Household finances voyeurism

[Smurfy]

Interesting to compare your own spending with others. Are you profligate with your money, or tight?

The family with children: 'Childcare costs more than our £900 mortgage'
Here, a family with children reveal how they spent 2,305.57 over two weeks.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/...s-more-than-our-900-mortgage-Budget-2015.html

'We're saving for the wedding so have to be more careful'
Here, a couple without children share how they spent £2,847.73 over two weeks, including a £2,075 deposit for their wedding.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/...g-so-have-to-be-more-careful-Budget-2015.html

The single mother - 'My one luxury is getting my nails done'
Here, a single mother of one reveals how she spent £383.05 in two weeks.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/...r-My-one-luxury-is-getting-my-nails-done.html

The young worker - 'My mortgage is my number one priority'

Here, a young worker in Bristol tells us how he spent £800.85 over two weeks, including £210 on travel
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/...er-My-mortgage-is-my-number-one-priority.html

The pensioner - 'I will never be rich or poor'

Here, a pensioner reveals how he spent £1,010.03 over two weeks.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/...e-pensioner-I-will-never-be-rich-or-poor.html

The student: 'My biggest worry is affording healthy food'

Here, a student tells us how she spent £180.12 over two weeks - almost double her target
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/...ry-is-affording-healthy-food-Budget-2015.html

 

[ColinJ]

If I had a full-time minimum wage job (37.5 hours a week at £6.50/hour) I would be able to save about £25 a week without making any attempt to cut back on my spending. If I tried harder, I could save about £50 a week. If I tried really hard, perhaps a bit more than that!

 

[Markymark]

There's not a section on how much you spend on a butler, so @vernon and I are feeling discriminated against.

I thought it was universally understood that it was payment in kind.

 

[vernon]

There's not a section on how much you spend on a butler, so @vernon and I are feeling discriminated against.

Besides we don't want CCers to covet our butlers' generous salaries and benefits. We can't cope with queues of aspiring butlers.

 

[gbb]

I dont know how..and yet I do, we ended up in the position the wife and myself find ourselves in, relative comfort.
Careful budgeting when we were a young couple gave us the grounding for future comfort.
Coming relatively late to the housing market, buying our council house in the 90s at a knock down price...and being satisfied with that, we still live there, very very cheaply, no remortgaging etc etc, just sensible choices.
We both work full time and the kids are grown up although we still have one at home...despite our best efforts
The wifes full time income is saved, virtually every penny of it, some for long term savings, some for holidays etc.
If we want something, we buy it, if something breaks down, we replace it...all cash, very little finance.
But we spent years with me as sole breadwinner, on really quite basic wages...its only the last 15 years i changed career and the wife started full time work, but that early care with finances set us on the right road.
Ultimately, we are very careful with money...equally, if we want something, we buy it. Best of both worlds.

 

[gbb]

But ive failed somewhere...i havnt got a butler

 

[Smurfy]

I'm saving money at the moment. Always good to have a few pennies for a rainy day.

I make my own lunch, as I think ready made sandwiches are a huge waste of money.

 

[Turbo Rider]

Problem these days is that bills are higher than ever, house prices are higher than ever, rent is higher than ever, inflation is higher than pay rises, jobs are offered on less than full time hours, overtime is hard to come by, there's no such thing as free childcare, petrol prices are higher than ever and the list goes on. Very hard for anyone to save these days. Students have also got it harder than ever, what with all those extra costs...as for the price of pre-packed sandwiches...you can get a sandwich for £1 from Morrison's these days...which isn't that bad really, considering everything else.

Luckily though, due to the over-subscription of qualified butlers, they actually pay you to do work experience, just so they can hope to achieve those lofty heights of servicing Vernon & Rocky and I'll tell you what...I don't even feel ashamed of taking advantage.

 

[midlife]

My plan is to break even at the age of 62 with zero debt . Not too confident though ........

Shaun

 

[summerdays]

I think I haven't bought anything other than food all week. And I make my own sandwiches each day. I have splurges when I spend money then quiet periods when it is just the basics. Didn't even go to pilates this week so another £5 not spent. I was brought up not to waste it, and whilst I do, probably some of that upbringing lingers on. However it's the kids that are good at going through my cash, with school trips and the like.

 

[Flick of the Elbow]

I just don't like spending money. Which is quite fortunate as in a little over 4 years time I will be retired and won't have any
I too always make my own sandwiches

 

[Turbo Rider]

I just don't like spending money. Which is quite fortunate as in a little over 4 years time I will be retired and won't have any
I too always make my own sandwiches

Remember the term Enhanced Annuity...please

 

[raleighnut]

I'm just skint.

 

[Arrowfoot]

Even if you are strong in the area, the OH might not be and vive versa. Then there are the parents caving in the ensure that their kids are on par with the rest of their friends in school. Pretty much a balancing act.

I however note this of Asian parents who are frugal but invest heavily in their kids education and future but have little when they retire.

 

[Drago]

You lot have butler's? I have Travis, my manservant. An ex RSM of 2 Para. So much more useful than a mere butler.