Not to mention that you would not be able to afford to have parties, or almost no entertainement buget anyways. That kind of defeats the point. Do the smart thing, just stay at home until you can actually afford to move out.
On the upside, you'll get rid of this romantic notion of how wonderful living on your own would be, and realize that your parents' rules aren't all that bad after all.
AgaBoogaBoo
Lifer
- Feb 16, 2003
- 26,108
- 5
- 81
I'd save up a bit for a cushion in payments. You'll need a larger income if you really want to have fun. What about entertainment? You'll be needing a TV, computer, probably broadband internet, etc. What about furniture?
My experience:
House, 4 people, $1200 a month, I had the biggest room so I paid $325/month
We paid gas, electric, phone (basic plan, $16/month), cable (basic)+internet, and that was about $50-70 a person/month
I spent about $100 on food a month (less than $3.50 a day, which is cutting it fairly tight)
Gas I had to fill up twice a month so 2x$20=$40
I used about $50 a month for various stuff like movies, eating out, alcohol, or computer crap.
So that's about what, little under $600 a month? Although it might be cheaper where you plan to live, I would think you might want to think a little harder about this.
House, 4 people, $1200 a month, I had the biggest room so I paid $325/month
We paid gas, electric, phone (basic plan, $16/month), cable (basic)+internet, and that was about $50-70 a person/month
I spent about $100 on food a month (less than $3.50 a day, which is cutting it fairly tight)
Gas I had to fill up twice a month so 2x$20=$40
I used about $50 a month for various stuff like movies, eating out, alcohol, or computer crap.
So that's about what, little under $600 a month? Although it might be cheaper where you plan to live, I would think you might want to think a little harder about this.
You'll be living paycheck to paycheck, what if your car breaks down, or needs some work done on it? What if you're roomate's car breaks down and he has to move back home? What if one of your boss's cuts back either of your hours? Get sick and have to take off a few weeks? And you're talking about partying hard as well? I'd give you about 2 months.
When it comes to personal finance, listen to vi_edit, he is a wise man.
When it comes to personal finance, listen to vi_edit, he is a wise man.
I think having to be home at 10pm throughout my summer and that my mom dictates when I get my hair cut kind of makes you want to move out.
Yes I live in the UP of MI, so I'll say again, apartment rent DOES NOT cost as much as you say. I am more wondering about other kind of costs and any estmations on those.
Yes I live in the UP of MI, so I'll say again, apartment rent DOES NOT cost as much as you say. I am more wondering about other kind of costs and any estmations on those.
You're only 18. I'm 21, and still have to deal with that when I go home to VISIT. Thats right, I dont even LIVE there. Suck it up and deal with it. Have you talked to your parents about it? Told them that you would like some more freedom for so and so reasons? Try that, it just may work.
- Oct 28, 1999
- 62,484
- 8,345
- 126
Ballpark figures here -
Rent - $175 ($350/2 assuming ALL utilities are included)
Food - $150 a month is $5 a day. That's pretty slim eating.
Phone - $15 ($30 a month landline/2)
Entertainment - $75 a month (additional food like pizza, movies, booze, night out, ect)
Gas for the car - $50 a month (guesstimate)
Renter's insurance - $20 a month (guestimate)
Car insurance - $50 a month (guestimate)
Misc expenses - $50 a month (guestimate)
That's just short of $600 a month. You can take out car insurance, renters insurance, and gas to take it down to around $450, but then you are still scraping the bottom of the barrel. You still haven't paid for internet access and cable TV.
This is also assuming you CAN get all inclusive utilities.
Usually you can get gas OR water, OR heating OR electricity included, but not all of them.
Figure $30 a month for water, $60 a month for electricity, and $40 a month for heating.
Like I said, it's going to be a humble and bleak existance.
Rent - $175 ($350/2 assuming ALL utilities are included)
Food - $150 a month is $5 a day. That's pretty slim eating.
Phone - $15 ($30 a month landline/2)
Entertainment - $75 a month (additional food like pizza, movies, booze, night out, ect)
Gas for the car - $50 a month (guesstimate)
Renter's insurance - $20 a month (guestimate)
Car insurance - $50 a month (guestimate)
Misc expenses - $50 a month (guestimate)
That's just short of $600 a month. You can take out car insurance, renters insurance, and gas to take it down to around $450, but then you are still scraping the bottom of the barrel. You still haven't paid for internet access and cable TV.
This is also assuming you CAN get all inclusive utilities.
Usually you can get gas OR water, OR heating OR electricity included, but not all of them.
Figure $30 a month for water, $60 a month for electricity, and $40 a month for heating.
Like I said, it's going to be a humble and bleak existance.
You can do it, millions of poeple before you have, millions of people after you will.
The persons on this forum saying you can't, must have grown up with silver spoons WAY up their asses.
The persons on this forum saying you can't, must have grown up with silver spoons WAY up their asses.
Like everyone else has said its a bad idea. Not being able to be out past 10 won't make much different if you have to work all the time and are too tired to go out after 10 anyway.
$800 starting per month
-
$350 rent
$225 food (split between both of you)
$75 television/internet
$75 gas (split between both of you)
$50 entertainment ($25 a month each for a cd, lunch at mcdonalds, and a trip to the movies so you can leave the house)
$25 for a couple bottle of cheap alcohol for your party
Now your $800 is gone and those are pretty conservative numbers. I seem to have forgotten a phone too. Of course since you parents are probably far more sensible than you imply they're not going to burn their money for your expenses just so you can party so you need to have another $100 a month for insurance, then you have your emergency expenses like automobile repair that you don't have any money for. The list goes on.
