Monthly Expenses

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StellenboschStudent

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I have been lucky enough to not having to pay for my insurance, healthcare and that stuff, that is up until now (yes, daddy payed for everything)...
Anyway, so the problem is, I don't know what is monthly expenses? How musch does one need to earn to be able to pay all the bills?
Here is what I got so far:

Insurance (Car + Home) - R800
Healthcare (comprehensive) - R1200
Electricity - R600
Water + Watse removal - R600 (don't know why, but Stellenbosch is expensive, maybe private contarctors)
Property tax - R300 (I have no idea how much this is)
Cellphone - R500
Internet - R1000
DSTV - R600 (Can maybe skip this and watch everything on the net, but most proper tv sites aren't free)
Petrol - R500 (only live 5km away from varsity)
Domestic worker - R500
Groceries - R2000 (can get away for cheaper)

Totals to R8000

+ normal expenses (movie, party ....)

R9000

Then you want to buy some clothes, service your car and things like that that doesnt happen every month, but once a year, so put away R1000 per month.

R10 000 per month. What am I missing? Don't have to pay of car or house, that is done.
 
R1000 per month for internet? My dad has 4MB ADSL with a Closer 5 I think and WITH calls it's always around R600-R650 ish I think.
Cellphone - R500? I get along just fine with BusinessCall 315 from Vodacom.
If you really want to save some money, well, DSTV is not a necessity I think. Doesn't Maties have a DC network?
Domestic worker (@R60? R80? per day) - How many times a week?

You're still a student (like me) I take? Think I read that you're doing your Phd now in engineering?

Good luck!
 
Dude is the groceries just for yourself? Cause R2000 for one person seems excessive, also need to put in a miscellaneous portion that will look at unexpected expenses during the month.
 
FuNkEr said:
R1000 per month for internet? My dad has 4MB ADSL with a Closer 5 I think and WITH calls it's always around R600-R650 ish I think.
Cellphone - R500? I get along just fine with BusinessCall 315 from Vodacom.
If you really want to save some money, well, DSTV is not a necessity I think. Doesn't Maties have a DC network?
Domestic worker (@R60? R80? per day) - How many times a week?

You're still a student (like me) I take? Think I read that you're doing your Phd now in engineering?

Good luck!
Click to expand...

I want uncapped internet, have it at the moment, the Mweb all-inclusive, and that is R1000/month.
I get a domestic worker once a week, pay R100-R120 per week.
I do agree, DTSV is not a necessity, will give that a skip.

Still a student yes, PhD. Starting to work at the varsity next semester.
 
Lupus said:
Dude is the groceries just for yourself? Cause R2000 for one person seems excessive, also need to put in a miscellaneous portion that will look at unexpected expenses during the month.
Click to expand...

Groceries include all the cleaning things (handy andy, omo, I don't know what all the things are...), I am sure I get away with about R1000-R1200, I am just over budgeting now.
 
Repairs if something breaks? (in your house or car)

Gardener

Security

Levies (if in a complex)
 
Since you're still a student, where's your income coming from?
 
Lol, I was about to say that wage for a domestic worker was well below the minimum wage but then saw you have her in only once a week :p

Don't you need to budget for entertainment?
 
Skip the DSTV - its a rip. Mweb all inclusive in R899 - just saved you R100 :)
Clean the house yourself - you don't need a domestic. If your living by yourself how much of a mess can u make.
The 2k for groceries also seems excessive for one person.
R500 for cell phone is also steep. Get a R200 contract - should be more than enough.
 
RustyPrincess said:
Repairs if something breaks? (in your house or car)

Gardener

Security

Levies (if in a complex)
Click to expand...

Gardener - R250
ADT - R200?
Netstar/Tracker - R200?

Levies are R400

chrissy said:
Since you're still a student, where's your income coming from?
Click to expand...

Junior Lector post and bursaries

Chris said:
Lol, I was about to say that wage for a domestic worker was well below the minimum wage but then saw you have her in only once a week :p

Don't you need to budget for entertainment?
Click to expand...

I do, I guess...
 
gregmcc said:
Skip the DSTV - its a rip. Mweb all inclusive in R899 - just saved you R100 :)
Clean the house yourself - you don't need a domestic. If your living by yourself how much of a mess can u make.
The 2k for groceries also seems excessive for one person.
R500 for cell phone is also steep. Get a R200 contract - should be more than enough.
Click to expand...

Clean myself? Not going to happen, to lasy, and not enough time, I can make a mess if I want to...
I have the iphone talk 120s thingy from vodacom, still under cotract, so can't change that
 
R8000 - R10000 is way to much, you don't even pay rent! You should be able to cut it in half. R2100 just for cellphone, DSTV and internet? Thats more than my rent!
Can't you get a budget from your dad? It will give you a better idea of the amounts. Sorry if I come off a bit harsh, I know you're trying to figure this out.
 
chrissy said:
R8000 - R10000 is way to much, you don't even pay rent! You should be able to cut it in half. R2100 just for cellphone, DSTV and internet? Thats more than my rent!
Can't you get a budget from your dad? It will give you a better idea of the amounts. Sorry if I come off a bit harsh, I know you're trying to figure this out.
Click to expand...

