If you didn't have mortgage payments or school fees, how much would/could your household live on?

[InnerBlonde]

Am doing some sums for us, and wondering how much bills, food, insurances, (one) car's running costs, basic clothes, odd day out, etc, amount to for other families; what the cost of a fairly modest existence is, with mortgage and any school fees taken out of the equation.

If you roughly know this figure, please say how many adults and children are in your household too.

Many thanks.

Riven - I have to ask - I've seen you mention this one pair of shoes for 4yrs.........how on earth do you make them last??? Doesn't seem to matter where I buy my shoes from - whether it's Shoe Zone for £10 or Clarkes (treated myself in the Autmun) for close to £80 they seem to have holes/worn down on the soles by 6 months or so.

And also - ThingOne - what is G&B's??

G&B's = Green and Black's delicious, irresistable chocolate . I am an expert on the many varieties.

aha - thanks Littlefish - I'm not really a chocolate eater - unless it's B&J's Chocolate Fudge Brownie

now you see mine get to that stage (and the leaking water through result in horrible manky wet feet) in that time too .

I used to get the DS's school shoes from Shoe Zone, but after discovering after 2 terms that DS1's had holes in them. (proper ones - you could see his socks.........and I only realised when he threw them on the floor and one landed on its side )) so hedged my bets on Clarkes for both DS's in September.......

I shall give my verdict after the end of this term on that. .

Mind you shoe zone has now closed down, and Woolies, and the other cheap shoe shop, so I'm left with Matalan, Adams (ours is still open..........just), and ermm Clarkes .

2 terms takes me from September to Easter

yes I suppose it would.....

although my DS's feet grow slowly and I always end up buying replacement same size shoes - so if the Clarkes shoes last longer then I'm hoping the cost will work out about the same .

Although getting Clarkes was actually a slight "two fingers up" to exH as well as hoping to get them some that lasted........once these have worn out/they've grown out of them it'll be back to Matalan and ermm, ermm Matalan to get then

pah wouldn't worry about that Riven, DS2 invited 8 girls to his birthday party (no boys) all 4/5yr olds. Only 2 came in a "party dress" the otheres just wore stuff I've seen them wearing in Morrisons doing the weekly shop with their parents

Good for you for not caving in though Riven. There is a book out called Affluenza which I'd love to read. I believe that the main theme is how having everything just leads to stress and depression.

Interesting thread.

It shows that it's quite possible to live on a fairly small income. I think with the recession, downsizing is the way to go anyway... it will become chic!

I must say though, regarding the thread title, anyone paying school fees is in a pretty privileged position.

No school fees or mortgage/rent - we survive on around £1000 per month, sometimes more depending on my Ebay business. Household bills are split with my Mum who lives on the second floor - it works well for all of us.

Shoes for adults - try Peacocks! I bought a pair of fashionable sandals in their sale the other day for £7! They have some good stuff imo and would be OK for you Riven as not leather.

I don't think £300 for 4 in a month is unreasonable, but I for one have to be less swayed by adverts & use commonsense instead of being seduced into a trace-like state in the supermarket & filling the trolley. Yesterday I threw out smoked salmon, cheese , cake & hummous, past its sell-by which I should never have bought.

As for other stuff ("bargains" of whatever type) I now try to say to myself every time 'Can I manage without it?'

The best way for me to save money is not to go into town - carpark/train fare, coffee, sandwiches, pester power = maybe £30 spent which wouldn't have if I'd stayed at home!

DH brings home £1600pcm, and we pay rent out of this amount. So £1000 is left. Things are tight. There's not a lot left for new clothes or other treats, and we won't be booking a holiday until I've secured work. We do run a car, but still try to walk as much as possible to save petrol.

Before we moved, and I stopped working, we took home nearly double this, and there was very little over then . And we weren't even running a car then! But, y'know, you cut your cloth according to your means.

We spend about £1000 per month (excluding mortgage and c/m costs which are £1300 per month)

£350 food
£70 gas and electric
£55 council tax
£55 water
£30 house ins
£120 car ins/petrol/tax/bills
£20 life insurance
£35 telephone & broadband
£50 bus fare to work
£50 my dh tobacco
£150 clothes/shoes/b.day presents/going out/etc.

I must have missed something because it always feels like we have very little money yet £150 per month on luxuary items seems alot! And we only have a take-away about once a month and go out even less. I guess it's all the little things add up.....