How much disposable income do you have each month?

[CrystalWench]

Zero. I’m a single disabled mother on benefits, I used to work and have money, recently got inheritance but that’s just holding me up through everything going up. I get £35 a week from my child’s father who has managed to somehow save £10,000 whilst I tell our child to put a onesie on because I can’t afford to have the heating on all evening. I would work but I can barely afford the electric to charge up my wheelchair or the fuel for my car to get to work. Take me back to 2008 when I was on a first class cruise around the Caribbean with thousands in spending money, enjoy what you have in the moment because you never know what the future brings.

 

[FakeSmile]

I don’t have any now. It’s getting a real worry.

 

[Begborrowsteal]

Literally not a penny. Bills and running costs, clearing debt etc. Two full time roles, still needing UC top up.. its a bit shit

 

[prozacprincess]

What job do you do?

I don’t have much left over at the end of the month but I do include putting £250 into my savings and £100 into my daughters. The money for me covers things like birthdays and Christmas etc. We don’t get a holiday I have a good job and work OT but it’s hard paying everything out on one income. The money I save for my daughter should be enough for a house deposit one day.

We both work in the Film and TV Industry. My husband is a Special Effects Supervisor and I’m a Senior Technician.

It’s lovely that you put money away for the future for yourself and your daughter. Your obviously a good mom and that counts for a lot x x

I assumed this was an annual amount?! Great that you are prioritising your daughters saving, you are disciplined that me.

It’s monthly but some months it can be zero.
During the first lockdown we earn’t nothing for 6 months and didn’t qualify for any assistance.
I do sometimes think it’s a ridiculously high wage compared to other careers that are much more valuable to society as a whole. I do appreciate it though … in my early 20’s I was cleaning toilets for £2 an hour, while married to my first husband, a man who refused to work

 

[TheScarletgirl]

After food and bills about £200 which would cover any emergencies.

 

[lannx]

Zero. I’m a single disabled mother on benefits, I used to work and have money, recently got inheritance but that’s just holding me up through everything going up. I get £35 a week from my child’s father who has managed to somehow save £10,000 whilst I tell our child to put a onesie on because I can’t afford to have the heating on all evening. I would work but I can barely afford the electric to charge up my wheelchair or the fuel for my car to get to work. Take me back to 2008 when I was on a first class cruise around the Caribbean with thousands in spending money, enjoy what you have in the moment because you never know what the future brings

100%

Ever thought about working from home? With the advent of the pandemic many companies are offering full/part time hybrid contracts. I have always been a FT office worker but looking to change this.

Sorry to hear about your issues to heat the place. Hopefully none of you will get ill as a result of this. Perhaps leave the child with the father extra days? If you live close by week on/week off could be an option?

As for his savings... the harsh reality is his money, his call. £35 a week might not be enough for food/clothes etc but £70 should do? His and yours contribution - it takes two to tango and all that. I am surprised you are aware of how much he has saved (no one in my family knows how much I earn, let alone how much I have in savings). Believe it or not I am not having a go at you. The situation hit close to home...

Get some financial advice regarding you inheritance (try put some money aside on short/long term investments). Please, don't let it all go to cover your basic needs.

You may not be able to see that now but there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Best of luck!

 

[Emzykins]

Around £350. Single mum who works full time, I get it's not much but for us that makes me feel rich. When I was married (pre having my child) we had well over 1k. It was a reality check for sure but 4 years later I'm just used to it, I have a part mortgage and financed car, so I suppose I don't do too badly.

 

[Tricham]

Currently about 3k but that's soon changing so no gloating here! We've just had a baby so I've not long started maternity leave, where I get paid only SMP, so my monthly income will go from about 2k (depends on overtime) to £600ish - then I want to be a SAHM once ML is up.. it's going to get tight. Out income will halve. We purposefully overpaid our mortgage as much as possible so now our outgoings are quite low, as we always had the intention of me staying at home once we had little one (planned it for years before we had him!). Our job (me and DH do the same work) just doesn't work around children, when both parents are doing it, as they expect so much overtime and weekend work. It's all happening at a bad time for us though. You can prepare for years, but then this happens!

