can you make your wages stretch a full week?

flanum · 10-03-2008 8:22pm #1

Im absolutely useless at money management. always have been. i left Dublin because i was working there just to live there, i wasnt saving anything.. after rent, fuel, food, a couple nights out.. that was it i was skint.
i moved back to cavan for the lower cost of rent/living etc, i also took a lower wage (its not that low though.. approx 590eur net/week), the rent is way lower, i only have to drive 5 miles to work.. this takes about 10 minutes door to door, i hardly go out anymore..just a few cans durin the week and the odd weekend out - nothing too extravagant.

... i get paid on thursdays and yet im still f*cking skint by tuesdays!!

where does it go?????

i see lads out in town, they seem to go out 5 nights a week and are on the dole... wtf?

judas101 · 10-03-2008 8:25pm

excessive drug habit?

Jimbo · 10-03-2008 8:25pm

Stealth taxes.

Bertie and Cowen creep into your bank accounts and steal your monies. Thats what I heard on the Conspiracy Theories forum anyhoo and the people there don't lie

Hellm0 · 10-03-2008 8:26pm

In my wage bracket it would be difficult to be skint, I make more in a day then some folks do in a week*.

*I know I'm bragging, sue me peasents.

Collie D · 10-03-2008 8:28pm

Hellm0 wrote: »

In my wage bracket it would be difficult to be skint, I make more in a day then some folks do in a week*.

*I know I'm bragging, sue me peasents.

Wow, I bet you;re really unpopular

galwayrush · 10-03-2008 8:29pm

It's all thanks to our Goverment's sneaky Stealth Taxes. I am now taking home almost double what i was earning 3 years ago, and i could afford to go on 2 foreign holidays a year back then, but probably can't afford to go anywhere this year.Cost of living has gone crazy here:mad:

Hellm0 · 10-03-2008 8:29pm

Collie D wrote: »

Wow, I bet you;re really unpopular

What odd's we talking here? I'll take your bet.

LuckyCharms · 10-03-2008 8:31pm

I don't think the wage bracket matters really .It's all down to the lifestyle.My older brother earns 15g a month after tax yet he is always skint and he only goes out two - three nights a week.

Also, just because you see people out and about 5 nights a week doesn't really mean anything , they may never spend a penny, knew a guy who used go out 7 nights a week and spent nothing , sponged off the rest of us instead.Suffice to say, he doesn't come out with us anymore .

leninbenjamin · 10-03-2008 8:31pm

flanum wrote: »

Im absolutely useless at money management. always have been. i left Dublin because i was working there just to live there, i wasnt saving anything.. after rent, fuel, food, a couple nights out.. that was it i was skint.
i moved back to cavan for the lower cost of rent/living etc, i also took a lower wage (its not that low though.. approx 590eur net/week), the rent is way lower, i only have to drive 5 miles to work.. this takes about 10 minutes door to door, i hardly go out anymore..just a few cans durin the week and the odd weekend out - nothing too extravagant.

... i get paid on thursdays and yet im still f*cking skint by tuesdays!!

where does it go?????

i see lads out in town, they seem to go out 5 nights a week and are on the dole... wtf?

have you actually sat down and worked out what you spend in a day? bring a notepad or something with you for a week and jot down what you spend and where you spend it. it's not hard to work out where your money goes...

10-03-2008 8:31pm

galwayrush wrote: »

It's all thanks to our Goverment's sneaky Stealth Taxes. I am now taking home almost double what i was earning 3 years ago, and i could afford to go on 2 foreign holidays a year back then, but probably can't afford to go anywhere this year.Cost of living has gone crazy here:mad:

Really it's not just that you have higher expectations and more financial responsibilities than before?....what are you spending your money on?

I'm a student....I can survive on air.

Terry · 10-03-2008 8:34pm

It all goes on bills.
That and €15 a day on cigarettes.

matrim · 10-03-2008 8:34pm

I live in dublin, get paid monthly and always have money left over at the end of the month, that includes going out 2 or 3 nights a week. I'm on a decent wage but not huge. It's not that hard to save if you really want to

leninbenjamin · 10-03-2008 8:34pm

galwayrush wrote: »

Cost of living has gone crazy here:mad:

that's primarily because every second person living in Galway is stuck up their hole. idiots in debt still spending as if they are in the money, just to maintain the image...

10-03-2008 8:36pm

matrim wrote: »

I live in dublin, get paid monthly and always have money left over at the end of the month, that includes going out 2 or 3 nights a week. I'm on a decent wage but not huge. It's not that hard to save if you really want to

Do you live with Mammie?

LuckyCharms · 10-03-2008 8:37pm

Terry wrote: »

It all goes on bills.
That and €15 a day on cigarettes.

