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Original poster

Do our household bills sound reasonable? What could be lower?

92 replies

itsalentilsone · 08/04/2024 15:48

Just two of us (me and DP) living together in a 2 bed flat in South East. I am currently a student but that will be coming to an end in the next 3 months. We are trying hard to cut costs where we can and have been going over our finances to see where we can make savings. Any thoughts on what looks expensive or unnecessary would be much appreciated. Thanks!

Income:
£4,067

Monthly outgoings:
Mortgage - £765.65
Mortgage protection insurance - £47.63
Help to Buy loan - £93.24
Service charge - £188.32
Gas - £55
Electricity £42
Water - £18
Internet - £40
Mobile phone 1 - £18
Mobile phone 2 - £22
Council Tax - £159.37
TV Licence - 13.25

Groceries - £240
Train travel (DP work commute) £477

Petrol - £60
Car payment - £238.74
Car Insurance - £59.32

Netflix - £10.99
Amazon music - £10.99
Oura ring - £5.99
Apple storage - £3
Private / misc payment - £150

Savings direct debit - £160

OP posts:
Biscoffisthebest · 08/04/2024 16:48

Honestly, saving a tenner from getting rid of Netflix is neither here nor there if you’re getting through 1k a month on ‘fun’ money. Look at that first - £11 isn’t going to make much of a different if you cancel it - it’s 1% of your non essentials budget. But you could try to limit your meals out, trips away etc - maybe have 2 quiet weekends a month, meals out to once a month. That would make more of a difference.

Flapearedknave · 08/04/2024 16:46

itsalentilsone · 08/04/2024 15:56

Thanks :)
DP is already on sim only deal. That happened in the last week or so. His previous contract was £32pcm and after much shopping around the current £18 for sim only was the best deal that we could find that also met our essential needs re data and some roaming.

Show quote history

Lebara do Amazing sim only deals. I'm paying £1.19 a month for 20gig, unlikely calls and texts and 1000 roaming included.

If it's a rolling contract you can switch

onawave · 08/04/2024 16:44

No advice but really wish I happened clicked on this thread because now I want an oura ring.

QforCucumber · 08/04/2024 16:44

everythinglooksbetterpaintedblack · 08/04/2024 16:38

@itsalentilsone but you are entitled to Amazon music unlimited as part of prime so you are paying twice

not any more, our prime only gives us amazon music with ads - you can't skip track or save them anymore - it's bollocks

QforCucumber · 08/04/2024 16:44

You've not mentioned home or contents insurances, nor life insurance?

Have you not got the Amazon Prime student? It brings it down to about £6.99 a month for all of it.

Mortgage protection insurance - £47.63 - this is high, do you really need it?

Groceries - £240
Train travel (DP work commute) £477

Petrol - £60
Car payment - £238.74 this is also very high, do you use the car a lot?
Car Insurance - £59.32

Netflix - £10.99 - could you not get rid of this and just use Prime TV? We switch between the 2 and Disney+ but never have them running concurrently
Amazon music - £10.99
Oura ring - £5.99
Apple storage - £3
Private / misc payment - £150

Savings direct debit - £160

You should still have over £1k left a month, I take it you don't?

SofiaSoFar · 08/04/2024 16:42

"Apple storage - £3 Get rid of this"

That can be tricky/risky if you use iPhones/iPads as the storage is used for backups and you can easily end up losing your photos and documents if you don't have enough storage.

everythinglooksbetterpaintedblack · 08/04/2024 16:38

@itsalentilsone but you are entitled to Amazon music unlimited as part of prime so you are paying twice

watchuswreckthemic · 08/04/2024 16:37

If you are managing to spend over a £1k without noticing I'd be looking at that before focusing on the suggestions to save £6 a month.
Set a budget for fun and stick to it- what do you think is reasonable?

Original poster
itsalentilsone · 08/04/2024 16:35

everythinglooksbetterpaintedblack · 08/04/2024 16:22

Netflix can be £7.99 with a basic add free plan
Amazon music could be cheaper as a prime customer

We aren't paying for prime at the moment and do not really have a use for it.

OP posts:
Original poster
itsalentilsone · 08/04/2024 16:35

lifeisawillow3 · 08/04/2024 16:23

Same! I'm so glad we switched to this! Saving £6 a month! Adds up when you're counting pennies. Sometimes we don't even get ads, and we don't even notice them we do have them!

Show quote history

Will definitely look into this.

OP posts:
Original poster
itsalentilsone · 08/04/2024 16:34

PotatoPudding · 08/04/2024 16:27

You haven’t mentioned house insurance. Do you just pay this in one go?

Your outgoings seem fine to me.

Personally, I would rather give up food than my nice car. I used to drive runarounds, but since actually having nice cars, there’s no way I could go back unless I was broke, but even then, I think it’s better to keep money in savings in case my boiler packs in or my fence needs replacing, etc.

This is pretty much verbatim what my DP has said. The car is the only thing he does not want to change / sell.

Yes we pay home insurance in one go at the start of the year.

OP posts:
PotatoPudding · 08/04/2024 16:27

You haven’t mentioned house insurance. Do you just pay this in one go?

