First off, I make roughly 2800-3000 per month

Rent for a 2 bedroom apt – 820(includes heat and water)
Electricity – ???
Monthly loan payment – 140
Student loan payment – 100
Food – ~300
Fuel for bike – ~$30
Fuel for car – ??? not much since I rarely drive it
Insurance – $120
Personal care – $40
Bike/car maintenance – $30
Cell phone – $40-50

Im sure im missing vital monthly expenses there. I guess if I could save $1000 per month I would be half-assed happy. Ive never really rented a place before, but I really don’t want roommates. I know I would save a lot of money, but I would not be as happy.

Is this doable for me? My bike is brand new and paid off, my car sucks, but it’s paid for. I have 20k in student loan debt and 4k left to pay on my loan. Am I taking on too much by paying 820 for rent? I don’t use much electricity so I assume that bill might be $50 at the most per month. Maybe a lot less?

I could live with roommates, but I have done it before and I usually end up being confined to my room because I don’t get along well with them. Or they are pigs. They steal your food from the fridge. And generally do stupid shit that just pisses me off. I have social anxieties which makes hanging out with the wrong people absolute torture for me. And note, my roommates were friends of mine before we lived together. So im not sure there is a way around it.

Also, I don’t have a lot of furniture. I have a double bed, a couch, tables. Im sure I could easily spend another $1000 furnishing the apartment.

Would just like opinions here

Oh, and most of my money is tied up in long-term investment funds. I have like 4k in the bank that I can access. And a steady job. My paychecks are $1400 – 1600/bi weekly. I have loads of free time to get a second job if I needed.
I make $12-$1300 a month, live alone in a one bedroom apartment, and put $100 in the savings account every month. I live in Iowa. Unless cost of living is tons higher where you live, I see no reason you couldn’t afford to live on your own.
It’s definitely doable. Why not get a 1br for cheaper?
yeah, unless there is absolute reason you need the extra room a single would be just fine.

the difference is not much it seems. A shithole 1 bedroom is no less than 650. A nice, respectable, newer building with a 2 bedroom is 820. Which works out to just over $2000 per year.

A nice 1 bedroom apt in the same building as the 2 bedroom, is 775. That difference is only 540 per year. I like the extra space. For storage if nothing else.

Cost of living here isn’t terrible. Things cost more than average, I think, but its not insane.
definitely doable, i have roughly the same income and expenses you do and am living quite comfortably on my own.

That’s a lot of $ to me, but it’s nice to have some space too. I’m looking to do the same thing. I’d ideally like my own apt but it’s going to be so much money compared to staying with my parents for free.
Sounds doable…and if you don’t like roommates, don’t do it. I too prefer living alone to living with someone and having to worry about their feelings (or mine when they’re pissing me off). It’s well worth the extra $$ (imo) to live alone. I also think you will be happier with a 2-bedroom as you will be able to get some of your extra shit out the way and feel like you have more room to live.

Plus, if you feel like you could save ~$1000/mo, you could probably easily put away a little less than that for a few months, drop some big payments on your 4k loan and pay that off within 6 months and then have that extra $140 to save/spend/etc.

edit: For budgeting, I (personally) would over-estimate gas and food. For some reason, I always spend more than expected there, plus with gas costs going up, you never know. You also have no miscellaneous or entertainment type costs budgeted in there.
What do houses cost in your area? $820 a month is a lot to just be pissing away, you might be able to get a house for the same amount of money. Something to investigate anyway.

he only has 4000 saved, which isnt enough for a downpayment

buying a house is a huge burden and He should pay his student loans off first before buying a house.

IF he’s in canada, housing prices in certain province are rediculous.

If he could find a smaller house with a second door he could rent the basment out.

But i dont see a problem with you living in a 2 bedroom. And i agree with you my friend lived in a 1 bedroom which was the size of living room + kitchen and one bed/

He moved into a 2 bedroom with a friend same building and it was literally twice the size.

I live in Alberta. ‘Nuff said

There are condos for rent in town, 1600/mth + utilities. its just not cheap to live here.

Im also looking at a basement suite. Might be sorta cool. That is only 650 per mth, utilities included. But its a one bedroom. I go to look at it this evening. Might be a complete dive though.
I looked at the basement suite today. Actually not too bad. Private entrance, utilities all included, 650 per month. Its got it all. Landlord seems like a cool shit too. I dunno. Maybe I will take it. I don’t think I can find a better place.
You should be able to do it, don’t forget cost of gas and water bills unless that’s included in rent. Also, do you have any credit card bills that you have to pay?
Definitely doable. I bring in around 2K/month and have a studio that sets me back 600 or so, plus all my other bills, and I’m not having to scrap by.
make a budget and live by it

i make less than you and was renting a place for the price you will be paying and afforded it fine

once he went up to 1200/month i was out of luck

in a 1br now at 700/month and have no doubt at all that i will be ok. my budget has me saving 300/month and like i said i make much less than you and have similar bills

I don’t have any credit card bills. For an apartment, the only added bill is power. I would change out bulbs and do the easy stuff to cut back. Its easy to keep it low. For a basement suite it is all included in the rent. And then internet I have to pay for and cell phone bill would go up a bit and cable if I got it.

Looking at my average month, I really don’t know what im spending money on. I used to save receipts and enter them, but I gave up on it.

