how much are your outgoings? Our our outgoings similar??

[livingonaprayer1986]

Below is a list of our outgoings and we are always in the red it seems. Everything is PER MONTH. Do you all have similar outgoings?

Rent - £670 per month for a large 2 bed flat. Myself, hubby and 3 year old live here

Council Tax - £130 per month

Food/ bread/ milk etc/ shower gel/ toilet roll/ toothpaste etc for family - £200 a month

Internet and phone line (hubby needs both for his work) - £25

Gas - £70 pay as you go metre

Electric- £50 pay as you go metre

Water and Sewage - £60

TV lisense - £12

Council tax debt owed - £100 (ongoing per month, we owe a lot long story)

Nursery fees - £60

Car insurance and petrol - £70

Home insurance - £10

various debts - £20

I can't see anyway to cut down on anything apart from car really but hubby needs a car for his work. My wages are 800 per month and child benefit is the only benefit I recieve. Hubby is now on 800 per month. You? Being nosey/ curious!

[livingonaprayer1986]

Meant to say ARE not our twice in title! (Tired brain)

[Caravanoflove]

Food a lot more (at least £400 pcm) but there's 4 of us.
Much more outgoings too, 2 cars, gym, Sky , savings, credit card repayments, life insurance, pet insurance, mobile phones, school dinners, kids activities, swimming lessons etc.
You seem to be doing very well

[Artandco]

We spend a lot more! We have x2 adults and x2 children. London

Rent :£1750 ( one bed flat)

Childcare: £1800

Food: £500

Commute x2: £450

The rest prob averages out the same but we don't have a car, tv or any debt.

[superbagpuss]

your rent is about the same as pur mortgage for a three bed house

gas at 70 seems high, but pre pay meter is like that

we spend slightly more on food but there are 4 of us

your expenses look about right to me

[Kristingle]

Re Internet and phone line for DH work

If he's an employee , his company should pay . If he's self employed, he can calim it as an expense on his tax return . If he uses the spare room for work he can also claim .

You haven't listed a mobile phone- don't you have any ?

How are your nursery fees only £15 /week?

[livingonaprayer1986]

Thanks carlove person. I havnt mentioned daughters activities we try to do lots of "free" stuff ie picnics out or walks or going to the park or the quay to feed ducks. Wish I could afford to do more.... sometimes our food outgoings per month is higher it ranges from 200-300 depending on where we shop I.e asda or aldi.

[perfectlybroken]

Ours very similar plus 200 per month petrol. Can't really see where you can cut back. Any junk you could sell and put that money toward debts to get them down a bit? You didn't include clothes, going out etc in your outgoings. Could it be these?

[livingonaprayer1986]

Kristingle our nursery fees are only 15 a week as my mum helps with child care. I have a mobile phone its £20 per month on a pay as you go phone.

Thats good to know re phone and Internet thank you

[meandjulio]

total income 100% (sorry not going to share)

mortgage and council tax 25% - we are lucky there
food and household 20% - I think you are doing well with yours
gas and electric direct debit - 5% - I think you are being royally ripped off
water 1% - yours is
tv licence, internet and phone line - 5%
mobile phone costs 2%
no more childcare costs for us - yours look quite cheap?
car savings account 5% (covers insurance and servicing in cash when they come up)
loan because work f**cked up and I was paid late 3 years ago 5%
life and contents insurance 2%
fuel 3%
bus fares 1%

the rest is our disposable income, which we put into four pots - holiday (which includes school holiday activity costs for some weeks and fuel to visit family), activities (which covers ds's activity clubs weekly, clothes, haircuts and school lunches), contingency fund and the last one is split equally between dh and me as spending.

[livingonaprayer1986]

Broken - we dont go out. Ever. This is honest truth. The last time I bought clothes for myself was over a year ago... my daughter has lots of hand me downs from reletives and if we buy new clothes its fron charity shops or asda x

[Twotinygirls]

I'd say we were almost the same as you. Similar sized property and bills almost the same. More for food, after school clubs etc, two dcs and older.

I Don't see how you could cut down on anything, sorry not very helpful. Accept that the council tax debt repayments could be less if you are not managing, your quality of life and wellbeing should always come before paying debts. As long as you are paying something obviously.

[meandjulio]

Is there any chance of getting off the prepay meter?

Could you look at babysitting until you can get that debt paid off?

Your rent is just crippling

My dh always said the free workshop he went to by the Inland Revenue explaining what to claim against tax for the self-employed was the best half day he ever spent. Not sure if they still do them, maybe on the website though?

[MicronesiaIsMyHome]

Can I suggest that if you don't know where all your money is going that you try keeping a spending diary. Write down every single penny that you spend over a month. It can be very helpful doing this.

[Artandco]

Is there any chance of one of you working longer hours/ getting pay rise? There are too many things you can't really alter cost of which use up most of your income

[livingonaprayer1986]

Yeah a diary is a good idea. Sorry the car insurance and petrol should be 170 pounds per month not 70! yes my rent is crippling but it seems to be the normal price range? Or is it? ! Its a 2 bed flat but the rooms are huge.

[Artandco]

It seems very low rent to me (1/3 of what we pay!). But it really depends on the area. What do other 2 bed flats Rent for in area? Any chance of moving if another property is cheaper

[originalusernamefail]

Monthly incoming approx 2700

Fixed outgoings (mortgage etc.) 1100

Food and household inc petrol 600

Pissed up the wall 1000

Seriously. We never run out but we never have spare, there is always a one off bill for 200-300 a month. New Years res is to be more money - savvy.

[thatstoast]

I think you should be eligible for child tax credits based on the salary you've given? Worth checking out. Money Saving Expert has a great benefits calculator. It also has a great budget tool which might help you see where your money is going.

Your rent is a huge portion of your income though. If there's not anywhere cheaper than working/earning more seems to be the only answer, although that's easier said than done.

Of course, based on your figures you should have a surplus of about £200 per month but that's not what's happening IRL. So you do need to figure out where that money is going. PP suggestion of writing everything down is a good idea.

[thatstoast]

Ah, just seen that your car costs are £170 so my comment about the surplus isn't quite right.

[ThankGodThatsOver]

You seem to be doing well. I don't see where you can really cut down. Low car/petrol costs (just seen your update but even so. lowish on food and other bills.

I pay less than your rent on my mortgage but have sky and iphone contract.

If you don't go out or buy clothes the only thing I can see where you could save is on rent but it depends where you are in the world if that is even possible.

[loudarts]

I agree with a pp, you should look into tax credits as you are probably eligible

[Laquitar]

Your expenses are already low so i can not see how you can reduce them more.
The only way i can see is to increase earnings. (I know this is easy to say but not easy to do, especially if you are not in a city).

[PoppySausage]

Mortgage 550
Council tax 145
Water 45
Gas 55
Elec 45
TV Internet phone 70
Mobiles 70
Car insurance 100
Food 300
Insurances 100

I need to cut my mobile phone and Internet and TV down

Big expense we don't need

[PoppySausage]

Oh forgot fun stuff
Gym and swim 45 for me and dd
Gymnastics 15

[apotatoprintinapeartree]

Hello OP

To me it seems your rent is the crippler.
We pay a third of this on our mortgage on a large 4 bed Edwardian semi.
Are you in an expensive area? Around here you would get a 2 bed terrace with a back yard for £425/ £450