My budget, is all this sufficient?!

If I get refused because rent is not enough, then it's plain stupid.

How is it stupid that they require you be able to support yourselves?! 

If you aren't contributing enough to the rent/utilities, they will notice as they've cracked down on third-party financial support.  You'll need to be as detailed as you can with your budget:

Rent (should be reasonable)

Insurance (contents insurance, car insurance, etc.)

Council Tax (if this is included in the rent, again, it should be reasonable and reflect that)

Utilities (if this is included in the rent, again, it should be reasonable and reflect that)

Telephone (landline? contract mobiles?  PAYG?)

TV license (if this is included in the rent, again, it should be reasonable and reflect that)

Health (non-BC medications aren't free, contacts/glasses, etc.)

Loans (or any other type of monthly bill)

Transportation (petrol, bus/train/metro passes, cab fares, car payments, taxes, & maintenance, etc.)

Food (£40-50/week is probably reasonable for 2 people)

Entertainment/pets/misc

It has changed a lot and I do feel sorry for people applying now.  When I applied two years ago he made about £900/month and we just lived with his parents (who he works for) with little to no questions asked.  But it's not stupid.  It's just hard and requires a lot of research to make sure that you get to be together. 

I WOULD ADD ALL THAT UP! But then the leftover money will go down dramatically. Then, I'll get refused for not having enough money to support ourselves. I think it's pretty lame considering I've lived here for nearly 6 months and we've been supporting ourselves fine! I'm just upset because I understand you are all trying to help but all I hear is, " You need to add more to utilities, rent, television, phone, blah blah," " Oh, but you also need that 400 + pounds leftover." I mean, we don't make a whole lot of money. We will be fine once I'm able to work. I'll be able to contribute alot more. I just don't know what to do!!

car insurance: we dont have a car. or any insurance.

Council tax: I suppose it will be included in the rent.

utilities: will be included in the rent.

telephone: cell phone: 50£.

Health: I dont take any medications or anything.

Food:i included with the left over money.

I'm so stressed out. I don't know what to do.

I think it's pretty lame considering I've lived here for nearly 6 months and we've been supporting ourselves fine!

But think about it.  If you lived on your own, even in a shared house, paying say £260/month (or £60/wk) in rent for just a room plus your share of the bills and council tax (that could add up to £100/month for the both of you)...you guys could conceivably struggle to support yourselves with the budget you've given.  Something like that suggests that the very low rent you have included in your budget is perhaps a bit too low...

But what am I supposed to do?   If it wasn't for the loans, we'd be fine. But we needed them at the time. We are planning on getting our own place once I start working. We are thinking of including a budget of what my earnings would be like once I start working. Obviously going with minimum wage and being full time. I'll most likely earn like 800 £ a month. maybe a bit less. We then can up the rent, utilities, etc. We will have alot more money for us left over. With both of us working, we will be able to to get an appartment and support ourselves. The rent for here currently, is 402£. There are 2 other people living here. What else can I do???  :\\\'( 

But think about it.  If you lived on your own, even in a shared house, paying say £260/month (or £60/wk) in rent for just a room plus your share of the bills and council tax...you guys would really struggle to support yourselves with the budget you've given.  Something like that suggests that the very low rent you have included in your budget is perhaps a bit too low...

This is the problem - you're budget needs to show that you would be able to support yourselves without living with his parents (for example, if something happened after you got the visa and you could no longer live with them) and unfortunately this can be expensive.

If you were going to be living in an apartment, for example, your monthly budget without extras might look something like:

Rent: £500-600
Utilities: £100
Food: £100-200
Council Tax: £100
Cell phone: £50
TV licence: £15

Total: £865-£1065

Now, obviously this is more than his income.... and that's the issue the IO will have. Even if you'll be living with his parents, they will expect to you be able to afford the above. Now, the budget would be totally reasonable for your other half to support just himself - £433 - £533 per month with around £400 left over - that would be fine, but it doesn't look to be enough for 2 people if you're not able to work as well. It might seem stupid or lame, but the IO can easily refuse the visa because of it.

