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Thread: Finances - How much do you spend a month on bills?

  1. #1
    Veteran Member Cam_chick's Avatar
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    Default Finances - How much do you spend a month on bills?

    Yeah, that's right, I'm 22 and still live at home

    I have never actually lived on my own so I don't have the clearest sense of how much money to expect to spend a month on rent and bills.

    I intend to move out with my boyfriend once we have a safety net of $3000 saved up, which we expect of have early next year, but I'm trying to estimate how much I'll need to earn from camming to be comfortable.

    Apartments around where I live are $850-$950 a month, but how much do you find yourself spending on groceries, utilities, internet, and other such expenses?


    "You don't want to work today?? I get paid 9 dollars an hour to move boxes around, so go fuck yourself. No really, go fuck yourself right now"

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  3. #2
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    Default Re: Finances - How much do you spend a month on bills?

    Hmmm, well let's see....for me it's:

    Rent: 1350 (we just bought a house though, so now it's down to 98
    Gas/electric: 130
    Cable/internet: 150
    Groceries: about 400 (hubby eats a lot)
    Car payment: 435
    Car insurance: 140
    Gas: Maybe 200-250, depends how much we drive. He owns a car, I can't afford to so we share
    My various medical bills: 300
    Credit card payments: about 60

    But that's between two people, so it gets split up pretty equally.

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    Featured Member HaydenBlue's Avatar
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    Default Re: Finances - How much do you spend a month on bills?

    Quote Originally Posted by Cam_chick View Post
    I intend to move out with my boyfriend once we have a safety net of $3000 saved up, which we expect of have early next year, but I'm trying to estimate how much I'll need to earn from camming to be comfortable....
    You need to earn enough that if, for some reason your boyfriend leaves you or stops paying his bills you can support YOURself (not him) on your own. That is "comfort" to me.

    Be financially independent even when you are with a partner. Don't use him as a "crutch" to make a minimum amount because he's forking over half of the bills. Pretend you are living on your own...put the other half of what you make into savings.

    Depending on where you live that number could vary between $1,500-$3,000.







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  6. #4
    loveshooks
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    Default Re: Finances - How much do you spend a month on bills?

    way too fucking much, but c'est la vie. I'm a scrub compared to my guy...I could easily live in a condo half the space and cost, without the 'fancy' cable package and expensive grocery list...hell I don't even buy brand name cola, while Princess likes his coke in individual-serving bottles
    I'm only partly kidding, my share of the bills would be easily $300 per month lower than what they are with us living together (about $1500 each with housing, utilities and food), but I don't mind...we contribute to shared goals, and sometimes he pays for ish like vet bills and insulin for my ancient 'kitten', so it all works out
    When he doesn't complain when said ancient and senile 18 year old kitten forgets where he is and starts howling in the middle of the night, or surprises me something I really do want that I'm too frugal to buy for myself, it's all a wash in my opinion even though a family of 5 could comfortably live in our two-person home...I just run laps inside when it's too cold for a proper run
    for you, I'd say the most important thing is to discuss both of your expectations beforehand...everything is negotiable, but only if you're both willing to be honest about what you need/want

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    Default Re: Finances - How much do you spend a month on bills?

    Not sure of exact amounts for the US as I live in UK, but over here I spend around about the following amounts. Boyfriend and I split the household bills for the most part but i usually end up paying for the shopping and my menageries of pets

    Shopping/groceries per month £100 - £150
    Petrol £80 per month (luckily i hardly have to drive anywhere & run a cheap car)
    Gas (Most people have mains central heating but as we live in the country we have a gas tank which is fucking expensive) £90 - £150 per month during winter
    Water £100 per month
    Electric £35 per month
    council tax (not sure if you have this?) £48
    Internet & Landline phone £15
    Mobile phone £20
    TV Licence £12
    Car insurance £30
    Pet insurance £45
    Rent £465 (this is super low for the UK, average is probably around £650 - £1000) Obviously you'll pay less if you're only living in a room in a shared house for e.g.

    You'll also need to account for extras like pet costs, hobbies, classes, and money towards car maintenance, paying off debts, featuring your profile/ promoting your cam persona, and saving for your future etc. I think you guys also need to have health insurance?

    I usually budget around £1,500 to cover all the above. You can of course get by on much less if you shop around for food/ meal plan, share an apartment with someone else, don't keep pets, look for bargains etc.

    I think that's like $2,390 in your money.

