Question for anyone living on your own (or with a roommate)
 

So a friend of mine asked me to move out with her into an apt. It's a pretty nice place and the rent is fairly cheap, but when you break it down and factor in; rent, utilities, insurance (for my cars), food, cell phone bill etc, I am left with around $600 a month for personal expenses (to go out, etc). I know that's not much but is that do-able? I guess I'm looking to see if there is anyone else who are in a similar circumstance and if there are any suggestions before I decide to do this.

I think its do able, but I also think you will want more, and that you should also have money to save each month. Just don't put yourself in a situation where you are living paycheck to paycheck. Only you really know how much you spend.

Depends on how much your "lifestyle " costs. Having an extra $600 a month is do-able. If you like to go out fairly often with friends, girls on dates, catch a game, etc... then that $600 could go away really quick.

lude4life pretty much nailed it. $600 could be a lot to one person, and nothing to the next person. But yes, dont live paycheck to paycheck. Keep some money in savings (like over $1000 at least)

hell no. i wouldnt do it

If you live at home, don't pay rent, don't buy groceries, and your parents aren't dictators...just enjoy the free ride until THEY want you out dude. Today's economy is no joke. If you got fired from your job it's not exactly easy to get hired (even at McDonald's) nowadays.

Or do what I'm doing. Join the military LOL!

27 years old huh?
Move out, find out how the real world works and gain some perspective as far as what's important to you in life.
Sooner one does this in life the better off they are imo.

I wouldn't rent. That's just me. I'm starting to look around for a house to buy. It's a buyers market now. So atleast buying you have an investment. Renting your just paying someone else's morgage basically. But don't buy with someone and make that big mistake, you buy and you rent out the room or rooms like I plan to do. 150,000 dollar house about 1300 for morgage and utilities renting each room for 600 each. I'm almost living for free!

I wouldn't rent. That's just me. I'm starting to look around for a house to buy. It's a buyers market now. So atleast buying you have an investment. Renting your just paying someone else's morgage basically. But don't buy with someone and make that big mistake, you buy and you rent out the room or rooms like I plan to do. 150,000 dollar house about 1300 for morgage and utilities renting each room for 600 each. I'm almost living for free!

Just another idea

Hell no. I'd save my money to buy a house.

is this girl hot? That should be half the decision there lol

I have a little over 1000 extra and it's kinda hard. Then again I buy car parts and go out a lot lol if you limit yourself it is "doable"

moving out is fun though and probably one of the best decisions I've made

and to put in perspective

im 27, working and living in saudi arabia. making 10x your spending money.


and i dont pay rent
get your head out of your ass and move up in the world

DONT PAY RENT! STAY AT HOME and SAVE THAT MONEY!!!! When the time is right or if your parents say "it's time to get out", you will have enough money to either rent or buy, with a nice cushion, in case something does happen (medical, fired, car problem, etc)


Had I listened to my older friends and stayed home til I was ready or parents kicked me out, I would've had a pretty comfy life outside of home. I had to struggle for a while, while in school, until I got my degree and was able to make a very nice paycheck. Those who say, get out and learn the real world are dumb. You can experience the real world , while still living in your current arrangement. Do things the right way and save until you have a nice enough cushion in your bank to cover you.

Learned this from experience. Stay home, learn a craft that will stay in demand (like dentistry or something), stack paper and move out into the world like a fucking BAWS. $600 a month may seem ok to some, but it's chump change to someone with a REAL career.

Find yourself a girlfriend with her own place & keep your stuff wrapped up if you just gotta get out of the house.

And hell... why are you asking us about this?!? Talk to your parents about this shit. I wish I had done that instead of talking to dumbass friends before I moved out. Worst decision I ever made.

Now let's all lecture him about how not to be a shitty member of society.

If you're talking $600 after ALL expenses (which it looks like you are) then that's easily do-able. The wife and I were clearing less than that right after we bought our house with me working retail still and her working part-time.

That being said though, I wouldn't do it..

Save up money, get a steady income (if you don't already) and put a down payment on a house. The money you spend on the mortgage each month will be actually going to something.. not paying for someone else's property.

Do it right and save up enough to put down 20% and you won't have to worry about mortgage insurance which is just useless $$ out the door now since it's not eligible for a tax write-off anymore.

Instead of moving out right when I got a stable job and finished school, I dealt with living at home for another 1.5 years.. I saved up enough to put down 20% on our home and get a conventional loan. Or mortgage each month is now about 3/5ths the cost of what others pay to just rent.

Summing it up.. It sucks living at home, but saving up enough $$ to buy a house and not go through FHA is WELL worth it in the end.

a) was talking to OP who is 27 years old
b) how do you know how much I make?
c) I'd rather make 10x less than you and not have to live in Saudi Arabia
d) I don't pay rent either
e) I'm happy with my place in the world
f) spend a little of that cash you have, quit building ugly cars

QFT

Mehahevelvhevwh

I wouldnt wanna live in Saudi either, even if you pay me $150k a year...Now Qatar, Bahrain or UAE. I'd live out there...Shit, I'd live in UAE for less than $50k if the company pays for my flat and utilities.

