What are your work related expenses per week/month?

gettingready

Just had a chat with some friends about how much does it actually cost us to be working.

Things like lunch, coffee, travel to/from work, clothes, hair cuts etc.. all adds up.

How much does it cost you?

Fair enough, some things are "optional" - one could take food/drinks from home but....

WantToBeSE

gettingready wrote: »

Just had a chat with some friends about how much does it actually cost us to be working.

Things like lunch, coffee, travel to/from work, clothes, hair cuts etc.. all adds up.

How much does it cost you?

Fair enough, some things are "optional" - one could take food/drinks from home but....

Like you say, those are optional. Working or not, everyone needs lunch and a hot drink, so I don't know why that's even on the list.


Mine are:


-£40 p/w petrol
-Approx £30 a month car expenses (MOT, Tax, Service, divided by 2-half for work, half for pleasure)
-2 washing machine cycles every week (to clean my work stuff-I am a cleaner so wash my cloths and mop heads etc). NO idea of cost
-Clothes about £50 a year

PasturesNew

At a guess (not working at present), £60 travel (month-long bus pass costs that, although I'd drive); haircuts £30/month (trims and full head highlights); £30/month lunch food costs above/beyond eating at home; clothes/shoes/bags £20/month keeping a constant eye out in any/all charity shops wherever I am.

So £140 at a wild guess. Too much.

gettingready

Working or not, everyone needs lunch and a hot drink, so I don't know why that's even on the list.

Well, if you are at home you will grab "whatever" while at work you will go out and buy something. Unless you drag your lunch to work from home every day of course. Which depending on the job you do may not always be possible/practical.

The conversation we had at work today came up as we were coming back from an onsite M&S and each of us having spent in excess of £10.00 for ermmmmm "lunch"

5 days per week that would come up to £50.00 per week.. plus the travel to work cost as a weekly travelcard is £45.00...

:eek::eek::eek:

PasturesNew

Even if you take your own lunch in it tends to be more expensive than if you'd just been at home as you either over-engineer your lunch, or buy in special things at the supermarket so it's not so boring ..... it'd only cost the same if you were eating the same whether you were at home or at work - and most people wouldn't do that.

So, there is a cost .... also, you're more open to temptation in the workplace as others go to the food van, or offer to pick things up at a shop.... and you can't always say no when fat hot dogs with onions are being sold outside your window at 10am come rain or shine

PasturesNew

gettingready wrote: »

The conversation we had at work today came up as we were coming back from an onsite M&S and each of us having spent in excess of £10.00 for ermmmmm "lunch"

5 days per week that would come up to £50.00 per week.. plus the travel to work cost as a weekly travelcard is £45.00...

:eek::eek::eek:

Different world .... I'd never buy food at an M&S unless it was as cheap as could be bought elsewhere. I'd go without. £10 for lunch??? I'd expect that to be a special 2-3 course laden pub lunch at that price.

If I had to go in there I'd limit it to their cheapest sandwich I'm the same with regular supermarkets, if I want something to eat it's "what's their cheapest sandwich", not "what do I like/fancy".

My priciest, special/treat, buy out lunch would be a £2 van hot dog, or a £1.50 bag of chips.

Some of this might be "age" though ... I used to burn through money without realising when I was younger and going to garage forecourts/similar for lunch.

Sinhanada

I've changed jobs due to the previous expenses - I was travelling across the country, and although this was paid back it was always a month in arrears.

Now I spend roughly:

Travel: £20 per week
Food: Paid for by work, but I still tend to bring my own or go to a sandwich shop - £20 per week (I bring in squash and mix with free water - again buying basic squash!)
Haircut: £11.5 per month
Clothes: £200 per year (News suits and shirts)

Still, even with that it works out more cost effective than claiming benefits!

[Deleted User]

I work from home - so it'll be the cost of my electricity and heating. Business related travel is all paid for by work which is quite cushy.

What is annoying is that i need to provide my own high-speed internet, which costs about £25 a month. Still, its cheaper than a raiil card into London

I probably spend £6 or 7 on food/drink if I'm working at a clients site.

BillJones

Normal lunch is about £8. £6 for coffees, and then probably £5 per day wear and tear on the suit and shoes. £2 for breakfast, so say about £20 per day, or £400 per month.

saker75

PasturesNew wrote: »

Different world .... I'd never buy food at an M&S unless it was as cheap as could be bought elsewhere. I'd go without. £10 for lunch??? I'd expect that to be a special 2-3 course laden pub lunch at that price.

If I had to go in there I'd limit it to their cheapest sandwich I'm the same with regular supermarkets, if I want something to eat it's "what's their cheapest sandwich", not "what do I like/fancy".
.

I find that very depressing, Food should be about quality, not price. Quality does not need to be expensive (as Lidl and Aldi demonstrate) but generally the cheapest supermarket foods are utterly dreadful.

A bag of chips for £1.50 though - I'd be with you in the queue for that one.

mumonashoestring

I try and keep mine minimal - I cycle the 3.5 miles (each way) to and from work most days so probably do an extra half load of laundry a week for cycling clothes but save £15 a week on bus fares. I take packed lunches (probably only spend about £10/week) but even if I decide to buy lunch I get it from the hospital canteen, a hot meal for £5 is not difficult to get there. I drink mostly water at work and we all chip in £3 per month for tea, coffee and milk instead of paying Costa prices!