Household bills budget in UK??

Question

I'm thinking of moving out (will be renting), can people give me an idea of household bills- I know they'll be the things that drain all my money so I want to try and budget in advance! I know every town is different but an INDICATION would be great! Esp.in Bournemouth!

Council tax? Water? Electricity? What else??

Many thanks!

(ps tried googling, its all for students with no indication!)

Thanks for the replies so far (pretty scary!!). I'm looking to move in with a friends so it'll be a two bedroom place.... if that makes a lot of difference?

Answer 1

A one bed flat would work out at about

Rent £300 - 450 pm
water £24pm
Heating in winter £40 pm
council tax £70 pm
groceries £100- 300 + pm depends on lifestyle
laundry £20 pm at laundrette cheaper if machine

Bearing in mind the a one bed around here costs About £90000 to buy so adjust your rent accordingly.

You can live very cheaply if you need to I have managed to do groceries for about £50 pm and bedsits or a shared house tend to have all utilities in with the rent which can make a great difference.

We all seem to agree here but I forgot about the Tv bill( there are ways round that but best not go down that road).

I would not bother with a land line, unless you need the internet, use a pay as you go mobile and limit yourself to £10 pm

With food useown brand blue lable stuff it will save you loads.

Answer 2

Outgoings for a small flat, single occupier are roughly as follows (per month)
Rent?? £300?
Food £200
Electricity£40
Gas £40
Council tax (lone occupier) £65 (goes on value of property as chosen by the council)
Water rates £20-30 (get a meter fitted for free)
Home contents insurance £15
Phone bill BT £30 at least
Public transport? £20
TV licence £10
tot=£730 approx
Just a rough guide.
Don't forget you will need £50 a month minimum for leisure purposes, junk food/alcohol/cinema/etc etc
You really need £800 a month income, and that is if you do not own a car.
Add £100+ a month for a small car.
This is living economy style!

Try to save as much as you can now! Before you move out!
£500 savings in the bank will only give you a little bit of interest each month, around 60P, but it will give you a small buffer should your income fail at short notice. It is good to keep a months money in a current account.

You can save money on groceries, but you are what you eat, try to buy bigger packets of everything, this will improve your buying power, get large cerials and big cartons of milk, buy a large jar of jam and a big margarine! Buy a dozen eggs and not 6 etc. It always works out cheaper and leaves you with more cash for luxury foods.

Good luck!

Answer 3

I agree with what the other replies have said, although I can give you one other hint where gas and electricity are concerned. bills are always higher in the winter as lights are on for longer, heating etc, but with most companies now you can spread these equally over 12 months so that your bills don't suddenly go up in the winter.

I live in a two bedroom flat and pay £5 a month for my gas (I have gas central heating and cooker) and £30 a month for electricity (lights, appliances). During the summer months my account is in credit and that evens out over winter period.

I would agree on the estimate of £800-900 per month for living.

Good luck and enjoy!!

Answer 4

You are looking at a MINIMUM of £1000 each month.

Rent will be the largest expense. For the bills - water, gas, electricity, council tax - you will need to sent aside a MINIMUM of £100 each month. Then on top of that you will need to find money for food, clothes, toiletries, FURNITURE (as most rented accommodation comes unfurnished), transport costs.