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Cost of living

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Original poster

After all the bills are paid and shopping is accounted....

27 replies

mummytopebs · 17/08/2009 20:41

.....for how much do you have left to spend per month? Just wondering as we seem to be struggling, as i suppose everyone is

OP posts:
Portofino · 17/08/2009 20:47

At the mo, after everything is paid for, we are overdrawn. The extra depends on how long we want to stay overdrawn. We earn decent amounts too. I used to have much more spare cash, and a Next Account etc. I haven't bought anything for myself for ages. I wonder how many people manage! It's all relative though and I know i could budget much better and have a certain element of choice that many others don't.

saramoon · 26/08/2009 19:55

We probably have about £150 left a month which some months we try and save but usually it is used for a bit of extra petrol each week, car tax or just if something goes wrong with the car, stuff for the children - although always try to buy second hand or cheaply. We may go out for a meal once every couple of months or cinema. A bit saved for Christmas. It seems to disappear pretty quickly.

IUsedToBePeachy · 26/08/2009 20:00

Nothing at all, but everything ios paid and the kids are clothed, new unifiorms bought etc, and there is enough I think for me to have some shoes that are not sandals. That's partly becuase of my decision to take on an MA which will cost, so I cannot complain really

FabBakerGirlIsBack · 26/08/2009 20:01

One month I had 37p another time £14.

RealityIsNOTDetoxing · 26/08/2009 20:05

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Hopefully · 27/08/2009 13:02

Something like £40 each for me and DP, and the same again for buying any emergency things for DS (since he's small, that doesn't usually get spent, so sometimes goes towards a nice day out, or into the house deposit savings account)

ZippysMum · 27/08/2009 13:04

Hey Peachy - is that you?

It arrived this am - perfect thanks!!

Hope you had a good time camping!

TheDMshouldbeRivened · 27/08/2009 13:09

nuffink which is a bit of a bugger as the washing machine has decided to stop working properly so we probably need a new one. Hard to save up nothing.

random · 27/08/2009 13:19

sweet fa

doggiesayswoof · 27/08/2009 13:23

Nothing, and we usually find our debts (credit cards) have gone up a bit at the end of each month too

I also realise I could budget better and we are not on the breadline. Every month there seems to be something unavoidable (birthday presents/school uniform/DH's shoes literally falling apart etc)

Want to save for a "proper" holiday next summer but there's nothing left to save up.

IUsedToBePeachy · 27/08/2009 17:20

Zippys- phew! glad it got there OK.

Enjoy. And good luck!!!!!!

leenasmom · 29/08/2009 16:54

after the bills we are usually only left with less than £100 so we are always in the red...have a small over draft which we have not climbed out off since xmas...and if some emergency expence comesup then we prioritise if it is needed...eg family car engine blew june and we decided to stick with the one car as only dh works. sold the banger to pay towards the overdaraft

Paolosgirl · 29/08/2009 17:02

Hardly anything in the way of 'fun' money as there is always something to pay for. I thought this month might be OK, forgetting that it's my dads birthday, there are fees due for the things the DC's do after school and DD has been invited to 2 birthday parties.

I laughed the other day when a survey by Asda showed that after the food and bills had been accounted for, the average family now had £150 per week!

I lost funding for a small part time job I had in addition to my 'real' job, and we had an unexpected surprise in the form of DS2 2.5 years ago who now has to go to nursery so I can work - we're £600 down a month, and it kills . We budget carefully, but there's sill never enough.

bonkerz · 29/08/2009 17:07

after bills and food etc we are normally about 300 OD each month BUT i have got a job and will be starting 7th september so hopefully will be back in credit after 4 weeks and then should have about £80 spare each month BUT we have cut back on stuff including sky sports which i suspect will be the first thing DH wants back! LOL

unluckyfriedkitten · 29/08/2009 17:28

Nothing...usually we have to sell something to be able to pay rent or we eat very meagerly

Original poster
mummytopebs · 03/09/2009 21:23

Its the same with a lot of people then, depressing isnt it x I have just bought dd uniform she starts reception on monday so have no money now this month, and now just realised i need to pay a months dinner money arrrgh

OP posts:
Smithagain · 05/09/2009 12:07

In a good month, we save two or three hundred. In a bad month, we don't save.

Which I realise makes us very well off compared to many, but given that DH is in a good, full time job, I'm working three days a week and both DDs are in state education, I do feel that things ought to be better.

Boco · 05/09/2009 12:13

Nothing, after bills and food etc, we start using the credit card for essentials. Debts mounting every month - is all quite depressing.

melmog · 05/09/2009 12:17

Thank fuck for that.

I thought we were the only ones having to use the credit card to get through the month at the moment.

Very depressing, I agree Boco.

I've just joined the mse forum so think this afternoon will go through finances and try to sort us out.

Lilyloo · 05/09/2009 12:20

absolutely nothing just lucky if we break even
have managed to get through each month without adding anymore to cc but living in overdraft every month , agree very depressing.

bronze · 05/09/2009 12:22

minus quite a bit. Lots of robbing Peter to pay Paul is keeping us afloat at the moment

startingagain · 01/10/2009 10:58

No money left here either. Struggling to pay the rent and council tax. Got electric bill waiting to be paid...

I just can't seem to earn enough money, got another job now hopefully to add to my others but i think i am killing myself with all work and no life.

I need a new bra....no money...(i've only got one lol!)

YummmyMummy · 05/11/2010 16:01

About £250 a month, £100 of which we try and save. Everything has to come out of that though, presents, holidays etc. It could be more but we make quite a few charity contributions and have things like the cheapest sky package, broadband etc. It doesn't include the kids CB either which I try and save for big purchases (new car seats, clothes in the sale etc.) We're lucky in that our mortgage is affordable, own our old(ish) car is fully paid for and only have student loans as debt. I'm a SAHM and my partner is just starting out in a finance career I think by the sounds of things we're in an ok position but still feel tight on a week to week basis.

Wobblewatcher · 18/11/2010 11:43

I just started a thread on here along similar vein. It's so infuriating isn't it?

Must try harder...

BoffinMum · 22/11/2010 22:09

Minus money.
Work very hard, nothing left.
All middle class friends appear to be in same boat.
Upper class and working class friends seem untouched.