Now I know this probably sounds a bit snobby by just focussing this on London but this city is super expensive and a bit of a bubble.
So… Londoners… How much do you spend a month (excluding rent…)?
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I always find a way to completely spend whatever I earn so I’m not really a good example. But I remember living “okay” (although 
was empty by the end of the month) on 2,2k/month (excluding rent) more or less back when I had my previous job. Living in the middle of Shoreditch, Ubering & Deliverooing pretty much every day, so I’m sure you could get away with less if you pass on those things.
This will depend on individual circumstances of course because you could be living on your own or like me, you might have the responsibility of a small family. (Kids cost a lot 
)
We have a 2.5 years old daughter. We both work and with Childcare, bill, groceries, taxes and other child-related expense we spend up to £1800 a month excluding rent. 
Hence no chance of owning a home!
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our 3 bed rental in zone 3 costs £2400 per month for rent and all bills. It’s just two of us and the dog
That is a lot of money 
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it is… but what’s really sad is that it cheaper that the 1 bed flat we had in Richmond (a lot cheaper)
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I’m sorry, but you can find a 1 bed flat in Richmond for about £1600 a month easily.
My figures included bills and groceries etc
Oh ok. Where in zone 3 do you live where you can get a 3 bed rental for a lot cheaper than £1600? I might join you!
SW16
Overall the new house is £250 per month cheaper. Though I’m getting to the point where the next move will likely be out of London
I get by on around £500 a month and save the rest. That’s INCLUDING rent. (I live at home, sorry!) but I live pretty frugally. I only buy luxuries if I’ve had some spending money left over from the month before or accumulated from previous months. I don’t buy lunch at work, except on a Friday (gotta live a little) and rarely go out.
Probably not the best example considering the circumstances.
Excluding my rent and bills I budget for £500 a month and save the rest when possible.
Me and my finance just moved to a awesome 1 bed garden flat in Putney so our rent is higher than it was before but we are trying to put away as much as possible. We making savings where we can though, I’ve cycled to work for years which saves a bundle of money, 1 big trip to the super market a week. I have the joy of having a big supermarket near my house again - previously lived out of a Tesco express for 31/2 years in zone 1.
It’s difficult to find the right balance in London sometimes, there isn’t any point in living in a expensive city if you don’t go out and enjoy it
I share a flat in zone 2 and never spend more than £1300 a month (including rent)
And yes, I do have a social life 
Do you save too?
I’m in the fortunate position to earn more than that, so I can save some money every month without too much effort. That said I’d say that I could cut my spending a bit more (too many office lunches!) and live on 1200, but that would be like a very minimum for surviving.
Ah nah that’s cool. I think we’re in a pretty similar position although I’m trying to take my lunch to work as I’ve been solely keeping my local Greggs open
I work in Mayfair and there’s just SO MANY nice takeaways for lunch. Bringing a salad to work feels so sad 
My financee and I live in Walthamstow in a 3 bedroom flat (a little excessive but hey).
Our rent is £1,550, bills £250 or so from memory. After my shares of the bills and day-to-day expenses I aim to save around £1k/month but it varies. I could probably save much more if I chose to by cutting out takeaways, cooked lunches, craft beers etc.
Wait. Are you saying you lived “ok” on £2,200 a month after your rent had been paid?!?
Sometimes I literally feel like the only person on here with a normal salary!
I basically live on £500 a month after bills, and I have a fairly good little life. Nothing extravagant but I get myself on little trips when I can and have a social life.
It’s not hard to budget and live quite ok in London on less than people would make out.
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I agree!
It’s very easy to get carried away in the big smoke with so many things to do. As promotions and pay rises have came along I always try to stick to the same budget as much as I can. £500 a month seems to get me a new nice life every month iswell.
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