Steve21 Posted August 21, 2011 Posted August 21, 2011 Hey, Been looking at trying to get setup with my own place, and working out some mortgages etc, but was wondering how much people are paying per month on other general expenses. Obviously things like council tax I can find out, but things like gas/elec/water/insurance etc. Thanks, Steve
featured_spectre Posted August 21, 2011 Posted August 21, 2011 With ebico for gas and electric. On prepaymebt meter. Gas I put in £30 a month (even over the summer) and it helps throughout the winter months. Electric I put in about £35 a month, I use I'd say £1 a day or thereabouts. 1
featured_spectre Posted August 21, 2011 Posted August 21, 2011 Also water rate depend on your supplier Insurance is dependant on what's being covered and such like. 1
ricki Posted August 21, 2011 Posted August 21, 2011 Hi Have a look at the cost of living sites for a uni near you like this one and it will give you an idea of the costs in your area. Living costs — Oxford Brookes University Then have a contingency fund and remember that winter is more expensive than summer and when the bills hit depends on how you are charged. Try and spread you bills over the year so you dont run out of money and try and avoid all your bills in one month. Richard 1
Steve21 Posted August 21, 2011 Author Posted August 21, 2011 Also water rate depend on your supplier Insurance is dependant on what's being covered and such like. Do you find on meters you're always topping it up more, or do you find your 35~ constant? Hi Have a look at the cost of living sites for a uni near you like this one and it will give you an idea of the costs in your area. Living costs — Oxford Brookes University Then have a contingency fund and remember that winter is more expensive than summer and when the bills hit depends on how you are charged. Try and spread you bills over the year so you dont run out of money and try and avoid all your bills in one month. Richard The problem with these is looking at the list, electric/water/gas/internet etc is all 0 as it's in the price of the accomodation And even with that they manage to spend £250~ a week Hope no-ones spending that much! lol Steve
ricki Posted August 21, 2011 Posted August 21, 2011 Hi Electrics about £35 - 40 per month Gas about £75 per month Water is about £500 per year normally two bills Internet have a look here Home & Mobile Broadband Packages | TV & Phone Bundles - Virgin Media Shop it will give you some ideas. Rates are about £20 per weak for a small house band a Please remember bill depand a lot on size of house and how many people in it. Richard 1
featured_spectre Posted August 21, 2011 Posted August 21, 2011 On meter I am not constantly topping up. Once a month is all I do and it works out fine. In winter months I top up the same regardless and I usually have a surplus from the summer months which helps a lot. I don't vary how much I top up unless prices go up substantially. 1
dhicks Posted August 21, 2011 Posted August 21, 2011 Obviously things like council tax I can find out, but things like gas/elec/water/insurance etc. I've never had a place of my own with gas, I've always simply had electricity. My previous flat, a one-bedroom rented place, which had an energy effciency rating "just above that of a small tent with a single-bar heater in it" according to the chap who came out to do a survey, used to cost around £70 a month for electricity (water was included in the rent of £530 a month). Household insurance cost just over £100 a year - that was in a low-risk area (handily situated between the insurance firm's offices on one side and the police station on the other - I figured if the insurance firm sets up in the area you can't go too far wrong). If you have the funds available up-front it's worth paying for the insurance all in one go if you can, otherwise the standard procedure is that the insurance firm issues you a loan that you then pay back each month. In the new-build place I now share with my girlfriend, electricity for general use and heating costs around £35 a month - the place is so well insulated we only had the heater on one day over Christmas. When you rent or buy a place now you get given an energy efficiency rating, which it's worth taking notice of because it definatly makes a difference to your monthly bills. If you're buying somewhere of your own you can get assorted grants and assistence with wall/roof insulation and roof-mounted solar panels. 1
