A year has passed since 笨mummy’s post that detailed down her household expenses. It maybe a good time to revisit the household expenses again since the profile of the household has changed. Now there are:
- two full time employed parents (as now 笨mummy has rejoined the workforce)
- a 4.5 years old child 1 attending full time childcare
- a 18 months child 2 just started attending full time childcare
Groceries <$500>
This is the most difficult part to estimate or budget. A family can have many options - to cook or eat out as well as what to eat and where to eat. Based on past spendings, $500 a month is a manageable sum for a family of 2 adults and 2 children below 5 year olds.
Household expenses <$289>
- Internet and phone line - $29.00
- Utilities - $200 (based on past spending, the expenses are typically between $80 to $180, so $200 is a higher estimated. It is always good to over-budget than under-budget)
- Town council charges - $60
Children expenses <$1,214>
- Childcare expenses - $470.40 x 2 (exclude enrichment and other ad-hoc expenses)
- Milk for child 1 - $17.25 (child 1 is drinking normal UHT packet milk)
- Milk for child 2 - $95.60 (child 2 is on formula milk. On average a box of Gain Similac IQ Stage 3 consists of 2.4kg of the milk powder. It is a cheaper option compare to the normal tin can one)
- Diapers - $160 (Diaper expense mainly for Child 2. She is using Pampers Pull up pants size M. Average 5 pieces a day or 350 piece a month)
Individual expenses <$783>
This only consist of 笨mummy's own expense. Mainly on transport, phone bill and insurance.
- Transport - $50.25 (笨mummy only top up her Ez-link card once a month due to the advantage of staying at Tiong Bahru which is 2 MRT station away from her workplace and shopping places that her family frequent)
- Mobile phone - $32 (A simple 6GB data plan without any phone contract)
- Breakfast & Lunch - $0 (笨mummy has started bringing home cooked food to office. It helps to keep her lunch expenditure manageable and reduce the waste from unfinished vegetables bought)
- Insurance - $600 (average premiums for all her insurance consisting of term life, endowment plan, medical and critical illness)
- Miscellaneous purchases - $100 (笨mummy has limited her expenses as much as possible. Getting her coffee craving from pantry's coffee machine that is free, avoid snacks which is also good to keep her weight in check, limit the buying of new clothes.)
Total expenditure estimated to be $3,572 assuming hubby also has identical expense as 笨mummy. This figure is a lowest estimated on the expenditure on the basic that there is no additional ad-hoc expense like medical expenses if anyone in the family is sick or additional expenses from school like outgoing or birthday celebration or red packets to relatives’ children and parents and in-law for CNY or things that need repair or replacement, like broken pipes, spoilt air con or light. And also that the mortgage for the house is fully covered by the CPF contributions.
- two full time employed parents (as now 笨mummy has rejoined the workforce)
- a 4.5 years old child 1 attending full time childcare
- a 18 months child 2 just started attending full time childcare
- Internet and phone line - $29.00
- Utilities - $200 (based on past spending, the expenses are typically between $80 to $180, so $200 is a higher estimated. It is always good to over-budget than under-budget)
- Town council charges - $60
- Childcare expenses - $470.40 x 2 (exclude enrichment and other ad-hoc expenses)
- Milk for child 1 - $17.25 (child 1 is drinking normal UHT packet milk)
- Milk for child 2 - $95.60 (child 2 is on formula milk. On average a box of Gain Similac IQ Stage 3 consists of 2.4kg of the milk powder. It is a cheaper option compare to the normal tin can one)
- Diapers - $160 (Diaper expense mainly for Child 2. She is using Pampers Pull up pants size M. Average 5 pieces a day or 350 piece a month)
- Transport - $50.25 (笨mummy only top up her Ez-link card once a month due to the advantage of staying at Tiong Bahru which is 2 MRT station away from her workplace and shopping places that her family frequent)
- Mobile phone - $32 (A simple 6GB data plan without any phone contract)
- Breakfast & Lunch - $0 (笨mummy has started bringing home cooked food to office. It helps to keep her lunch expenditure manageable and reduce the waste from unfinished vegetables bought)
- Insurance - $600 (average premiums for all her insurance consisting of term life, endowment plan, medical and critical illness)
- Miscellaneous purchases - $100 (笨mummy has limited her expenses as much as possible. Getting her coffee craving from pantry's coffee machine that is free, avoid snacks which is also good to keep her weight in check, limit the buying of new clothes.)