Your outgoings seem fine to me.

Personally, I would rather give up food than my nice car. I used to drive runarounds, but since actually having nice cars, there’s no way I could go back unless I was broke, but even then, I think it’s better to keep money in savings in case my boiler packs in or my fence needs replacing, etc.

PeloMom · 08/04/2024 16:25

If he commutes (and is so pricey) do you really need the car too?

lifeisawillow3 · 08/04/2024 16:23

Mogloveseggs · 08/04/2024 15:58

Only thing I can suggest which is a tiny saving is change netflix to the £4.99 with ads. They don't last 30 seconds and we've hardly noticed them.

Same! I'm so glad we switched to this! Saving £6 a month! Adds up when you're counting pennies. Sometimes we don't even get ads, and we don't even notice them we do have them!

everythinglooksbetterpaintedblack · 08/04/2024 16:22

Netflix can be £7.99 with a basic add free plan
Amazon music could be cheaper as a prime customer

EmpressSoleil · 08/04/2024 16:22

Spending 1k+ per month just on "fun" seems excessive, to then try and save a fiver on a cheaper Netflix subscription! It's a drop in the ocean. I think you're looking in the wrong place for making cutbacks.

gabster33 · 08/04/2024 16:22

Could partner get a season ticket loan from work - would this cut things down a bit? Do you work as well as study - you could make some income selling some things / or doing surveys and the such like.

Do consider getting some life insurance for the two of you. If one of you was left without the other income it could pay off the flat.

michealsmum1998 · 08/04/2024 16:19

Well I have found a bit of savings not a lot, depends how much you want to save, how long you want to do it for.

You may be able to make savings on shopping as well,

Water - £18 - This might be able to be cut but seems quite cheap
Internet - £40 - Shouldn't need to be more tham about £20
Mobile phone 1 -* £18 - Can get unlimited everything for £17*
Mobile phone 2 - £22 - Can get unlimited everything for £17
Council Tax - £159.37 - Have you checked your council band is correct compared to neighbours?
TV Licence - 13.25 - Do you need this and netflix or keep this and get rid of all the streaming services

Groceries - £240
Train travel (DP work commute) £477

Petrol - £60
Car payment - £238.74 - Get rid of car and buy one outright
Car Insurance - £59.32 - Pay annually it is cheaper and a less monthly outgoings

Netflix - £10.99 - Get rid of this
Amazon music - £10.99 Get rid of this
Oura ring - £5.99 Get rid of this
Apple storage - £3 Get rid of this
Private / misc payment - £150 - Depends what this is for?

Original poster
itsalentilsone · 08/04/2024 16:18

Yearendjoy · 08/04/2024 16:09

Train and car payments come to over £800. That's massive. Could you not sell the car and buy a cheap one outright? That would get rid of the monthly car payment of approx £200 at least.
I assume nothing can be done about the huge train cost each month?

Yes, nothing can be done about the enormous train costs unfortunately. DP can ask to work a couple of extra days from home (already works one), but I do not see that this is likely to be accepted.

OP posts:
WelshNerd · 08/04/2024 16:18

NoblyBobly · 08/04/2024 16:14

There is about £1190 difference between income and outgoings.........what is that being spent on?

This is Mumsnet so I can confidently say it gets spent on a horse.

Original poster
itsalentilsone · 08/04/2024 16:17

NoblyBobly · 08/04/2024 16:14

There is about £1190 difference between income and outgoings.........what is that being spent on?

I think that at the moment we are probably spending too much on 'fun'. Although it does not feel as though we are frivolous or even engage in many activities that cost extra money so I am a bit confused by this.

We do seem to have 1-3 expensive events activities per month that we feel we are obligated to go to. For example DPs brother is getting married next month so there are associated costs attached to that, and then milestone birthdays for both of our family members.

We probably eat out once per week at somewhere like nandos (or equivalent).

OP posts:
Original poster
itsalentilsone · 08/04/2024 16:15

Yearendjoy · 08/04/2024 16:09

Train and car payments come to over £800. That's massive. Could you not sell the car and buy a cheap one outright? That would get rid of the monthly car payment of approx £200 at least.
I assume nothing can be done about the huge train cost each month?

We need the car to travel to meet our family commitments unfortunately. DPs ageing parents live in the middle of nowhere and we are quite far from the station with no good transport links to get there (bus etc).

DP very reluctant to sell car and get a runaround instead, but let's see what the future holds.

OP posts:
NoblyBobly · 08/04/2024 16:14

There is about £1190 difference between income and outgoings.........what is that being spent on?

Original poster
itsalentilsone · 08/04/2024 16:13

FunLurker · 08/04/2024 16:08

What's ring?
Do you need amazon music? If you get prime without do you need Netflix?

It is a fitness and sleep tracker - oura ring. The £5.99 is to see and record your statistics and analyse the data etc. If we would like to listen to music on our phones during our commute I don't see another way unfortunately.

OP posts:
bravotango · 08/04/2024 16:12

Do you need the expensive car AND the train travel? If the car isn't being used for work could you sell it and buy a runaround outright, no monthly costs?

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