How much /could/ you live off a month?

[ShyBoy]

Hey there.

So that thing recently said that the average person needs £14.4k a year to live off. That's just over a grand a month.

I reckon (though I don't pay council tax, so add maybe £100 a month or whatever council tax is) I *need* £500 a month to live.

This covers:
- rent
- food
- bills
- occasionally going out
- occasionally non-too-expensive purchases (certainly no £400 phones, god damn HTC desire, how I want you so much..)

that doesn't cover any automative expenses but they're not necessary for me. I guess you could add on £200 a month for that?

So if I was a council tax payer with a car it would be £800 a month.

I'm asking out of curiosity but also because I'm begging for money atm and told the person I'm begging that's how much I reasonably need to live off a month. (I'm not begging a random btw but I just don't like asking for money, even from family)

[clementine_the_tangerine]

I have no idea. I'm back living at home for the time being so am really lucky to be exempt from rent, food and bills (I do help out around the house, honest). I just need money for going out and seeing my friends.

You blaaatently know about this site already but I'll link it anyway www.moneysavingexpert.com are pretty good. At uni I found their tips for saving on food costs really useful, like switching from buying chicken to turkey because it's cheaper.

[Whowhere]

I think if I got ride of all my luxury items I could probably live on a wage of £200-£250 a week. My mortgage is my biggest outgoing however, followed by upkeep/insurance for the car.

[StrubbleS]

I pay for my flat of 49m² 275€. (I don't pay the full rent to the guy who actually rents this flat. I am just subleasing), including gas and electricity. With Internet it makes 310€ a month. I don't know about the food, but I _TRY_ to make ends meet with about 200€ a month, which is not a lot. Will probably be more.

Going out and stuff costs me probably 50 - 80€ a month.

With other minor stuff like cell phone bill and gym membership I will probably be set back 600 to 700€/month, but this is a very vague calculation.

Thank fuck living is rather "cheap" here.

[Monserrat]

For me, single person:

- Mortgage £369
- Insurance £22
- Gas £29
- Electrics £33
- Water £15
- Phone £40
- ISP £20
- Council tax £70
- Groceries £150

So I need £748/month but that won't give me any disposable income. For going out once a week, buying the occasional film, buying train tickets to see a mate and upgrading my camera once in a blue moon, I really need that £1K/month, and thus the £14-£15K yearly wage.

[adogwithsunglasses]

Well I earn £11,800 a year which is £780 a month. I save £200 each month and pay £250 a month in rent and I usually have about £50 left at the end of the month so I think that survey is bollocks.

[Thunderstruck]

I try to work on the principles of thirds - a third of my income on rent and living, a third on food, shopping, entertainments etc. and a third is saved. Normally I'm quite good about that but London does its best to bleed me dry at every opportunity, even with a banking salary.

[Norwegian Rebel]

rent - £900 pm
Gas - £20pm
Electric - £20pm
phone - £10pm
Broadband and house phone - £22 pm
Council tax - £130pm
Morrisons- £ £200pm minimum (normally do 80 quid a week roughly)
I have no car currently and walk to work so i save there.

To survice the month i could scrimp by on £1320pm with no savings or luxuries

[Namaste]

Rent = £290
Bills = £60
Phone = £25
Food = £80
Transport = £80
Social life = £120
------------------------------------
Roughly £140 per week, being liberal with food (I can get by on about £10 a week food and walking to work, not going out to socialise and survive on £40 less a week if stretched...)...

So living OK = roughly £9-10K per annum
Living tight = around £6K

I guess I could pretty much live on benefits if I had to, but I don't want to... I like nice food, meeting friends and occasionally buying clothes, books or film tickets.

Tbh, looking at this makes me reflect on how well I currently am living and how much I technically could be saving if I were more focussed.

[FireyFirenze]

rent - £900 pm

i dont know if its just me but that seems absolutely crazy! spending £900 a month to live somewhere when that £900 could go towards paying off a mortgage? xx

[Monserrat]

i dont know if its just me but that seems absolutely crazy! spending £900 a month to live somewhere when that £900 could go towards paying off a mortgage? xx

That's what I thought too. Although his council tax suggests that he's in a band B house, probably 2 bedrooms. Not living alone means that he is probably splitting the rent with at least one other person.

[FireyFirenze]

That's what I thought too. Although his council tax suggests that he's in a band B house, probably 2 bedrooms. Not living alone means that he is probably splitting the rent with at least one other person.

so the rent is £1800?! what is it a mansion?

ETA ohhh you mean it could be £450 a month each which makes more sense haha x

[Wyetry]

i dont know if its just me but that seems absolutely crazy! spending £900 a month to live somewhere when that £900 could go towards paying off a mortgage? xx

He lives in london with his wife and child i believe - so that sounds about right I would think.

I have been living on £100 a week for the past few months and its been OK but not great - I'm looking forward to going back to work and getting some more but I think that nearly all my wage will be sucked up by childcare costs.......