# Work full-time and still can't afford to move out



## Futures (Aug 27, 2005)

I don't know how everyone makes ends meet. For the last few weeks I've been browsing craigslist looking at some 1 bedroom apartments and I can't believe what some of these places are going for.

I've been hearing that a person shouldn't spend more than 30% of their income on housing. I net $1,600 a month and at 30%, that's $480 for housing. I figure since I never go out and do anything, plus work bonuses, I can probably stretch that to $600 and still get by.

From what I've been seeing on Craigslist, $600 gets you an extremely cramped studio (pretty much the size of my current bedroom with a bathroom) in an even crappier neighborhood. I can't believe some of these pictures. These places look like the biggest **** holes on earth! It's not until you get up around $1,000 that the places start to look pretty decent.

It's depressing/embarassing as hell though to know that I'm probably going to be stuck living at home until I'm at least 30. But living here at home seems like paradise compared to these places in these ads.

It's hard to comprehend how some people move out at 18 and never look back. I scratch my head wondering how they make ends meet at that age.


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## rusalka (Jan 12, 2004)

:hug 

Have you thought of having a roommate?


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## Noca (Jun 24, 2005)

roommate!


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## folightning (Sep 17, 2008)

yea you would definitely need a roommate.


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## shyvr6 (Feb 18, 2008)

It's all about where you live. Where I live you can get a decent two bedroom for six hundred, while in other places like nyc, it would get you something the size of my bathroom, lol. Like the others said, get a roommate.


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## srschirm (Jun 25, 2006)

Where do you live?


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## liarsclub (Aug 23, 2008)

I know. Life is so expensive-it's ridiculous.
You could find a roommate in a ready for you to move into flat.
That's what I did years back.


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## whiterabbit (Jan 20, 2006)

My worst fear is that I'll never be able to get a job which pays enough for me to be able to move out of home. Probably all I've ever be able to afford is a ****ty cockroach-infested bedsit in a really rough area.

It was all easier back in the day. My parents were able to buy outright their first house with the money they'd saved up from working in a hotel for about a year and half.


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## OpportunityStops (Sep 25, 2008)

Craigslist is a poor example of what apartments go for, you have to actually go around and scout in person, also newspaper classifieds work wonders.


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## OpportunityStops (Sep 25, 2008)

i live in Central California, it isnt too bad here..


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## mserychic (Oct 2, 2004)

I'm in the bay area and you pretty much have to be a millionaire to rent an apt. My friend is looking for a room mate and half the rent is about what I make in a month. I'd much rather go on living with my grandparents then deal with some stranger room mate


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## shyvr6 (Feb 18, 2008)

Celestite said:


> Where in the world can someone with a simple HS diploma live on their own for cheap?? Like what state?


There are plenty of states, but you just have to look. Do a search on most affordable cities.


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## meghanaddie (Sep 9, 2008)

It can definitely be done as long as you budget your money well.
I lived at home up til last year and I'm 27.
Now i live on my own in a decent sized apt in a good neighborhood. I only work part-time.


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## BeNice (Jan 2, 2004)

mserychic said:


> I'm in the bay area and you pretty much have to be a millionaire to rent an apt. My friend is looking for a room mate and half the rent is about what I make in a month. I'd much rather go on living with my grandparents then deal with some stranger room mate


You can move to Guerneville and live in a cabin. It's a little cheaper. I think this is what I am going back to. I don't know where I'll work, though. Everything is kind of far.


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## pita (Jan 17, 2004)

I feel your pain. I don't always look forward to graduation because it means moving out of my parents' house; this, of course, will be impossible unless I suddenly start to make twice my current wage. I will be graduating with an English degree. What the hell kind of pay increase will that entail?


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## Futures (Aug 27, 2005)

pita said:


> I will be graduating with an English degree. What the hell kind of pay increase will that entail?


It depends where you live, but probably 25-30K per year to start, which is the range I'm in and as you can see by me starting this thread, look how well I'm doing, lol.

I can't do the room mate thing because that would involve moving in with a complete stranger, and my SA is too severe for that.


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## dax (Nov 19, 2004)

Futures said:


> I don't know how everyone makes ends meet. For the last few weeks I've been browsing craigslist looking at some 1 bedroom apartments and I can't believe what some of these places are going for.
> 
> I've been hearing that a person shouldn't spend more than 30% of their income on housing. I net $1,600 a month and at 30%, that's $480 for housing. I figure since I never go out and do anything, plus work bonuses, I can probably stretch that to $600 and still get by.
> 
> ...


I'm going through the exact same situation. It's my student loans that are killing me. I've been trying to save money over the past two years to try and get a place of my own but the max I can afford is $1,000 a month and even at that price any one bedrooms near my workplace are total dives. Rents are out of control around here.


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## daaaaave (Jan 1, 2007)

meghanaddie said:


> It can definitely be done as long as you budget your money well.
> I lived at home up til last year and I'm 27.
> Now i live on my own in a decent sized apt in a good neighborhood. I only work part-time.


how do you manage?? that is great i want to only work PT


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## meghanaddie (Sep 9, 2008)

^ I just don't spend a ton of money on stuff for myself lately. oh and i buy tons of stuff second hand


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