Steve21 Posted August 21, 2011 Author Posted August 21, 2011 On meter I am not constantly topping up. Once a month is all I do and it works out fine. In winter months I top up the same regardless and I usually have a surplus from the summer months which helps a lot. I don't vary how much I top up unless prices go up substantially. I've never had a place of my own with gas, I've always simply had electricity. My previous flat, a one-bedroom rented place, which had an energy effciency rating "just above that of a small tent with a single-bar heater in it" according to the chap who came out to do a survey, used to cost around £70 a month for electricity (water was included in the rent of £530 a month). Household insurance cost just over £100 a year - that was in a low-risk area (handily situated between the insurance firm's offices on one side and the police station on the other - I figured if the insurance firm sets up in the area you can't go too far wrong). If you have the funds available up-front it's worth paying for the insurance all in one go if you can, otherwise the standard procedure is that the insurance firm issues you a loan that you then pay back each month. In the new-build place I now share with my girlfriend, electricity for general use and heating costs around £35 a month - the place is so well insulated we only had the heater on one day over Christmas. When you rent or buy a place now you get given an energy efficiency rating, which it's worth taking notice of because it definatly makes a difference to your monthly bills. If you're buying somewhere of your own you can get assorted grants and assistence with wall/roof insulation and roof-mounted solar panels. Thanks both! Will have to knock up some rough totals later, and see how it goes with estimate mortgage payments Steve
dhicks Posted August 21, 2011 Posted August 21, 2011 Will have to knock up some rough totals later, and see how it goes with estimate mortgage payments Just to add another option, there might be shared ownership scheme houses / flats available in your area. My girlfriend owns around 35% of the flat, on which she has a mortgage, and pays rent on the other 65%. Once she's paid off the mortgage on the 35% she can see about buying more of the flat, which lessens the rent. This seems to be working well, as we have a nice flat in a nice area that we can afford, but people's experiences vary - some housing associations aren't good at responding to requests for repairs and so forth, and some new-build places these days seem to be thrown together rather hurridly, so do your research before buying. 1
featured_spectre Posted August 21, 2011 Posted August 21, 2011 Mortgage payments tend to be less than rental payments I found, so if done properly you can save a bit as well. 1
Arthur Posted August 21, 2011 Posted August 21, 2011 Not sure how useful this will be to you since it is for four adults, but here's ours... Per Month ------------------------- TV License £12.13 Gas £76.69 Electricity £60.04 Council Tax £123.41 Water Rates £34.16 Home Insurance £20.29 Broadband £29.90 Phone £18.60 ------------------------- Total £375.22 ------------------------- 2
featured_spectre Posted August 21, 2011 Posted August 21, 2011 I guess you own your house and dont have to pay for it now Arthur? 1
witch Posted August 21, 2011 Posted August 21, 2011 Can't help you with costs as mine wouldn't be relevant but I would say DON'T skimp on insurance payments, will you? Contents insurance can be really reasonable now and it is not a good idea to think you can get away with not taking it out. Also, dont forget your TV licence. To help reduce costs, make sure that you have done all you can in the way of insulation etc - even down to draft excluders on the doors and letterbox covers - it really makes a difference. 1
JoeBloggs Posted August 22, 2011 Posted August 22, 2011 TV License Gas Electric Water Council Tax Contents Insur Building Insur Broadband & TV Mobile Car Insurance Petrol car maintenance (25pm for tax, mot, servicing costs) Credit Card Payment Rent / mortgage Special bank account (mine is £15pm for break down cover, mobile insurance, travel insurance etc) 1
Flakes Posted August 22, 2011 Posted August 22, 2011 i have a google excel document with my budget in: Income 1627.86 ------------------- Outgoings --------- halifax account 7.5 <-- halifax reward account Council tax 95.25 <-- this is getting cheaper because i qualify for the 1 person discount(25%) Phone/internet BT 19.9 Bills 35 <- gas & electricity both around 15pound each, warm flat, i turn everything off, got one of those electricity monitors, idles ~30W and with fridge ~200 Rent/Mortgage 260.3 <-- 3 bed flat Dental Plan 12.35 water bill 39.68 <--- there currently charging me more for buying a house in the middle of the standard 10 month period, not happy, i argued lots on the phone. Food 80 Car Insurance 50 <-- i dont pay monthly just put this into a savings account then pay a lump sum the year, its cheaper to do this way. House insurance 11.40 <---- building and contents through direct line. Petrol 120 <-- currently looking at cutting this down TV Licence 29.1 <-- same rubbish as the water bill Mobile 20 <-- bargain with my htc desire BnQ 54.3 <-- one off for loft boards Tyres 477 <-- one off ---------- spent 1320.38 ------------ saving: 20 <-- will be increased when other bills are haved(water and tv license) Spending money: 307.48 <-- how much is left for pub Weekly Spendable: 76.87 <-- how much weekly for pub 1
