Spending 68% of my salary on rent!! :( How can i get it lower??

Angel89_2

SingleSue wrote: »

Angel, have you considered any of the points re reducing your luxury outgoings as made by several people on this thread?

You seem to have ignored them.

ive read them but i just dont see them as 'luxuries' at all!

I cant get any channels through my TV port without having sky,
so its not a 'luxury', its just the basic having a TV.

And when i said i i didnt just mean 'TV', that £36 package was my tv, movie channels and internet combined.


Ive decided that since i never even watch the movies on the moview channels since i like watching movies online for free that have just been released in cinema..
So have cancelled the £10 from there, so me getting access to TV channels costs me £16, unlimited internet which i needed ALOT costs me £10,
and the £10 i saved form movie channels can pay for my '2nd haircut'.


Even though i dont know how on earth anyone can claim an £8 haircut is alot.

Most of the people on this site seem to live in deserted rural areas of the country! :rotfl:
Where you can get everything you want for under £1.


When you go to any hairdressers in london/surrey and ask for a haircut for under £15 they would laugh you out of the shop,
you tried asking for an under £30 in any salon and they would collapse in laughter.

So getting an £8 cheap one isnt especially fancy.


And in regards to me spending less than £20 per week on alcohol, again in london/surrey if you go to ANY bar or club you will be looking at a MINIMUM of £3/£4 for a pint of beer, £4 for any mix-drink.

So being able to budget to just £20 per week by buying all drinks from supermarket always is extremely hard to do. :beer:




ANd in relation to my landlord,
i dont really see the point in me continuing to discuss it on here anymore, sinc eim going to phone him tomorrow or wednesday to get it sorted out for good.


WHile he may not especially like my style of wording certain phrases,
the email i sent made it quite clear that i know full well exactly the financail situation hes going to be in if i now move out.

And im assuming that as a professional business person he puts what makes 'financial sense', before petite personal feelings towards certain customers. :rolleyes:



if he takes great offence to me writing a patronizingly worded which is offering to pay him the full asking price that hes currently asking for on these studio flats,
and decides to try refusing,
then naturally ofcourse i will just move out within the next 4weeks (he has to pay £150 check-out fees since that was agreed if i paid the check-in fees), will take my £1,200 security deposit, and just move into any one of the 100s of other empty flats that are struggling to find tenants.

And then hes going to be in a very very difficultand foolish position,
since he will have 2 empty flats now so losing an extra £600 per month, every month off his income,
and when he eventually manages to find a new tenant the maximum they would pay will be the current asking price of £595, so the same as my offer, or more likely will be offered a lower amount than that even.

And then ontop of that he will have to forkout £300 more in the fees he has to pay the letting agents when taking in a new tenant. :cool:



So lets now just wait and see if hes a financial fool whos willing to lose ATLEAST £1,000,
just to have a new tenant living in one of his company's properties whos personality he likes more than mine! :rotfl::T:A

Lavendyr

Angel89 wrote: »

I cant get any channels through my TV port without having sky,so its not a 'luxury', its just the basic having a TV.

Do you pay for a TV licence by the way? I didn't see that in your budget.

If that's the case, why don't you just get a Sky box and stop paying for the package? That way you get a certain number of channels and you only have to pay for the Sky box, which you presumably have already.

It seems to me that you really need to understand a bit about what constitutes a luxury. May I suggest you skip over to the Debt-Free Wannabe board, and have a read of some of the threads over there. They are brilliant at pointing out where money can be saved over there and it might just open your eyes a bit to the fact that if you just cut back in a few key areas, you might find yourself in a much better situation after a while.

Angel89 wrote: »

Even though i dont know how on earth anyone can claim an £8 haircut is alot.

Does your hair really grow so fast that you need to cut it twice a month? My OH's hair grows very quickly and he only needs to have it cut once every two months, and it costs him £10 in an area at least as expensive as Surrey.

Angel89 wrote: »

Most of the people on this site seem to live in deserted rural areas of the country! :rotfl:

Wrong, sorry.

Angel89 wrote: »

And in regards to me spending less than £20 per week on alcohol, again in london/surrey if you go to ANY bar or club you will be looking at a MINIMUM of £3/£4 for a pint of beer, £4 for any mix-drink.

Er, or you could just not drink? Alcohol is most definitely not a necessity, and you cannot justify your expense by saying that if you went out you would spend more! Just stop drinking for a while. You don't need it and you can't afford it.

Angel89 wrote: »

ANd in relation to my landlord,
i dont really see the point in me continuing to discuss it on here anymore, sinc eim going to phone him tomorrow or wednesday to get it sorted out for good.

I would suggest strongly keeping every negotiation in writing and if you agree anything with him on the phone, I would confirm it all in writing.

Angel89 wrote: »

WHile he may not especially like my style of wording certain phrases, the email i sent made it quite clear that i know full well exactly the financail situation hes going to be in if i now move out.

