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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think my monthly bills are FAR too high?

227 replies

Mysteriousgirl2 · 14/12/2023 20:14

Childcare £651
Food £450
Gym & swimming lessons £360
Car finance £325
Cleaner £240
Pet insurance £38
Mobile £17
car insurance £60
house insurance £92
Private pension £200

We are mortgage free. I take home about 2,200pcm and cover all the above costs.

I need to massively cut down, don’t I? 🙁

OP posts:
Caspianberg · 14/12/2023 20:18

10% of salary on cleaner seems high

Maryamlouise · 14/12/2023 20:19

Your outgoings seem a mix of reasonable and then strangely high - the gym and swimming lessons seem very expensive as does your cleaner and I think you need to check your house insurance as that seems really high - we have a big house, a recent claim and pay half of that

AyeRobot · 14/12/2023 20:20

What does the other person in the "we" cover if you're mortgage free?

Alargeoneplease89 · 14/12/2023 20:22

House insurance and swimming lessons seem high

Tinkerbyebye · 14/12/2023 20:22

So all your income goes on that plus some of your partners? What else does he spend on?

how many of you are there for the food? Who has the swimming lessons, do you go to the gym?

Sidge · 14/12/2023 20:22

Where’s your energy bill?

Where are your savings?

Childcare is what it is.

Food seems reasonable - for how many people?

I find it odd you spend more on gym and swimming lessons (and you spend A LOT) than you put into pensions.

merrymerrychristmasall · 14/12/2023 20:23

Jesus how do you get a phone for £17!

Looks reasonable to me but that home insurance seems very high.

jay55 · 14/12/2023 20:28

Does your partner cover fuel, council tax, water?

WhiteRabbitBlackCat · 14/12/2023 20:39

Your insurance is £92 a month? Ours is less than that for a year. I'd shop around!

@merrymerrychristmasall I pay £10 a month for my mobile - I bought my Android handset outright, and use PAYG to buy a 30-day package of unlimited texts and minutes, and more data than I could possibly need.

1975wasthebest · 14/12/2023 20:40

Why don’t you have any money for yourself i.e savings, clothes, socialising etc?

HerMammy · 14/12/2023 20:41

On a take home of £2200, your cleaner and gym/swim is far too high.
Who is we?

luckylavender · 14/12/2023 20:43

AyeRobot · 14/12/2023 20:20

What does the other person in the "we" cover if you're mortgage free?

There are other bills - C Tax, Utilities, Water, broadband, streaming etc

LindorDoubleChoc · 14/12/2023 20:45

I can't believe you are whining when you are mortgage free and are young enough to have children in childcare. You are extremely, hugely priviliged and better off than almost everyone!

Christmassss · 14/12/2023 20:45

Do you have a partner, what do they pay for?

Beezknees · 14/12/2023 20:46

Cleaner and gym would be the first ones I'd get rid of if I had to. I don't see how you can reduce the others, apart from the private pension but that's quite important. £450 a month for food isn't bad and the mobile phone is cheap.

VisionsOfSplendour · 14/12/2023 20:46

How do you spend £90 a week on gym and swimming?

Everybodylookstheirage · 14/12/2023 20:48

Depends what is your net worth? House insurance seems high at over £1,000.00 a year so I’m presuming you live in a mansion hence why you need a cleaner?

ilovesooty · 14/12/2023 20:49

LindorDoubleChoc · 14/12/2023 20:45

I can't believe you are whining when you are mortgage free and are young enough to have children in childcare. You are extremely, hugely priviliged and better off than almost everyone!

How is she "whining"? How unpleasant. She's wondering if she has the capacity to cut down and asking for people's thoughts.

Dogwithagammyleg · 14/12/2023 20:49

Everybodylookstheirage · 14/12/2023 20:48

Depends what is your net worth? House insurance seems high at over £1,000.00 a year so I’m presuming you live in a mansion hence why you need a cleaner?

£2 million plus house based on what I pay for mine.

EdgarsTale · 14/12/2023 20:49

You need more going into your pension.

Original poster
Mysteriousgirl2 · 14/12/2023 20:50

My DH pays for:

Council tax £200
Electricity £175 (roughly)
Fuel £170 (oil tank)
water £25

OP posts:
Luxell934 · 14/12/2023 20:50

What about engery bills? Electric, gas, water, internet, Sky, Netflix, Petrol?

Luxell934 · 14/12/2023 20:51

Mysteriousgirl2 · 14/12/2023 20:50

My DH pays for:

Council tax £200
Electricity £175 (roughly)
Fuel £170 (oil tank)
water £25

Why aren’t your share of bills split more evenly?

Christmassss · 14/12/2023 20:52

OP why do you pay all the childcare?

Beezknees · 14/12/2023 20:52

Luxell934 · 14/12/2023 20:51

Why aren’t your share of bills split more evenly?

Show quote history

Depends what he earns. He might be on minimum wage or part time.