£180 a month

[brodiee]

For all groceries, toiletries, my son's clothes nappies etc, trips out, food when out (although will now probably have to take my own). So £45 a week.

Is it doable? Thinking of quitting my small part time job which generates £300 a month but has very early starts (4am!) and I'm struggling to look after DS and get up so early...

Will have £180 a month still if I quit. £100 from my DH (that's all we can afford to spare from his salary) and £80 child benefit.

Sounds very tight to me, why don’t you look for a new job with better hours?

We definitely couldn't manage on that

When you say groceries, do you mean food for your entire family? I think that would be pretty impossible on £180 a month but if it's also to include he other stuff you've listed than no way.

Also, £45 a week is £193.50 a month.
£180 a month is £41.86. Be careful with calculations as it sounds that every penny will matter.

It’s not £45 per week. There are more than 4 weeks in a calendar month.

It’s more like £41.50 per month.

Sounds very tight and you will have to be very organised. Would love to hear how you are doing if you decide to go for it! Do you have any savings for an emergency? You could be in trouble if the car/boiler/shoe etc go without any margin.

I don't see how 3 people can live on £180 a month.

What about your clothes?

If you think it might be try living on it before you give up your job and you'll soon see.

Why not look for another job before you quit.

I don't think you can afford to be a sahp.

No it wouldn’t be doable at all sorry.

It is doable if you shop at Aldi or Lidl. 39p for shower gel, £1.99 for soap powder/gel. Nappies are very cheap but really good quality. I always get the super 6 fruit/veg from Aldi too. Lidl do deals at the weekends like nice cold meat for 99p per packet or huge multipack of crisps for 99p as well. I don’t recommend any of their razors though.

I'm sorry I'm really money savvy and good with bargains but that would be tight if not near impossible to include everything. You could it on just groceries but not other bits and it would be miserable trying

Blimey - I know that everyone works to different budgets. But no, I think that is impossibly tight.

Surely a different job is the way to go that doesn't involve early starts?

Could you do an evening job once DH home, so no child care costs? I know a few Mums that work in our local Tesco and Aldi as the pay is ok and the hours suit (they do about 20-25 hours a week in the eves).

Extremely tight. DH and I have a budget of £300 a month for food for us 2 alone, sometimes we go over that (if we pick stuff up on the fly and don't plan).

Not doable and life would be very, miserable.

Plod on but look for other work, just packing your job in would be a massive mistake.

Doesn’t sound enough to me. Are there any savings you can make to increase the budget? For example switch energy suppliers, change your insurance etc? Last time our household insurance came up for renewal, I saved £600 and got more cover just by moving to a different company.

Too tight - you’d have no ability to deal with shock events/surprises.

I do work in a supermarket and my hours are early mornings so no childcare as I get home before DH goes to work. I really want to work evenings but I have tried several times and there's no opportunity to change. People with best hours have been working there 15 years so not likely to leave any time soon.

I think it will be too tight, and will be pretty miserable living Penny to penny. I'm just getting so down as so tired and feel like I'm letting DS down as I never want to do much the days I've worked.

I think I'm gonna have to keep looking for alternative work. Just wanted to see if anyone has actually done it, seems like it's prob impossible!

Btw we have savings and money for shock surprises. £180 wouldn't include any bills mortgage petrol etc as we pay for that out of DH money. It would literally be Day to day food etc

My friend did overnight shelf stacking then looked after her dc in the day. It was hell. But being employed mean she was in a good position to get a better job the second her dc started school.

Hang in there

Can you cut back on your other expenses to free up more money?

What exactly is his salary covering to only have £100 leftover?

Have you done a full and through cost cutting and budgeting exercise?

Look up moneysavingexpert money makeover.

Do you have debts? If paying the debts only leaves £180 pm for food etc, you need proper debt management advice and only pay what debts you can after spending a more sustainable amount on food.

How much do you spend on that just now?

Why not try it for a month. Spend only £180 and save the rest. It won't give you a true picture as you'll probably not need to buy eg shoes which are a big expense but it would see a little of how it might be.

His salary covers mortgage £1100, all bills (gas water electric c tax etc) his train fare which is £500 a month and petrol. So yeah he only has £100 left over for me, nothing for himself and he takes his own lunch to work everyday.

We have a fair bit saved up and are sensible with money. We live comfortably currently. I guess this has made me realise I need to still work where I work until I find something else or we will struggle.

I have been looking for other work for months and evening hours seem to be v elusive, at my current company and elsewhere! Lots of night shifts but I don't think that'd work as I wouldn't get any sleep and I'd be more tired than I am now!

Thanks for suggestions - and reality check

Pa no debts!

Ps*

Are you able to put a request in for different working hours through flexible working legislation?

How old is d's?? When he hits nursery age you'll get the free funding so you could work nights then put him into nursery so you can sleep.

No way to tight, find another job before you leave.