Originally Posted by sam60 (Post 12412952)

I'm relocating to Lancashire at the end of March 2018 after 30 years in Switzerland. I have decided the best thing to do is to take a 6 month studio rental, while I learn how to stand on my own two feet and hopefully get a job. After initial expenses of buying a car, TV licence, tenants home insurance, car insurance, how much should I budget for household expenses and food for a single person after payment of rent and Council tax? Thanks.

Originally Posted by morpeth (Post 12413059)

Depends on where you live and your lifestyle, but would guess if you are reasonable frugal, taking into account internet, cell phone, food , eating out once a week, household items, miscellaneous but excluding petrol, 400 to 650 pounds a month . Food costs I have found can vary a lot depending on the quality.

Originally Posted by mikelincs (Post 12413081)

Glad I don't lead that sort of lifestyle, we, a couple, manage on half that, and we live in the South.

Originally Posted by mikelincs (Post 12413081)

Glad I don't lead that sort of lifestyle, we, a couple, manage on half that, and we live in the South.

Originally Posted by christmasoompa (Post 12413973)

Sounds crazy expensive to me too, if it's excluding petrol. We probably spend about the higher end of that on the things mentioned and we're a family of 4 with numerous pets. I'd imagine a single person could live on half that easily, if not less, and not even being particularly frugal.

Originally Posted by christmasoompa (Post 12414037)

You're including electricity, water etc, none of which I'd counted as the OP said he was renting a studio (so bills would be included). OP also said a single person, not sure where you've got a couple from?

I'll try and break down our expenditure excluding bills tomorrow and work out what figure I think a single person should budget for.

Originally Posted by Shard (Post 12414081)

Groceries...about £200 pm (very frugal) to £400 pm (not frugal) above that, for a single person, would be expensive-tastes, I would say.

Originally Posted by morpeth (Post 12414150)

I agree, 200 pounds a month equates to 46 pounds per week so not even 7 pounds per day. One could eat on that, but fairly frugal especially if one wants fruits and vegetables, which I find more expensive ( and less variety) than in the USA- on the other hand decent UK and European cheese ( hard to find at a reasonable price or even to find at all in most parts of USA) seems very reasonably priced to me.

Originally Posted by Shard (Post 12414156)

Yes fruit and veg can increase the budget quickly. As do things like toiletries, detergents, batteries, and all those other consumables that are in a monthly spend.

Originally Posted by morpeth (Post 12414158)

The OP moving from Switzerland so he will find everything less expensive anyway. I still think 400 a month for a reasonable frugal person for the expenses described a better figure than 200 pounds a month.

Originally Posted by sam60 (Post 12414215)

Thanks for all the feedback, Infact I’m relocating to the Preston / Blackpool area so less expensive that the South. I suppose my question is now ....how much should I budget for electric/gas in a studio / one bedroom flat? Water rates?mobile/tv/internet package connection?

Originally Posted by morpeth (Post 12414143)

As far as reference to couple, it was in reference to the poster form the South, and the more and more I think about it as I listed the expenses I had in Midwest I doubt they would be that much less in the South ( though I didn't include heating which I found quite expensive in Midwest area I was in).

Originally Posted by morpeth (Post 12414143)

I will be interested what figures you come up with-the other posters said that could live on 1/2 of figures I quoted : to live on 200 pounds a month in UK considering food, telephone and internet, some toiletries and household items (and surely most people need to get their hair cut, occasionally buy clothes, washing powder for laundry) even if utilities included in rent, is a frugal lifestyle.

I will be curious what your estimate of costs would be especially for food.

Originally Posted by christmasoompa (Post 12414277)

So for me, that would be food, travel i.e. petrol, other groceries i.e. cleaning products, entertainment etc.

For a family of 4, we spent £400-480 a month on groceries (that includes cleaning products and some pet food). We eat well, lots of fresh fruit and veg but I batch cook and don't buy convenience food, so I'd guess a single person could live on £50 a week quite easily.

Petrol we don't spend anything as we have electric or hybrid vehicles, but assuming a small car and not huge mileage then I'd guess a tank every couple of weeks? So £30 or so a week.

