Homeowner has $800 left after bills for groceries, EV charging, and 'fun' — is that realistic?

With affordability on nearly everyone's minds these days, one homeowner provoked strong reactions when they asked a budgeting question.

In a post to the r/Frugal Reddit community, they posed a question: Once recurring bills are paid, could one person get by on $800 a month for groceries, household basics, EV charging, clothing, personal care, and a bit of fun?

Here's what to know

The original poster explained that they were "trying to cut spending back for a new mortgage." After a career change, they said in a comment, they tripled their income, too.

To round out their financial picture, the OP explained that they already had an emergency fund and lived in an area with a moderate cost of living.

The OP's typical monthly obligations included their existing mortgage, utilities, a car payment, retirement contributions, phone service, prescriptions, a gym membership, lawn care, and subscriptions.

The poster said they expected to receive a raise in the coming years, increasing their income by a couple of hundred dollars each month.

Some responders described $800 as lean but workable for one person if they cooked at home, kept shopping to a minimum, and relied on inexpensive entertainment. Others were envious.

"There was a time in my life that I would have cried to have that much left after bills and such," one commenter wrote. 

Another user framed the highly personal nature of the question. 

"You know it can be done, but it's all relative," they said. "I could make $800 work for those expenses, but I don't leave the house much (personal preference), my hobbies are cheap and free or things I've already purchased, I cook almost all my own food, and even as a woman I spend like nothing on beauty. I hate makeup and do my own hair care/maintenance. So YMMV."

Someone else shared: "Having $200 left for groceries is a 'good' month. Having $800 left after just the rent, utilities, debt payments, and medication (Retirement? What's that, lol) would be a f****** miracle."

What can be done?

The advice that drew the most attention involved separating the total into smaller pieces. 

Instead of looking at $800 as one broad allowance, commenters urged the poster to allocate funds by category and determine which of those costs were fixed and predictable and which might be variable. 

One focused on recurring bills that could be lowered, suggesting steps such as switching to a cheaper phone carrier, mowing the lawn rather than paying landscapers, replacing a gym membership with home workouts, and alternating streaming subscriptions instead of paying to keep multiple services active simultaneously.

That same commenter also ran through a list of low-cost or no-cost substitutes for expensive entertainment options. Their recommendations included using the local library and taking advantage of free streaming options.

There were a range of opinions, but one common thread was that the question of whether $800 per month was enough could only be answered by the OP.

"It's realistic if you live within your means," one user said. "Make a budget and stick to it, if you have to eat out less and cook your own food. Spend less on makeup and clothing. Plenty of people survive on far less than that. In any case, what are your options? If you can make more and carry on with your current lifestyle, then do that. If you can't, then adjust accordingly."

Where can I learn more?

With affordability impacting nearly everyone, the following articles take a look at everyday financial challenges.

• Across U.S. households, electric upgrades cut utility bills while reducing dependence on gas appliances.

• For grocery shoppers, reducing food waste saves money and can trim yearly bills by $1,500.

• In the U.K., one family kept food and household bills under £200 a month.

• On Cape Cod, monthly electricity costs fell by nearly $500 through a local program.

• Across the U.S., up to $14,000 in home-upgrade rebates could ease energy bills.

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