Average monthly Income?

ViolaLass

familyms wrote: »

£225 - Is that with meal planning or very good budgeting.

We don't particularly meal plan - I don't know day to day what I'll feel like eating so it doesn't work for me - but we do budget. We shop mostly at Aldi with some Tesco (for things you can't get at Aldi) and Sainsbury (because they give me vouchers) e.g. yesterday I spent £25 on pasta that was on offer, which will last us for ages. We don't find it difficult to stay within our budget.

We shop once a week and it is unlikely that we'll go to the shops inbetween.

missbiggles1

diamonds wrote: »

It is expenses. The food budget is defo more then, either high quality or high level of prepared packed foods maybe ?

It's definitely expenses - it just isn't utilities.

Darksparkle

ViolaLass wrote: »

We don't particularly meal plan - I don't know day to day what I'll feel like eating so it doesn't work for me - but we do budget. We shop mostly at Aldi with some Tesco (for things you can't get at Aldi) and Sainsbury (because they give me vouchers) e.g. yesterday I spent £25 on pasta that was on offer, which will last us for ages. We don't find it difficult to stay within our budget.

We shop once a week and it is unlikely that we'll go to the shops inbetween.

Food is something I find hard to cut back on (about £400 per month for two of us). I can't meal plan either, I don't like planning what I want in advance because I usually end up wanting something different.

We probably spend about £60 per week on food (that includes all meals as buying lunches at work is too expensive). The rest is cleaning products, toiletries etc. I'm quite fussy when it comes to that kind of stuff, I don't generally shop for the best deal, I like what I like.

familyms

"We shop once a week and it is unlikely that we'll go to the shops inbetween."

Hi

I think this is our problem, we shop inbetween! and end up spendng £30/£40 each time, which is one of the reasons we end up with a food billof £500/600 a month OMG!!

diamonds

familyms wrote: »

Hi Paulfoel - £1100-£1200 per month for food shopping?:eek:

£225 - Is that with meal planning or very good budgetting.

We do need to budget better in all areas, and stop just going out and spending for sake of it. DD will be getting sorted also, as she gets £40 pocket money and needs to realise to budget that for what she wants, as she is always buying 'starbucks'!!:eek:

So on average £1700 income is doable if we review our budget and be more efficient?

Thank you

Starbucks? Buy a machine for £50 and she can buy her own pods.

Defo on £1700, I bank most my income and live off £50 a week for one, £10 is for a bus pass, that is all fresh food cooked from scratch and saves a fortune! Crisps ? The odd packet, not a multi from supermarket.



You are right to nip in the bud her money issues before any work, it will serve her well to never end up in the same situation as yourself thinking where is all my money going - its a education problem not just a parent issue.

diamonds

familyms wrote: »

"We shop once a week and it is unlikely that we'll go to the shops inbetween."

Hi

I think this is our problem, we shop inbetween! and end up spendng £30/£40 each time, which is one of the reasons we end up with a food billof £500/600 a month OMG!!

Best in my opinion to buy some meat, loads of fruit and veg, milk, spread & bread and force people to cook in the week if they want food. Saves a fortune.

dreaming

It is difficult, isn't it, to work out where all the cash goes? When I was looking into taking early retirement a couple of years ago I kept a very careful record of how I spent my money so that when I did retire I felt I was on top of things. Fast forward a couple of years and I have retired but my adult son has had to move in with me following a breakdown so now £925 per month (£850 pension + £75 from son)covers the following -
Council tax/water/gas+elec/broadband - £270
Car (tax/MOT/repairs/breakdown but not fuel) - £77
House ins - £15
Gifts (birthdays + Xmas) - £50
Clothes - £20


So that leaves about £490 for food (for 2 adults +1 cat), petrol, hobbies, spending money etc. Apart from food and house bills, son uses his benefit money (not much - he doesn't get housing benefit due to living with me and also has to pay child maintenance) for his own expenses. I don't spend all of that each month but carry any excess over for more expensive months and I feel we eat and live pretty well.
If I were in your position I would be tempted to add the £30 NEXT cash to daughter's allowance and let her buy her own clothes (except for uniform if she is still at school). You have to be very strong however and not be tempted to bail her out when/if she blows it all. I did this when my daughter was a teenager and surprisingly she suddenly realised that "labels" really don't matter. She is now (some 20 years later) a very savvy shopper indeed. You are not letting your daughter down by not giving her everything she wants - you are teaching her a valuable lesson - very, very few people in this life have everything they want.
For me the budget for things that really have to be paid (utilities/car etc.) is key. After that it is my choice whether to spend all my money on books (I belong to 2 book groups), or blow it on fine dining (not likely). Everyone has different priorities - I'm sure you will work it out.

diamonds

diamonds wrote: »

Best in my opinion to buy some meat, loads of fruit and veg, milk, spread & bread and force people to cook in the week if they want food. Saves a fortune.

Cheap own brand oven frozen chips though work out cheaper than potatoes these days for chips, also as a major lazy meal without much hassle, simply add some salad and a quick steak or tinned macaroni cheese/spag bol for a quick cheap meal.


I have a lazy night mid week every week from cooking from scratch, chips, beans on toast and sausages usually. Good to have some junk food too over fresh and healthy all week


Fizzy juice is like starbucks, a complete waste of cash, diluting all the way. Teens love fizzies.

enthusiasticsaver

I have been keeping track of our spends over the last couple of years as my OH retires this year and we pay £200 per month for food for just the 2 of us and that covers it comfortably sometimes with some left over. It is only really Christmas and if we do a lot of entertaining or our elder daughter is back home to stay with us that we go over but mostly she pays that anyway. Have you tried downloading a spending app on your phone to record everything you spend? That certainly helps to see where you are over spending.


I limit our food shopping to one main shop a week, mainly at Lidls but occasionally Waitrose (both are our nearest supermarkets) and use cash for a mid week top up for milk, bread and fruit, veg normally.


You can get a better deal on your mobiles I am sure and some of the things on your utilities list are non essentials so if you are struggling that would be the first thing to go. Also, Next is really expensive for clothes. Use somewhere cheaper. New look or primark is really good especially for your daughter. I would suggest you prioritise pension payments too as there are great tax incentives so look into that.


We have just worked out that to comfortably live we need around £2100 net for the 2 of us but that includes holidays, entertainment, gifts and personal spends for me and OH etc so £1700 for 3 of you is doable but I can see why you do not have a lot of spare cash. The best way to manage your money though is to budget and that is a good lesson to teach your daughter. If she goes to University she will get the maximum loan and minimal parental contribution I think on that income so I would not worry too much about that. I think I would be more concerned with your income in retirement.

familyms

"We have just worked out that to comfortably live we need around £2100 net for the 2 of us but that includes holidays, entertainment, gifts and personal spends for me and OH etc so £1700 for 3 of you is doable but I can see why you do not have a lot of spare cash. The best way to manage your money though is to budget and that is a good lesson to teach your daughter. If she goes to University she will get the maximum loan and minimal parental contribution I think on that income so I would not worry too much about that. I think I would be more concerned with your income in retirement."

Hi
We are looking at everything on list, and also going to bank on Thursday with DD to sort out her bank account to ensure she starts budgetting her own money.

Can I ask is £2100 the amount you would be budgetting monthly?.

I do think once DD leaves home, if that ever happens? we'll sell the house and downsize. I have downloaded a free app to monitor our spending and really just need everyone onboard really:-).