Our phone bill/internet/landline is £20 a month. My mobile phone is £10 a month.

Entertainment, again I'm probably not the best person to ask as we very rarely eat out and we use the library for books, and Amazon Prime for films, so our costs are next to nothing.

I think £300 a month for a single person is doable (as evidenced by Mikelincs, who says he and his wife don't spend that amount for 2 of them), £400 for a few more luxuries or entertainment?

It's hard to say though given we're a family of 4 with two very hungry children (my teenager eats a lot more than me now!) and lots of pets, but we manage on a not dissimilar budget to the one you've quoted for one person, so I think the OP can get by on quite a bit less personally.

HTH.

Originally Posted by Shard (Post 12414284)

Those are impressively frugal grocery numbers!

Originally Posted by Shard (Post 12414284)

How do you keep your landline+internet so low?

Originally Posted by sam60 (Post 12414215)

Thanks for all the feedback, Infact I’m relocating to the Preston / Blackpool area so less expensive that the South. I suppose my question is now ....how much should I budget for electric/gas in a studio / one bedroom flat? Water rates?mobile/tv/internet package connection?

Originally Posted by christmasoompa (Post 12414285)

Good old Lidl. :lol:



We don't use our landline for calls, so our package is just line rental and broadband, that's it. I use my mobile for calls as I have 600 minutes a month and never get anywhere close to that!

Originally Posted by christmasoompa (Post 12414277)

You seem to be talking about the southern US - I'd assumed (given it's on a thread about UK living costs) that Mikelinc's was talking about being in the south of the UK. You're also talking about a couple, whereas I was responding to the OP's post which said a single person, and you're including thing that I haven't included (i.e. you now mention council tax above, but the OP specifically says he's looking for an idea of costs excluding that).

I think that's why there's such a difference in what we think the figures should be, we're comparing apples and oranges.



The OP asked about expenses after rent (which would normally include utilities excluding telephone), council tax, insurance etc for a single person.

So for me, that would be food, travel i.e. petrol, other groceries i.e. cleaning products, entertainment etc.

For a family of 4, we spent £400-480 a month on groceries (that includes cleaning products and some pet food). We eat well, lots of fresh fruit and veg but I batch cook and don't buy convenience food, so I'd guess a single person could live on £50 a week quite easily.

Petrol we don't spend anything as we have electric or hybrid vehicles, but assuming a small car and not huge mileage then I'd guess a tank every couple of weeks? So £30 or so a week.

Our phone bill/internet/landline is £20 a month. My mobile phone is £10 a month.

Entertainment, again I'm probably not the best person to ask as we very rarely eat out and we use the library for books, and Amazon Prime for films, so our costs are next to nothing.

I think £300 a month for a single person is doable (as evidenced by Mikelincs, who says he and his wife don't spend that amount for 2 of them), £400 for a few more luxuries or entertainment?

It's hard to say though given we're a family of 4 with two very hungry children (my teenager eats a lot more than me now!) and lots of pets, but we manage on a not dissimilar budget to the one you've quoted for one person, so I think the OP can get by on quite a bit less personally.

HTH.

Originally Posted by Shard (Post 12414293)

Does it mean you don't have a landline? Ours costs £25 a month and does not get much use.

Lidl has some good prices, but I find the variety a bit low. I do like their deli section, however. What kind of things do you batch cook?

Originally Posted by morpeth (Post 12414297)

Perhaps a silly question, why have a landline ? I stopped having when I was in USA, and also when in UK ? Except when I had to have a fax at home for work ( and even now there are programs to send/receive a fax on the computer) , haven't seen any need for a landline.

I agree about Lidl , some good prices on many things but variety a bit lacking.

Originally Posted by Shard (Post 12414293)

Does it mean you don't have a landline?

Originally Posted by Shard (Post 12414293)

Lidl has some good prices, but I find the variety a bit low. I do like their deli section, however. What kind of things do you batch cook?

Originally Posted by christmasoompa (Post 12414305)

No, we have one, just don't use it for calls but it's there in case of emergency. Are you paying £25 a month just for the landline?!? That's crazy. Look at somebody like Plusnet and you'll get line rental plus unlimited broadband for under £20.