But what am I supposed to do?   If it wasn't for the loans, we'd be fine. But we needed them at the time. We are planning on getting our own place once I start working. We are thinking of including a budget of what my earnings would be like once I start working. Obviously going with minimum wage and being full time. I'll most likely earn like 800 £ a month. maybe a bit less. We then can up the rent, utilities, etc. We will have alot more money for us left over. With both of us working, we will be able to to get an appartment and support ourselves. The rent for here currently, is 402£. There are 2 other people living here. What else can I do???  :\\\'( 

What about the idea of him coming to the US, you getting married there and then just applying for the spousal visa right away. That way you wouldn't have to pay out for 2 visas (fiancee and spousal) within 6 months and you could work from day one, which could solve your budget problems.

is there any way he can save up some money for a few months?

But I will be working once I get my spousal visa. We get married in october of this year and then will be applying for my spousal visa right away. Obviously, we will be able to afford our own place once I start working. Could my "future budget" help? We've talked about getting married in america but he just wasn't to keen on it. will they really refuse me on the budget I provided? It's not like he will be supporting me for a long time. will only be for a few months.

is there any way he can save up some money for a few months?

We can't. I'm going home in 2 weeks and will apply right away. We don't want to have to wait more. We've waited enough.  :\\\'(

hmm. I hadn't realised you were applying for a fiance visa...Vicky, can she have third party support for the duration of the fiance visa?

No, third party support not permitted.

If you don't have a job offer, my professional opinion would be to wait until your finances are better. 

Vicky

The finances won't get any better. He will still earn the same. he still has to pay the same bills. I have 2 weeks left, I doubt anyone will want to hire me knowing I won't be able to work for a while. This has totally brought me down.  :\\\'( It's easy for other people to say wait a while. We don't want to wait. It's not fair!!!!!!!!!!

It's true what they say. You have to be rich to live in this *bleep*ing country!

Now I can't be with my fiance. great news. can't wait to let him know when he comes out of work.

Just to clarify...

-Your fiance doesn't make enough money to prove that you can support yourselves
-You have made no effort to try to get a job offer for when you return
-You won't consider getting married in the US so that you can work immediately
-You won't consider waiting a while so that your financial situation improved
-You still haven't (as far as I can tell) clarified whether or not you have permission to live in the house that your fiancee's parents rent

You don't 'want' to wait.  It's 'not fair'.  As Mick Jagger once said, "we can't always get what we want".

People on this forum have waited years to get to be with their partners, and they have made sacrifices because it is worth it in the end.  You don't have to be 'rich' to live in this bleeping country, but sometimes you need to have some patience.  Throwing a tantrum ain't gonna help.  Be practical.  Change your plans.  Agree to marry in the US.  And get a job.


Vicky

The finances won't get any better. He will still earn the same. he still has to pay the same bills. I have 2 weeks left, I doubt anyone will want to hire me knowing I won't be able to work for a while. This has totally brought me down.  :\\\'( It's easy for other people to say wait a while. We don't want to wait. It's not fair!!!!!!!!!!

It's true what they say. You have to be rich to live in this *bleep*ing country!

Now I can't be with my fiance. great news. can't wait to let him know when he comes out of work.

Life isn't fair.  Throwing a tantrum in front of the people who are taking time out of their own busy lives to try and help you isn't going to make any difference when the ECO refuses your application - you'll just be out £400 and stuck in the US.

Edited to add:  Vicky just said it better than I ever could.  As she's the one with years of experience in making the very type of application you're planning to make, you might want to listen to her.

Hi Moonfaery,

I know you must be very upset at this point.  But I really think you should listen to ksand24's post about coming to the US and getting married.  It really would solve your problems.  If you're going home in two weeks, have him join you when you go, or within the next few weeks at least, and just have a quick civil ceremony.  Once you are married and settled, you can have a big ceremony later if your heart is truly set on it.  But the point is when you submit your budget for the spousal visa, you can include the amount of money you expect to be earning from your job - just include some job postings you are qualified for with your application.  Many of the folks on here didn't have any job offers at all, just provided some printouts of jobs they could do once they arrived in the UK.  

You really aren't losing any time here, other than the wait for your marriage certificate.  And your reward for waiting a few extra weeks is a far more stable visa application.  

For one, I didn't think about getting a job in advanced. It didn't cross my mind till now.

My fiance does make enough to support us for the time being.

We prefer to get married over here.

We don't want to wait. and that's that.

We do have permission. we are currently awaiting the letter from the council, who I've been e-mailing with. we are fine in that department.

We are just going to apply. If we get refused, then we will wait it out for a while, save money and try again.