To ask what you think is enough?

[upnorthsomewhere]

I know this might vary hugely but in your opinion after all bills are paid (excluding fuel and food shops) what do you think is reasonable to have left over monthly to cover food, eating out, takeaways, fuel, clothing and all non essentials?

For how many people?

Sorry I should have said! 2 adults 2 young children

A few thousand

So tricky, per person?

In my mind I feel like you should be able to survive at a very basic level on £50 a week per person as that is what students are suggested to get I think if all bills are paid so just food and clothes..... travel depends.... depends if trying to run a car, then would need about another £100 on top of that with insurance, tax, maintenance and fuel.... or cost of transport.

I couldn't do it at this point but many have to.

You could try the minimum income calculator...... It suggests a single person needs an income of £20k per year to have a comfortable life. That is net about £1400 per month.

Obviously less per person if live in a couple and share bills and rent and alot more if children....

www.minimumincome.org.uk/

I dunno my head is blown when I think about it.

We're a family of 5 and I'd say £1200 a month is doable for living to a decent standard but not rolling in it.

£300 a week (4 week month). For us that would look like £150 food/household shop, £50 petrol, £100 misc - clothes, birthdays, takeaway etc.

It really depends what standard of living you want. Personally I’d want at least £2500, excluding saving, but we like to eat out, have takeaways and holidays.

We had about £1500 until I went back to work full time, and that didn't feel hugely comfortable, but was "enough".

We have two cars though and DP has a long commute so fuel took up a reasonable chunk of that. We've thought about selling the second car but it would probably mean I had to cut my hours again to fit school runs in.