Here are my typical expenses for a month
1) Utilities = SGD80
2) Internet = SGD44
(So upset with M1, when I subscribed it was SGD39 + SGD5 per month for the modem. Now it's like 30+ inclusive of the modem, oh well, can't win them all)
3) Handphone bill = SGD4 (so proud of this) (Wife handphone bill SGD20)
4) Insurance = SGD250 x 2
5) Town council = SGD90
6) Food = about SGD5 per person per day regardless cook or buy on weekdays (20 weekdays) (SGD200)
7) Weekend food = SGD80 per weekend (SGD320)
8) Petrol = SGD200
9) Parking = SGD110
10) Some misc stuff, presents, going out, overseas, etc
So typical monthly expenses are about SGD500 on the UOB card for each of us.
Around SGD1000
PLUS
Around SGD300 in the secondary card (ANZ Optimum) for discretionary food spending
PLUS
Insurance which we use GIRO to pay, around SGD250 x 2 = SGD500
HDB parking which we use GIRO to pay, SGD110
So it amounts to around SGD2000 plus a bit every month on basic expenses.
Then we have some overseas travel expenses which is around SGD1500 x 4 times a year
Then we have allowances which we give our parents. Not going to mention the quantum. To each their own.
I continue to give my parents a monthly amount, even though I'm not working.
Being unemployed is my decision. It should not affect the lifestyle of the people around me.
Anyway, living by ourselves has not really increased our expenses.
There is a real temptation to go out and eat everyday and eat nice stuff at that.
But we came to a decision. We will eat normal food on weekdays.
Either I cook since I'm not working or we eat food court/hawker food.
Any luxurious food should only be for weekends or special situations, as it really is so easy to just go and eat more expensive food when living by ourselves and we also have a car. It's really like we can just go anywhere anytime.
I probably could cut down my expenses a lot more. I really spend a lot on food. It's the thing that makes me happy. Everyone has their own weakness, hobby, etc. Some like to play golf and buy nice golf clubs, some folks like to go fishing, some like the latest phones, some like... whatever.
I like to eat. It makes me happy. Doesn't mean I'm not happy eating hawker food or cooking for myself.
I'm happy to eat that too.
I'm just happier eating in a nicer restaurant. Oh and nicer to me is around SGD30 per pax. Anymore than that makes me not happy cos I'm spending too much on the meal.
Another good point about staying by ourselves is that we are now able to cook our own steak.
Both our parents don't consume beef at their place so if we wanted to have a steak we would need to go out to eat. Steak is expensive in most restaurants. Now I can get good quality cuts at a fraction of the price. I can make it to the done-ness which I like and less oil and less salt and all that. So that's one of the really nice things of staying by ourselves amongst other things.
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