But back to the OP, $600 as in extra after calculating food and gas into everything else or $600 and you have to use that food/gas? Gas alone will eat your $600 in CA.

Sorry I do not condone freeriding off of your parent/parents. you are 27 be a man. Yakota doesn't pay rent because WE pay his rent. Sure buying a house is the ultimate goal, but that may not be feasible for your life right now. Rent is totally fine, anyone who hasn't paid rent at least once in their life is either:

A in the military
B rich parents
C won the lottery

your ego doesn't help this kid at all, but i do thank you for your service to our country.

This ain't face book.. lol dude I just turned 20 and live by myself and have 2 s14 Sr not bragging but if you are commited you could survive I have 800 left a month but I work on cars on the side I don't stay home scratching my balls on my day off

wasnt talking to you
was talking to the 27 year old OP that has done nothing with his life

but way to think it was about you to make a witty post about ugly cars that you dont own (and im sure you will say wouldnt own....but who gives a shit if you would own MY cars)

the point is. he should be more worried about saving to be in a better place rather than scraping by

Nope
Im not military smartie :)
job pays for it. Part of the perks. I get a free car too

saudi is fun as shit man. dont knock it till you try it NOT military

Abu Dhabi is next on the list though

There's absolutely no underground sewage system in Dhabi. They dump it all in the water. Here you go...



Enjoy your stay!

A lot of people have already commented on the finance piece of things, so I won't repeat myself. What I will say is that, unless you know for a fact there is zero attraction to this friend and she's not a slob (rarity IMO)...you might want to think twice about living with her.


I never knew this!

Damn, I didn't expect this many responses.

Maybe I should give more insight into my situation. I am 27 going on 28, I have lived with my folks all my life, and they have helped me out a lot, I was going to move out back in '08, but when the economy tanked, I lost my job, and had to work a whole two years at minimum wage (took me alost a year to get that job) until last year when I got back on my feet and got my current job (while working that shitty job I was still hunting for work like crazy).

I am planning on moving out because my 33 year old sister just moved out (didn't want to deal with the stress, long story). I have been getting hints that I should also from my mom, my pops doesn't think I should move out, but isn't going to stop me, I am one who doesn't like to over stay my welcome, so to speak, so I started looking for a place of my own. I had to tap into my savings (as well as get some help from my folks) when I went a year without working, and I am just now at a point where I can start saving up again.

For the past year I have been paying about $650 to my folks for "rent", so I figure If I'm paying rent I might as well pay for something I want than settling for less. At my folks house I don't have a garage to work on cars or store my S13, as apposed to the apt. I'd have a garage. The area where my folks live is shitty, we've already had once car stolen from our house, my neighbor has had his house broken into twice, and all other kinds of shit happens there, I'd be moving into a lot quieter neighborhood.

I am a field technician and I make 35k+ a year, my job is very stable, and I get full benifits (health care, dental, vision, life insurance), I have a company car (on top of my two) and I get reimbursed for all work related expenses (food, gas, maintenence for the car etc)

I would have joined the armed forces fresh outta high school but I have a knee injury and poor vision which would have kept me from doing what I would like to do.

My potential roomate is a good friend I've known for years. I guess she's atractive but isn't my type (physically and personality wise) but we are good friends, I highly doubt we'd ever hook up or anything of the sort.

Honestly, I realize living at home I'm just a big man child, I feel like I do need to get out on my own and expirence adult life/responsibility without having the safety of having my folks to fall back on. But like I said earlier, I just want to know if that $600 (after ALL expenses) would be enough. For now I am literally keeping track of every cent I spend for the next few weeks to guage how much I spend on a regular basis.

I would love to buy a house, but buying a house in So. Cal. is hard, and to be honest I dont think I could pull it off for a long time, If things go the way it is at work I'm sure I'll be making more money and could afford to save some money till I am ready to buy a house. I figure move in with my friend, buckle down and hustle and maybe 5 years from now get into my own place. That's my goal, by the time I'm 35 I'd like to have my own place, for now this would be a transitional phase.


Thanks for all your comments, positive or negative, I'll take them all into consideration and I appreciate them.

Dude your bio says N. Hollywood...GET THE FUCK OUTTA THERE. I don't know if you're planning on staying in Los Angeles county, but shit is a lot cheaper in the Inland Empire. I've been working up along the 210 Freeway in both counties. Try looking at the older cities in the IE. You'd be surprised at the prices for a nice place in a stable area. You may have to commute, but hey that's life.

i hear that, your not alone. Times have been hard for me as well, lack of employment has been killer for me.

btw the inland empire sucks for employment, it always makes Forbes top worst cities for careers.
number 1 worst area http://www.forbes.com/pictures/efkk4...gallerycontent

do whatever you want... just let her name be on the lease...

don't let it be a "joint" venture.

You'll have $600 left over after bills? I wish I had that much.

But seriously, If you are making $35+ a year, you should be able to at least afford a small apartment. I'm just amazed that your 28, still living with your parents and a girl talks to you.

I say do it, man. It might end up being a valuable experience.
I moved out at 21 when my parents left the states. It was rough for a couple years, but I wouldnt trade the experience.
Just make sure your friend pays her bills, you trust her, and she keeps her space tidy.
Dont sweat the small stuff. Life goes on.