I have organization problems which would be solved if I had space to myself. I used to be really good at budgets, but sort of gave up now because I don’t really have to space to comfortably do it.
Dude I’m a Newfoundlander, are you retarded? 650 for an apartment, SIGN LEASE NOW!!!

You know how much money you can make!

As a Newfoundlander I know more about Alberta then Albertans. We are built to be born here, move there for years to take your money and bring it back to the province. You no’ this.

Rent here is 500 single 600 double. I expect a place in Alberta to be 800+, now I know landlords charge us more because of where we come from.

You have a steal.

You’d be crazy not to take that place.

Well then again, I’m an Industrial Electrician, I’d rent free. No idea what you studied or make.
Also your food bill will go down once you buy a crap load of food…

I’m a Newfoundlander too

Part God eh? Glad to have known ya.

Sihn the lease. Make the mohney. Raise the kids ome’ tho by you dun wan ur kids smokin meth or some cracked out sheet out der in Albera, seriusly doh.
If you want to live in 2bdrm have a car that you rarely drive, why not sell it?
It’d be cheaper to get a rental or Flex/Zip car for the rare occasion you ought to have a four wheeled box.

oh yes by’e!

And I wont sell my car. I wont get enough money for it. Its worth maybe 500 bucks. And what is a zip car? Is that the car that is made in Canada but not sold here? And also, we need cars because sometimes its just not practical to ride the bike

You could just cancel insurance and let it sit maybe? Zipcar/Flexcar is not a vehicle per se. It’s a car share program.
have any money put away? with the way real state is right now you could own and pretty much pay the same month as you would for rent

A trailer park home in his province is capped out at 300k because people were charging more all the time.

Wat you talkin bout Willis?

Don’t sell because you will need it in winter.

Maybe kill the insurance. That’s risky though when you need it, chances are you’re just gonna drive.

I doubt you can get your cellphone bill much more, I worked for Rogers Wireless.

Other then that you’re figures are cut there for you, you will be paying that much every month.

You haven’t included entertainment or anything, but an internet connection includes all that.

Didn’t include net fee. Electricity will be around 100 dollars (liberal figure), Cell phone minutes will be going up so that plan isn’t so good anymore, I recommend VoIP unfortunately.

Yet another interference of private commerce by Government of Canada

Only in Alberta, however they are having a housing crisis and people are just abusing it. 300k is still a lot of money.

I like our part-social government. The benefits almost outweigh the taxes. I don’t have to work for 4-5 months out of the year because of our system. The other months of the year I’m loaded with cash. No complaints besides a shaggy medical system that needs restructuring due to loss of good doctors to the US, which I will admit, however there are still respected doctors here, and we just converted medical from 2.3 bill to 3.2 bill here in Newfoundland, so things are getting better.

That’s just the opposite of rich getting richer at the expense of poor.

The free enterprise rights of estate owners are being tampered with by the poor crying to the communism.ab.gc.ca

People have to work hard to get rich in Canada.

As opposed to a family name permanently being born with the golden spoon in it’s mouth.

That’s off topic though.
Sounds like you should be able to afford a place fine. Just make sure you keep at least 2-3 months rent saved up in case something unexpected happens.
I make (collectively) about 2K/mo, with a $1K/mo rent on a 1bedroom 650 sq ft apartment. You make $3K/mo. Yes, you can afford to live on your own
Well I got accepted for a large 1-bedroom apartment. I wanted two bedrooms, but this place I have is actually quite large. Large bedroom, large dining area, large living area, average size washroom. The kitchen is very small, but I wont complain about that. It also has a decent sized storage room.

Only downside I can see is that it doesn’t have a balcony. Oh well I guess. And no pets. I have a cat, but he will have a good home elsewhere.

Rent is 725/mth + power bills. Heat, water and hot water are included. I will be moving in on the 9th. Coincidently, on my birthday

I hope it goes well
IL+1 for giving up your pet, you couldve tried harder

lol, he will just stay at home with my parents. It was a family pet. Would have loved to take him with me, but couldn’t.

The only place that allows pets are townhouses. They are no less than 925/mth + all utilities

There is not a broad range of options here for places to rent. There is only about 15000 people living here.

You’re going to have to wait and save a bit if you’re going alone, with the way the market is right now. I’m in AB too, so I feel your pain, haha

I’m in Calgary, renting a 1bdrm 650 sq ft apartment for $1000/mo.

Thing is, it was quite ‘reasonably’ priced, when compared to what was available

I don’t get why Calgary is so expensive. Ednmonton is not bad. Fort Crack is just out to lunch. Areas like Cold Lake, Bonnyville and Lloydminster are decently priced. I live in Lloydminster. Jobs are plentiful here but there is also a lot of demand for housing. Just a few years ago a nice townhouse could be had for 600 a month. Now its like 1000.

Im growing sick of this town, but finally I have a decent job so I want to stick it out for a bit. Alberta in general is just a big rat race

calgary is expensive because we have a negative vacancy rate

Related posts:

1. My roommate is up the creek (long read) So my roommate heading down the road to financial ruin....
2. Like, what if I REALLY want to just leave the country? Well, more like USA. I’m broke. Worst financial situation i’ve...
3. I can’t sit still and in turn, it’s making me broke I don’t know how many times I have to keep...