Budget for singles?

[Tmcbride]

I'm still a few years away from Margaritaville but I'm a planner! So...I have budget questions for other singles. I'm reading suggestions that monthly utilities are running $300.00 and up for power, water, sewer, trash. Is that true? That's twice what I pay now in Louisiana for a 1300 sq ft house. I'm probably a medium user of power. I'm not wasteful but I like a comfortable house. Any feedback on utility expense?

[asianthree]

Water, trash, amenities fee runs around $200 to $250. Per month.
We are electric no gas and our electric runs from $80 a month to $120

[Tmcbride]

Hmmm..the Villages website COL estimate said
60.00 water
31.00 sewer
148.00 Electric
19.00 trash

That's not accurate then in your experience?

[rjm1cc]

You can take your actual usage and look up the new utility rates.
The quality of the home construction will also affect your estimate
I would lean toward the higher estimates for the budget.

[John_W]

Hmmm..the Villages website COL estimate said
60.00 water
31.00 sewer
148.00 Electric
19.00 trash

That's not accurate then in your experience?

The amenity fee is part of the utility bill, that's $147. Drinking water, irrigation water, garbage and recycling makes our total average bill about $220 a month for a 2 BR masonry CYV that is 7 years old. The irrigation systems usually run two nights a weeks, you set your timer but they'll be set up for you when you buy a new home. During the rainy season from May to October you can turn the irrigation off.

We have power with SECO electric, our bills run about $95 during the heating season, which is about 2 months and about $85 in the A/C season and about $70 when we don't need either.

SECO is the cheapest power I ever had. I can remember in the 80's living in Pensacola and my electric bill was about $260 a month for a normal size home 30 years ago. Moving here 7 years ago from Maryland, our power there was anywhere from $180 to $400 a month. I find SECO is a great deal. Most communities or condos will have an HOA fee, my mother back in Maryland was paying $250 a month for condo fees and they didn't even have a pool or rec center.

[Toymeister]

Hmmm..the Villages website COL estimate said
60.00 water
31.00 sewer
148.00 Electric
19.00 trash

That's not accurate then in your experience?
That's fair. Overall the fixed costs drive your bill. The A.C. Doesn't care if there are one or two occupants. It makes a slight difference in the water heater.

How to I know? I have a energy monitor and I rent it out on occasion. I can tell The cost of extra guests. The owners who charge more than 30.00 for an extra couple are doing this to discourage extra occupancy, not because of utilities cost. Edit to add I see the consumption by appliance, not just the total bill.

The biggest driver of cost is YOU and how you use the utilities. I see huge swings depending on the guest.

[asianthree]

Hmmm..the Villages website COL estimate said
60.00 water
31.00 sewer
148.00 Electric
19.00 trash

That's not accurate then in your experience?

The amenity fee can run from $139.00 on our patio villa, $152. On our cottage, and $149 on our designer. Electric is less in the designer 2018sf that is stucco, than our cottage 1534sf, that is vinyl siding, and patio,1164sf that is also vinyl.

All in all with taxes, the Villages sheet that rounds cost at around $10,000. Per year not counting mortgage is very close to actual cost to live here.

[Tmcbride]

Aha. Did not realize the amenity fee was billed out on the utility bill. No wonder it kept sneaking into the discussion! I was getting confused there.

[Toymeister]

I'm probably a medium user of power. I'm not wasteful but I like a comfortable house.
With virtually no effort you can cut 10% off the water, sewer, irrigation water and electricity bill. That is if you are interested in that sort of thing. Almost no one is, in practice.

[rjm1cc]

Also check to see if you have a bond to pay off and annual maintenance charges. Go to the tax collectors site and look at some bills. At the bottom can be additional annual charges in addition to real estate taxes.

[Tmcbride]

I've probably been watching too much 'Fixer Upper' but I have an 'all in' budget for the house in mind which will have to include payoff of any bond remaining on the home. Thinking a 5 year old home with a paid off bond would be great!

[Fraugoofy]

I've probably been watching too much 'Fixer Upper' but I have an 'all in' budget for the house in mind which will have to include payoff of any bond remaining on the home. Thinking a 5 year old home with a paid off bond would be great!Margaritaville is near Daytona Beach, right?

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[manaboutown]

As I hear it the "nut" in The Villages is about $10,000 as has previously been posted; mortgage payments, taxes and bar tabs not included.

[Tmcbride]

Which type of taxes do you refer to...property or income as being excluded from the $10k?

As for the bar tab...seperate bucket!

[manaboutown]

Which type of taxes do you refer to...property or income as being excluded from the $10k?

As for the bar tab...seperate bucket!

Both

[chachacha]

i have a patio villa, the smallest house 2bdrm 2 bath and i figured out my monthly costs for housing here without a mortgage is roughly $600 per month including taxes and insurance. i have drought resistant plants so many times can shut off outdoor sprinklers. that includes termite contract, yard care, utilities and cable etc but i have the least expensive package and my bond is paid off. i think most people spend more than that but it is doable if you have a small budget. and i am lucky to have a very inexpensive lawn care guy who does our whole neighborhood and only charges me $250 a year :) but as i said a very small plot and mostly drought resistant shrubs, not much lawn. the amenity fee goes up a few dollars each year. in nine years it has gone from $135 to $149! my lifestyle here is great fun and worth a few extra dollars to participate in all the activities i so enjoy!

[Susan Schonfeld]

We pay about $100 month for electric which includes water and trash and , $160 month homeowners. About $250 a month total.

[Villagesgal]

I am single. Pay around 200 a month for amenities water sewer and garbage. 45 per month for lawn service. Average 50 per month electric and 30 per month gas. If you're building get thermal windows and extra insulation in walls and ceiling and a tankless water heater. I have a designer home 2000 sq. Ft. Have lived here for 17 years. Add in some money per year for repairs, yearly a.c. and heat service. Etc. You'll love it here. Oh. Don't forget real estate taxes $2,000 and insurance and bond if there is one.

[OhioBuckeye]

Aha. Did not realize the amenity fee was billed out on the utility bill. No wonder it kept sneaking into the discussion! I was getting confused there.

Oh my, didn't you ever look at the Utility bill? I'm sure you really didn't think your utility bill which is basically water ran that high. Which I'm sure your's ran about $150 to $200. a month. Water is high here in Florida but I guess it depends where you came from before. Mine In Ohio where I came from ran 12 to $15. a month. This article is a little hard to answer some of the comments!

[sjlarsen1]

We have a Zinnia, built in 2016

H2O, sewer, trash, irrigation, amenity - average $241,49
Electric - averages $101.62
Cable - averages $188.27
Taxes - $3691.
Bond - $2,522

[graciegirl]

To the OP. I would look at the costs put out by The Villages for a couple and budget that much. That way you will not be left hanging and perhaps have some money left over. It is wise to be careful with money.

[Mikeodonnell73]

I'm still a few years away from Margaritaville but I'm a planner! So...I have budget questions for other singles. I'm reading suggestions that monthly utilities are running $300.00 and up for power, water, sewer, trash. Is that true? That's twice what I pay now in Louisiana for a 1300 sq ft house. I'm probably a medium user of power. I'm not wasteful but I like a comfortable house. Any feedback on utility expense?
That charge includes the HOA of around $145.

[sogentle12]

yes. I was surprised. higher than boston