In reply to stayfreejc:
> Would you feel comfortable...
That's the key. Being "one job safe" puts you ahead of many partnerships. How safe that one remaining job would be is a question for you.
I feel comfortable, but then I've spent almost a decade penny pinching, budgeting and cultivating miserly ways. for the other view, I believe there's a classic Mumsnet thread from a kept partner who worried about only enough to afford two foreign holidays after the private schooling...
Beyond survival which is objective you have comfort which is subjective. The only tips I have for setting a low financial level for comfort are 1) do fun, cheap stuff lots 2) budget meticulously - once you know precisely where it all goes you may be much happier about it and more able to save it and 3) try and save everything above your comfort level until you hace a nice big buffer zone. In fact push into the comfort zone with the savings for a few months and prove to yourself that you could live happily for less.
> £1200 for food, petrol and living
Sounds like a metric shed load of cash. £250 for all household bills, £200 for grocery for two - no ready prepared food, £100 for "running costs" for a car, £200 for fuel for 1800 miles of motoring, £100 for a few meals out... That's £850 - so £350 spare, that'll leave room if I underestimated your bills (get em under control!) or miles.
Post edited at 08:53