Keep wasting money

TheAble

Put simply, yes you're being hugely wasteful. After all bills and food, £200-£300 between you should be plenty. 
A practical piece of advice would be to salt away at least £1000 as soon as you are paid. Paying yourself first is a centuries-old technique which remains valid today.

monetxchange

I think globally the first thing I'd look at is why you aim to have £750 EACH a month for "spends", if I've read that right. That's a crazy amount to essentially waste on fripperies each month, and much more than people on higher incomes than you can afford.

Having 1500 left over after bills is excellent going. BUT it's not there to be spent like it's going out of fashion. You need to clear down the debt and start getting some rainy day funds built up just in case you're ever not as fortunate to have such a healthy income. Agree with all the others you need to sit down and track where your money has disappeared to over the last year. I'd bet loads on groceries, eating out, clothes, gadgets etc. You absolutely can get a budget in place to manage every penny and make the most of a good financial situation here.

enthusiasticsaver

£750 each every month is a lot on personal spends so you need to sort out where that is going. Do either of you save anything or are debt repayments going from that? 

MasterG83

Debt_is_terrifying said:

Hi all
I was just wondering what a healthy budget to have left over each month after all the direct debits are gone, food is paid for etc. 

Between my partner and I we have roughly £1500 left but it always seems to disappear. I don't think this is a normal level of spending and I'm quite worried that we're wasting a good level of income. 

Outside of the mortgage we have debts of £25k. £16k car loan and £9k left of a loan than we took for an extension at home. We were worse than this with our spending and I've started saving £1000 per month and now have £6k. I feel that £1500 per month should be more than enough money for us to do what we want with as a family but we always seem to run out. 

I earn a lot more than my partner and pay the vast majority of the bills. I try and make it as fair as possible and we have £750 per month in our own accounts to spend. She's currently on maternity leave and we have two children, I worry that when her maternity pay begins to decrease we are going to struggle for money. 

I was just wondering whether having £1500 per month after all bills (apart from putting fuel in cars) was a normal amount and if we are being particularly wasteful?

Firstly, well done for recognising their may be an issue. Budget from day 1 you get paid, adding up all your direct debits and standing orders, dont forget things like Netflix which debit from your card.
I would take a look at Dave Ramsey and his baby steps, its changing my life. You should be attacking that debt, you have already completed baby step 1, £1000 emergency fund, then throw the £5000 at the £9k loan, seeing those debts drop is life changing I promise you.
Check out Dave Ramsey on You Tube and I listen to his podcasts every day.