Cheeky budgeting question - how much do you live on?

[philbee]

Atm DH works full time and I work one day a week. His job is due to end this year, and we'd like to even it out more so that he works less and I work more so we're both working part time and doing childcare part time (or school pick up, come September). It would mean some pretty tight budgeting, as I earn less than he does. I just wanted to get an idea of what others live on, after mortgage / rent and household bills. Does anyone feel like sharing their budget with me? What do you have for food, clothes, travel (not including a car as we don't have one), holidays, any regular savings etc.? How do you find it? How do you manage it? I feel like we must be able to reduce our income a bit and still manage ok. Thanks!

We have approx £600 a month (after all direct debots) for petrol (200+)food & other stuff.

It's tight but do able.

OK, thank you very much. I am finding working out the financial stuff a bit hard on the brain really as we'd both be in different jobs, and perhaps even in a different city, different mortgage etc. Too many variables! But that's good to know. We could be a lot pickier about our supermarket shopping and cut down a lot there I think, plus planning for presents and getting things in sales instead of leaving it to the last minute like I do at the moment. Thank you.

Hi - we have (family of 4, occasionally 5) about £400.00 after home loans, mortgages and other DDs. Very tight but we survive. Secret (obviously really) is to plan ahead, budget wisely and this year I resolve, absolutely, not to buy fast food just cos I'm tried and don't want to cook and not to buy coffees etc out, however tempted.

We have a good kitchen, a kettle and DH and I can cook! So no excuses there.

I'm sure you'll manage - good luck!

By both working part time you will increase your tax savings

take a look at the calculator as you can change the amounts you earn and see how much tax you pay or don't pay - just under 7500 and you don't pay tax

And from April it will be even higher - think the personal allowance is going up to £8,400 or something like that.

Actually not quite so good; it's going up to £8,105.

Thank you all. We've has our talk and I think we will have to put it off for a few years and then combine with a move North so we can reduce our outgoings as well. We are hoping to have DC2 so it just complicates work things for me, although the prospect of being at home another 3/4 years isn't great, tbh.

My work is about £5000 pa so we do make some use of the tax allowance, and I was thinking of looking for something from home too now. It's good to have an idea though.