s after mortgage, all bills, direct debits, car etc are paid, yes.

Partner in a medical profession

±£500 a month

The average wage in the UK is £36,000 (lower for women) yet half the respondents here seems to purport to be on £100k+. Some of you are telling porkies methinks.

We have just over £4k disposable income per month. What is saved varies.

Does that have to cover food and transportation?