Ballpark Amount of How Much A Newly-Wed Couple Needs to Live Well

[maiandra]

True. Yung 50k just right pag wala pang kids. Tipd mode kung meron na.

[Priceless]

I would like to add na the exact amount itself is really relative to your lifestyle, spending habits, future plans etc.

Ang sabi sa akin ng parents ko dati, is that dapat daw pag nag-asawa, either you maintain the lifestyle that you're used to or make it even better - in other words, dapat daw hindi yung nag-downgrade ka dahil nag-asawa ka dahil that will lead to long term resentments etc.

Kung tutuusin, tama nga naman. Kung ang hubby ko when he was single was able to afford to eat out, live in a decent house, drive a decent car, tapos biglang after marriage sasabihan ko sya na we can't afford to eat out, we stay in a cramped house and he has to commute dahil yung salary nya divided by 2 (or more with kids and support for his family pa), then baka pag nag tagal hindi na matuwa sa akin ang asawa ko.

It's true when they say na kapag maliit ang kumot dapat matutong mamaluktot pero kung buong buhay mo maganda ang kumot (at naka duvet pa), mahirap namang sabihin na because I got married kailangan kong magtiis sa maliit na kumot from now until forever. Kakasuya naman yun.

[ikaela]

^That is very nice input, Priceless, thank you for that. I agree with it 100%.

When two people come together, their love combined should grow and multiply. Not become divided between two. This is what that phrase "go forth and multiply" that priests like to say after mass means to me. Unfortunately, it's often taken literally and thought of as magparami ng anak. LOL.

I also subscribe to the idea that when a child separates from the parents to get married and start his/her own family, that child should add to the wealth of the entire clan. Hindi yung pakonti ng pakonti when passed on from generation to generation. Dapat productive, prosperous and fruitful ang pagsasama niyo.

[khriseeee]

When we were newly weds we spent roughly 50K on expenses, and this was living to our content - eating out, buying whatever we wanted from the grocery, etc.

After having a baby our expenses have doubled and we really think about how we spend our money. We don't eat out as often, don't get to buy whatever we want from the grocery but we still live a comfortable life with still some savings.

[little_princess]

this is very informative!

what is your take on cooking at home vs eating out in terms of costs? parang sometimes mas economical to eat out?

[ReservoirDogs]

^

Based on experience, it's actually more economical to cook at home.  For example, a .5 kg of ground beef is around 150+ Pesos sa grocery.  This is good for 2 pax, actually more than pa kung di naman kayo matakaw.  If you eat out, kulang pa ang 150 for one person (depends on where you eat).

But if you and your husband are into organic stuff, baka same rin ng cost if you eat out.

[quinone]

this is very informative!

what is your take on cooking at home vs eating out in terms of costs? parang sometimes mas economical to eat out?

nung newly married kami, bumibili lang kami ng luto na. mas tipid siya para sa dalawang kakain. ayoko rin masyado naguulit ng ulam e, so since bili laging bagong putahe.

pero kung "eating out" as in sa resto, mas magastos yun. pero i think, if budget is not tight for the two of you, eating out is nice kasi you spend time with each other lalu na kung mahilig magtry ng food tingin ko sa newly married importanteng mag spend time with each other.

[little_princess]

well, we had our official first grocery shopping as husband and wife yesterday and he likes organic stuff and mga mahal na ham or cheese. i know this naman pero parang when i saw the receipt, ang laki ng amount even compared to my toiletries! i think if we ate out sa mga conti's, mary grace, etc mas mura pero will try to cook at home and see how it is

[Antigone]

^Ganyan din husband ko. (Yes, husband ko na siya now.)

Mahilig din siya to eat out. Sabi ko, nung mag boyfriend pa kami (four days ago ) na pag kasal na kami, tipid na. But I don't know, kaligayahan talaga niya ang good food.

[hyder0926]

i made this cost / expense list in case we decide to live on our own..

8000 - apartment in qc
4000 - electricity
1000 - internet
500 - cable
3000 - maid
4000 - market expense
6000 - grocery
12000 - shared allowance
_____________________

38500 - total

50000-38500=11500 savings

we are presently living with my inlaws.. its a pain & a blessing because most of our income is just ours for now. but we have a 2yo son so a chunk of our expenses are because of his needs.

[little_princess]

^^ haha oo nga and he loves yung mga organic, recycled things na mas mahal. basta everything mas mahal. so far, parang ok naman kami sa food. we've eaten out once lang on our expense kasi either we cook or there's a party or we eat in my parent's house. so far so good but feeling ko we'll blow our budget sa groceries. ham and cheese pa lang for a week, 500php na.

[imbisibol_]

in my neck of the woods, while carrying a mortgage, the couple needs to be earning in total about  $180,000 a year to live comfortably.  and that's with both cars paid off, no child care costs, and no bongga international vacations.