Well your problem is pretty obvious,Stop paying the bills and you will have plenty of money.

galwayrush · 10-03-2008 8:38pm

Moonbaby wrote: »

Really it's not just that you have higher expectations and more financial responsibilities than before?....what are you spending your money on?

I'm a student....I can survive on air.

Two Kids, ill wife , not too bad of a Mortgage, but the basic cost of living alone is costing us at least 200 euro more \ week than it was 2 years ago, added to higher mortgage rates, higher car running costs, there seems to be a kids birthday every second week,school is always looking for funding,it seems to be getting harder and harder.

Jimbo · 10-03-2008 8:38pm

A hugh amount of my wages goes into my car.
When you add up car loan, tax, insurance, fuel, servicing, car wash, repairs, tolls it takes a fair chunk out of your cash.
I think Im going to start walking

TheBeach · 10-03-2008 8:39pm

I have no problem making my wages last a week. Problem is I get paid monthly.

MAKE MY DAY · 10-03-2008 8:39pm

Try www.askaboutmoney.com the folks there are really helpful and you might pick up some useful tips.

galwayrush · 10-03-2008 8:40pm

leninbenjamin wrote: »

that's primarily because every second person living in Galway is stuck up their hole. idiots in debt still spending as if they are in the money, just to maintain the image...

+1, they seem to be more worried about driving the kids to school in giant 08 mammy tractors than keeping up their mortgage payments.

Jimbo · 10-03-2008 8:40pm

galwayrush wrote: »

Two Kids, ill wife , not too bad of a Mortgage, but the basic cost of living alone is costing us at least 200 euro more \ week than it was 2 years ago, added to higher mortgage rates, higher car running costs, there seems to be a kids birthday every second week,school is always looking for funding,it seems to be getting harder and harder.

You should have stopped after the 25th kid I reckon.

KTRIC · 10-03-2008 8:40pm

Spend less than a 3rd of my monthly salary at the moment

The rest goes into a savings account which I will empty come summer time

mikemac · 10-03-2008 8:42pm

galwayrush wrote: »

Two Kids, ill wife , not too bad of a Mortgage, but the basic cost of living alone is costing us at least 200 euro more \ week than it was 2 years ago, added to higher mortgage rates, higher car running costs, there seems to be a kids birthday every second week,school is always looking for funding,it seems to be getting harder and harder.

Why are you giving money to the school? Sure they might have to pay for art stuff and other expenses.
But your taxes pay for everything else, it's FREE.
Don't pay anymore to the school.

Oh and sell your car and buy a moped! Cheap as chips to run

matrim · 10-03-2008 8:43pm

Moonbaby wrote: »

Do you live with Mammie?

No, I rent in the city center

flanum · 10-03-2008 8:45pm

matrim wrote: »

No, I rent in the city center

sligo? limerick? etc..

galwayrush · 10-03-2008 8:45pm

micmclo wrote: »

Why are you giving money to the school? Sure they might have to pay for art stuff and other expenses.
But your taxes pay for everything else, it's FREE.
Don't pay anymore to the school.

Oh and sell your car and buy a moped! Cheap as chips to run

School needs new classrooms, depending solely on the dept of education for them means my grandchildren might not even have them.

seamus · 10-03-2008 8:47pm

After mortgage, food, bills, petrol and beer I usually have about a third of my monthly salary left over.

If you're earning €590/week and coming out skint, what in God's name are you buying? Most days of the week, I don't spend more than €20 - breakfast and lunch in work and dinner at home.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock · 10-03-2008 8:50pm

What the fvck are you spending 600 a month on? My initial reaction was bingeing, but you've ruled that out. Is the a class 1 brothel in Cavan we don't know about?

And the brother on 15 grand...?! He must have some serious materialistic needs.

meathstevie · 10-03-2008 8:55pm

galwayrush wrote: »

Two Kids, ill wife , not too bad of a Mortgage, but the basic cost of living alone is costing us at least 200 euro more \ week than it was 2 years ago, added to higher mortgage rates, higher car running costs, there seems to be a kids birthday every second week,school is always looking for funding,it seems to be getting harder and harder.

+1. Replace 2 kids by 3 and ill wife by full time mammy. By the way, the fact that the wife stays at home has everything to do with the surreal cost of childcare. For it to be worthwhile for her to go out working as well she should clear about 3k a month if you throw the cost of childcare into the calculation.

User45701 · 10-03-2008 8:56pm

i gat paid monthly and some moneths i can have money left over other months ive spent it all in 1 weeek and i have to borrow for the other 3 then pay back at the end of month.

leninbenjamin · 10-03-2008 8:56pm

galwayrush wrote: »

School needs new classrooms, depending solely on the dept of education for them means my grandchildren might not even have them.

there's no uncertainty there. they will not have them without parents funding

matrim · 10-03-2008 9:05pm

flanum wrote: »

sligo? limerick? etc..