You don't, though! You speak as if you know everything about his financial situation but you simply don't. For all you know, he could afford to keep that flat going without a tenant in it for months, if not years. He might have a buyer ready and waiting for it. He might not. But you don't know that, so you shouldn't make assumptions.

Angel89 wrote: »

And im assuming that as a professional business person he puts what makes 'financial sense', before petite personal feelings towards certain customers. :rolleyes:

Yes and no. If you had a choice between someone who demanded to pay a lower amount and was rude and unprofessional in those demands, and a person who was polite and friendly and didn't make demands, which person would you choose to form a long-term business relationship with? It sounds very much as though you have little experience in business to be making these judgements.

What are your thoughts on the comments above regarding the tax situation on your spread betting?

Welshwoofs

Angel89 wrote: »

ive read them but i just dont see them as 'luxuries' at all!

That is because you're only 19 and obviously haven't experienced any financial hardships yet...

I cant get any channels through my TV port without having sky,
so its not a 'luxury', its just the basic having a TV.

Cheap Freeview box £18, one off payment

Ive decided that since i never even watch the movies on the moview channels since i like watching movies online for free that have just been released in cinema..

In other words you are illegally downloading copyrighted material without paying. You better hope that whilst you're busy torrenting your little backside off you don't inadvertently download a tagged movie...that can be a very expensive mistake and having worked for a number of ISPs in the past I can tell you categorically it does happen.

unlimited internet which i needed ALOT costs me £10,

I wonder how long it'll be before you get a nice little letter about excessive usage.

And in regards to me spending less than £20 per week on alcohol, again in london/surrey if you go to ANY bar or club you will be looking at a MINIMUM of £3/£4 for a pint of beer, £4 for any mix-drink.

I think everyone is more than aware of the cost of alcohol in pubs and bars - the point is that alcohol is not a luxury. You came asking for advice with your budget, you've been given advice and you're dismissing it...if you didn't want the answer, why ask the questions?

if he takes great offence to me writing a patronizingly worded which is offering to pay him the full asking price that hes currently asking for on these studio flats,

To patronise someone you need to be in a possession of greater knowledge than your target; you aren't. I expect that what he'll think when he reads your email is that you're an extremely arrogant and rude young man whose opinion of himself is writing cheques his experience of the world can't deliver.

In all honesty, I think you need to simmer your ego down a little and read some of the opinions on this board. You've already admitted to two illegal activities here in an almost gloating way and you're treating those giving you budget advice as though they're straw-chewing yokels who'd drop dead in shock at the sight of a 'motor vehicle'.

You're just starting out in life, you don't know it all and you'll save yourself a lot of bother in the future if you open your ears a little more than your mouth

ovy_2

mlz1413 wrote: »

My life costs sheet is as follows-


Rent= £675
CT= £64
Travel to work= £180 (£45pw)
Food= £105 (£26pw / £3.50pd = 3meals)
Drink= £75 (£19pw / £2.50pd = 2beers)
BT (Internet port)= £12
02 (Mobile phone)= £20
Sky TV + Internet= £36
Halifax CC repayment= £50
Electricity= £30
Haircut x2= £18
Other Essentials= 30
______________________________

£1,295

Why don't you just get rid of your sky contract, you don't need it, you will get the basic channels through the dish, without the packages.

You don't need to drink, i can go months without drinking and I'm only 20.. why not just get friends around to your flat for a few cans or bottles of wine, so much cheaper!

Can you lower your o2 phone contract? or go on Pay and Go

what about eating cheaper food? netto's is very cheap these days! you don't need expensive foods to live..

Any chance you can ask for a pay rise? someone will whip up that flat in no time when you move out, he could own the flat outright and not have a problem with loosing the money that you pay.

After all this your saving:

£26 on sky
£50 on alcohol
£10 on o2 contract (if you can go on pay and go)
£25-£50 on food, if you don't eat expensively, your only paying for one.
there you go over £110 spare.......

Jowo_2

I still think the main problem is the OP is adopting a lifestyle that is basically unaffordable. Few youngsters earning way less than the average national salary live in their own apartment. The only time I had my own place that I could afford (excluding when I took out a mortgage in my late twenties) was when I was a council tenant on housing benefit! To have a low salary and a sole tenancy in the south-east sounds like madness to me.

All the suggestions to reduce costs are very sensible but aren't going to make much of a dent when you consider the optimism of £30 for all remaining other expenses each month which won't go very far to cover things like clothes, gifts, stationery, holidays and so on.

By the way, is the £50 per month credit card payment to pay off a debt or just an average monthly balance that you pay each month? If so, how large?

You've come up with a lot of not particularly convincing excuses not to downsize, give up the apartment and have a flat-share instead that can potentially reduce your expenses in a single sweep by several hundred pounds. I appreciate its hard to give up your independence once you've enjoyed your own place and move in with others or back to your parents, so I understand why its not tempting.

I know others have encouraged you to rent a 2 bed place and share the costs with a second person. Obviously, few landlords would take you on with your current salary for a larger place and let you take on a lodger but perhaps you have a friend or colleague who could be a joint tenant and apply together?

