Help with running costs
Discussion
Morning everyone, looking for some help. I'm going to need to go it alone shortly so I shall be looking to move into a 1 bed flat of some description. I can find out costs for Council Tax, TV Licence, Internet etc as all easily found online but I could do with some rough guides as to what the rest might cost me. Stuff like average heating bills, gas, water, electric, contents insurance, and anything else that I should be aware of. I know it's difficult to give exact figures due to location etc but any help would be greatly appreciated.
Little bit anxious as never done this before.
Simon.
Little bit anxious as never done this before.
Simon.
vw_99 said:
In my 3 bed in scotland (1950s house). Just me and my son.
Gas and elec is around 100 a month.
House and buildings insurance 45 ish.
We try to be careful of what we use and what lights left on etc.
But I hope you are OK in this change.
Brilliant, thank you, it's a start. Any idea of water?Gas and elec is around 100 a month.
House and buildings insurance 45 ish.
We try to be careful of what we use and what lights left on etc.
But I hope you are OK in this change.
Insurance, get a quote from the meerkats or similar.
Will depend on postcode, it's one of the smaller bills but comes in one lump at the start.
Heating can be very low for a well insulated modern place, or rather more for a draughty high-ceiling gothic conversion.
Water should be pretty cheap if metered, varies regionally though.
Electricity, if you're not heating with it, £50 a month?
Council tax and any maintenance etc fees are the big ones.
A lot of young people seem to end up spending a lot per month for TVs and furniture on credit too.
You will need a budget for 'stuff' like kettle, toaster, bedding, it adds up.
Any DIY adds up.
Will depend on postcode, it's one of the smaller bills but comes in one lump at the start.
Heating can be very low for a well insulated modern place, or rather more for a draughty high-ceiling gothic conversion.
Water should be pretty cheap if metered, varies regionally though.
Electricity, if you're not heating with it, £50 a month?
Council tax and any maintenance etc fees are the big ones.
A lot of young people seem to end up spending a lot per month for TVs and furniture on credit too.
You will need a budget for 'stuff' like kettle, toaster, bedding, it adds up.
Any DIY adds up.
Electric and gas £50-£100/m depending how much you use/how warm you like it/how well insulated it is/if it has electric heating or gas.
Water £25/m if on a meter. If in Scotland it's included in council tax.
Contents insurance, maybe £100 per year?
Not many other costs with a 1 bed flat. Furniture, if starting from scratch might be something to consider.
Water £25/m if on a meter. If in Scotland it's included in council tax.
Contents insurance, maybe £100 per year?
Not many other costs with a 1 bed flat. Furniture, if starting from scratch might be something to consider.
Simon Bags said:
Morning everyone, looking for some help. I'm going to need to go it alone shortly so I shall be looking to move into a 1 bed flat of some description. I can find out costs for Council Tax, TV Licence, Internet etc as all easily found online but I could do with some rough guides as to what the rest might cost me. Stuff like average heating bills, gas, water, electric, contents insurance, and anything else that I should be aware of. I know it's difficult to give exact figures due to location etc but any help would be greatly appreciated.
Little bit anxious as never done this before.
Simon.
Your post is totally lacking in any detail to give a useful answer. Electric vs gas vs. heat pump for heating vs how warm you like it vs. are you going to be at home all day or out working vs. is it a modern well-insulated property or something from the 80s or earlier with poor insulation - all factors that could mean your heating bill is a tenner a month or a couple of hundred. Same questions for electric : if you have electric heating and like it toasty then you're going to need a lot of money. If you like to only wear things once and change your clothes twice a day then you're going to be spending a lot in electric to run the washer and dryer.Little bit anxious as never done this before.
Simon.
Do you like to cook? Electric oven and hob + microwave + air-fryer = big bills. Do you like baths? Bath vs 10 minute shower is a difference between £50 a month for water or a tenner if you're on a meter + the gas costs to heat the water.
As a VERY rough estimate from my last 2 bed flat (well insulated, built early 2000s), budget £100 a month for your leccy, gas and water + CT on top. That was from working from home so the (gas) heating was on for 16 hours a day keeping the place a comfy 20C and PC and peripherals on for 16 hours a day too. Washer use about 3 loads per week followed by once a week dryer for an hour. Daily air fryer and microwave use for cooking, kettle use at least half a dozen times a day. Low energy lighting, electric shower for 10 mins a day. Leccy bill was about £30 a month, gas averaged out about £25 a month over the year, water (on a meter) about £35 a quarter (~ £12 a month). I was comfortably under £100 every month. For an older place with poor insulation, double the gas costs above and then some. If it's poor insulation and electric heating, you'll need £100 just for heating if you like it toasty.
