Bill and food costs

illmonkey

I am possibly buying a place, first time buyer with my girlfriend.

I have some ideas about what food costs a month etc but would like some real figures from people.

Based on 2 sharing a small flat what would you spend a month on food and bills?

And they money you DO spend on it, is it "tight" as in you make a tin of beans last a week and never have the heating on etc.

daveboy

I am slightly puzzled by your post.

You are possibly buying a small flat, at whatever cost (going by current prices, to me it'll be too much), and are asking about how to budget for food and other bills.

You need to do some research as to what band the property falls in with the local authority for council tax - that would be my first thing if I was about to move.

I've always found that food spending varies - all of us buy something we feel like having occasionally but not every week. Some months I spend more than the previous month. The weather will also affect that, as would Christmas.

Personally, I'd set yourself a limit to begin with to see how it goes. Don't starve yourself but don't over do it either.

It will be difficult for anyone to give you an idea as we are all different - electricity/gas/water usage is impossible to estimate.

At 24, I've given up already on owning property - and I wonder what makes people enter the market at the moment. Good luck, anyway.

illmonkey

I know what i have budgeted and i know roughly what to spend, i have lived inderpendantly for 6 months. But just would like some others feedback.

I am buying as its cheaper than renting a property where i live. I am also buying something that needs a little work so im getting it (hopfully) very cheap.

elona

There was a book which told you about feeding a family of six on £30 a week

Have a look on the old style board where there is a thread on budgets, cheap recipes , bills etc.

Gillby1

I live with my boyfriend, and other than rent, our bills are approx £150 per month, so £75 each - Council tax at £100 for ten months of the year, and monthly elec, water, sewerage, TV license (£10 per month), phone line (£10 per month) and internet (£7 per month).
We then spend approx £100 on food for the month for both of us, and we eat really well.

illmonkey

Many thanks Gillby1, just what i was looking for.

My guess/what i have lived on by my self is £250 including all bills. I belive our tax is less, but we would want ADSL which is £10 more than what you pay (contract).

I will definantly be on top of the finances. And will keep a log of everything. so we know where we have gone wrong and where to cut corners.

reddevilled

We live in a 2 bed house. Our "essential bills" are roughly as follows (I've left out luxories!)

Water £20 (10 months)
Council Tax £80 (10 months)
Gas / Elec £35
Phone £10
Food - around £150 a month (although this includes all houehold items such as cleaning products etc, and alcohol :beer: )

HTH,

Red

roversbabe

For a 3 bedroom terraced house, 2 adults and 4 cats, our monthly bills are (without mortgage & motoring costs)

90 - council tax
10.49 - TV licence
17 - electricity
52.50 - gas :eek: - with a flat, yours is likely to be cheaper though
14 - water rates, we don't have a meter
42 - NTL, tv, phone and broadband
24 - boiler cover
150 - 200 - food / cleaning stuff / wine / cat food

Hope this is useful

rb x

paint

The following is my monthly household expenditure on a 1 bed flat (excludes other significant monthly expenditure which needs to be accounted for such as mortgage, food, car insurance, petrol, car tax and mobile phone bill)

Council tax 62.00 (includes 25% single person discount)
Home insurance 5.00 (contents only)
TV licence 10.49
Telephone 15.00 (talk talk)
Critical Illness/Life cover 22.50
Broadband 22.99
Ground rent 12.50
Electricity 36.00
Management charge 48.66 (includes buildings insurance & water rates)

Hope this helps.