He did say he was going to cut the DSTV though. Why would you need ADT when you live in a complex? Don't they have an access control boom or something to try and prevent robbers from coming into the complex? Obviously it would be good if you were away for a period of time but it's almost like one is 'double-paying'.
 
chrissy said:
R8000 - R10000 is way to much, you don't even pay rent! You should be able to cut it in half. R2100 just for cellphone, DSTV and internet? Thats more than my rent!
Can't you get a budget from your dad? It will give you a better idea of the amounts. Sorry if I come off a bit harsh, I know you're trying to figure this out.
Click to expand...

My dad is out of town, so can't get a "budget" from him now, and I have to start applying for bursaries, so I want to know how much I need to be able to live.

gregmcc said:
Then its going to cost :)

Electricity also seems steep - is it just you by yourself?
Click to expand...

I will pay someone to clean up after me, no problem...

Maybe going to get a house-mate, which will cut most of the costs in half.
 
Chris said:
He did say he was going to cut the DSTV though. Why would you need ADT when you live in a complex? Don't they have an access control boom or something to try and prevent robbers from coming into the complex? Obviously it would be good if you were away for a period of time but it's almost like one is 'double-paying'.
Click to expand...

Thinking about dropping DSTV, most of the time I only watch sport on DSTV, Super14 we go out and watch it at a bar, so F1 i can watch online...
The comkplex advises you to get your own alarm system also. Plus I live at the edge of the comlex, next to a open field, so it is easy to get in (broken in twice, now I have an alarm system).
 
Ja, get a flatmate, cos then everything is divided by 2 and he will pay you rent which can cover your drinking budget
 
Seems fairly reasonable, but as a student, can you honestly get through the month on R1000 for extras? That's R250 per week, including weekends. A meal for 2 alone would be R200, if you're paying and you go to Spur. Still, I'm, sure that you can live comfortably if you're frugal and don't waste money paying for other people often, or upgrade your PC every 6 months
:D
 
flarkit said:
Seems fairly reasonable, but as a student, can you honestly get through the month on R1000 for extras? That's R250 per week, including weekends. A meal for 2 alone would be R200, if you're paying and you go to Spur. Still, I'm, sure that you can live comfortably if you're frugal and don't waste money paying for other people often, or upgrade your PC every 6 months
:D
Click to expand...

If I drop DSTV I get an extra R600... And meals are included in groceries. R250 per week to party is enough. That is about 8 castle draughts a week.
 
StellenboschStudent said:
I have been lucky enough to not having to pay for my insurance, healthcare and that stuff, that is up until now (yes, daddy payed for everything)...
Anyway, so the problem is, I don't know what is monthly expenses? How musch does one need to earn to be able to pay all the bills?
Here is what I got so far:

Insurance (Car + Home) - R800 - fair
Healthcare (comprehensive) - R1200 do you use the full benefits? if not, look for an option in the R800 bracket
Electricity - R600 good
Water + Watse removal - R600 (don't know why, but Stellenbosch is expensive, maybe private contarctors) Ouch!!! this is our full water and electricity and waste removal
Property tax - R300 (I have no idea how much this is) looking at your waste removal, it would probably be more...
Cellphone - R500 HAHA. With 2 contracts, I spend about this. JUST gets me through the month.
Internet - R1000 I want...
DSTV - R600 (Can maybe skip this and watch everything on the net, but most proper tv sites aren't free) remove. You have uncapped! Download what you want (legally :p)
Petrol - R500 (only live 5km away from varsity) nice.
Domestic worker - R500 stop being lazy... you can cut at least 200 from this...
Groceries - R2000 (can get away for cheaper) We pay less than this for 3 people. And we all eat well every month. Budget R1500

Totals to R8000

+ normal expenses (movie, party ....)

R9000

Then you want to buy some clothes, service your car and things like that that doesnt happen every month, but once a year, so put away R1000 per month.

R10 000 per month. What am I missing? Don't have to pay of car or house, that is done.
Click to expand...

you've pretty much got it all down. But can cut your costs by: R400(healthcare) + R600 (DSTV) + Groceries (R500).

So instead of 10k, you should get by on R8500. Then you need to add on the "extras", which is where most of our money disappears to (like magic to some). This is that odd takeaway (I once calculated this to be around R500 for me in one very hungry month), odd unplanned night out (can get pricey too), odd expense (Oh no's! I need new tires/a new windscreen since these damn roadworks vehicles sent a stream of stones flying towards me!)

But ja, cut as many costs as you don't need. Otherwise, PM me your number. I have a financial adviser calling me every week for some reason. I can just tell them to contact you. :D
 
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