Anyone live on £900 a month?

Yes, I do

MaggieTulliver

Thank you all. I’ve added everything up and £900 is the figure I’ve arrived at. I don’t take holidays and spend very little. If I supplemented my private pension with savings, I’d have 8k savings left when I get my state pension and can start saving again. I know it’s tight but my mental health (the reason I’d retire early), is absolutely awful.

Is your mental health condition directly related to your current job?

If so you might find that after a few months rest you could look for a part-time job, just so that you're not having to dig so deep into your savings.

I live on £11,000 a year so without doing my sums that must be around £900 so my answer is yes I do and a lot less when I take birthday and Christmas presents out of the equation
I have finished paying for my house a good while ago and don’t run a car so yes I can manage easily I ve never really been interested in high price ownership so a lot of shopping is done in recycling or charity shops which I would still do if I had a million in the bank it’s what attracts me
I do keep small a pot of savings in the bank which would probably last me a year if I had to go into care but I hope I don’t my aunt lived alone in her home till 92 as did my Dad so I hope to follow in their footsteps
My lifestyle would be deemed simple to many I don’t yearn for cruises or expensive holiday a week in a tent under the stars would make me happier
I don’t feel I go without anything

We are a couple. Husband gets state pension and small private pension. We live on £1100 a month and our rent is £420 a month. We do not pay council tax

I manage on 660 with 2000 savings it depends on your lifestyle etc

£486 per 28 days without extra income and before any outgoings of any kind including the necessities of rent and utility bills. With a few pounds a week for luxuries. I'm lucky in living near an outdoor market though! One cannot buy the positive mental health that comes with retirement IF you are someone wishing to retire rather than dreading days without structure. Best of luck!

MaggieTulliver

Not eligible for PIP I don’t think and yes have done my sums.

You are eligible for PIP if you are suffering with your Mental Health. Also PIP is not means tested eg you could be a millionaire and still receive it.

Before I moved in with OH just over a year ago, I lived on much less than that. Just adding it up, it was around £650, which covered all the essentials, including running a car and about £60 for outings. Now there’s two of us it’s more overall but less per person.

I did live in a modern, well insulated house and the car was relatively new.

Once I had the luxury of time I was surprised at how much was free in terms of leisure or available at cut price out of peak hours - like the hairdresser.

So much depends on the lifestyle you are used to and what changes you will make.
For instance, I swapped meeting friends, for lunch or evening eating, with meeting for coffee and all the family knew that a presents would be limited to (a thoughtful) £10.

You might be entitled to ESA or PIP if you are retiring through illness?

The lady would surely be entitled to Attendance allowance and it’s not means tested. It’s to cover anything that helps her as she isn’t very well.

Could you go down the Occupational Health route to get an enhanced works pension if you’re retiring early due to ill health? You may then be entitled to an enhanced works pension, depending on who you work for and how long you’ve been there. Might be worth looking into.

I lived on £700 per month, paying a mortgage, running a car, and paying bills, while on disability benefits. Lived on reduced food - ie when food had reduced price labels, not 'less' food! It is amazing how much you can cut back when need to. If hit with an unexpected bill, I sold stuff on ebay.

I have to live on just over £800 per month every month. Its what I get. There is no choice. Don't think about going on holiday. Its too expensive. Don't eat out. Don't even have a coffee when I'm out. There are things you discover you can live without and I dread having to replace anything in the kitchen. Its not ideal but it can be done with care.

To all of you who 'scrape by' on 900 a mth, many have much less to live on, and no way of improving that after one or two years-Many do- AND with children or other family to feed. its starting to sound on here like a band of 'one- up manship'-with your 'home ownerships,and 'private pensions '- i dislike this attitude.I may just stick to the lighter threads in future.

I’d suggest trying for pips if your retiring for ill health .

Good advice from Moth62 to speak to Occupational Health and consider early ill Heath pension, if available.
Or if not, look into New Style ESA which will be based on your NI contributions. Ask Citizens Advice for help with completing the health questionnaire for ESA and PIP.
Look at Turn2us for a benefit check. They also have information on grants available , so put in your job details- you may be surprised what you can access.

Instead of retiring you should go on sick. When I became too ill to work I got full pay from work for six months then half pay for a further six months. After the first six months I also qualified for ESA and eventually PIP. This will get you closer to your state pension retirement age. You may get contributory ESA which will not be affected by any small pension you may receive. Don't forget to check if you are eligible for any housing benefits and you may qualify for a winter warmth payment via your fuel company. I received £140 credit on my winter fuel bill which makes life much easier when the weather is cold.

Do you have hobbies, I took voluntary redundancy from my job ten years ago, I now search charity shops and boot sales for high end clothing to sell on eBay, I am also a mystery shopper so I eat out for free, just have to give a report on my experience and get paid a small amount for doing it, I have been entering competitions for over twenty years and win regularly, mainly small prizes, recently won a six month pasta delivery prize. I collect codes from newspapers which you can change into vouchers like Argos, Daily Mail is a good one. Join the freebie sites, use apps like Snapyoureats, I am just about to cash in £20 which I will receive in the form of a Tesco voucher just from sending (photo) in my food receipts, shopmium is good for free and discounted food, maybe some of these ideas might interest you and provide you with an interesting hobby as well as implementing your income.

I live on my own and run a car and I manage quit well on 900 a month and even manage to save a bit out of that as well

And yes, i acknowledge some of you who are honest enough to say you do or have lived on a lot less- i applaud you- but its the some who are almost smug in saying 900 isnt enough etc that get my goat.?

I had to balance this several , well many, years back, when I had to retire or become redundant..

and yes, I managed... depends on outgoings obviously, needs, also, and extras,, well again depends on what we feel we need, and what we can do without.

I live quite happily on £1100 a month and pay rent out of that so yes I’d say you’ll be fine if you are mortgage free and will add state pension to your £900. Riches indeed!

Don’t forget the electricity bill will go up because you will be at home more.

I was stupid enough not to take out any private pension scheme so I live on my state pension which is almost that sum mentioned by the op. I manage alright as long as I'm sensible.
I even run a car and take moderate holidays by siphoning off some income into savings accounts by dd every month. I make sure I've always got a cash cushion for emergencies.
But everyone's outgoings are different so you need to do the sums.
Sounds to me like retirement would be great for you.
So good luck that you achieve it.

It depends on what you lived on before retirement though Nannan2. OP has her own house and runs a car, and wants to hang on to both, as she has explained. The comments are given in the light of that.