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Learning to budget for day-to-day life in the US (Florida)

Learning to budget for day-to-day life in the US (Florida)

Old Nov 14th 2017, 6:41 pm
  #136  
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Default Re: Learning to budget for day-to-day life in the US (Florida)

Originally Posted by Pulaski

If I only I could persuade Mrs P to use a clothes line instead of the dryer. I might ask the Devil to have a word with her on the way past when he skates to work!

That sounds easy to fix -- you take over laundry duties and do it your way!
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Old Nov 14th 2017, 7:05 pm
  #137  
 
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Default Re: Learning to budget for day-to-day life in the US (Florida)

Originally Posted by Nutmegger
That sounds easy to fix -- you take over laundry duties and do it your way! ....
I'm working on it, one step at a time. Towels were first, and after a couple of months of making sure I did them my way I asked Mrs P if she had noticed a change. She had, and was favorable to the change - now towels, at last, don't get conditioner.

I may try to introduce a clothes line next spring, but I will be §çrewed if she ever comes home and finds the laundry still outside. That said, most things will be dry after half an hour in the sun here.
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Old Nov 14th 2017, 8:16 pm
  #138  
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Default Re: Learning to budget for day-to-day life in the US (Florida)

I have trouble enough getting Mrs to use the eco mode on the dryer. One thing we did try was running the hot water a tiny bit before putting the dishwasher on. It made a tiny difference by not having the dishwasher heat the water.
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Old Nov 14th 2017, 8:40 pm
  #139  
 
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Default Re: Learning to budget for day-to-day life in the US (Florida)

Originally Posted by mrken30
I have trouble enough getting Mrs to use the eco mode on the dryer. One thing we did try was running the hot water a tiny bit before putting the dishwasher on. .....
I do that, and with the washing machine too.
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Old Nov 14th 2017, 11:17 pm
  #140  
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Default Re: Learning to budget for day-to-day life in the US (Florida)

Originally Posted by Pulaski
...now towels, at last, don't get conditioner.

Why, oh why, do people put conditioner in with towels??? It might make them soft and fluffy but makes them about as useful for towelling off water as Izal is for wiping backsides...
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Old Nov 14th 2017, 11:43 pm
  #141  
 
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Default Re: Learning to budget for day-to-day life in the US (Florida)

Originally Posted by zzrmark
Why, oh why, do people put conditioner in with towels??? .....
Because all ads for conditioner show a big pile of bouncy, fluffy towels!
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Old Nov 15th 2017, 12:13 am
  #142  
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Default Re: Learning to budget for day-to-day life in the US (Florida)

Originally Posted by Nutmegger
That is phenomenally cheap! Mine is about $30 to 50 more per month, with no a/c or heating involved.
Ours was $119 for the month of October. We had the a/c going 24/7 because it was still in the high 80's and 90's down here.
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Old Nov 15th 2017, 12:25 am
  #143  
 
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Default Re: Learning to budget for day-to-day life in the US (Florida)

Originally Posted by Rete
Ours was $119 for the month of October. We had the a/c going 24/7 because it was still in the high 80's and 90's down here.
If your AC was "going 24/7" when the temperatures are in the high 80's, or even low-mid 90's, it is broken and needs to be repaired or replaced.
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Old Nov 15th 2017, 12:32 am
  #144  
 
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Default Re: Learning to budget for day-to-day life in the US (Florida)

Originally Posted by beatusrhenanus
It's been more than 3 months since we moved, so I have a more realistic set of numbers from our monthly expenditure on our bank statements and W2 forms now. I will share these approximate figures in case it helps anyone else considering this issue. I am excluding start-up purchases for which we paid up-front with savings from this list (furniture, bikes, car), so that only regular expenses are included. This is a budget for 2 people on one income.

Rent for large 1BR flat: $1500 (includes water, trash)

Groceries: $750 (mostly from ALDI, occasional treat from Publix)

Medical: $650 (includes premiums, appointment co-pays, 90-day mail order prescriptions, and dentist - this is for routine care, and note that we have very generous state employee health insurance)

Pre-tax deductions from the paycheck (retirement savings, life insurance): $300 (plan to increase this as soon as I get a raise)

Car insurance: $180

Petrol and tolls: $50 (note that we live near work/grocery stores and so drive very little, and bike a lot - especially now the temperature is "only" in the 70s F)

Mobile phone contracts: $50

Electricity: Averages around $80 - more in August, less in October

Internet: $60 (we don't have cable or a landline)

Other: $200

Total: $3820

Income: approx. $4100 after tax

So, overall, the differences between income and expenditure is a couple of hundred dollars - less than I would like, but once we can go dual-income, if we can maintain this level of expenditure, we should be in a much more comfortable position. Also thinking about getting a mortgage on a modest house (we have savings for a deposit) and having lower monthly accommodation costs, but this seems risky until green cards are secured.
Your grocery bills will probably start to fall too as you'll have had to buy everything from scratch to stock your cupboards to cook. You won't need to buy a bottle of olive oil, a jar of peppercorns every month...
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Old Nov 15th 2017, 12:43 pm
  #145  
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Default Re: Learning to budget for day-to-day life in the US (Florida)

Just wanted to suggest that you look at Sedano's in the Orlando area. It's a hispanic grocery store chain, and the prices are really good, I'd say quality's better than Walmart or WinnDixie (though those are disappearing in the area). We end up getting really good quality and very cheap meat there, as they tend to do deals for larger amounts, so you get several pounds at a reduced rate and have the butcher cut it up however you like. Whatever you don't use that week, you freeze. The fruit and veg are also good quality and pretty cheap. Also keep an eye out for Publix coupons, (check their website, they have digital versions) there's usually some in the Sentinel.
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Old Nov 15th 2017, 12:48 pm
  #146  
 
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Default Re: Learning to budget for day-to-day life in the US (Florida)

Originally Posted by mistijuel
.... I'd say quality's better than Walmart ....
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