On avg...how much is your gas bill, electric bill and cable??? HELP?

Question

Im thinking about renting a 1 bedroom apatment its very nice..in ohio and i have no clue how much to budget my pay check towards bills. How much is your gas bill,electric and cable. What size is your house/apartment? And last were do you live??

And any tips on saving money for an 18 year old getting there first apartment alone..are welcome!!

Answer 1

I live in MI just north of Toledo, OH. We rent a 2 bedroom apt that has a decent sized living room, decent sized kitchen and a mudroom.

My gas and elec come on one bill through Consumers. We have the budget plan where they average the total spent over the previous year and divide by 12 month so that the bill is the same every month rather than being super cheap in the summer and way too expensive in the winter. So our average is $180 per month to cover both elec and gas. (our furnace and hot water heater is gas, dryer and stove are both electric)

We have digital cable with the HD channels and one of the movie packages and our cable bill is about $75 per month.

Hope this info helps you out.

Oh yeah, I don't know if you have to pay a water bill as well, but we live in town so we do, it averages around 60-65 each month, with 4 of us taking showers and using a washing machine.

Don't forget that you will also need to be thinking about your phone bill, internet, and food. Lots to pay for when living on your own. (maybe get a 2 bedroom and a roommate?)

One tip on saving some electricity is to unplug any energy suckers that you are not using at the time such as microwaves, coffeepots, etc. They suck a lot of electricity just to have that stupid little display light up when you are not usuing them 95% of the time. (we save about $10 a month by doing this, i know not a whole lot but it adds up)

Go on to Yahoo Groups and do a search for your local Freecycle group to find lots of free stuff people are just giving away (like furniture, dishes, etc.)

or go here to find your local freecycle group: http://www.freecycle.org/

I have been a member of my local freecycle now for a few months and have gotten a good used excercise bike and a wheelbarrow, and I have given things away I no longer needed too like my kids cribs and things like that.

Answer 2

house- 5 bedrooms (so it's large)

$1355.00 a month

$100 gas- (oven and dryer are gas)

$200 electric (ac is on)\

Philadelphia

Easy way to do it-

Basically you want to be able to pay your rent with two weeks of your paycheck at the MOST.  So if you only make $300 a week then your rent should be no more then $600- which leaves you plenty for food, water and heat.

Save money- get netflicks for $23.00 a month instead of cable which is at least $60 a month.  Shop sales for food and compare compare prices of everything.  Also find a apartment that the utilities are all included!  Ditch the cell phone or don't get a home line- give up one.  Don't buy new funiture or anything- go to goodwill and yardsales for your plates, sofa, glasses and lamps.

Answer 3

Where I live now I only pay the cable, internet and phone, that bill alone is about $130 w/ taxes.  At my old house, which was 3 bedrooms, my last electric bill was $176, which was in the late summer, early fall, in PA

Answer 4

In Ohio, in a 1200 sq ft apartment, I have paid:

$106 a month in gas. (Call up the local gas company, give htem the address and ask them what the 12 month average monthly cost was for gas, and they will tell you.)

$40ish for electric. Same deal: Call the electric company and ask with a specific address.

$0 for cable. (Rabbit ears -- not a TV watcher). You can check these prices on the cable companies' sites.

Answer 5

$ 370/month; 2400 square feet; Michigan.

Get a 2 bedroom and a roommate to share expenses.

Answer 6

Go with someone who includes some type of utilities.  In your rent will include under contract some utilities.  You might pay more but in the summer you can turn that AC down and in the winter you can turn that heat UP.  Your least expense will be cable and internet if you do it right.  Go with the local phone company and get all three.  It will be cheaper and more reliable than your local cable provider.  This is up for debate.  It is in my area.

Gas Bill for 3,000+ footage house for me: 100ish

Cable, Internet, and Phone unlimited: 110

Electric: 52 (Everything is on a timer.  Lightbulbs used to save energy)

Sewer: 30

You are looking at probably an additional 150 a month to keep everything running if you get the right rental property with a good contract.  Pay the rent higher if they cover the cost of bills.  It is worth it in the long run.  You can share with everyone.  You are in a contract and your price won't increase with commodities.