matjones Posted November 27, 2010 Share Posted November 27, 2010 Well, heres another thread of many I anticipate. Can canberra folks give me a rough estimate on how much they pay each month for the following: - Gas - Electric - Petrol Working on my budget to see how much house I can afford to rent :biggrin: Also, what is the TV situation there. Are we able to get free over the air digital channels? if so, how many, and what channels are they. I really don't want to fork out for cable TV. Is there a TV license fee like UK? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matjones Posted November 27, 2010 Author Share Posted November 27, 2010 BTW.. Do you spell out the letters or just say 'ACT' .. I was on the phone the other day with someone in Adelaide and they kept saying A.C.T. Seems kind of long winded for aussies to me. Will I be chastised for saying ACT? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Pom Queen Posted November 27, 2010 Share Posted November 27, 2010 Nothing to do with Canberra but I just so on the pomsinadelaide forum that their electric bill for the quarter was over a grand, gulp Electricity Bill: Oh My God!! - Poms In Adelaide Mind you, we were paying $260 (or $280 cant remember) in Melbourne per month and still ended up owing. We did have a double storey open plan home and kids who don't know how to turn things off behind them. No TV License but you may want to consider foxtel as there is nothing much on the free to air channels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matjones Posted November 27, 2010 Author Share Posted November 27, 2010 Nothing to do with Canberra but I just so on the pomsinadelaide forum that their electric bill for the quarter was over a grand, gulp Electricity Bill: Oh My God!! - Poms In AdelaideMind you, we were paying $260 (or $280 cant remember) in Melbourne per month and still ended up owing. We did have a double storey open plan home and kids who don't know how to turn things off behind them. No TV License but you may want to consider foxtel as there is nothing much on the free to air channels. Thanks... luckily we have no kids to run the bills up, so its all our responsiblity. Guess we'll have to start turning stuff off Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nik_kershaw Posted November 27, 2010 Share Posted November 27, 2010 Yes it is spelt out ACT, we spend about $80 a fortnight for the electricity but we have no gas. Petrol could be the same I guess for a car and a bike, but thats a rough guess as I ride the bike and the misses drives the car Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted November 27, 2010 Share Posted November 27, 2010 We're not terribly normal in that we have solar hot water and wood heating (and DH scavenges) so our last quarter electric was $144 - our all electric one bed granny flat with frugal occupants was $189 so for a normal family in a 3 bed house all electric I wouldnt be surprised at $500 per quarter. Water rates $244 per quarter for this last quarter. Petrol, again, we dont use the car too much as we live inner city and the car is small but probably about $25 per week for me plus $10 per day for parking if I do need to use the car or $24 for a book of bus tickets for a week. He forks out about $70 once a month for his car and usually rides his bike. Food - I just paid $164 for a small trolley of food admittedly with a run of the mill bottle of wine at $20 the rest wasnt terribly extravagant but my son and I have just come from UK and the DH doesnt always stock the larder with things that we are prepared to eat (he's a self sufficient). Transact - broadband, landline and free to air TV plus a few other nonentity channels costs $89 per month plus calls. Mobile phones - him $23 per month, me $54 per month but he is particularly frugal and we are both on the same network so calls to each other are free. ISP $35 per month for 35 gb download (you can do cheaper than that though) Private health insurance $250 a month, House contents insurance about $600 pa, car rego almost $700 pa, insurance about $400 from memory. Dont forget with power too, that aircon is also expensive so if you get a house with reverse cycle aircon you can be paying through the nose! And, yes, just say ACT - or Canberra if you feel more comfortable with that. Probably around half the population has no idea what ACT stands for! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fish.01 Posted November 27, 2010 Share Posted November 27, 2010 Australian TV Guide - yourTV.com.au Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matjones Posted November 28, 2010 Author Share Posted November 28, 2010 We're not terribly normal in that we have solar hot water and wood heating (and DH scavenges) so our last quarter electric was $144 - our all electric one bed granny flat with frugal occupants was $189 so for a normal family in a 3 bed house all electric I wouldnt be surprised at $500 per quarter. Water rates $244 per quarter for this last quarter. Petrol, again, we dont use the car too much as we live inner city and the car is small but probably about $25 per week for me plus $10 per day for parking if I do need to use the car or $24 for a book of bus tickets for a week. He forks out about $70 once a month for his car and usually rides his bike. Food - I just paid $164 for a small trolley of food admittedly with a run of the mill bottle of wine at $20 the rest wasnt terribly extravagant but my son and I have just come from UK and the DH doesnt always stock the larder with things that we are prepared to eat (he's a self sufficient). Transact - broadband, landline and free to air TV plus a few other nonentity channels costs $89 per month plus calls. Mobile phones - him $23 per month, me $54 per month but he is particularly frugal and we are both on the same network so calls to each other are free. ISP $35 per month for 35 gb download (you can do cheaper than that though) Private health insurance $250 a month, House contents insurance about $600 pa, car rego almost $700 pa, insurance about $400 from memory. Dont forget with power too, that aircon is also expensive so if you get a house with reverse cycle aircon you can be paying through the nose! And, yes, just say ACT - or Canberra if you feel more comfortable with that. Probably around half the population has no idea what ACT stands for! I get a feeling that my wife will have the aircon on full blast during summer, so I guess ill put extra money aside for that. Is there any way we can monitor our usage online or any fancy system like that, so we dont have to wait 3 months and then be shocked? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matjones Posted November 28, 2010 Author Share Posted November 28, 2010 Australian TV Guide - yourTV.com.au Thanks... I think we will survive with the basics. I assume the US shows like CSI, House, Glee etc are on the basic channels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted November 28, 2010 Share Posted November 28, 2010 I get a feeling that my wife will have the aircon on full blast during summer, so I guess ill put extra money aside for that. Is there any way we can monitor our usage online or any fancy system like that, so we dont have to wait 3 months and then be shocked? Dont think so. They dont read the meters every period either, they have been known to let it go then issue a bill based on prior usage habits. You can end up with a very nasty bill (or a very nice surprise) if they get that wrong! Our granny flat ended up with a bill for over $500 when they did a catch up!!! (That's what happens when you dont have an occupant in the place and then you do!!!) Tell the missus that it is cheaper to work in an airconditioned building and to work long hours than to have one on at home:biglaugh: Failing that, the Dendy (movies) probably works out cheaper than having the aircon on! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matjones Posted November 28, 2010 Author Share Posted November 28, 2010 Tell the missus that it is cheaper to work in an airconditioned building and to work long hours than to have one on at home:biglaugh: haha... i have enough trouble getting her to work.. let alone work long hours Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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