Trying to move out. Currently saving (have 3k tucked away). Can you live fairly comfortably on 1,400-1,600 a month? Rent is 600-900 with most utilities included for a 1br/studio where I'm at.
Car insurance is $90. I only drive to work and occasionally go out (maybe once a week). I occasionally need another work shirt or a new pair of socks. Food is probably $250-300 a month. Phone is $48. Need internet.
>>16661333
How does one get insurance so cheap? If I got on my own policy it'd be $200 a month for a $700 car with state minimum coverage.
Cheapo lifestyle
Rent: $600
Food: $150
Basic utilities: $50
Car (gas/maintenance): $100
Car insurance: let's say $100 for rounding
Phone+Internet: $100
General needs (clothes/household items): $100
Student loans: ?
Health insurance: ?
Other health needs: ?
Other bills/loans: ?
Entertainment: ?
This is the cheapo, lower-middle class lifestyle. You'll be cutting it close either way, and you're fucked to high heaven if you get sick or injured (or even get a girlfriend you have to buy dinner for).
I HIGHLY recommend getting a roommate unless you want to live barebones paycheck to paycheck
>>16661337
I'm not sure how it worked out, but I'm on statefarm and pseudo-on my grandparents insurance.
We have separate bills and one doesn't affect another if one gets in an accident, but I get their good driving record even though I just started driving one year ago. The agent is super chill tho so mabye that has to do with it.
>>16661358
That'd be tight but I think I can do it. That'd leave me with 200-400 a month. Really not much but idk if I have a choice.
>>16661337
Be over 25.
Get the least amount of liability insurance possible.
Own your vehicle and not have payments.
Shop around.
My insurance was $80/month and I could have gotten it even cheaper by about $20. I say was because it's $135/month now because I have to file an SR-22.
I'm 29 and my truck is 15 years old and been paid off for like 10 years.
>>16661377
What kind of savings would a roommate give me? Rent would be 500 instead of 600, but what else? utilities would save me maybe 50.
>>16661384
Whatever the rent is, split it by how many roommates you have. This also allows you to pay for a 2- or 3-bedroom jointly, which is going to be much cheaper than a studio. You'll also divide those utility and household bills probably.
>>16661398
>much cheaper
Not really. At least from my math. a studio goes for 600-800. A 2br is 1100-1200.
>>16661404
A 2BR (most likely) will also have more than double the studio's square footage (like a full living room or something). You'd have to post the specifics of where you're looking if you want a more in-depth analysis.
>>16661421
A bigger place is actually a downside to me. More to clean, and I don't get claustrophobic.
https://fortmyers.craigslist.org/ is the area I'm looking at,
and south Sarasota...
https://sarasota.craigslist.org/
>>16661624
>https://fortmyers.craigslist.org/
Yeah, I didn't consider a lot of things, I figured you were just dealing with an apartment alone. Parking/garage will also cost you. So will "upgrading" through amenities - some of this stuff has pools/is in low-crime areas/is premium/is downtown compared to the basic studio setup. Some are free-standing single family homes of 3 bedrooms, others are 3-bedroom apartments in a greater complex.
Also be sure to take into account how relocating would affect your commute. That $600 apartment may mean you spend an extra half hour driving to work each day if it's in the middle of nowhere.
That's about what I lived on when I was in graduate school, and I think you're going to find it difficult unless you can find a cheaper rent situation. Maybe rent a room in someone else's house? I was making about $1300, in a fairly low cost area (Omaha), and it was still somewhat of a struggle even when rent and utilities were only around $450. Generally the rule of thumb for "comfortable" living is that necessaries are 50% of your net monthly income or less, then you can save 30% and have 20% for discretionary things.
