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bills review

far-sighted
far-sighted Posts: 1 Newbie
edited 16 August 2018 at 9:39AM in Debt-free wannabe
I'm actually debt-free, apart from the mortgage, but I'm reviewing bills, to see where I could cut more/switch. I'm only posting the ones that I can change i.e. I'm not in a contract for. This is for one adult and one child living in a 2-br flat.

e.on - gas & electricity £75 (am I paying too much?)
Thames water - £21 (is this too much? what do people pay? Not that I can change it.. )
Vodafone - mobile phone + Spotify, 100 minutes int'l calls, fibre Internet, line rental £60
giffgaff - SIM-only for my child £5
First Call - accident, sickness, and unemployment insurance - £35
Barclays - worldwide travel, 2 mobile phones insurance, RAC breakdown £12
co-op - contents insurance including home emergency cover £5

Any thoughts? Especially re: Vodafone, contract is ending soon and I'd like to find a better alt.

Thanks!

Comments

  • anna_1977
    anna_1977 Posts: 862 Forumite
    Eighth Anniversary 500 Posts
    The vodafone bill is huge. I'm sure you can get much much cheaper BB than that and then switch to the same £5 SIM only as your child - or a bit more if you need more data. Don't bother with paying for spotify, use the free service
  • Niv
    Niv Posts: 2,530 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Regarding Vodaphone. I have BT for £30 pm for fibre, line rental and BT sports. I have giffgaff £7.50 goodybag. I don't know how much international calls mean to you so can t really suggest anything (i.e it means nothing to me - I have WhatsApp :))


    I do not know how much Spotify is as a standalone but you could either do that or buy a bigger goodybag and use the free version of Spotify - depends how much you use it.
    YNWA

    Target: Mortgage free by 58.
  • Larac
    Larac Posts: 945 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 500 Posts
    Niv wrote: »
    Regarding Vodaphone. I have BT for £30 pm for fibre, line rental and BT sports. I have giffgaff £7.50 goodybag. I don't know how much international calls mean to you so can t really suggest anything (i.e it means nothing to me - I have WhatsApp :))


    I do not know how much Spotify is as a standalone but you could either do that or buy a bigger goodybag and use the free version of Spotify - depends how much you use it.

    Spotify is a £10 a month - I pay for my daughters - lot cheaper than buying CD's, downloads (or in my day tapes and LP's!)
  • zippygeorgeandben
    zippygeorgeandben Posts: 1,273 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Debt-free and Proud!
    I pay £9.99 for spotify and think it's worth every single penny. In fact I'd pay more! For me it's the option of downloading and listening to playlists offline (travel a lot on the tube).
    I've found so many new artists/bands thanks to Shazam and Spotify.
    Savings as of April 2023 Savings account - £26460.50(14474.88)Current account - £2140.24(4576.79)Total - £28600.74(19051.67) £1010 (£65pm CS/BS) £250 CS/BS/JS
  • pennystretcher
    pennystretcher Posts: 458 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Combo Breaker Mortgage-free Glee!
    Your gas & electricity is quite high for a 2-bed flat. Have a look in the MSE Cheap Energy Club if you can find a better deal (https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/cheapenergyclub)


    I pay about £40 per month for both (£15 for electricity, £25 for gas) and it's for a 3-bed semi.
  • MallyGirl
    MallyGirl Posts: 7,000 Senior Ambassador
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    is the water metered?
    I’m a Senior Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on the Pensions, Annuities & Retirement Planning, Loans
    & Credit Cards boards. If you need any help on these boards, do let me know. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com.
    All views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.
  • Nicki_Sue
    Nicki_Sue Posts: 1,261 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    Check via Martin's Energy Watch. I'm with Bulb and find it much more affordable and no debt than when with EON. There are £50 referrals too if you sign up but this is only worth doing if the overall bills will be cheaper.
    MSE-ing since 2007
  • macman
    macman Posts: 53,128 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Are you getting the council tax 25% single discount?
    No free lunch, and no free laptop ;)
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