I mentioned in the last post Dublin.
Same as Seamus I only spend about 20 euro on a normal day (without going out).

galwayrush · 10-03-2008 9:07pm

leninbenjamin wrote: »

there's no uncertainty there. they will not have them without parents funding

So much for free education.
What really pisses me off is when some Goverment gob ****e preaches that our economy is the envy of Europe / World. utter bollocks talk.:mad:

LuckyCharms · 10-03-2008 9:12pm

Ikky Poo2 wrote: »

What the fvck are you spending 600 a month on? My initial reaction was bingeing, but you've ruled that out. Is the a class 1 brothel in Cavan we don't know about?

And the brother on 15 grand...?! He must have some serious materialistic needs.

Haha, well he has found himself a new missus and she has two sprogs so i am sure they get spoilt rotten but yea, he is extremely generous with money, he doesn't seem to any willpower at all, also he is paying around 5 of that on renting a house in dublin.

flanum · 10-03-2008 9:12pm

dunno, i suppose if i calc it out, its fairly obvious. i just dont see cash disappearing. im just useless at it. i was just wandering cud other people retain theirs.

i suppose if i work it out (i have done this loads of times before, i end up economising for about a week and then revert back to me old ways).

fairly average approx weekly:

Diesel... 30
food(home)... approx 75
cigs..........................78.75 (average pack and half/day)
lunch/sandwiches........50 (sandwiches@4.50, lunch@5.50)
rent..........................112.50
newspapers/mags..app..20
coal/briquettes............35
anon house products....30
cans/wine for da fridge..40 (about 2 6packs and 2 bots wine- i do hav friends)

so thats roughly 470.
thats disregarding car tax and insurance/ any repairs, clothes, very rare weekend out in pubs/taxis!..and esb/gas.
i always wait till my tax/insurance is due and end up paying for it out of my wage instead of paying a bit by every week..doh! also i pay my rent monthly and some weeks dont put a bit by and end up paying the full 450 out of my wage once a month.. this then leaves me borrowing off people till the next thur!

i can see where it goes, im just ****e at managing it. i need a girlfriend thats good at accounts... with red hair..and rides like sea-biscuit!

LuckyCharms · 10-03-2008 9:15pm

flanum wrote: »

i need a girlfriend thats good at accounts... with red hair..and rides like sea-biscuit!

Don't we all! Looks like the fags are what's killing you, in more ways then one

galwayrush · 10-03-2008 9:21pm

Average month,not counting holidays. Xmas etc.

Food / groceries 1,000
Mortgage/Life insurance 1,250
Medical bills 1,200
Diesel 400
Car and Van repayments 620
Wine 200
spends/papers/lottery 250
Tax/ Insurance car / van 140
misl 400

Overheal · 10-03-2008 9:26pm

flanum wrote: »

Im absolutely useless at money management. always have been. i left Dublin because i was working there just to live there, i wasnt saving anything.. after rent, fuel, food, a couple nights out.. that was it i was skint.
i moved back to cavan for the lower cost of rent/living etc, i also took a lower wage (its not that low though.. approx 590eur net/week), the rent is way lower, i only have to drive 5 miles to work.. this takes about 10 minutes door to door, i hardly go out anymore..just a few cans durin the week and the odd weekend out - nothing too extravagant.

... i get paid on thursdays and yet im still f*cking skint by tuesdays!!

where does it go?????

i see lads out in town, they seem to go out 5 nights a week and are on the dole... wtf?

You drink it. You eat it. Stop buying the same brand of cheese because of Brand Loyalty; quit buying so much drink in the pubs/clubs. Get your meat from the butchers and become a bargain hunter. 2 for 1 cheese? Brilliant. Half price pizzas? Maybe I wont buy that steak so.

I'm a college student and I can only wish I were drinking once a week. Us lucky few. Time to rationalize buddy: you will never (EVER) have enough money for everything you want. Decisions have to be made. Plan your expenses more than 2 hours in advance. Take more money from the ATM less often: try withdrawing all of the cash you are going to spend on all of your weekly expenses and hide the card until payday. The shrinking wallet will play on your mind and eventually you will have money leftover*.

*do not mix this with alcohol. May cause drowziness and/or poverty. consult with a physician; always read the label.

And try to cut back on smoking. Buy bulk cartons. etc. its shocking to think that at the moment you smoke more than you eat. You'd actually be better off to Ryanair yourself over to spain next weekend (have a good time of course) and come back with cheap cartons of cigarettes. Alternatively: Chinese restaurants/take-aways. We will never figure out who their supplier is but they Always have dirt cheap cigarette imports.

