Any advice on household bills while on op`s( discounts and stuff?)

troupy
troupy Posts: 2 Newbie
in UK armed forces MoneySaving
While most bills now are worked out as a monthly average does anyone know if any of the bills can be made less of a burden as I`m a single person in my own house and now we have to pay food and accommodation from the word go when you go away,
Cheers

Comments

  • Sootblower
    Sootblower Posts: 3 Newbie
    Put your car in your garage & drop the insurance to 3rd party, fire & theft with no road use - you will be surprised how much the premium drops. Suspend RAC cover if you have it - they will usually reinstate it as soon as you phone them. If you are married & going for over 6 months put the Council tax in your partners name & tell the Council there is only one adult at the address. The Council tax gets the single person discount. Just reverese it when you get back from deployment. Cancel your TV licence - better still pay it by direct debit & cancel when you deploy then start it when you get back. It hacks the TV license guys off but it works.
  • DanBarter
    DanBarter Posts: 3 Newbie
    Could you get a tenant for the short term? Someone you could trust to let you back in for a shower during R&R? Rental agents charge 10-15%. You could rent a 1 bed flat for 300-600 per week depending on the location. Try also ringing the council as Sootblower says. You might persuade them to reduce the council tax as the place is unoccupied. Do check that your buildings insurance covers you if the place is empty.

    Keep safe.

    Dan
  • pjapk
    pjapk Posts: 83 Forumite
    First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Be very careful to check on the insurance side of things. Most insurance applications have a question asking "is the property going to be unoccupied for 60 days or more?".

    Not sure of the consequences but at the very least you should find out if yours has it and what happens if the answer is "yes".

    Paul
  • lee634
    lee634 Posts: 1,030 Forumite
    troupy wrote: »
    now we have to pay food and accommodation from the word go when you go away,
    Cheers

    Are you sure you pay food and accommodation whilst away on on ops, I'm sure that's not correct, as you are classed as being under field conditions
  • Marker_2
    Marker_2 Posts: 3,260 Forumite
    Dont you get your council tax paid back to you anyway, rules have changed when it comes to that.

    But as suggested I would cancel your TV licence back and claim the refund, declare SORN on your car and keep it off road.

    If I were you I wouldnt change the amount you pay towards gas and electric, if you carry on paying what your paying now by the time you come back you should be a pretty decent bit in credit.
    99.9% of my posts include sarcasm!
    Touch my bum :money:
    Tesco - £1000 , Carpet - £20, Barclaycard - £50, HSBC - £50 + Car - £1700
    SAVED =£0
    Debts - £2850
  • Sootblower
    Sootblower Posts: 3 Newbie
    Fine keeping in credit with the utilities but the money could be earning 12% in Alliance & Leicesters savings linked to youur current account.:money: Better in your pocket than theirs!
  • Cod_Almighty
    Cod_Almighty Posts: 31 Forumite
    lee634 wrote: »
    Are you sure you pay food and accommodation whilst away on on ops, I'm sure that's not correct, as you are classed as being under field conditions

    Lee, you are correct you don't pay F&A while field condition is declared.

    Cod
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