ESB bills for the last few months have come out at around €160 per person (due to one housemate working from home and so leaving heat on all day long. I HAVE had words...but seems to go in one ear and out the other!) but I anticipate those coming down now the coldest part is hopefully over!
Another thing you could do to save money is avail of the taxsaver commuter tickets through your employer. The way it works is that your employer buys your annual ticket, and you then sacrifice part of our salary each week/fortnight/month to pay for it. The deduction is made before tax, meaning you don't pay tax on your ticket. More information here: [broken link removed]
Are you living with friends? If you're not, you need to tell them you'll refuse to pay an equal share of the ESB bill if they abuse it. I share a house with two other adults, one of whole runs the boiler unnecessarily for hours every evening and our ESB bills are between €15 and €35 per person per month. €160 per person is nuts!
I had this last year but the ticket only ever lasted a month or so before it stopped working in the machines. I ended up having to buy a single ticket on top of paying for the annual one just so I could get out of the Dart station if I worked late and missed the rush! Figured i'd save money by just paying for weekly tickets.
In regards to moving to a new place, surely you would be due back a deposit of €550? That would only leave you needing 250 to make up your €800, maybe you could ask the parents for this, short term? Definitely try switch your balance to a 0% balance transfer offer and work on this weekly to reduce it.
Hi,
Just as a quick overview of your expenses - the ESB is crazy. Something you may want to check on that - are you being stung for someone elses arrears? Ask to see the most recent bill and check that.
Gym - 75. I understand that you may use the gym and its a great outlet for stress relief, losing weight etc... But for 75 quid a month its too expensive. There is no exercise that you cant do for free with a bit of imagination. You can make weights with bags of sand, you can run outdoors instead of using a treadmill, similiar for cycling. In fact, you could probably join a free hillwalking group or similiar for all over workout once a week anyway.
Think like Rocky in Rocky 4 - run up and down hills outdoors with tins of beans in your hands. Gym is a luxury - you dont need it, you can stay fit and exercise for free.
On that subject - could you get a second hand bike (probably for the cost of one months gym) and cycle to work and some social events? That way you get the cardio in, and you dont pay on the DART, bus, taxis etc....?
3/4 nights out a month - way too much. 1 night out a month - and other than that cheap socialising, go out and dont drink, go to a friends house and watch a dvd.
Food - shop as cheap as you can in Aldi, Lidl, and special offers, cook batches of stuff and freeze portions.
Haircuts - ask a friend to give you trims for free - if youre a man find a friend with a blade machine, if your a woman just get a pal with a steady hand to trim the split ends.
Im a woman and I get my OH to trim my split ends with his blade machine, works a treat, saves a fortune.
I wouldn't get the deposit back until after i've moved out, though...so fair enough i'm not out of pocket at all in the long run. Initially, though, i'd still need to pay my 550 rent on the current place, the 400 deposit on the new place and the 400 1st months rent on the new place. Then i'd get the 550 back. But I'd still need to find that 800 to start with! Do you see what I mean?
Parents - unfortunately are a no-no. They can't afford to give me a dig out.
Did you pay a month's rent in advance?
esb is mad. dont pay anymore of this. if they have a problem then bring in the landlord. i have a big house and its about 120 per two months in total, and that includes having an electric fire on most evenings.
I'll definately look into this ESB stuff so. I didn't realise it was any more expensive than it should have been. We've an electrician and plumber coming in sometime this week to sort out radiators and hot water for us so will have a word then.
I paid my deposit of 550 and then the first months rent of 550. So won't get the 550 deposit back until the new person moves in, which won't be until i've moved out!
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