I've never bothered with contents insurance as I don't have huge amounts of valuable stuff.- my PC probably being my most expensive 'content'. Most of my other stuff is good quality secondhand branded stuff picked up on FBMP for peanuts. What I've saved in not paying contents insurance over the past 30 odd years would easily replace and refurnish the property many times over.
Edited by Tisy on Sunday 2nd February 13:29
Per Month - Assume Renting?
Energy - 100
C Tax - 100 i/c single person discount
Water - 30
Food - You will be able to estimate - ? 200-300
Total - 430-530 as a broad estimate
Plus
4g/5g unlimited sim 25-30 for home broadband
or broadband installation - 25-30
Buildings Ins' Not required
Contents Ins' - Will you really need this? - 20 if needed
Tisy said:
Your post is totally lacking in any detail to give a useful answer. Electric vs gas vs. heat pump for heating vs how warm you like it vs. are you going to be at home all day or out working vs. is it a modern well-insulated property or something from the 80s or earlier with poor insulation - all factors that could mean your heating bill is a tenner a month or a couple of hundred. Same questions for electric : if you have electric heating and like it toasty then you're going to need a lot of money. If you like to only wear things once and change your clothes twice a day then you're going to be spending a lot in electric to run the washer and dryer.
Do you like to cook? Electric oven and hob + microwave + air-fryer = big bills. Do you like baths? Bath vs 10 minute shower is a difference between £50 a month for water or a tenner if you're on a meter + the gas costs to heat the water.
As a VERY rough estimate from my last 2 bed flat (well insulated, built early 2000s), budget £100 a month for your leccy, gas and water + CT on top. That was from working from home so the (gas) heating was on for 16 hours a day keeping the place a comfy 20C and PC and peripherals on for 16 hours a day too. Washer use about 3 loads per week followed by once a week dryer for an hour. Daily air fryer and microwave use for cooking, kettle use at least half a dozen times a day. Low energy lighting, electric shower for 10 mins a day. Leccy bill was about £30 a month, gas averaged out about £25 a month over the year, water (on a meter) about £35 a quarter (~ £12 a month). I was comfortably under £100 every month. For an older place with poor insulation, double the gas costs above and then some. If it's poor insulation and electric heating, you'll need £100 just for heating if you like it toasty.
I've never bothered with contents insurance as I don't have huge amounts of valuable stuff.- my PC probably being my most expensive 'content'. Most of my other stuff is good quality secondhand branded stuff picked up on FBMP for peanuts. What I've saved in not paying contents insurance over the past 30 odd years would easily replace and refurnish the property many times over.
Thanks ever so much for the figures, it's been a great help. Certainly gives me an idea as to what to expect.Do you like to cook? Electric oven and hob + microwave + air-fryer = big bills. Do you like baths? Bath vs 10 minute shower is a difference between £50 a month for water or a tenner if you're on a meter + the gas costs to heat the water.
As a VERY rough estimate from my last 2 bed flat (well insulated, built early 2000s), budget £100 a month for your leccy, gas and water + CT on top. That was from working from home so the (gas) heating was on for 16 hours a day keeping the place a comfy 20C and PC and peripherals on for 16 hours a day too. Washer use about 3 loads per week followed by once a week dryer for an hour. Daily air fryer and microwave use for cooking, kettle use at least half a dozen times a day. Low energy lighting, electric shower for 10 mins a day. Leccy bill was about £30 a month, gas averaged out about £25 a month over the year, water (on a meter) about £35 a quarter (~ £12 a month). I was comfortably under £100 every month. For an older place with poor insulation, double the gas costs above and then some. If it's poor insulation and electric heating, you'll need £100 just for heating if you like it toasty.
I've never bothered with contents insurance as I don't have huge amounts of valuable stuff.- my PC probably being my most expensive 'content'. Most of my other stuff is good quality secondhand branded stuff picked up on FBMP for peanuts. What I've saved in not paying contents insurance over the past 30 odd years would easily replace and refurnish the property many times over.
Edited by Tisy on Sunday 2nd February 13:29
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