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1. gohan - Member

   Trying to work out my finances, recently split with the misses, she is moving out, im trying to work out if i can afford the flat on my own,

   here is the break down,
   500 rent
   120 council tax
   22 tv licence
   26 internet/digital tv
   33 water
   90 electric
   50 bike
   841 total,

   now i have been tryin to work out if im missing anything, i dont have a loan, and the gas is included, can anyone think of anything i might have missed?
   september the bike payments finish, and i can easily go down to a basic internet package and drop the tv channels, but there is no tv ariel so got to have digital (unless i just use the internet for tv) and council tax for single person is reduced right? any advice greatly welcome, monthly take home is arround £935 so as i look at it its not lookin too good seeing as i have not included food, obv answer is get a flat mate i know,

   Posted 3 years ago #
2. Filthy - Member

   council tax should go down for single occupancy

   Posted 3 years ago #
3. gohan - Member

   and will have ot cut down on the electric usage too!

   Posted 3 years ago #
4. loddrik - Member

   Bloody hell, I pay more than that each month just on my daughters nursery fees!!!

   Posted 3 years ago #
5. gohan - Member

   just googled bristol council, its 25% off for single occupancy, still not lookin good,

   Posted 3 years ago #
6. ton - Member

   food......
   ditch the tv.

   Posted 3 years ago #
7. Filthy - Member

   get rid of TV and licence

   go on a water meter

   use less electrickery

   live off beans

   and you might have a bit left over for the odd pint and some shiney bike bits

   or just get a flatmate

   Posted 3 years ago #
8. Jimbo - Member

   You've missed home contents insurance.

   Posted 3 years ago #
9. gohan - Member

   Yeah, dont have any at min Jimbo, and tv and licence rid of is do able, seeing as there is not an aerial i could say im just using the tv for dvd/ xbox right?

   Posted 3 years ago #
10. nickc - Member

    Mobile/phone?
    Food?
    Going out?
    Clothes?
    car/commute?

    Posted 3 years ago #
11. GJP - Member

    No phone - mobile

    Posted 3 years ago #
12. Ewan - Member

    Your leccy is very high. I live in a flat and I dont' use anywhere near that amount - more like 30 quid a month - I heat it using electric as well. As you have gas what on earth are you using it for!

    Get a water meter, for less than 4 people you should save money.

    You appear to be paying for two TV licences, 22 a month is 264 quid! You need one for the entire house.

    Change to a different internet provider and pay about 10 quid a month tops. Ditch the cable and get a digi box for 19 quid from asda.

    Posted 3 years ago #
13. gohan - Member

    mobiles pay as you go, tenner a month, not thinking of my running costs, thinking of the roof over my head, she is moving out end of may so got to have a plan by the end of this month else im fooked...............

    Posted 3 years ago #
14. woffle - Member

    Ouch.

    As said above really -not sure what else you're missing and:

    Bin the tv - you can catch up on things via the internet if you need to. You shouldn't be paying more than a tenner a month for an ISP either unless you need top speeds / contention ratios / fixed IPs etc. I pay £17.50 but then I have to have all of those as I work from home 1 day a week and work contribute.
    Your electric is way too high by a factor of 3 I reckon - we're paying £35 a month for a family of four. Have you checked with your supplier to see whether you're in credit? I don't see why you shouldn't be when you're paying that a month. When my wife and I had a flat we discovered we'd overpaid by over £200 in our first year and the refund paid for a nice weekend away.
    Ditto your water rates - you on a meter? It'd be worth asking if not as you should save on that too.

    Longer term I guess you're looking at a flatmate? 1/2 the rent and bills gives you a lot more leeway..

    Posted 3 years ago #
15. forge197 - Member

    second getting a water meter we pay £13 a month for water, and the electricity looks high for a flat.

    Good Luck

    Posted 3 years ago #
16. muggomagic - Member

    What about either a lodger or better paid/2nd job?

    Posted 3 years ago #
17. deadlydarcy - Member

    Weren't you posting for a flatmate here the other day mate? Have you not found anyone or tried gumtree? Wouldn't having someone around be a bit more fun as well?

    Posted 3 years ago #
18. RichPenny - Member

    If you want a water meter, remember to tell your landlord that the property can be reverted back to metered water at any time after your occupancy. Oh, and it's free to install. Electric is way way too high. Even if you have night storage heaters thats too much, plus you won't need to heat the house at all for the next 6 months.

    You still need a licence if you have a TV, but you could get rid of that and get a cheap monitor, that would save you about £30 a month.

    It is doable, just, but it won't be much fun. I'd say you would be able to scrape by until you can find a flatmate.

    Posted 3 years ago #
19. Guilliano - Member

    I just tried that linky, but it doesn't say if the income limit is gross or net.

    Posted 3 years ago #
20. myheadsashed - Member

    My water bill is £11 a month on a meter.

    Posted 3 years ago #
21. Guilliano - Member

    Pants..... that means I can't afford a flat either!

    Posted 3 years ago #
22. RooleyMoor - Member

    if you have a sky box you can get a freesatfromsky card for £20, which will give you all the freeview and free-to-air channels. No monthly payments after that.

    Posted 3 years ago #
23. gohan - Member

    hey cheers for all the help guys, i have put a post on gum tree and im going to ditch the tv/internet package for a cheaper one, i dont watch more than an hour of tv a day and its all repeats any way! 3 people interested so far so lookin like i will be ok, will keep you posted! im just staying positive! ta STW!

    Posted 3 years ago #
24. RooleyMoor - Member

    Good luck. Hope you get sorted.

    Posted 3 years ago #
25. TinMan - Member

    Remember - Do check the lecky statement against your actual reading before she leaves. If you're in credit, don't mention it. If it's got an debit balance (unlikely on 90 p/m) get her to pay her half before she goes!

    Do you religiously switch things off when not in use?

    Water meter is a must. I got one when I split with an ex, went from £30p/m to £2p/m because I used so little. (They had to back date usage from date I requested the meter to installation). Once in, can you use showers at work to cut down on water & lecky usage?

    Only thing I think may be missing - for internet, do you have to maintain separate line rental? Internet should be no more than a tenner, but combined with line rental, can be £20. At that point Mobile Broadband for £15 looks very attractive.

    Good luck, you should make it without too much discomfort.

    Posted 3 years ago #

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