Angel89_2

Lavendyr wrote: »

What are your thoughts on the comments above regarding the tax situation on your spread betting?

While i may not be the LL's accountant,
i do have eyes and a curious mind that likes to look into stuff that could benefit me.

And so while i dont know what size if any mortage he has on these flats, the annual yield that the revenue from these is on his whole portfolio... ect

What i do know is-
*Hes had these up for sale to investment buyers at £120,000 for over 6months now, yet has only had 1 couple come view it,
and they were very unimpressed with it due to its small size even though it is modern.
So hes been trying but struggling to fin any buyers for these for atleast 6months.

*I know that based on the size of the flat and its proximity to the train tracks that the ONLY SINGLE factor that allowed it to carry a rent price in the £650 region for this past year was the fact that it was a brand new build.
So every month, month after month, for the next 5years it will keep losing value as it stops being new/nearly new,
and then just becomes a tiny flat a few meters away from the train tracks, thats over 5years old.

*I used to earn ALOT of money, so i know what it feels like, but so i know that no matter how much money you make in a day/week you never ever are going to 'turn down more if its offered to you'.
And especially if its actually COSTING you money to keep 'not taking that extra money'.

*While he may or may not like me loads and want spend nights at a pub with me,
he does know for a fact that i now have a stable steady income, do a key workers job, and in the 1year that ive lived here have always paid the rent and havent damaged anything or caused any problems.



So while he is totally within his rights to just let my tenancy expire and not offer me renewal (giving me 1months notice),
it just wouldnt make any financial sense for him to do so.




And in relation to me and tax,
im sorry if it angers people but i just dont have any endearing feelings towards wasting my money on tax, and so dont think very highly or tax at all. :rolleyes:

Im not actually even 'rebellious' about it, i just simply had no interest in wasting my money when i could instead 'not'.


My stance was that ''The tax many leaves me alone and i him alone''. :beer:
Worked totally fine, i didnt give him any problems or hassle him about stuff, and kept all my money securely in my own control held in the 'real offshore' accounts.

And he left me alone, didnt give me any annoyance or pester me to give away money that i earnt, and just didnt have involvement with me.

bitsandpieces

If wanting a career in the police, wouldn't another issue be that - if the Revenue do view the pro spread betting as tax evasion - your prospective employer may also take a dim view of this type of thing in job candidates...

Nixxx

I have to say that the OP strikes me as a little naive. You have to realise that if your main aim is to reduce your rent then you should really not antagonise your LL (no matter how right you think you are). It is not your right to have a rental reduction no matter have unfair it may be and no matter how much financial sense it would make.

Angel89_2

Welshwoofs wrote: »

That is because you're only 19 and obviously haven't experienced any financial hardships yet...

In other words you are illegally downloading copyrighted material without paying. You better hope that whilst you're busy torrenting your little backside off you don't inadvertently download a tagged movie...that can be a very expensive mistake and having worked for a number of ISPs in the past I can tell you categorically it does happen.

I wonder how long it'll be before you get a nice little letter about excessive usage.

Ive been homeless and lived on the streets enough times when i was young to know what a financial hardship is.

And thats why i now take care of myself and look after myself, no matter what it takes.


I personally dont 'download' anything illegally or film anything illegal.
Not worth risking my career to save a few quid watching a film. :rotfl:
I use websites like movieforumz.com and quicksilverscreen.com, huge sites which have been around for years n years and are well known about by police and relevant enforcement agencies.

But so on these sites you dont download anything at all, you merely have forums there with links to video hosting websites where the fim has been uploaded by someone. :cool:



But sky are the one company who i have never ever had any problems with at all! :T

Bt are crap as they charge £120 to install phone line, didnt even do it correctly, and which skys engineer came round and sorted out for free when he sky line and dish.

They dont phone you up and 20x per day like banks do asking for money.

They dont try scamming you or tricking you into having to pay extra for what you have got.

And they give you LOADS of stuff for an extremely cheap price.




I created this topic to ask about how to get rent lowered, not to have my budget lowered since ive done that to the biggest extent i can myself.
The next step i want to do is start giving myself more luxuries and paying less rent/tax... ect.

The aim of this topic has now been achieved so i will stop posting here now about it. :A

Welshwoofs

Angel89 wrote: »

But so on these sites you dont download anything at all, you merely have forums there with links to video hosting websites where the fim has been uploaded by someone. :cool:

I know you think you know everything but believe me, what you are doing is copyright infringement and every time you do it you run the risk of being caught and having action taken. If your aim is to be a policeman then you are gambling with your future.

I created this topic to ask about how to get rent lowered, not to have my budget lowered since ive done that to the biggest extent i can myself.
The next step i want to do is start giving myself more luxuries and paying less rent/tax... ect.

And you were told how to get your rent lowered - rent somewhere cheaper. By the way, if you're intending to stay in employment for someone else you don't pay 'less tax'....I know that must be a bit of a shocker to you, as someone who insists he was making a lot of money and paying nothing, but you're in the real world now Angel.