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Topic: Minimum survivable budget for a single guy  (Read 920 times)

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Minimum survivable budget for a single guy
« on: July 12, 2009, 06:27:46 AM »
I plan on moving to the UK on the Tier 5 YMS visa, which means that I won't have a job until I get there.  What is the minimum comfortable and livable allowance per month that I should set living in London?  I've been in London before 5 years ago and I realize how expensive it is, but that was from a tourist's point of view.  Hopefully, it's different when you live there.  Anyway, are the following figures per month doable?

Accommodation (hostels for the first month until I can get a job): £300-400
Food/Groceries: £150-200
Travelcard/Oyster card (zones 1-2): £100 ???
mobile phone: £20 ???
Entertainment (I am willing to severely limit this until I can find a job): £30

Total costs for the first month: £600-750

Is this too little or too much?  I won't drive so no petrol/congestion charges and since I will be staying at a hostel, I wouldn't need a TV license.  Any other expenses that I'm not aware of?


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Re: Minimum survivable budget for a single guy
« Reply #1 on: July 12, 2009, 09:49:54 AM »
I'd say a really basic budget in London, student level without entertainment and just taking the bus around (cheaper than the tube) is about 700 to 800 a month, so you should be okay. However, you'll need a little more money to move into a place, won't you? Houseshares sometimes ask for a month's deposit.  Also, will the hostel have unlimited internet and a printer for finding jobs and dropping off cv's? You also haven't included top-up charges on the phone. You can get a phone for that amount but you'll probably spend another 20 a month on pay as you go. Get sandwiches at the end of the workday from Tesco and Sainsburys at the front of the store. Good luck!


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Re: Minimum survivable budget for a single guy
« Reply #2 on: July 13, 2009, 12:47:11 AM »
Thanks Molly.  Considering one of the requirements for getting the visa was for the applicant to have at least £1600, I will have a lot more than that when arriving to the UK.  I just don't want to blow a lot of my savings while I look for a job.

Yeah, I won't be looking for a house share until I find a job since I may end up finding one outside London.  So I'll probably stay at a hostel for a while.  Some hostels have free wifi but I'll be going with Bite Consulting to help me find a job and from what I understand, I can use their facilities while I look for one.

By the way, I'd like to bring my cellphone with me and just change the sim card so I don't really have to buy a new one.  How many minutes does £20 get you?  Is it also better to have a travelcard than an oyster card?

If I aim £700 a month, will that work?
« Last Edit: July 13, 2009, 12:53:36 AM by alterNick »


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