Man... how do people afford nice things for themselves?

[0roo0roo]

thats why people commute from far away to save money on rent/living expenses.

 

[shuttleboi]

You may also want to consider reducing the amount you put into your 401k until you can get into a better situation. I cut my 401k contributions in half when I was experiencing some financial difficulties for a year.

 

[4BlueEyes]

Move to the Midwest, it's cheaper

 

[Gunslinger08]

That $700 a month you're paying for your fiance? That's a $30,000 car loan over 4 years.

 

[ShotgunSteven]

Originally posted by: LivinLaVivaPollo
I recently graduated college and was hired as an asic engineer at a company in the North Bay. I make 60K, which I'm assuming is decent money for a recent graduate. But I'm finding it hard to be able to "afford" anything. I wanted to buy myself a nice car, Mazda MS6 or MS3, but don't know where I can squeeze 400 or so dollars a month to be able to afford the car and have money safely left over.

After medical and 401k, I roughly have 3300 dollars a month after taxes. Rent for a one bedroom in the North Bay, in a nice neighborhood, is $1250 for me. So that leaves me ~2K for living expenses.

Because I relocated away from my fiance, and she's having to cover rent on the place we had previously shared, I'm helping her with her rent, credit cards, and I'm paying for all her utilities (water, sewer, garbage, internet, cable TV). That's about 700 bucks a month.

I'm left with about $1300 bucks after all is said and done to pay for my own utilities, food, and gas. Figure that is 300 to 400 dollars, which puts me under the safety threshold of a thousand a month saved. That's if I don't buy anything else. Real life isn't so glamorous. If I get laid off or something, I probably can't even cover next month's rent.

Wow.

Many people are neck-deep in debt.

 

[fLum0x]

Originally posted by: LivinLaVivaPollo

Originally posted by: Jeff7
Wow, nice. $1300 a month left over? Damn, when I worked full time, I was lucky to get that that much just in take-home pay.
But damn, that's insane rent. I guess rent there is like that. For what size place? A 1 bedroom apartment here in Erie can go for as low as $290/month. I'll be moving into one next year, utilities all paid, I pay electric, cable, and phone, for $400/month.

I'll actually have about 900 bucks left over after I pay my living expenses. Again, that's if I don't buy anything else.

1250 gets you a decent one bedroom loft around these parts, about 950 sq. feet. That's with one and a half bathrooms though.

830 here gets you a 1 bedroom, 1 bath, with a den...1100 sq feet. I am in Indianapolis. Given, i make roughly 2/3 of what this guy makes, but i dont bring home that much...

i need to get about 10k more and i will be happy for the time being. I am also an engineer and i started NOWHERE near 60k

 

[theeedude]

You can't afford a nice car. Big deal. Get a Mazda3 instead of Mazdaspeed3. It's still nice.
Or cut down on your 401K contribution. You gotta make choices.

 

[gamepad]

Easy answer:

1) Get rid of girlfriend
2) Buy expensive car
3) Get many more girlfriends

 

[CanOWorms]

I recently graduated and moved into the South Bay with an $80k base salary (also in the semiconductor industry). I think that I have the same amount of free money as you (I put a lot towards student loans) and I'm comfortable, but I'm not looking into buying a new car.

But I have family here, so I'm not too worried about being laid off and having to save money for rent.

 

[RaistlinZ]

I can understand why you're helping out with the rent/utilities, but why in the hell are you paying for her credit card debt? That part I just don't understand.

BTW... I would stop paying for her living expenses once the lease is up.

 

[mercanucaribe]

You only make 40k after medical, taxes, etc???

 

[wetcat007]

700 a month will buy a damn nice car. You got one of those tough life decisions. Girl or car. How long have you been for this girl, what does she do for you that's worth $700/month? Especially if you're not living near her! Your apartment is expensive but not that much more than most people pay for a decent apartment. It's the girlfriend that's breaking the bank.

 

[jds2006]

Is your girlfriend using you for your money? I mean, I could understand you helping out with her rent, but why are you also paying off her credit card debt, cable tv, and internet? Better question.. why is she letting you do this? If I were her, I would already feel bad enough having my boyfriend help pay my rent and would at least downgrade to local TV,disconnect the internet service and just go to the library or use my work computer for the internet so my boyfriend wouldn't have to pay for them.

 

[JEDI]

Originally posted by: LivinLaVivaPollo
I recently graduated college and was hired as an asic engineer at a company in the North Bay. I make 60K, which I'm assuming is decent money for a recent graduate. But I'm finding it hard to be able to "afford" anything. I wanted to buy myself a nice car, Mazda MS6 or MS3, but don't know where I can squeeze 400 or so dollars a month to be able to afford the car and have money safely left over.