Steve21 Posted August 22, 2011 Author Posted August 22, 2011 Thank you all, Really useful to see Steve
Hightower Posted August 22, 2011 Posted August 22, 2011 We have ours set up similar to how Flakes does it - makes keeping an eye on things a doddle. Here's ours to try and help you out (Rough costs, as exact costs are on home PC - shown on monthly basis): Mortgage: £400 Council Tax: £110 Gas/Electricity: £41 Water: £30 Building and contents insurance: £20 Life insurance: £20 Food: £400 Pet Insurance: £7 Savings: £500 Shares ISA: £100 Car Savings: £100 Diesel: £100 Sky: £80 (BBand, TV, and Phone) Buffer: £100 All this comes out the 'bills' account, and anything left goes into the spending account. We have a buffer on the bills account just in case something changes unexpected, like if we get a few movies off Sky Box Office, or if the missus has used the phone a lot that month, or if I've done a few more miles and need a bit extra diesel. Then, at the end of the month that buffer gets transferred to the spends account and we start again. 1
ascott2 Posted August 22, 2011 Posted August 22, 2011 Based on 2 adults, 2 bedroom, in Kent Mortgage £650 Gas £35 Electric £30 Water ~£35 a month (Two Bills) Petrol £60 Life insurance £20 Buildings Contents insurance ~£25 TV License £12 Food £80 Pet Insurance £8 TV Internet Phone £60 Sky Council Tax £115 1
Hightower Posted August 22, 2011 Posted August 22, 2011 Based on 2 adults, 2 bedroom, in Kent Mortgage £650 Gas £35 Electric £30 Water ~£35 a month (Two Bills) Petrol £60 Life insurance £20 Buildings Contents insurance ~£25 TV License £12 Food £80 Pet Insurance £8 TV Internet Phone £60 Sky Council Tax £115 £80 a month for food? What are you eating?!
featured_spectre Posted August 22, 2011 Posted August 22, 2011 £80 a month for food? What are you eating?! Excluding my daughters food, £80 can last the mrs and myself a month easily. We can even go as far as making a tenner stretch a week! Just have to shop around for the best deals. We get all of our essentials (Bread, Milk, Butter, Meat) from our butcher who has been round my house for a BBQ and such like and we get good deals from him and he can beat supermarket prices by far. We get most our fruit and veg from the greengrocer next door to the butcher, again beating supermarket prices by far - some things we will forage from the locale, such as blackberries, raspberries, apples, pears, plums, peas. We also grow a few of our own bits and pieces (carrots, cabbages, parsnips, variety of herbs). All about how you spend the money and your choice, if you get it all from tesco, yes you get clubcard points, but shopping around we can save easily £20-£30 on a weekly shop just by going to different shops and sourcing our food properly.
Flakes Posted August 22, 2011 Posted August 22, 2011 £80 a month for food? What are you eating?! i thought that was ok then realised it was for 2 people, i spend 80 pound, although for work i tend to get: weekly: sandwich fillings from morrison 1pound each (get 3) loaf of bread ~1pound 4 pound a week once a month or so: crisps ~ 2.50 pound (buy 24 pack, one bag with sandwich 24 days worth) Marge ~3 pound 5.50 every so often. suppose you could do 80 pound for two people on a tight regime, meat tends to throw my budget out of whack since i like to cook currys, and have a slow cooker for stew
Hightower Posted August 22, 2011 Posted August 22, 2011 See, we spend £300-400 a month on food, and I know this is normal as friends spend the same. My brother spends £75 a week and he eats nothing in my opinion! And we do try to save money on shopping, for example we tend to take a trip to pound stretched for cleaning products, tinned stuff, and crisps and biscuits. Then we go to Lidle/Aldi to get our meats and see what bargains they have, and then finish up at Asda to get anything we didn't pick up. Granted the food budget also includes alcohol, but this comes to about £30 or £40 per month. Could understand people's food coming to £200 a month, but £80 a month just sounds absurd to me.
JoeBloggs Posted August 22, 2011 Posted August 22, 2011 I live on my own and do £50 a week - so £200 a month. Plus maybe eat out / take away at least once a week. So yeah... £80 a month is nothing lol Also include gym memberships... I play football so that costs me near £20 a month subs! 1
thepineapplehead Posted August 22, 2011 Posted August 22, 2011 me, wife, two kids and a dog, and our weekly food shop is £100 a week. pretty much get everything from Asda. 1
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