How much do you live on per month?

Martynb_

After paying all debts including the usual stuff like tv licence, washing machine, and internet, I have about £20 to spend each week. I spend about £30 per week on food btw.

Googlewhacker

GradInDebt wrote: »

£125 rent
£65 loan for a bike
£17 broadband
£30 phone contract

leaving £715 a month.

Which is more than in my last job, but I still manage my money badly and I'm failing to clear my ~£2400 worth of overdrafts.

My money management at the moment really needs to change!

its probably because you have the money that you spend it, why not as soon as you get paid phone the bank up and ask to reduce your overdraft by 400 each month which still leaves you £300+ a month which is plenty!

Erme

Good advice Googlewhacker. Still feeling particularly anxious and stressed out. Seem to have the world on my shoulders with a whole load of what ifs...And worried about family. And then today I saw an email from some good friends with a pic of their 6 children. Made me feel bad I'm mid thirties and utterly single!!!. But I know marriage and children aren't for everyone.

Can't read my bible today either. Tried to knit yesterday but like my concentration wasn't fab .....I know it's going to be 2-3 days on the cigs before I feel 'normal' but I will get there. This illness is not going to beat me even if I have to hibernate for a few days...

Blessings

E

vka1

Erme - the smoking thing is hard! Have you ever tried any of Allen Carr's books? Worth a look if you're struggling.

Erme

Have just started the e-cig - it's way cheaper than cigs anyways and maybe going somewhere but then I'll have reduced and I'll just go on snuff ....

Yay

Go me...

Check in tomorrow to see how I'm doing (remember on the spray I only lasted 20 hours)

E

caledonian_princess

Erme, how's it going? I gave up earlier this year, at first it was pretty yacky but I'm ok with it now and I do move the fag money to a virtual pot which at the end of the month I split 50/50 between me and the cards. I really needed an incentive to give up, I'm not one of those ex-smokers who gets all evangelical about it because I actually liked to smoke and still miss it from time to time. It won't be easy but you can do it with the right method for you, I just went cold turkey with the promise of new things for my new home and that I could start again if I started getting fat again - last time I quit I put on 3 stones! This time I was ready for the food cravings and munched my way through an awful lot of raw carrot for a couple of weeks but even if I was a bit orange those size 8 jeans still fit.

Erme

Thanks Caledonian Princess for your enquiries. Still smoking for now pending referral to the smoking cessation worker @ the psych hospital. Tried on Sabbath to go on e-cig and it didn't really get anywhere so leaving it a few more days. Trying to reduce my extra meds right now and that's affecting my sleep etc so like pretty tired and just like 'get back to normal' after the bad few days last week. But good for you on the quitting. If you used to smoke anything like I do then 50/50 will suit you just fine...:)

Anyhow will keep checking this thread (can never find it so just do a search for it) and keep you informed if anything 'happens'...

E

Lucy1010

Hey everyone!

I have been gone for a long while! I needed some space

In that time I was not able to manage on the tight budget I allocated myself so I increased it to £400 p/m to live on (food and entertainment) and I find this more than manageable.

I also realised that living on so little was demoralising, I know quite a few of you manage so well but I honestly think it takes a certain type of person to be able to enjoy life without spending. I am not that type of person, sadly... so I salute you people that don't need money to have a good time.

I have been enjoying activities and events that involve spending money but that is the way I enjoy my life...

I am fortunate enough not to be in a huge amount of debt but I do want to be debt free and in 10 months, if all goes well, I will be

However, I would like to say that I am a changed woman and regularly shop in my local Aldi. Who would have thought eh? Smelly horrible Aldi? It's not even smelly anymore...! I have let my snob guard down so much so that even the shoppers look middle class! LOL! I really enjoy buying my fruit and veg in there....I save huge amounts and only use Tesco for the stuff that I really can't find.

SO thank you all, you did me a lot of good!

xx

getagrip83

Go Lucy!

have followed your thread since the begining and wondered what had happened to you.

Thanks for coming back to report.


budgeting and still not smoking, genius.


good luck as your post sounds slightly like a farewell.

gag

ani_26

Lucy1010 wrote: »

Hey everyone!

I have been gone for a long while! I needed some space

In that time I was not able to manage on the tight budget I allocated myself so I increased it to £400 p/m to live on (food and entertainment) and I find this more than manageable.

I also realised that living on so little was demoralising, I know quite a few of you manage so well but I honestly think it takes a certain type of person to be able to enjoy life without spending. I am not that type of person, sadly... so I salute you people that don't need money to have a good time.

I have been enjoying activities and events that involve spending money but that is the way I enjoy my life...

I am fortunate enough not to be in a huge amount of debt but I do want to be debt free and in 10 months, if all goes well, I will be

However, I would like to say that I am a changed woman and regularly shop in my local Aldi. Who would have thought eh? Smelly horrible Aldi? It's not even smelly anymore...! I have let my snob guard down so much so that even the shoppers look middle class! LOL! I really enjoy buying my fruit and veg in there....I save huge amounts and only use Tesco for the stuff that I really can't find.

SO thank you all, you did me a lot of good!

xx

Hi Lucy, good to hear from you.

You are very fortunate to be able to allocate £400 a month on your food and entertainment, so all i can say is, enjoy. I've now worked out my monthly income from last year was £500, yes, thats right, £500 in total, although i had a few months off through illness/ stress, so things still have'nt changed much for me, just yet. I'm still on the £20 - £25 per month food budget, ( if you could call it a budget ), as i still don't allocate money for ' things ' . Next pay = next bill paid.


I've never understood all this supermarket snobbery. To me, they are all more or less the same as each other. I've never noticed that ald* smells, ( so maybe i smell, too ), although i do shower twice a day, nor have i've noticed the people who shop there, ( so maybe i'm like them, too ). However, the ald* i use the most, ( i've shopped in ald* for many years ), is in the city, so its mainly workers / shoppers, who frequent there, so its difficult to tell what sort of person it is, when they are wearing their workclothes / suits.


I tend to shop more and more, ( within my very limited budget ), at small local shops, ie the corner shop, butchers, greengrocers, believing and hoping i get a better quality of food / meat etc. In some cases i may pay a little more for my food, but i reason that i end up spending less, as i'm not tempted to buy any carp, or offers i don't need, from the supermarkets. I only buy what i need, ie a loaf of bread, pint of milk, whatever. My corner shop also has a good range of homemade and some organic foods, ie cakes, pies, quiches etc, which all look very tempting.


You are right. It is VERY demoralising having so little to live on, and therefore not so easy to jump up and down with positivity. Always worrying how to pay the next bill, let alone food, is not a lifestyle, i recommend.


I wish you alll the very best Lucy, its been interesting meeting you, ( if this is a farewell post ).

Love and hugs Nh xx