After medical and 401k, I roughly have 3300 dollars a month after taxes. Rent for a one bedroom in the North Bay, in a nice neighborhood, is $1250 for me. So that leaves me ~2K for living expenses.

Because I relocated away from my fiance, and she's having to cover rent on the place we had previously shared, I'm helping her with her rent, credit cards, and I'm paying for all her utilities (water, sewer, garbage, internet, cable TV). That's about 700 bucks a month.

I'm left with about $1300 bucks after all is said and done to pay for my own utilities, food, and gas. Figure that is 300 to 400 dollars, which puts me under the safety threshold of a thousand a month saved. That's if I don't buy anything else. Real life isn't so glamorous. If I get laid off or something, I probably can't even cover next month's rent.

Wow.

troubles entailed by maintaining an extravagant lifestyle tend to outweigh the pleasure of partaking in it.

 

[fs5]

don't worry, I'm making more than you and did buy a car. Now I can't afford the the twin turbos that are supposed to go into it!

 

[vi edit]

Most people get buy because they can split most living costs (rent/morgate & utilities) between two incomes.

You are supporting two households on one income. That's a big swing in disposable income.

 

[JS80]

if you're not making six figures in 5-8 years it means you failed in engineering. our engineers out of college make pretty close to six figs so it might just be that you suck.

 

[Jeff7]

Originally posted by: JS80
if you're not making six figures in 5-8 years it means you failed in engineering. our engineers out of college make pretty close to six figs so it might just be that you suck.

This is the kind of stuff I like hearing.

<----mechanical engineering technology major.

 

[Fritzo]

You live in an area where rent is high, so $60K probably is around a mid range salary. Lots of people have medical with their jobs, so no expense there.

A nice single bedroom around here would be around $600/month. Go figure.

 

[Koing]

It's the $700 for the fiance

A nice car is NOTHING at the end of the day. Be happy you have a fiance :thumbsup:

OR you could get a 2nd job?

Koing

 

[KillerCharlie]

Originally posted by: JS80
if you're not making six figures in 5-8 years it means you failed in engineering. our engineers out of college make pretty close to six figs so it might just be that you suck.

What school and what field?

 

[imported_stev]

Originally posted by: shuttleboi
Go to a good grad school in your field. You will get paid to be a TA or RA. If you graduate with an M.S. degree, you will be making about $20K to $30K a year more.

I'm doing this right now...I pull down a cool 20K a year as an RA. My living expenses aren't as crazy as yours so it goes pretty far for me right now.

 

[TanisHalfElven]

Originally posted by: LivinLaVivaPollo

Originally posted by: Jeff7
Wow, nice. $1300 a month left over? Damn, when I worked full time, I was lucky to get that that much just in take-home pay.
But damn, that's insane rent. I guess rent there is like that. For what size place? A 1 bedroom apartment here in Erie can go for as low as $290/month. I'll be moving into one next year, utilities all paid, I pay electric, cable, and phone, for $400/month.

I'll actually have about 900 bucks left over after I pay my living expenses. Again, that's if I don't buy anything else.

1250 gets you a decent one bedroom loft around these parts, about 950 sq. feet. That's with one and a half bathrooms though.

maybe if you went for a smaller apartment. 1250 for a 950 Sq FT apartment isn't really bad.

 

[JS80]

Originally posted by: LivinLaVivaPollo

Originally posted by: mcvickj

Originally posted by: LivinLaVivaPollo

Because I relocated away from my fiance, and she's having to cover rent on the place we had previously shared, I'm helping her with her rent, credit cards, and I'm paying for all her utilities (water, sewer, garbage, internet, cable TV). That's about 700 bucks a month.

Well helping her out is certaintly your decision but right here is your problem. This and the fact that you live in Califorina. Helping her with just the rent maybe. Why on earth are you paying for her CC debt? Cable TV? Internet? Both things that could be disconnected to save you some money. Does she have a cell?

Well, in a way, this is repayment. She supported me for as long as she could out of college as I was looking for work.

How did she support you if you now have to support her

 

[JS80]

Originally posted by: KillerCharlie

Originally posted by: JS80
if you're not making six figures in 5-8 years it means you failed in engineering. our engineers out of college make pretty close to six figs so it might just be that you suck.

What school and what field?

we only have like 2 engineers that make slightly under six figs. everyone else is above. software engineers in southern california. alma maters range from Buffalo State New York and MIT.

btw i am in finance and i am getting close to six figs also 2-3 years out of college.