Comments on: Low(er) Rent: How to Make it Happen

By: Can I afford it?

Can I afford it? — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 02:39:26 +0000

[...] especially compared to the world at large – such as a Disney World vacation, gas for my car, rent for an apartment in an expensive part of the country (although not expensive by California’s standards). [...]

By: Assisted Living

Assisted Living — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 00:55:53 +0000

Many of these same tips can be applied to seniors considering moving into various senior housing communities. They can choose to share a room with a roommate, they can eliminate services or amenities that they do not need as well as select a senior living option that fits their budget. Thanks for the list.

By: NYC Gal

NYC Gal — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 14:22:29 +0000

Our rent is 18% of our income.. which is pretty good for NJ town close to NYC… we have a 2 car parking , dishwasher, yard and heat is included so its not a bad deal at all..

By: WellHeeled

WellHeeled — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 00:54:24 +0000

I loved living alone, and now I think it'd be difficult to live with a roommate unless it was with a partner, so I completely understand. Having your own space can't be overestimated.

By: Anon

Anon — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 15:57:08 +0000

My total housing costs in NYC are 27% of my gross pay. It could be lower (around 20%) if I had a roommate, but I had roommates all through college and for four years afterwards, and I was just ready to live on my own. It's been a tiny bit of a stretch, but I'm still contributing to my 401k and my Roth IRA, in addition to paying my student loans and saving up a sizeable emergency fund, so it's doable. Would those savings add up more quickly if I had a roommate or two? Absolutely, but the trade-off is worth it for me.

By: @gapgrad

@gapgrad — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 21:06:29 +0000

I am actually a leasing agent for a luxury apartment, and we see people all the time doing everything they can to get into a high-end apartment, even when they really can't afford it. I LOVE having an attached garage, large square footage, granite counters, etc….but trust me, it's not worth it in the long haul if it means financial stress!! We don't think less of you–in fact, the only way I moved into these great apartments in the first place is with roommates–three of them, to be exact! __As far as tips for rent goes, try NOT to move during the summer. Summer is the busiest time of year for most apartments, so, though they advertise great savings during the summer, they'll be most likely to cut you a deal if you move during, say, February or November. It never hurts to ask, either–if what they're offering is just beyond your budget, be honest with your budget, and ask if they'll meet you. And BE NICE. Apartments are bound by Fair Housing laws, however, a little old fashioned niceness to a leasing agent who has probably already been yelled at for something that's not their fault does wonders!!

By: Brianne

Brianne — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 16:56:22 +0000

My share of the rent is 18% of my gross income, which is pretty good for a beach community in Southern California. We looked for our apartment for a long time in order to find something that was in our price range and fit our needs. It includes half of a garage and we can tandem park behind the garage as well. It's also a 2-bedroom, has a dishwasher, and allows us to have a cat. I think we saved money by finding an apartment that's managed by it's actual owner, rather than a management company that takes a slice.

Also, we're contemplating asking for a reduction in rent because our neighbors just moved out and the posted rent is $45 less a month than what we pay.

By: Car Coach

Car Coach — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 15:19:18 +0000

Another good tip is referrals.

Most of the places I've lived will give you up to a month free rent if you refer a friend to sign a lease in the same complex. The only question is whether to split the bonus with your friend or not.

By: Ellie

Ellie — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 13:45:18 +0000

My current place is 15% of my monthly take home (was 30% when SO was in school and I was covering the whole rent). I live in Boston, which isn't as bad as NYC, but certainly isn't cheap if you want to live anywhere close to downtown! In a year or two once we are both better established in our careers, we're hoping to move into a nicer place – stainless steel appliances and granite countertops – but still keep it below 20% of take home for each of us.

By: Kim

Kim — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 03:36:03 +0000

At our new place, living expenses will be approximately 24% of my gross income. Our current place is about 18%…but the new place is SO much nicer in every way (except proximity to public transit – though there are definite downsides to being across the street from the BART station, such as homeless people peeing in your driveway and loud people outside late at night). No great tips for keeping rent costs down…I've always lived in high-rent areas, so I'm pretty much just used to expecting high prices. I think you just have to keep looking until you find that near-perfect place.

By: MoneyMaus

MoneyMaus — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 23:50:57 +0000

My housing costs (rent + utilities) are currently 33% of my monthly gross income. (It's over 41% based on take-home pay!) For me, obviously the easiest way to keep costs down is to live with roommates. My rent isn't as bad as NYC but it's definitely NOT cheap…it's the California sunshine tax! We keep utilities low by negotiating with our cable company on our cable+internet package. Currently, it's $85/month total which is fantastic. Those are by far the two easiest ways I keep my costs down.

By: Tweets that mention Low(er) Rent: How to Make it Happen -- Topsy.com

Tweets that mention Low(er) Rent: How to Make it Happen -- Topsy.com — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 15:45:50 +0000

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