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Average monthly Income?

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  • FWIW here are my actual figures from my spreadsheet: (Edit: sorry about the formatting, its cut-and-paste from Excel)

    Mobile Phone £15.00 SKY TV
    £6.50 SKY Landline £16.99 Water
    £15.00 ISA
    £50.00 Gas / Electricity £40.00 TV Licence £12.12 SODC Council tax £164.00 Mortgage
    £174.75 Clubcard c/card £620.00 Carpets (Int free finance) £23.69


    Total :
    £1,138.05

    For two people .

    Obviously, two things(£50 per month stocks and shares ISA and Carpets - bought on int free finance) are more discretionary and I wouldnt count as 'regular'

    I buy EVERYTHING else on my Clubcard credit card (Food, drink, fuel, entertaining) and budget £20 per day for this, so £620 in a 31 day month, and we usually come in a few £££s within this. Paid off in full at the end of each month and points converted to AVIOS to go towards upgrading our holiday flights!!

    We are lucky enough to have savings so I dont budget for holidays but just pay them outright.

    See things like my SKY TV amount to see what you can do by haggling, and my gas/electricity and water to see what you can do by being [STRIKE]stingy[/STRIKE] [STRIKE]frugal[/STRIKE] careful (!!)
  • familyms
    familyms Posts: 21 Forumite
    Thank you - I'll repost our amended list later today. Thankyou very much for comments and assistance.
  • maxie014
    maxie014 Posts: 190 Forumite
    Seventh Anniversary
    Cant beat the big cook meals that last 3 or 4 days evening meals,mince,stewing steak,ham based soup kind of things for saving on groceries.
  • darkidoe
    darkidoe Posts: 1,129 Forumite
    Ninth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 8 April 2016 at 2:13AM
    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.

    225 per month. That's good old frugality. I am by myself and I would be happy to spend only that much per month. My diet is abit moody and really depends on what I feel like eating or what I find I need to eat to keep me happy. And I like variety as well.
    Any tips?

    Save 12K in 2020 # 38 £0/£20,000
  • ViolaLass
    ViolaLass Posts: 5,764 Forumite
    darkidoe wrote: »
    225 per month. That's good old frugality. I am by myself and I would be happy to spend only that much per month. My diet is abit moody and really depends on what I feel like eating or what I find I need to eat to keep me happy. And I like variety as well.
    Any tips?

    We don't buy much meat (I'm not fussed by it) although we will get some to put in sauces sometimes. We also bulk buy where poss to take advantage of discounts and vouchers. I eat according to my mood too (which is why we don't do meal plans) and I get plenty of fresh fruit and veg but I won't get expensive things e.g. strawberries unless they're reduced or at the market in season.

    I also keep a very strict budget and week to week, I know what we're 'allowed'.
  • adindas
    adindas Posts: 6,856 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 8 April 2016 at 5:40PM
    familyms wrote: »
    Hi everyone

    I'm relatively new to this, haven't posted on here for several years - just wondering as currently stressing out with regards to income in our house: 1x retired and on state pension, and me working part-time (looking for more hours) and a teenager, we get just over £1700 into our house a month, No mortgage or rent so we pay all utilities - roughly around £650+ and constantly check them to keep payments down, just sometimes we panic and think OMG how on earth are we going to manage, Is it just me or am I just being dramatic about this. Keep a keen eye on deals and trying to get Teen to realise the cost of things and are going to open a bank account for her and pay £40 a month in for her pocket money so she can manage it herself, we buy all her toiletries for her though in shop. Shopping is the other thing we spend far far too much on £500+ a month for 2 adults and a teen, which I personally think is far to much. We don't really socialise just odd bottle of wine at home. Any suggestions or comments most welcome, Please be kind though. Thank you

    Here is avarage Energy bills for UK family
    https://www.ukpower.co.uk/home_energy/average-energy-bill

    As you will notice even for a large house. The cost of energy should not be more than £125pm.

    Add it to Water: Most houses are unmetered, so flat payment of say £50
    Phone / Internet + TV Say £20 a month for the whole house.
    Mobile Phone: Usually it shall not be higher than £15 per person,. Assuming three people it will be £45.

    So he utility should cost no more than 125+50+20+45=£240

    Probably you should elaborate how come you pay utility bills of £650 per month if you need people to help you with controlling your expenses.

    This cost for £650 for utility seems to be the cost of utility for a mansion with huge garden with landscape lighting ??
  • diamonds
    diamonds Posts: 6,048 Forumite
    Debt-free and Proud!
    edited 8 April 2016 at 12:34PM
    darkidoe wrote: »
    225 per month. That's good old frugality. I am by myself and I would be happy to spend only that much per month. My diet is abit moody and really depends on what I feel like eating or what I find I need to eat to keep me happy. And I like variety as well.
    Any tips?

    Do cook offs using reduced to clear items, I have meats, breads, curries, stews, soups etc.

    If you like garlic bread buy the large sliced stuff and use the toaster ;)


    I keep the freezer stocked like a supermarkets...loads of choice. Microwave defrost and then cook on the hob.


    Keep loads of fresh veg and salad and chips in supply.


    ;)
    SO... now England its the Scots turn to say dont leave the UK, stay in Europe with us in the UK, dont let the tories fool you like they did us with empty lies... You will be leaving the UK aswell as Europe ;)
  • Cirias
    Cirias Posts: 68 Forumite
    We spend less than £260 a month on food. Two adults and a 3 year old. We eat a vegan diet, so don't spend any money on expensive meat. We buy from Tesco and can have luxuries like ice creams, yoghurts, loads of healthy snacks for my son. We buy online so no temptation of in-store impulse buys.

    You just have to budget properly and make cheap ingredients go far. A packet of red lentils for instance costs £1.15 and we can probably use it as the main bulk of a few pasta dishes and some stews before we use it all.
  • Futuristic
    Futuristic Posts: 1,172 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    I'm wondering on the topic of "average" monthly income, how would you go about when you are paid dividends and or bonuses every year? Ie. £8k salary+£30k div

    Would you state income as £38k/12 - expenses?
  • familyms
    familyms Posts: 21 Forumite
    Hi

    A little late but here is a copy of new excel spreadsheet details - Income average: £1720-per month/monthly expenditure.

    Yes some are general expenditure, and I am constantly trying to keep payments down- we are tied into mobiles as with virgin and contract:( however at end will own phone and plan on getting sim only deals)

    Council Tax 106
    Water Bill 30
    Gas/Electric 100
    Tv/Broadband/Landline 24(just organised new deal-was £45.00)
    TV Licence 12
    My Mobile 14
    Husband Mobile 10
    Daughters Mobile 22
    Life Insurance 27
    Car(Fuel) 90
    Pocket Money(Daughter) 40
    Daughters Savings 40
    House Savings/emergency 200
    Credit Card/next 100
    Outgoings 823(food shopping out of this)
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