Monthly Living Costs

[natalie_1982]

Hi, if you can think of a better category to post this then please feel free to report and send me on my way.....!

Myself and my husband are in the process of buying our first home and would like an idea of our monthly utility bills; specifically gas, electric and water. I know how much council tax and buildings and contents insurance will be.

I have been looking online for ages but without an exisiting supplier I can't get a quote or even an idea.
We live (and are looking to buy) on a housing estate just outside Oxford (if you need the name of the area / postcode then post and let me know), and it will be just the two of us who work full time (out of the house between 7am and 4pm) in a 3 bedroom property.

Please could people give me an idea of what they spend or point me in the direction of a helpful website, I may have been googling the wrong information. We will be very, very grateful. Thanks

[ck1]

It will depend on things like whether your heating / cooker is gas or electric as these will probably be your biggest uses of either one. The average bills are �522 and �338 a year for gas and electricity respectively, average water is about �300. I pay slightly higher than this for a 4 bedroom house so these figures might be a good basis for a 3 bedroom

Regarding contents/buildings insurance, I just cut my bill in half by moving from direct line to HSBC so that might be another good way to save some cash!

Good luck with the move!

[sharkymoran]

We're in a similar sitiuation to you, 3 bed detached, both working, live in Berkshire with 1 hungry spaniel. Electric and gas we pay a fixed rate by direct debit and often find they owe us money every year. Below is our current monthly outgoings, we could probably get cheaper but too lazy to look... which is sad and daft, especially as I'm a Scot!!

Good luck with the move, we're in the process of moving ourselves so know what you're going through...... STRESS!!!



Telephone 21.00 BT
TV License 11.37
House Insurance 39.95 Legal & General
Electric 36.00 Southern Electric
Gas 46.00 Southern Electric
Water 29.05 South East Water
Council Tax 143.00 RBWM

[Memore]

I live on my own in two bed house in London BT with internet is �60 gas is �29 and Electric �22 both Southern Electric = Water is �11 have halved that since getting a meter fitted and council tax is �70 but I get discount for single occupancy my water is with Thames Water

I am out most of day and have timers on heating and turn it off manually if leaving early also only do washing etc in evening weekends when rate is cheaper also BT Together 2 is free evening weekend calls - Uswitch or powerswitch good to compare prices = why not ask your neighbour or Transco will tell you who property gas supplied by - I check my costs evey six months or so to compare but until you have lived somewhere one year and had a winter bill its hard to measure it = direct debit is cheapest way to pay never meter or key fob payments