Manon, 2,500 euros in two: “I’m constantly in overden”

Talking about money is still taboo in France. However, it is a fascinating subject… and feminist in some respects! In our section Settle the accounts, of the people of all kinds come to peel their budget, tell us about their relationship with money and their financial organization as a couple or alone. Today it is Manon who has agreed to open her accounts for us.

• Name: Manon

• Age: 29

• Profession: PhD student in Information-Communication and freelance professional in communication

• Net salary : Bonus € 900 unemployment for you, e € 1,600 per month for his partner

• Lives with: his partner and one year old son
• Place of life: In a small house between the countryside and the mountains, in the Vercors

The income of Manon and his partner

Manon is completing her thesis in information communication, which has been funded for four years. Now in her fifth year of her thesis, she is touching unemployment benefit of 900 euros per month.

“At the same time I have built up my self-employed status, which I cannot really start due to lack of time, and I am looking for a job. Sometimes I also hold courses at the university to supplement my income, but the courses are paid twice a year … “

His spouse, meanwhile, works as a waiter in a tea room and earns a salary of € 1,600 net per month. They receive from the CAF the check for the choice of childhood, but they do not know the amount. This is paid upstream to their childcare providers and they pay the rest. They do not receive any other family allowance even if they are entitled to it given their current income:

“The allowances are calculated at N-2 [ndlr, sur les revenus perçus il y a deux ans]. Two years ago we made more money with my wife then we don’t get money when we need it now. And suddenly we will be entitled to it in two years (when of course we are excessively rich … or not). “

For their family of three, they manage a monthly budget of € 2,500. A sum that Manon considers rather at the bottom of the average:

“Up until that moment I considered myself to be average (mainly because for 4 years I had a gross salary of 2,500 euros), but when I see the people around me today I think that we are finally closer to the bottom of the average!

I have tried to maintain the standard of living we had before my unemployment (don’t deprive yourself, go out, eat quality food, etc.), but I realize that I am happily digging into the money I had placed next to it. “

The financial organization of Manon and his spouse

To manage their joint finances, Manon and his partner each have their own separate account. They split the expenses instinctively :

“We split the rent and expenses in two and pay for one car each (repair, gas, insurance). He pays for the milk and I pay for the diapers, he pays for the nursery and I the nanny … We are a little bit in the feeling: as he earns more, he pays for his groceries a little more often and we take turns at the restaurant. ”

family expenses

Manon describes his place of life as follows:

“We live in Vercors, an area between countryside and mountains. We are staying in a 60 square meter house, a two-room apartment with a lovely garden.

With the baby we had to transform the living room into a bedroom. So say goodbye to aperitifs, because you don’t have to make any noise in the kitchen! ”

The family is the tenant of this property, which costs them 650 € per month :

“Where we live, it has become impossible to buy. Prices have increased by 250% in 3 years… So we are thinking of leaving this territory of my childhood. “

They pay 200 € of invoices per month, which they share at 50/50, to cover expenses, fuel consumption for heating and electricity.

Their groceries cost them approx 650 € per month, not to mention the specific costs for the child. If Manon takes quality into account with organic and local products, she in practice, she often favors price, therefore practicality:

“We don’t really have a choice of brands here. We have a Netto and an intermarché (one of the most expensive in France, welcome to the tourist area). Sometimes I prefer a time guide that I collect in the city (40 minutes away) so it costs less, or I ask friends who come to visit us to collect it.

Otherwise we have a lot of farms and good local products so we buy a lot from them. The quality is there, and the price too! Otherwise, vegetables from the garden are a good alternative (when you have time to take care of them). We also signed up for Hello Fresh to reduce some mental load. ”

“I would like to reduce the budget for children, but it’s impossible”

For expenses related to the one-year-old son, Manon and his partner have a budget of around 265 euros per month in all. This amount includes 55 € diapers (paid by Manon), € 60 of milk (paid by his partner), € 50 clothing and articles for children, e one hundred euros for childcare costs.

“Our son goes two days a week to the nanny and one to three days a week to the nursery, depending on availability. My spouse pays the nanny (50 € per month) and I pay the nursery (between 40 € and 100 € per month depending on the month). These amounts are already deducted from the CMG allowance. “

The PhD student explains that she wishes she could reduce this amount, but doubts that she will:

“I would like to reduce the budget item baby, but it is almost impossible! Still, I’m not buying anything new (thanks Vinted). I think instead of being ruined in the shipping costs … “

Manon’s expenses

The couple also matters a subscription fee of one hundred euros per month for their subscription to the Internet, Phones and YouTube Premium. A subscription to the Office suite and the Adobe suite raises the bill, paid for three-quarters by Manon.

As for bank charges, you pay 10 € per month. To this is added its reciprocal (€ 82) and university tuition fees as a doctoral student, which amount to 500 € per year.

Its transport costs are 200 € per month, an amount that includes auto and petrol insurance.

“We are quite far from everything, so we use the car a lot, although we try to reduce due to the hype in prices … I managed to reduce these gas costs following the increase, by stopping going to work at the university and negotiating (free) access to the coworking space from my village. “

“ I had to call a friend to remind me what I could do for me ”

With his budget, Manon doesn’t go crazy often. Her cracks are more than a practical order:

“ I think my last crazy crush was to buy shoes for my little one who will soon pass on foot, for € 60… and they are too small!

Otherwise, I felt like I was crazy going to the beautician. Where we are ?! “

The aforementioned expenses “ female “cost him about 15 euros per month:

“ My periodic protections are menstrual cups and panties, repaid from my mortgage! (Thank you thank you). I don’t buy beauty products, and as for waxing … I go there every 3 months I would say, and take some 50 € each time. ”

As for the budget contraception, it is his partner who supports him when using condoms.

Each month, Manon spends approx € 75 for free time and outings. Most of his hobbies are cheap: mountain walking or climbing are very accessible from where he lives.

“ Otherwise, I do (or rather, I did) a lot of manual work. I knit, sew… I can continue sewing and spend an average of about 50 euros a month.

In general, he spends a fraction of his budget on her. As this anecdote shows:

“ 2 weeks ago, my dad gave me a € 50 bill in “hey, this is for you, indulge yourself, it is not for shopping”. I was so deprived of being able to think to myself that I’m still warm in my wallet. I had to call a friend to remind me what I could do for myself! ”

Manon’s savings

Until she met her partner, the PhD student explains that she was very cheap:

“ I spent my first few years of work setting aside. When I was a student I lived on 300 euros a month (rent excluded) and I kept this habit when I started earning.

I lived in a family apartment, so I didn’t pay the rent and saved a lot of money. Since I have been in a relationship, I have spent a little more because we like beer on the terrace too much! Today I am constantly exposed (especially with the expenses for the children), and I use my savings … “

At the moment, he testifies that he can’t put anything aside. In the future they decided to look for work on the side of Switzerland:

“ We decided to try the border adventure to earn some money. I’ve always imagined having a well-paid job, I’m sure I’ll be back, but we’ll have to wake up and leave! “

Photo credit: Caleb Oquendo / Pexels