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    Veteran Member Brilynne's Avatar
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    Default Re: Finances - How much do you spend a month on bills?

    Rent- $695
    Electric- $40 give or take
    Groceries- $200
    Internet- $45
    Cellphone- $104
    Furniture payments- $240
    Then throw in $80 or so in cab rides.

    Not bad overall, but for this area it's a bit much
    ~We Be Hustlin', Bitches Be Hatin'~





  10. #7
    Senior Member CherryPepper's Avatar
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    Default Re: Finances - How much do you spend a month on bills?

    Two person, two dog household: We are looking to lower expenses soon as we realize this could be much much lower.

    rent 1595
    auto gas 400
    electric 225
    gas 35
    water 67
    cable/internet 200
    cells 140
    pet insurance 76
    health/life/dental/vision etc. 215
    auto ins 120
    renters ins 57
    co payments and prescriptions 115
    yard work 60
    groceries/household/personal items 1250

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    Senior Member Trix66's Avatar
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    Default Re: Finances - How much do you spend a month on bills?

    I'm the only one I take care of, and the first three items are my share of the bills in the house I share with five friends.

    Rent for my bedroom and my huge closet (two rooms) = $270
    Gas, about to go way the fuck up to like $90
    but in the summer it's practically $0
    Electric ~ $20
    Business Class Internet=$100
    Groceries ~ $500
    Celly (on family plan) ~ $60

    Damn I'm cheap.

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    Veteran Member sweetsam's Avatar
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    Default Re: Finances - How much do you spend a month on bills?

    My monthly expenses:

    $970 for rent (was just renewed so it went up, it was $950)
    $456 for car payment ( I know it's excessive, but it's in my name only, and I bought it brand new)
    $60 for birth control
    $170 for car insurance (geico)
    $170 for cable, internet and phone combined (comcast)
    Electric $135
    Cell phone $50
    Gas $100-$150 (try not to drive a lot)
    Groceries $300

    Total expenses: $2461

    That doesn't include extra things I buy for myself on occasion clothes, makeup, 2 kids
    (stay with dad for now)

    Too much. If I didn't have kids, I would move to a cheaper area/state.




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    Veteran Member msmochaxx's Avatar
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    Default Re: Finances - How much do you spend a month on bills?

    i wont include rent because my apartment is subsidized, and i get food stamps but:
    utilities 95 (budget plan)
    cable/ internet 150
    car payment 390
    gas 100-200

    then after that is saving for debts and extra
    Tell me what do you see? Thug niggas? Drug dealers? Its a trip...every nigga in this whip got a mothafuckin college degree

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    Veteran Member innes's Avatar
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    Default Re: Finances - How much do you spend a month on bills?

    I live by myself ... but my boyfriend is here every weekend ... and right now he is poorer than I am (which is hard to believe) so I always give him like food and stuff to take home for the week ... so I feel like the food is like a person and a half lol.

    (this is in Canada)

    Rent: $550 (I live in a basement apartment, not a real apartment, and it is all inclusive)
    Bus pass: $121
    Groceries: $100 - $200 maybe?? I dunno :p
    Cell: $70 (it's under $70 but I always say $70 just in case I make too many daytime calls or something :p)

    Then of course there are the other things that add up ... like I just bought a new laptop that was over $500 (I needed it ... the old one is gonna crash anytime, it's been around for almost four years now!), clothes, camming/photo supplies (new clothes, toys, webcam, whatever else), bus tickets (to different cities to see my boyfriend), entertainment (clubs, parties, movies, whatever), health supplies (vitamins, medication, shampoo, stuff like that), and just random other things.
    InnesX

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    Featured Member Ms.Lacey's Avatar
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    Default Re: Finances - How much do you spend a month on bills?

    My monthly expenses run about $3300 plus I have a son and 2.5 dogs (smh at my mini zoo)
    Rent: $915
    Gas/electric: $120-200
    Food: $300
    Cable/internet: $140
    Cell: $160 (2 phones)
    Car/insurance: $550
    Furniture payment: $165
    Gas: $250
    Student loans: $157
    Credit cards: $500 (-200 after dec)

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    Veteran Member TXCamgirl's Avatar
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    Default Re: Finances - How much do you spend a month on bills?

