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Can you survive on £135pm?

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Hi everybody,

Thanks for reading this, I am basically trying to find out if I can survive the next month on £135 plus a fair bit of food in the cupboard.

The £135 is after rent, bills and travel - so essentially just food, prescription meds, going out etc!

And btw, I live in London!

Thanks for replying!

MSE
Total debts [STRIKE]£34,500[/STRIKE]£31,425

Proud To Be Dealing With My Debts
Last Bet: 26 Feb 2012

Can you survive a month, in London, on £135 (after bills) plus a bit of food? 114 votes

Yes
55% 63 votes
No
27% 31 votes
Maybe
17% 20 votes
«1345

Comments

  • the_cat
    the_cat Posts: 2,176 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    How many people does this have to cover?
  • the_cat wrote: »
    How many people does this have to cover?

    Hi The_cat,

    Thanks for your reply - it is to cover just the 1 person.

    Thanks,

    MSE
    Total debts [STRIKE]£34,500[/STRIKE]£31,425

    Proud To Be Dealing With My Debts
    Last Bet: 26 Feb 2012
  • Gordon_Hose
    Gordon_Hose Posts: 6,259 Forumite
    Debt-free and Proud!
    Just over £30 a week. I think you'd need to budget what's left over very carefully, but I'm sure it's possible.
  • mustang1
    mustang1 Posts: 252 Forumite
    Debt-free and Proud!
    Yes! I live in London too, although for the purposes of your question, I don't really think that makes a difference as this £135 is after bills etc

    You will need to be really really strict with yourself though and plan all of your meals so you know you have can eat.

    I have sacrificed my daily morning coffee which has been hard but at £40 a month it just wasn't a necessity.

    I have been madly saving up for my remortgage and have been open with my friends about this so they have made efforts to arrange things at their flats / my flat and bring drinks and food with them so I have still been able to have fun.

    Best tip is to take out £100 cash, split it into even chunks for the next month (probably around £20 a week) and then only go out with the cash you have - leave all cards behind then you can't give into temptation.

    Hopefully the sunny weather will continue as that has helped me over the last few weeks to just get out into the local park with a good book and enjoy some free time!

    Good luck!
  • good luck on this amount £30 a week isn't bad for certain people, if you don't drink , smoke socialise then easy..

    I'd struggle. but i like to boost the economy with my needless spending.
  • Sublime_2
    Sublime_2 Posts: 15,741 Forumite
    No, I couldn't. That would barely cover my groceries for one week.
  • pogofish
    pogofish Posts: 10,853 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Yes, it can be done - I had to for quite a while after my ex took off and I struggled to keep a roof over my head.

    Boring certainly but if you sacrifice all luxuries and plan your meals/food purchases, other comittments ahead, it is possible.

    :)
  • Rebekah24
    Rebekah24 Posts: 544 Forumite
    £30 for food

    £10 for prescriptions (get a yearly pay via DD)

    Leaves you £95 for travel/ going out

    Should be doable..even in london :)
    OU Law student
    May Grocery challenge
    £30/ £11
  • Tixy
    Tixy Posts: 31,455 Forumite
    Is this just for this month you need to survive on this amount? If so and if you have some food in already then it should be easy, though you might well need to cut out most of your socialising, or with the nice weather maybe find free things to do instead.

    Food you should be able to manage on say £30-£40 total for the rest of the month (if you need ideas check out the oldstyle board and threads like this one - Help! £40 to feed family for the month (its an old thread but will give you some ideas).

    How much do you need to spend on prescriptions for the month?

    What else is essential spending you need?

    Anything left over from these you could possibly spend on entertainment/socialising.
    A smile enriches those who receive without making poorer those who give
    or "It costs nowt to be nice"
  • adindas
    adindas Posts: 6,856 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    I fully believe you could. Here are the tips:
    - Always walk, never pay taxi / public transport.
    - Live exclusively to Tesco or ASDA value range and prepare your own meals.
    -Do not go to the pub.
    -In emergency case where there si no more maony left, go to the city center where there are alot of Sandwichshop. it is very often they will throw it away the sandwich which wil soon expire. But it is still edable.

    Good Luck then with frugal living ...

    ADINDAS


    Hi everybody,

    Thanks for reading this, I am basically trying to find out if I can survive the next month on £135 plus a fair bit of food in the cupboard.

    The £135 is after rent, bills and travel - so essentially just food, prescription meds, going out etc!

    And btw, I live in London!

    Thanks for replying!

    MSE
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