Living on my own and budget?

[Brandon Walsh is Insane.]

Wow.

So Cali is very different.

2 Bedroom apt in a middle class neighbor was costing me 1700 a month. Before electricity, cable, trash, water, gas...

Dude, you'll be fine. As long as you keep to your budget, and save some money for a rainy day... you'll be more than fine.

[King Fox -1017 Bricksquad]

I think I need to move there. My rent is $636!!

[bubbles]

I'm trying to get my own place before summer to. I have found a place only a few short miles from where I am now that only costs £55 a week but I also haven't worked out food and bills and stuff yet.

[They Adam Bradley]

o ya dude... u go to Vincennes...

are you living in the DEPOT?... when i went there I lived there..

and i live in a small town in indiana...i got a pretty good deal!

2 bedroom house..big kitchen...big living rooms.. i pay 325 a month for rent

but the gas bill in the winter is ususally 150 per month..and the elec bill during the summer runs about 150 as well

even in a small town like covington, I got a good deal..basically everything is 425-450 a month..

[They Adam Bradley]

and dude u will be fine, as long as ur smart with ur money... I keep track of all my bills thru word.. I just put the month and write down every single Bill I have.. then when i pay it, i just type out how much the bill was and write Paid...that way u always know about what u spend.., I will give u an example of my December 2007 Bills... If i can do it dude i think u can to...i bring home roughly 350 a week

Rent 325
Elec 110
Cell 75
Car 200
Satellite 60
Gas 114
Student Loans 150
Credit Cards 110
home phone 50

So in December i spent roughly 1100 hundred in bills
and i very roughly brought home 1400ish....and I still have a little bit of money back for emergencies and im far from living poor... but then again i work at a restraunt so i get free food so I dont have a food budget.. also i didnt count in gas!

[Edison taps to the ARMBAR!]

kittylimits said:

If you've counted $50 a week for FOOD and still have over $150 left over EACH WEEK...then hon, you'll do fine.

Except maybe you'll get fat.

I'm moving to Auburn Hills, Michigan, and will be paying a total of $450 / month, utilities, cable included, and don't make nearly as much as you do...and I'll do fine.

I hope :-\

lol thanks. I'm pulling for you too.

And I honestly think I can live off less than 30 bux a week in food. Being a vegetarian who eats only whole foods, my current stock of food is only dry beans, rice (a ten pound bag runs 9 bux and lasts for several months), potatoes, tofu and soy protein powder, which lasts a week at four scoops a day (100 grams protein).

So thanks alot to all you good folks for the input. And thankfully my job would let us work 100 hours a week if we would put up with it, and we get sweet deals on overtime pay.

[chibidiablo]

foxmccloud23 said:

I think I need to move there. My rent is $636!!

Mine is $1200

[Joe Neglia]

evildead2099 said:

How in the hell are you only paying $450 a month for rent? Are you renting out someone's basement closet?

Hell, the apartment I have here in Dallas (620 square feet, one bedroom, full kitchen) is only $410 (going up to 420 in March).

Of course, I live in the ghetto - there are gunshots in the complex at least once a month, if not more and a group of hookers keep trying to make their home base on my staircase...

Anyway, you also have to consider a lot of factors. Okay, you have the set budget worked out. What about unforseen things? Say, for instance, the fuel pump on your car goes out or you crack a tooth.

Do you have health insurance through work? If not, you're screwed if you only have $155 on you when you get your nose broken in an accident. You blow a tire, that's a good chunk of your week's leftover budget right there.

Do you date? Go to the movies? That kind of stuff adds up fast.

What about clothing? Planning on buying any?

Setting aside $75 for household goods is fine, but it should never be considered into the same amount you set aside for emergencies. In fact, the money set aside for emergencies should stay there: Set aside. Put it in savings, let it grow, don't touch it. But you shouldn't count on the same amount for both.

Will you be completely furnished from the start? All furniture, tv, etc.? If not, have to buy them or plan to rent-to-own?

Just some things to keep in mind.

[Mr Ismaeal Naji]

edisoncarasio said:

I posted this on another forum, and I have a ton of guys telling me I would be in the poor house. It seems here that the consensus is that I would be relatively ok. But on the other forum, the level of intelligence is really low (sherdog.com, MMA website).

Man this is tough.

who cares what a bunch of 13 year old keyboard tough guys at sherdog think!

[KLRA]

Madison did bring up a bunch of great points. You have to plan for unforseen things when you first start living on your own. That extra $155 a week sounds like a lot until you get served with a $900 emergency room bill or a $500 car repair bill.

Your math sounds about right for someone just starting to live out on their own. Also, we don't know how much you already have saved up so you might have a rainy day fund and you'd be just fine.

I myself am paying $950 per month on rent on my townhouse but that's split between me and the wifey (so in reality it's roughly only $475 per month) and our water, heat, and electric are paid for. However, decent internet and cable around here run close to if not over $100 every month (I have the 'all in one' cable/telephone/internet package), and then my cell phone bill alone (the wife pays her's THANK GOD) runs me $75-$100 per month.

A lot of the expenses you have listed out can change over time too (like car insurance, phone, gasoline for car, food). Just something to keep in mind.

Overall, I say you're in a lot better shape than I was when I first moved out on my own and the difference between my income and my expenditures was roughly $55. I made it work, but it freakin' sucked.

[Edison taps to the ARMBAR!]

By time I move out, I should have about $3500 saved up. I will have health care through work. I don't buy clothes, I shop at the thrift store or the "trendy" second hand clothing store here (dealing with hipsters sucks. They get all the good stuff). I will have dishes, spoons, pots, pans etc when I movie out, and my other furnishings. The only real emergency I should have is my car, and thankfully being a Toyota it is pretty dependable.

I should have made this a poll. Time to go add up the opinions. Thanks all.

EDIT
Forgot to say sherdog forums suck ass. I should have known better than to post it there. Figured out of the 200+ people reading it, somebody would post something intelligent.

[Flying Leg Kicks]

edisoncarasio said:

I posted this on another forum, and I have a ton of guys telling me I would be in the poor house. It seems here that the consensus is that I would be relatively ok. But on the other forum, the level of intelligence is really low (sherdog.com, MMA website).

Man this is tough.

You're not accounting for saving any money. You also have to account for relocation costs and if the place is furbished or not

I moved out of my single apartment and into a buddy's condo and I just pay him one sum for cable, rent and utilities. ($465)
Gas for my two cars ~$110 a month
Car Insurance = $125 a month
Food=$125 a month

Don't take this personally, but I make well over twice you do. but sometimes I feel like I don't have enough money.

Of course I'm a money hungry SOB.

[Mongo & Pepe: Back in Black]

I think you'll be alright. I survive in a $400/mo. apartment making much less money than you do just fine.

[Edison taps to the ARMBAR!]

Looks like everyone is split down the middle. But, it seems either way I'm moving out. So if worse comes to worse, I'll get a second part time job (if I'm not coaching ground fighting or tutoring by then).

On the plus side, I'll give you guys discounts on beer and cigs! Cuz I'm sure I'd end up in some crappy over night gas station attendant gig.