How much do you live on per month?

determined_new_ms · 20 February 2011 at 11:54PM

cool found this

http://www.supercook.com/

put in what ingredients you have and it'll give u a recipe

Lucy1010 · 21 February 2011 at 12:00AM

I am so resourceful when it comes to food as I am a good cook and tend to make big portions and freeze. I don't eat junk food, hardly go out and doing my damn hardest to clear my debts which aren't huge when I compare to others (£6000). However I just don't understand why I struggle so much on £400 p/m for general spending.

backinbusiness · 21 February 2011 at 12:15AM

Like Moz86 once my DD's and savings are accounted for, I budget £150/week (myself and 2 teenage daughters). This has to cover food, school dinner money, fuel, newspapers, day to day spends and treats.

My secret is to draw it in cash. I find parting with cold, hard cash painful! It becomes a bit of a challenge to see if there's any left over - if so - it goes to a surplus account for bigger treats. But; when it's gone - it's gone.

You may be struggling just now because of debt repayments - once these are gone will that free up a reasonable amount?

Are you actually doing an accurate budget or are your figures telling you lies?

Omitting bank charges, etc can skew things a little.

Good luck.

BiB

kerri_gt · 21 February 2011 at 12:29AM

Lucy1010 wrote: »

I am so resourceful when it comes to food as I am a good cook and tend to make big portions and freeze. I don't eat junk food, hardly go out and doing my damn hardest to clear my debts which aren't huge when I compare to others (£6000). However I just don't understand why I struggle so much on £400 p/m for general spending.

If you aren't sure where your money is going, I highly recommend keeping a spending diary. Write down everything (no cheating

) that you spend each day and you'll probably be surprised where your money is going.

I take part in the NSD challenge (joined last Aug) because when I looked at my diary, it was the £1/£2 purchases I kept making of things I 'needed' each lunchtime that really added up. So, by setting a target of NSD per month, I have to be more organised in when I spend, and therefore think more about what I'm buying.

We spend £150-£200 between two adults per month on food (oh and one cat) This includes things like toilet roll, household cleaning items, laundry liquid and some of our toiletries too. I do cook some things from scratch, we take lunches to work and I do freeze portions too. I do buy some basics food, and some not (I always try to buy free range chicken/eggs, and outdoor bred/british meats) and I am sure if I really needed to I could trim this back further.

I budget about £210 for myself, this covers incidentals, things I buy for the house, toiletries not bought with the food shop, clothes and any other costs that come up (excluding debt repayment and petrol). It's amazing how something like a birthday, meal out or haircut can really eat into the budget but at least I know where my money goes now with my spending diary.

dreamdreamer · 21 February 2011 at 12:33AM

I factor in £400 for food and "spending money". It usually works out at about £240 for food and £160 on everything else.

Lucy1010 · 21 February 2011 at 12:38AM

kerri_gt wrote: »

If you aren't sure where your money is going, I highly recommend keeping a spending diary. Write down everything (no cheating ) that you spend each day and you'll probably be surprised where your money is going.

I take part in the NSD challenge (joined last Aug)

Thank you, please can you show me how to join the NSD challenge, what is it? Thanks

Lucy1010 · 21 February 2011 at 12:39AM

Lucy1010 wrote: »

kerri_gt wrote: »

If you aren't sure where your money is going, I highly recommend keeping a spending diary. Write down everything (no cheating ) that you spend each day and you'll probably be surprised where your money is going.

I take part in the NSD challenge (joined last Aug)

Thank you, please can you show me how to join the NSD challenge, what is it? Thanks

Lucy1010 · 21 February 2011 at 12:40AM

Just want to say thank you to all that have taken the time to help so far

7roland8 · 21 February 2011 at 12:42AM

Well after bills etc hubby and I (+3 stray cats) have about £70 which is for food, fuel (coal) and anything else like haircuts etc. No wonder I cna't get my credit cards down!

[Deleted User] · 21 February 2011 at 12:44AM

Okay, 2 x adults & 1 cat - after bills, rent, C Tax, £150-180 pm groceries & household shopping, travel (buses/trains), prescription certificate etc we have about £200 pm excess - about half of this gets saved and half is spent on 'fun' things and stuff like gifts, clothes, one-off costs, days out etc.

edited to add:

We've worked hard to get all our bills right down - my OH is on minimum wage & I'm very part time disabled, yet it can be done

no debt and some savings!

I always ask myself do I really really need this? or do I love it so much I'll use it all the time? if 'no' then we don't buy it/do it!

How much do you live on per month?

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