What do your monthly bills total?

[jimmy olsen]

Job provides me with housing and pays half my insurance, do I count that?

[Grey Fox]

Job provides me with housing and pays half my insurance, do I count that?

No.

[Richard Hakluyt]

The North American mobile phone bills sound a bit steep but it may be something to do with the firms recovering the cost of the infrastructure. It has got to be cheaper to provide coverage for a small densely-populated island than a continent 

I don't bother with a mobile but my wife has a contract that costs about £23 per month ($35). But that includes a free android smartphone, unlimited texts, more calls than she ever needs  and a data allowance that she uses about 2/3 of.

[Admiral Yi]

Have we finally found something that's cheaper in the UK than in the US?

[merithyn]

How much data? because that's important.

10 gb to share for all

Essentially, for our family, unlimited.

[Grey Fox]

That's alot. That amount is impossible to achieve in Canada. Max would be 6gb, unshareable.

[merithyn]

That's alot. That amount is impossible to achieve in Canada. Max would be 6gb, unshareable.

We have unlimited calling, unlimited texting, and 10 gb of data to share across five lines (if you include the tablet). All for $275. It's expensive, but we're getting a lot for it.

[mongers]

That's alot. That amount is impossible to achieve in Canada. Max would be 6gb, unshareable.

We have unlimited calling, unlimited texting, and 10 gb of data to share across five lines (if you include the tablet). All for $275. It's expensive, but we're getting a lot for it.

Virgin in the UK have launched a new deal:

VIP SIM Only for £15 a month. That includes unlimited texts, data and minutes too, on a flexible 30-day rolling contract.

[The Brain]

I haven't paid for phone stuff in years.

[sbr]

I am on the lower end of the 1500-2500 spectrum.

My house payment (including taxes and insurance) is just over a grand.  I own my cars outright.  The kids' cell phone plans are still attached to my parents' plan for some reason.  I don't pay anything out of pocket for medical insurance premiums.

[Barrister]

Have we finally found something that's cheaper in the UK than in the US?

As I understand it, most Americans (and Canadians) sign lengthy multi-year contracts for their phone, but then get their expensive iPhone or Android for 'free', whereas in Europe they typically pay out of pocket for the phone but then only have month-to-month contracts.

In other words, we pay more because we like to be fooled we are getting our phone for 'free'.

[Sheilbh]

As I understand it, most Americans (and Canadians) sign lengthy multi-year contracts for their phone, but then get their expensive iPhone or Android for 'free', whereas in Europe they typically pay out of pocket for the phone but then only have month-to-month contracts.

Nope. In the UK the standard is that you sign an 18-month plus contract and get the phone for free.

I thought that maybe it was the other way round and North Americans had short, easily changed contracts so had to pay more but we got cheaper, long-term deals that lock us in.

Maybe there's just more competition in mobiles in the UK/Europe?

[Grey Fox]

Our monthly bill just skyrocketed due to childcare costs.

Oh yeah.  $1000.00 for that to.

DAMNIT I bet Zanza would get that for free to along with his tiny living expenses.  Stupid not-Germany Texas.

Childcare costs? My government gives me money to take care of my children!

$100 / child.  Whee.

I don't have your income. It's more like 250$/kid.

The federal program isn't income dependant.  It's $100 / child under five / month for everyone.

I thought Quebec's child care program was those $5 / day daycares.

I looked it up a little. So we both have the UCCB, which is 100$ month per kid and is taxable. I am also eligible CCTB which is non-taxable based on adjusted family income.

Quebec gives me "Soutiens aux Enfants" a payment every 3 months.

My oldest also goes in a subsidised daycare at 7$/day. That's really misleading since I pay even the days she doesn't go to day care, it's more like 1800$/year.

[Baron von Schtinkenbutt]

I'm still the only one over 4k? I call BS.

I'm close, but fortunately not over that threshold yet.

EDIT:
Just did a rough calculation, and until we cancelled the cable and finished paying off my wife's vehicle, we were over $4k.  We are still trying to reduce the amount, but it is getting to the point where we would need to start cutting domestic services to make it.  Ditching the T1 line is the only low-hanging fruit left.

[Warspite]

I have chosen to rent a room in a dilapidated apartment in a great location (and with very good flatmates), so my total monthly bills total £720 for everything.