Moving out for the first time. What are costs like?

[user0512]

Hi,

So DP and I are moving out from his parents' house. We've both not moved out and lived alone. But now we are, I'm a bit nervous.

The jobs around Manchester where we live will mean we both won't earn anymore than £1,300 - £1,500 each. I'm anxious about how we'll manage. Can anyone give their experience or tips? ive had a look at things like council tax prices and electric and gas prices. I feel like we are moving out at the worst possible time because of the rise in the cost of living, however it is something that we need to do.

Can we both survive In Manchester on a combined income of around £2600 ish. I've tried to apply for jobs that pay more but they want more experience and I don't have that yet due to only finishing uni recently.

Posted on AIBU for more traffic. Thanks!

Assuming you will be renting? A flat together, or a room in a shared place?

Council tax varies a lot by area; you can look up prices on the website of your local council.

There are calculators you can use to estimate utilities by answering questions about expected usage.

Gas & electric - depends on your heating system and how much you use. Electric storage heaters, for example, tend to be more expensive to run than central heating (radiators heated from a boiler via gas). If you both work from home you'll usually use more energy than if you are both out all day.

Water - depends if you are on a meter or fixed rate.

Insurance - definitely a good idea to get contents insurance. The landlords will insure the property but that won't cover your possessions.

TV licence - only needed if you watch live TV, use iPlayer etc. We only use a streaming service so don't have one, but you have to let them know you don't need it.

I remember having a shock when I first moved out and started having to pay for everything.

You can't control your rent, council tax or tv licence, as these are things you have little control over. You can take steps to reduce your water, gas and electricity usage (don't leave electricals on standby, wear jumpers instead of turning on the heating etc).

You can shop around for internet and groceries to keep costs down.

Yes sorry I forgot to clarify. We will be renting.

If you’ve only just finished uni I would stay at home a bit longer and save up a few thousand pounds before moving out.
You don’t want to be living pay check to pay check if it’s not necessary.

• cheque 🤫

It is necessary unfortunately as DP and I haven't been getting on with his family

Looks like a 1 bed flat in Manchester City centre will be minimum £700 per calendar month.

Are you going to be restricted to city centre or can you go further afield where you'll get more for your money?

I think it's definitely doable on your salaries but obviously the less you spend on the rent the more you'll be able to save for a deposit on a house if you're hoping to buy at some point.

Do you have savings at the moment to cover deposit and first month plus any moving costs/furniture you'll need to pay for?

I'm in Lancashire and live on around £1500pm including a mortgage
C tax 120
Contents insurance 12
Water 20
Gas and electric 70 (fixed rate though)
Mortgage 385
Denplan and TV license 30
Car insurance 30
Car tax 10

Then I have a cat so associated costs plus petrol and food

How flexible are your jobs? Do they exist in cities other than Manchester? If you can live and work in a cheaper city, your money will go further. If you have to be near the centre of a big city, you'll have to get used to eating beans.