Making It to the End of the Month
Go through rent, bills and savings with your partner and talk money the way French households do.
In France most bills are paid by prélèvement automatique, a direct debit set up with your RIB, and income tax has been taken straight from salaries (prélèvement à la source) since 2019. Tenants on modest incomes can get housing benefit, the APL, from the CAF, and many people keep savings in a tax-free Livret A. Rent is often quoted « charges comprises », with building costs included, and « les fins de mois difficiles » is the everyday phrase for being short of money.
- 1
Il faut qu'on fasse le point sur notre budget.
We need to sort out our budget.
- 2
Le loyer, c'est combien charges comprises ?
How much is the rent, with charges included?
- 3
La facture d'électricité a encore augmenté.
The electricity bill has gone up again.
- 4
C'est prélevé le 5 du mois.
It's taken by direct debit on the 5th.
- 5
On touche les APL de la CAF.
We get housing benefit from the CAF.
- 6
Les fins de mois sont toujours difficiles.
The end of the month is always tight.
- 7
Je suis à découvert.
I'm overdrawn.
- 8
Il faut qu'on réduise les dépenses.
We need to cut back on spending.
- 9
On dépense trop pour les courses.
We spend too much on food shopping.
- 10
Allons plutôt chez Lidl, c'est moins cher.
Let's go to Lidl instead, it's cheaper.
- 11
On pourrait résilier l'abonnement streaming.
We could cancel the streaming subscription.
- 12
Mon forfait coûte dix euros par mois.
My phone plan costs ten euros a month.
- 13
Elle vaut le coup, notre mutuelle ?
Is our health top-up insurance worth it?
- 14
Mettons cent euros de côté chaque mois.
Let's put a hundred euros aside every month.
- 15
Je le mets sur le Livret A.
I'll put it in the Livret A.
Tip: The standard tax-free savings account.
- 16
L'impôt est prélevé à la source.
Tax is taken straight from my salary.
- 17
Faut garder des sous pour les vacances.
We have to keep some money for the holidays.
- 18
Ça fait cher !
That's a lot of money!
- 19
On va faire un tableau.
We'll make a spreadsheet.
- 20
On va s'en sortir.
We'll manage.