More importantly you say you're going to school and going to be earning $350-400 a month. How are you paying for school. Perhaps you should put this to your school expenses? If your parents are paying for it out of their pocket maybe they would ease up on you a bit if you showed you were growing up and starting giving them some of that money every month to help cover your costs.
- Oct 28, 1999
- 62,484
- 8,345
- 126
Silver spoon up my ass? Hardly. My parents were on government assisted food programs till I was 7.
The reality is, yes you CAN live on that little of money, but is it better than what you are leaving from? You give some freedoms and lose some freedoms. Which are more important only he can decide.
He has two choices if he does decide to move out -
a) live the life of a freaking monk
b) get a second job to supplement his income and provide better for himself
When I moved out of the house I was attending 18+ credit hours a semester plus working 45+ hours a week to provide a comfortable living. And by comfortable I mean actually being able to afford "luxuries" like broadband, cable tv, and the weekend brewskies.
we arent doubting the fact that indeed he CAN move out, we are just pointing out that it will not be nearly as much fun as he thinks it will.
with two no. with three... maybe.
for three guys our expenses break down to:
$895 rent (split 3 ways, heat/water/central ac paid)
$100 power (average)
$110 cable (tv and internet)
$100 per week, food - this includes just the groceries that we buy, not including what we eat out/order in
$100 per week, ... party expenses
, thats just a guess but you figure a couple bottles of jack and a couple cases of beer at a discounted price... partying hard adds up faster than you may think
everything is split x3 ... except for the food, which we take turns buying week by week. this also dosen't include insurance, and other random things that you may need.
with 3 people you might be able to get buy with a 2 bedroom rat hole of an apt, given you all make around 400/month, and even still your going to be pushing it on all of your expenses.
imho, stay with the rents, sure it might be kinda lame, but your still 18, and it's still free, and your sure going to miss mommy cooking and cleaning for you
for three guys our expenses break down to:
$895 rent (split 3 ways, heat/water/central ac paid)
$100 power (average)
$110 cable (tv and internet)
$100 per week, food - this includes just the groceries that we buy, not including what we eat out/order in
$100 per week, ... party expenses
, thats just a guess but you figure a couple bottles of jack and a couple cases of beer at a discounted price... partying hard adds up faster than you may thinkeverything is split x3 ... except for the food, which we take turns buying week by week. this also dosen't include insurance, and other random things that you may need.
with 3 people you might be able to get buy with a 2 bedroom rat hole of an apt, given you all make around 400/month, and even still your going to be pushing it on all of your expenses.
imho, stay with the rents, sure it might be kinda lame, but your still 18, and it's still free, and your sure going to miss mommy cooking and cleaning for you
Don't do it. I live by myself, and if you told me I had to live on 4x($1600) that, I'll probably go bald and gray worrying and looking for a 2nd job.
Originally posted by: PeeluckyDuckee
If this same question was surveyed to a bunch of old folks in the mall, the stats would be total opposite. My gramp used to wake up around 7-8am every morning, and he even sometimes stay up late til 11ish PM at night.
I myself am a night owl.
The thread you're looking went that way *points*
No way in hell you can afford to live on your own for $400/month, even with a roommate.
Me and my fiance live in a 1bdrm apartment... combined, we make about $2500/month take home, and we can't afford a bigger place.
Me and my fiance live in a 1bdrm apartment... combined, we make about $2500/month take home, and we can't afford a bigger place.
Yup. My school, living in a dorm and getting the meal plan (19 meals a week) for 2 semesters (8months) was the same as living in the house I rented with 3 other people for 12months. $4200 (for a single in a 4 person suite) + $2050 (19meals/week) vs [$325 (rent) + $75 (utilities) + $100 (food)]/month
Hell, I live in lower SW (st. joseph) and out in the country you can find 1BR's CHEAP ($250) or even 3-4 bedroom houses across the river in benton harbor for $400 flat.
That said, if you can find a place for even $350, consider this:
Rent: $350
Food for 2 guys: $300 easy, figure $400 now that you want to party
Electric, phone, cable, broadband: $125
Water, gas, trash: $20
Right there is....nearly $800 and if you buy beer it better be on a credit card. I make a little more personally-on my first job right now, but it's only paying $11.50/hr at a 37.5/hr workweek. Tough for me to live on with a $450 rent. I couldn't even afford a phone line or internet until my father paid for it as part of a second (work at home) job I have through one of his consulting businesses. It's not fun.
Sure you can do it!
Just make sure you don't burn your bridges in case you realize that pulling the string further back will make your arrow go further.
Old grass-hopper.
Just make sure you don't burn your bridges in case you realize that pulling the string further back will make your arrow go further.
Old grass-hopper.
iamwiz82
Lifer
- Jan 10, 2001
- 30,772
- 13
- 81
while i see some cheap rent for 1BR places, keep in mind there are 2 people who are going to be living there. Living in Benton Harbor wouldn't be prudent, i don't think.
my rent is £450 ($720) per month
i make £750 ($1200) per month
my gf makes £375 ($600) per month
i pay out for: tv lisence, sky tv, electricity, gas, water, phone, broadband, mobile phoneand insurance
we barely scrape together enough money to pay the bills every month
i make £750 ($1200) per month
my gf makes £375 ($600) per month
i pay out for: tv lisence, sky tv, electricity, gas, water, phone, broadband, mobile phoneand insurance
we barely scrape together enough money to pay the bills every month
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