10-03-2008 9:27pm

matrim wrote: »

No, I rent in the city center

]

Fairplay to ya, I don't know anyone personally.....who is able to this for under 30k a year.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock · 10-03-2008 9:29pm

flanum wrote: »

dunno, i suppose if i calc it out, its fairly obvious. i just dont see cash disappearing. im just useless at it. i was just wandering cud other people retain theirs.

i suppose if i work it out (i have done this loads of times before, i end up economising for about a week and then revert back to me old ways).

fairly average approx weekly:

Diesel... 30
food(home)... approx 75
cigs..........................78.75 (average pack and half/day)
lunch/sandwiches........50 (sandwiches@4.50, lunch@5.50)
rent..........................112.50
newspapers/mags..app..20
coal/briquettes............35
anon house products....30
cans/wine for da fridge..40 (about 2 6packs and 2 bots wine- i do hav friends)

so thats roughly 470.
thats disregarding car tax and insurance/ any repairs, clothes, very rare weekend out in pubs/taxis!..and esb/gas.
i always wait till my tax/insurance is due and end up paying for it out of my wage instead of paying a bit by every week..doh! also i pay my rent monthly and some weeks dont put a bit by and end up paying the full 450 out of my wage once a month.. this then leaves me borrowing off people till the next thur!

i can see where it goes, im just ****e at managing it. i need a girlfriend thats good at accounts... with red hair..and rides like sea-biscuit!

Yeah, get a firlfriend - that'll strengthend your finanaical position

:D

Seriously,

Cigs 75
Sandwiches 50
Mags 20

That's nearlly 150 a week I'd be ahead of you in that position. Cut back on the fags, make your sandwiches at home and waht do you read that you can't print out from the net anyway? get a good book for a tenner and you'll get a week out of it.

cornbb · 10-03-2008 9:32pm

jimbo78 wrote: »

A hugh amount of my wages goes into my car.
When you add up car loan, tax, insurance, fuel, servicing, car wash, repairs, tolls it takes a fair chunk out of your cash.
I think Im going to start walking

+1, it breaks my heart to put petrol in the thing not to mind tax, insurance, maintenance etc. I'd be financially better off without the thing but then I'd have to walk like a damn peasant

Jimbo · 10-03-2008 9:36pm

cornbb wrote: »

+1, it breaks my heart to put petrol in the thing not to mind tax, insurance, maintenance etc. I'd be financially better off without the thing but then I'd have to walk like a damn peasant

That, or buy a hybrid like a peasent hippy

Princess Consuela Bananahammock · 10-03-2008 9:43pm

cornbb wrote: »

+1, it breaks my heart to put petrol in the thing not to mind tax, insurance, maintenance etc. I'd be financially better off without the thing but then I'd have to walk like a damn peasant

Ah, but us peasants would have more money than you... whatever you become when you buy a car. Other than broke.

flanum · 10-03-2008 9:44pm

Ikky Poo2 wrote: »

Yeah, get a firlfriend - that'll strengthend your finanaical position :D

Seriously,

Cigs 75
Sandwiches 50
Mags 20

That's nearlly 150 a week I'd be ahead of you in that position. Cut back on the fags, make your sandwiches at home and waht do you read that you can't print out from the net anyway? get a good book for a tenner and you'll get a week out of it.

ah the fags!!
makin sandwiches at home? sometimes i do, every week varies for me. sometimes im on early shifts..6-2 no way i could make sambos at 5 in the morn, i couldnt be arsed makin them night before. sometimes im on lates 2-12, i get a dinner before i go into work and usually make sambos for later on.

newspapers everyday are a must.. crosswords, etc. i dont have use of computer at work.

as for suggestions to buy in bulk, buy cheap foods etc.... i do! lidl is my shop. i get the cheapest stuff going. i suppose thats why i spoil myself with a 4.50 sambo pre-made. im such a hedonist!

flanum · 10-03-2008 9:56pm

BTW im not crying poverty or anything, im just amazed at how crap i am with money. on the other side, sometimes if i do a load of overtime and a few nixers, actually manage to pay rent on time, car tax paid etc.. i often then splash out on cool ****,, eg i bought pc,modem, printer fancy monitor etc in 2 payments without feeling any pinch. bought a rifle the other week without feeling any pinch, bought set uilleann pipes couple year ago..no probs, yet other times im feckin skint! i just wouldnt be able to plan my yearly account stuff.
that would be feckin borin anyway!
i went to see about gettin a mortgage last year. the lass at the ebs had her work cut out for her trying to figure out my incomes/outgoings/savings etc. turns out theyd be happy to throw me a not too bad mortgage.

but **** it all........ no pockets in a shroud!

as to gettin financial advice from a student.... im 38 now going on 14! ive been working full time/living on my own since i was 17! i just will never be able to manage money. im not a money person!... machines yes! money no!