Budgeting

When living on your own there a number of things that you now are responsible for paying. Here’s a rough idea of some of the bills you might have to pay.

Some will be monthly or more often, and others might be three or four times a year.

* Rent
* Council tax and water rates
* Mobile Telephone
* Landline
* Electricity
* Gas
* TV Licence
* Bus pass or other transport

Living independently is great but you need to make sure you can afford it otherwise you can end up in serious debt which isn’t much fun.

Council Tax

Council tax is a local tax on property, collected by local councils to help pay for their services - e.g. emptying bins, schools.

You don't need to pay council tax if you are 17 or under, are a student nurse, or a full-time student. As a full-time student you will need to fill in an exemption form, but you can get this form from your college or university.