The cost of general living.

Keeping

I know the answer is going to be vague but if you could suggest a ball park figure that would be great. So far excluding council tax I'm thinking...

£120 a month food.
£60 a month electric (cooker is electric)
Water?
£~0 summer. (what about heating the hot water? Electric or gas?)
£30 a month (winter)
£20 a month Broadband

This is the first time I've ever been responsible for all this stuff so sorry if it seems like a stupid question.

dgtazzman

What kind/size property are we talking about and how many people living in it, will make a huge difference...

Don't forget insurances...

The food figure also seems very conservative.

Pixie5740

Your gas bill won't be zero in the summer. If your hot water is heated by gas then you'll use gas and you'll probably have a daily standing charge to pay. Usually your gas and electricity bills are averaged over the year so in the summer when you don't have the heating on people tend to build up a credit which they then use over the winter when the heating is on.

How big is the property you're living in? Do you live alone? What kind of figures for utilities were given on the energy performance certificate? What about a television licence (£12.12 a month) and contents insurance?

Some of the statement of affairs posted on the debt free wannabe board might give you an idea of the cost of living.

datlex

For what size property? A one bed flat with water meter costs about £18 to £22 a month depending on usage. If not on a meter costs over £40. My elec is £20 per month but I have a gas cooker, Gas is £23 per month. These are on credit meters paying same amount each month. Don't forget that you will need to heat water in order to bathe (unless you wash/ shower in cold water) so you won't have a zero gas bill if your water is heated by gas. I would say allocate a budget of £175 for all bills and then you will have plenty to cover it.

BigAunty

There is a budget planner on MSE you can download that will let you structure your entire budget, not just specific housebills.

TV licence? Telephone landline? Contents (and/or buildings) insurance?

AlexLK

Keeping: You are stupidly optimistic at best, completely unrealistic at worse. Each one of your costings will be more with perhaps the exception of the amount budgeted for electricity.

Keeping

Sorry I totally forgot to mention the property and occupants! lol. It's a 1bedroom flat and just me living in it.

TV licience is a good call I forgot about that, phoneline is not needed and the neighbourhood I live in is very safe so depending on the cost of insurance I'll probably go without it. I only really have a PC (which has it's own insurance) and the TV, sofa, table etc would only be cheap stuff anyway.

densol_2

Things that are often forgotten is washing powder, cleaning products, deodorants etc - even from £1 shop they can mount up.
I reckon £30 week is too low :-(

Broadband needs a phone line ?

Council tax ?
Insurance ?

Can't think of any more

Keeping

densol wrote: »

Things that are often forgotten is washing powder, cleaning products, deodorants etc - even from £1 shop they can mount up.
I reckon £30 week is too low :-(

Broadband needs a phone line ?

Council tax ?
Insurance ?

Can't think of any more

I have already taken council tax into consideration. Virgin media don't require a phoneline and I don't think I'll be getting any insurance as I have nothing worth insuring lol. Apart from my PC but that has it's own insurance.

elsien

Is this a general budget or just a house one?
Just thinking about transport costs, clothes, social life etc.

MadelinesMum

My gas was £50 for the quarter during the summer and my electric is never over £180 (I use a lot too).