How much spare money do you have each month?

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  • mandySaver12
    mandySaver12 Posts: 32 Forumite
    I'm aiming to use 10% of my post tax salary for fun stuff. I earn an average amount and that comes to about £200 a month which I'm finding hard to stick to because the numbers add up so quickly
  • teddysmum
    teddysmum Posts: 9,471 Forumite
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Post
    We have nothing left each month, as being the miser I am, anything not spent is savings.
  • zippygeorgeandben
    zippygeorgeandben Posts: 1,273 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Anniversary First Post Debt-free and Proud!
    I have £673.28 left at the end of each month after all DDs come out. The only thing which has to come out of this is food and then the rest is mine. However, take a look at my signature and since September I've been using whatever surplus I have to pay debts off quicker. This month I have £100 to last me until the 30th because I've paid another £500 off one of my loans.
    Savings as of April 2023 Savings account - £26460.50(14474.88)Current account - £2140.24(4576.79)Total - £28600.74(19051.67) £1010 (£65pm CS/BS) £250 CS/BS/JS
  • Whoknowskt89
    Whoknowskt89 Posts: 262 Forumite
    Debt-free and Proud! Newshound!
    I do have what you would probably class as spare money at the end of the month.
    I've budgeted each month depending on what is planned and this includes thinking of savings or credit cards as a bill.
    For example, my debt will be gone in 3 months.
    After my bills, grocery shopping, money to credit card, christmas fund etc there is usually around £240 ish unallocated for... This covers petrol as I walk to work, going out, any take out or lunches out, treats for the cats, clothes etc.
    If I don't spend all of this money or spend less on groceries, money goes to a saving account.
  • loey93
    loey93 Posts: 62 Forumite
    Thank you everyone for your responses! It's very interesting to hear different peoples views

    I think I would go crazy if I didn't allow myself a certain amount of money each month that I can spend purely on myself but thats just me :D

    I might reduce my disposable income and up my savings instead!!
    Aiming to pay debts & save! :T
  • Sea_Shell
    Sea_Shell Posts: 9,366 Forumite
    First Anniversary Photogenic Name Dropper First Post
    Luckily there are very few things that I want....and even less things that I need.
    How's it going, AKA, Nutwatch? - 12 month spends to date = 2.31% of current retirement "pot" (as at end March 2024)
  • grumbler
    grumbler Posts: 58,629 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Post Photogenic First Anniversary
    loey93 wrote: »
    I might reduce my disposable income .... !!
    :eek:
    disposable income
    income remaining after deduction of taxes and social security charges, available to be spent or saved as one wishes.
  • Livelongandprosper
    Livelongandprosper Posts: 519 Forumite
    Mortgage-free Glee!
    grumbler wrote: »
    :eek:
    disposable income
    income remaining after deduction of taxes and social security charges, available to be spent or saved as one wishes.
    That makes all my income disposable as I don't earn enough to pay either :)

    Plus it's variable as I'm on zero hours and work between 15 and 30 hrs a week, depending on the needs of the business

    Some weeks I have just enough to pay for the groceries, petrol for my car, and money put aside to bills, other weeks I have loads left over. That gets put aside for the weeks when I'm short. Personal spends are extremely miserly. I had a haircut this week, first since Feb 2016 because these past two weeks the hours have been good. Oh and a five pack of knickers bought half price :) And I'm looking to buy a new foundation next weeks wages :)

    I could work more, earn more, have more spare money, but wth, I'm happy with my lot :)
  • teddysmum
    teddysmum Posts: 9,471 Forumite
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Post
    Sea_Shell wrote: »
    Luckily there are very few things that I want....and even less things that I need.



    My parents were always careful with money and I'm the child who inherited the inclination. I have money from doing surveys which really is my treat, but I'm reluctant to waste it on what is not necessary.


    Lots enjoy eating out, but I tend to think about how little I could do the meal for, without the parts that I dislike and with no temptation from the desserts which I really shouldn't have.


    Perhaps I am a miserable miser, but seeing people splashing out on takeaways (that look horrid anyway), alcohol(which I don't like), days out which I wouldn't enjoy (health reasons) and indulging children only to have the items wasted, makes me cringe.
  • debtfreeforlife
    debtfreeforlife Posts: 215 Forumite
    It depends on what you mean by 'spare', but I allocate £100 a month on entertainment and £200 a month on living expenses (that living expenses budget rarely gets used up, and more often than not I nick money from it to cover extra costs in the gifts or petrol budget). Entertainment is meals out, theatre trips, special family events, etc. Living expenses includes clothes (rarely bought), body care stuff, things for the house, parking, and I withdraw cash from that budget each month for small food spends and to have cash handy if needed.
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