    My hubby and I piss away money like it's water and I am changing that starting this month but I can't do anything about the necessary expenses....

    rent: 0$ - live in 1 of the 2 homes I own
    electricity: 287$
    water: 50$
    house ins: 90$
    business ins: 70
    car ins: 111$
    both cellphones: 120$
    internet: 65$
    directTV: 90$
    trash service (every 3 months): 110$
    groceries (trying to work on this and bring it down): 600$ approximately
    gas/cigarettes/bullshit: 500$

    I get 200$ a week from hubby for his half of the bills (which technically that pretty much pays 100% of the bills but I don't tell him that....heh) and he pays his own gas and buys his own cigarettes. I pay 100% for the groceries and my gas, I don't smoke anymore. I also cover any bills that were not covered by his money. I would say I should be spending less than 1000$ a month for everything total but like I said, we really blow through money so I spend a lot more than that but I am changing that before the New Year.

    Edit to add: That is for 4.5 people (will be 5 in April when baby gets here), 4 dogs, 3 cats, and a shit ton of fish including a massive oscar that eats like a mofo.

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    God/dess Zofia's Avatar
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    Default Re: Finances - How much do you spend a month on bills?

    Your total housing: rent or mortgage, utilities, taxes and insurance should not exceed 1/3 of your take home pay. Figure 30% of your gross pay for taxes and at least 10% for savings.

    An example: Gross pay = $1,000 per week or $4,300 per month.
    Rent/mortgage no more than $700/ month
    Taxes, no more than $150/month
    Utilities, no more than $150/month.

    Taxes roughly $1300 per month, more in high tax states.

    Savings at least $430 per month.

    That leaves you $1570 per month for everything else.

    HTH
    Z

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    Default Re: Finances - How much do you spend a month on bills?

    Rent: $1750
    Hydro: around $100 a month
    Net/Cable/Homephone: $200
    Cell and mobile net: $120
    Visa: $150
    Food: varies, but I spent ALOT on food (eat a primarily organic diet) so sometimes up to $200 a week (for just myself lol)

    I am also paying off a good chunk of debt, so I have at least another grand in payments per month, and then I like to make sure I have a bit extra for anything that might come up. My life is tres expensive.

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    Featured Member bubblegumbitch's Avatar
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    Default Re: Finances - How much do you spend a month on bills?

    ..............................
    Last edited by bubblegumbitch; 03-30-2012 at 06:31 AM.

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    Default Re: Finances - How much do you spend a month on bills?

    I'm really interested to see how much variation there is here!

    For me, it breaks down as follows (this is the full amount that is split between myself and my partner..)

    rent - $1000 (going to go up to about $1400 in a couple months when we move)
    Cell phone - $100 (this is just mine, I have no idea what he pays)
    Internet - $60
    Hydro - $20
    Gym membership - $60
    Nail extensions - $60
    Groceries - $200 (ish? This fluctuates a LOT)
    Cat stuff - $30
    Medication and contacts - $100

    Then we go out a LOT - probably spend another $100-200 a week on socializing....its a bit excessive, so we are trying to bring that down.

    On top of that, I personally am putting about $500-$1000 a month toward equipment for tattooing, and another $100 a month or so toward debt.
    I am part of a car co-op, so I only pay if I use it...maaaybe $40 a month, usually closer to $20.

    If you are budgeting to leave home, I would check out average rental prices, and create a reasonable budget, remembering that you should be putting away money for taxes and savings, and that its easy to forget stuff (like cat food, or hair cuts, or contacts) that doesn't come up on a perfectly regular schedule. Its completely doable for one person to live on $50 a week for groceries, but not if your "groceries" include shampoo, makeup, pet food, cleaning supplies, lightbulbs, nail polish, and maybe a new frying pan.....

    I would look through your bank statements and see how much you spend on socializing, toiletries, etc and use that as a base, then add in average rent and bills (you can call the power companies for quotes), and money for food, savings, taxes and emergency fund.
    I take cash, debit or credit. I just don't take shit.


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    Default Re: Finances - How much do you spend a month on bills?

    Quote Originally Posted by MissKatie View Post
    Not sure of exact amounts for the US as I live in UK, but over here I spend around about the following amounts. Boyfriend and I split the household bills for the most part but i usually end up paying for the shopping and my menageries of pets

    Shopping/groceries per month £100 - £150
    Petrol £80 per month (luckily i hardly have to drive anywhere & run a cheap car)
    Gas (Most people have mains central heating but as we live in the country we have a gas tank which is fucking expensive) £90 - £150 per month during winter
    Water £100 per month
    Electric £35 per month
    council tax (not sure if you have this?) £48
    Internet & Landline phone £15
    Mobile phone £20
    TV Licence £12
    Car insurance £30
    Pet insurance £45
    Rent £465 (this is super low for the UK, average is probably around £650 - £1000) Obviously you'll pay less if you're only living in a room in a shared house for e.g.