Our Lidl is pretty good, I tend to a do a bigger shop at Costco every month to stock up stuff as well, and then shop at Lidl the rest of the time.

All sorts of things, curries, pasta sauces, chilli, pies, hotpot, lasagne, casseroles, etc. I love a risotto for using up leftovers as you can bung anything in it, and I'll do something like a beef and chorizo casserole and make it last ages, we'll have it one night with jacket spuds and veg, then another night with rice, then cooked up again and used as pasta sauce etc.

HTH.

Originally Posted by Shard (Post 12414323)

That's some food for thought. :lol:

Based on your numbers it seems that an adult could survive on £5 per day (food) which I suppose is possible, if one is a moderate eater. Big if in my case! It does put into perspective how cost ineffective some of those ready meals can be. Think I might need to do a frugality experiment!

Originally Posted by morpeth (Post 12414343)

I agree one could do 5 pounds a day, though I think cooking ability does come into play, but also quality of food one finds acceptable.

Originally Posted by Shard (Post 12414387)

Of late, I've been wondering why my grocery bills are so high, and this thread has really got me thinking. When I break down the cost of individual meals, they're not that high (eg. breakfast today, £1.50, good bacon and good eggs) and yet, I'm averaging around £10 per day. It must be snacks or something. Strange.

Originally Posted by christmasoompa (Post 12414399)

we are lucky enough to save on things like good eggs (we have chickens) and meat (we raise and butcher our own pigs), .

Originally Posted by Pondlife (Post 12432884)

Hi ya. I live in Cornwall with my wife. Obviously some things you can reduce my 50% as you are single.
There are the numbers for us on a monthly basis.
Council tax £143
House insurance £48
Food etc £780
Electricity £87
Mobile £53
Sky broadband, phone and TV (basic) £48
Oil for AGA 75
Water £15
Fuel £140

Originally Posted by Pondlife (Post 12432884)

Hi ya. I live in Cornwall with my wife. Obviously some things you can reduce my 50% as you are single.
There are the numbers for us on a monthly basis.
Council tax £143
House insurance £48
Food etc £780
Electricity £87
Mobile £53
Sky broadband, phone and TV (basic) £48
Oil for AGA 75
Water £15
Fuel £140

Originally Posted by verystormy (Post 12433411)

I would say that is very high!

Originally Posted by christmasoompa (Post 12433475)

Ditto! Nearly £200 a week on food for two people. :eek:

Originally Posted by verystormy (Post 12433411)

I would say that is very high!

My wife and I live in central Scotland, I work but she doesn't. So, home all day.
Council tax not sure, but from memory about the same.
Don't have house insurance as in rental
Food about £350 - 400 max and we are very food driven!
Electricity £40 - two bed country cottage
Mobile £10
Don't have sky as there are hundreds of free channels these days. Internet £23
Gas £35
Water in with council tax
Fuel. I travel a lot with work, but if not doing big (1000 miles a week) then about £80

Originally Posted by christmasoompa (Post 12414037)

You're including electricity, water etc, none of which I'd counted as the OP said he was renting a studio (so bills would be included). OP also said a single person, not sure where you've got a couple from?

I'll try and break down our expenditure excluding bills tomorrow and work out what figure I think a single person should budget for.

Originally Posted by old.sparkles (Post 12434294)

Contents insurance?

Originally Posted by old.sparkles (Post 12434294)

Contents insurance?

Originally Posted by Pondlife (Post 12434664)

Building and Contents insurance £24 a month

The 'food' bill includes cleaning stuff, dog and cat food and every other bit and bob for the house (Sainsburys)

I too think it's a lot. I am sure I could reduce this by £150-£200 a month. At least I hope so as I am the only one that works and finding it tough

Originally Posted by Pondlife (Post 12434664)

Building and Contents insurance £24 a month

The 'food' bill includes cleaning stuff, dog and cat food and every other bit and bob for the house (Sainsburys)

I too think it's a lot. I am sure I could reduce this by £150-£200 a month. At least I hope so as I am the only one that works and finding it tough