 

[chamomileteaeconomyvodka]

Technically 400. We really struggled over lockdown, my mum had to lend us money just to buy food, then things picked up for a while and we were comfortable. But recently every month has brought events (weddings, car breaking down, council tax, nursery fees) which mean we've ended up in our overdraft. It's so stressful as we've got no safety net for emergencies and things just seem to be getting worse. I know we're still very lucky and I feel guilty for worrying but it is stressful.

 

[Mitzymooface]

I think things have certainly steadily gone up and up for sure. It’s the things you don’t notice in the super market and sky just adding a couple more pounds but it all adds up!! I’ve just worked mine out, I do save a chunk of it but I’ve got about £1500 left after everything (before saving) which I realise is a healthy amount. I am very money conscious and careful in order to afford us some of the nicer things we want.

I’m about the same as you I think although it is getting less every month

 

[Happy35]

About £1200-£1500 a month, OH has just got a 5% pay rise, I am civil service so got nothing, l am fixed energy and our food bills and fairly low so hoping we are going to be okay. I am worried for some family and friends though who were just about making ends meet.

 

[Former_Antelopee]

I live at home and I’m currently buying a house so my parents don’t charge me (I used to pay them until saving for a house). After bills and petrol I usually have around £1800 leftover but try to put £1500 into my house savings. The last few months I’ve been putting a bit into a few different savings account for holidays as well. I usually give myself £200 to spend on doing things a month, sometimes more if I know I have things planned.
Does depend on how much overtime I do though. I don’t think I actually know my monthly wage without overtime since changing jobs a year ago as I’ve always done some overtime.

 

[Sarah123456789]

I think things have certainly steadily gone up and up for sure. It’s the things you don’t notice in the super market and sky just adding a couple more pounds but it all adds up!! I’ve just worked mine out, I do save a chunk of it but I’ve got about £1500 left after everything (before saving) which I realise is a healthy amount. I am very money conscious and careful in order to afford us some of the nicer things we want.

 

[Tommyb]

Around £2k .. my partner has more. Although I put £1.5k in savings every month so o don't like to think of it as available for me to use . Although we are in a good position we have started making small changes with the current price rises.

 

[Mitzymooface]

Currently absolutely nothing! All my money is being used to pay off the renovations I had done to the house I brought. I've been overpaying drastically and putting myself into a really simple frugal way of living because I find debt such a dark cloud. Finding this thread has cheered me up and put it in to perspective that it is temporary

Once that is finished, minus pension and all my direct debits, allowing a bit more for price increases should be £1k disposable.

Glad you are being cheered, I’m finding it fascinating as I’m pretty sure this is a question we would never ask to someone’s face? It’s not always about what you earn either, is it.

 

[Mitzymooface]

Prices going up made me wonder how much spare cash people have each month to play with. Not to brag, just out of interest! How are you adapting to the cost of living crisis?

 

[Emlo]

I have about £1200- £2000 after essentials but I’m trying to save and invest at least £1000 a month. Because my wage can be variable some months are really tight (like this month!) with next to no “treat” money but whenever I have a bit more to spare I like to enjoy it with travel. Overall my disposable is about the same but I have definitely noticed my grocery shop has become more limited now that I’m trying to stick to the same food budget as previous years.

 

[a.pain]

I realise I am lucky to have any disposable income at all, but the amount is horribly dwindling due to cost of living and my second baby is starting nursery in summer so once that happens we will have about £500 a month as a family for entertainment/birthdays/trips/clothes /miscellaneous etc. This is after every regular cost (mortgage/bills/food/fuel) has been deducted but some are luxuries e.g cleaner and hello fresh. Don’t think we will be taking any holidays etc on this amount, even staying in the uk is extortionate now. In a couple of years when nursery free hours kick in it should be better (It only costs me £135 a month for my three year olds full time place). Not going to lie I am worried about our electric bill doubling and slashing our spare income. We could also do with a new(er) car but that would be madness in the current climate

 

[Saddlesoap]

My wage fluctuates depending on my overtime, but based on my basic salary about £600 is disposable. However I think more needs to go into our joint account, so realistically might be £500 now.

ETA: I've just taken off my regular bills/direct debits. Food and household bills comes out of our joint account.
I'm classing petrol costs in disposable income.

 

[Rxt156]

Definitley way LESS!!!! It is depressing.

spending probs
£20 more on food per week
£100 on mortgage per
(second half of mortgage due to house move. The bigger half is up in a few years thank the lord)
Gas and electric is up £70
Petrol more expensive….