    You'll also need to account for extras like pet costs, hobbies, classes, and money towards car maintenance, paying off debts, featuring your profile/ promoting your cam persona, and saving for your future etc. I think you guys also need to have health insurance?

    I usually budget around £1,500 to cover all the above. You can of course get by on much less if you shop around for food/ meal plan, share an apartment with someone else, don't keep pets, look for bargains etc.

    I think that's like $2,390 in your money.
    For the record, I am not sure about the US, but Canada has NO council tax and No tv license (seeing as any non-cable channels are basically ass, and everyone with a tv has cable of some sort! lol). Its quite nice.

    On the less than happy side though - mobile phones are INSANELY expensive in comparison, as is food/toiletries...everything! All the little things are stupidly expensive....or there is just no really cheap version - its as if you removed all of primark/asda/lidl/iceland etc...and all you had was average and expensive shops, no super cheap ones. At least, that is what Vancouver is. Having spent a LOT of time in both, Vancouver is more expensive to actually live in than London, by a long shot.
    I take cash, debit or credit. I just don't take shit.


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    Featured Member tinydancer23's Avatar
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    Default Re: Finances - How much do you spend a month on bills?

    $600-$650 rent+utilities (which is high for the area that i live in...i wanted a two bedroom all to myself, lol)
    $50 phone (straighttalk )
    $75 internet
    $200-$300 groceries and household items
    total - $900-1100/mo.

    i don't have cable or a car (i don't know how to drive). i don't have health insurance so i don't go to the doctor. laundry here is expensive (~$40/mo) since i don't have hookups in my apartment. food is somewhat expensive, as is cab fare to get it home - sometimes i go to the grocery store closest to my house because i can walk (it's a natural foods co-op) but it's also the most expensive grocery store in town. i'm working on paying off about $6000 in debt (everything but student loans).

  27. #20
    Featured Member OJenni!'s Avatar
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    Default Re: Finances - How much do you spend a month on bills?

    Housing-$750
    cable/internet-$180
    home phone/cell phone-$230
    Car insurance- $400 (and yes I am a good driver and have no claims, tickets, arrests).
    Gas-$150
    Food-$250
    clothing/pocket cash/other expenses- maybe 200-300 a month

    All in all I am spending around $2100 and I live on my own. I do not have a car payment (thank god).



  28. #21
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    Default Re: Finances - How much do you spend a month on bills?

    Obviously there is a HUGE difference from region to region for typical rents, utility bills, insurance costs etc. While I was still living in ( one of the cheaper cities in ) NY there was no way I could get through the month for less than $2,000 ( meaning I had to gross over $3,000 to have $2,000 left after taxes ). Down here way south of the border, I can 'live lavishly' for about half that amount - with essentially no taxes !

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    Senior Member sillykitty's Avatar
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    Default Re: Finances - How much do you spend a month on bills?

    Rent is like 600
    Utilities are about another 200
    Credit card/medical bills are about another 200

    andddd sometimes I have enough money left over for food and/or gas. If not, it's rice and beans again.

    I live in one room in the middle of nowhere. I'm cheap.

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  31. #23
    Senior Member alys's Avatar
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    Default Re: Finances - How much do you spend a month on bills?

    rent- 500
    utilities -50-80 (50 now, may-aug was about 70 or 80)
    internet- 40
    cell phone - 50
    gas/insurance - 200/mo
    groceries- 300-500 fluctuates. depends where u shop.

    you need at least 1000/ mo to survive, thats for anyone.
    you should have 1000 in your savings before you move for emergency money.

  32. #24
    Banned Fridays's Avatar
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    Default Re: Finances - How much do you spend a month on bills?

    I pay 2100 for my mortgage + 300 food and other stuff + 100 or more for smokes.

    So I pay around $2500/mo to live.

    thats about $83 I need to make Daily just to survive..

    Plus taxes... about $90 daily I . Have. to. make.

  33. #25
    Veteran Member SweetPinkCupcake's Avatar
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    Default Re: Finances - How much do you spend a month on bills?

    -----
    Last edited by SweetPinkCupcake; 10-02-2012 at 09:59 AM.

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