Determining what you can buy to pay for rent
1. Factor in personal circumstances
First of all, what will your living situation be like? If you plan to live with a roommate and split the bills, you can afford a more expensive apartment. much rent can i afford You have children or family members living with you, you will need more than one bedroom. If you have a pet, you may end up paying a small monthly fee.
Get your life situation in order before you start looking for an apartment. It will make things easier along the way.
2. Know your limits
Most landlords and wealth managers require your monthly income from home to be at least three times the monthly rent, and if you have a roommate, half of your income must be three times your share of the rent. While this isn’t always the case, you need to prove that you have this income before renting an apartment.
While you shouldn’t necessarily spend that much on rent, you’ll at least know your rental limits by doing some quick calculations. For instance:
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If you make $ 4000 a month, you qualify for a $ 1,333 rent
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Ifs you make $ 3,000 a month, you are eligible for a $ 1,000 rent payment
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If you make $ 2,000 a month, you are eligible for a $ 666 rent payment
3. Estimate the utilities much rent can i afford
In addition to paying the rent, you also have to pay for water, gas, and electricity to run your home. How much the cost of your utilities varies a lot depending on several factors. For example, window air conditioning units are often less expensive to run than central air. Smaller apartments with low ceilings require less heat and cooling than larger apartments or apartments with high ceilings. The cost also varies by the service provider, as some companies are just more expensive than others.
If you are moving from one apartment within the same complex or area to another, you can use your utility bills as a guide. For example, I spent about $ 50 for water and garbage service in my last apartment, $ 115 a month for electricity, and $ 65 a month for gas. In my current apartment, which is nearby, I spend about $ 50 on water and garbage, $ 90 on electricity, and $ 70 on gas. My budget has remained almost the same.
If you move to a new area, ask the locals what they are paying for. You’ll get the best sense of the actual cost of living by talking to someone who can provide a local’s point of view.
4. Calculate your other expenses much rent can I afford
Chances are you have other monthly bills to pay outside of your living expenses, such as your cell phone bill, car payment, and auto insurance. You will also have to pay for basic needs such as groceries, toiletries, and clothing.
For example, my expenses look like this:
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Car payment – $ 250
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Car Insurance – $ 98
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Cell Phone bill – $ 86
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Groceries – $ 300
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Gasoline – $ 100
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Ancillary costs (such as toiletries and clothing) – $ 50
You will need to consider these costs in your budget to determine how much you will have to pay for rent each month.
5. Consider the extras much rent can I afford
We all want to be able to afford some little luxuries, and it may be helpful to consider at least some of these items that you consider essential. Add the cost of non-essential extra expenses to your budgets, like entertainment, cable TV, a gym membership, and anything you don’t want to give up just to rent an apartment. Also, if you automatically allocate a specific amount of money to put into your savings account (saving $ 250 each month), you deduct that amount from your overall spending budget.
6. Bring it all together
Once I know my life situation, how much I earn each month, and my other monthly expenses, I know what I have to spend on rent. For example, let’s say I bring home $ 3,000 every month.
Breakdown of living expenses:
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Water and garbage services: $ 50
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Electricity – $ 90
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Gas – $ 70
Total cost: $ 210
Other breakdown of expenses:
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Car payment – $ 250
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Car Insurance – $ 98
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Cell Phone bill – $ 86
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Groceries – $ 300
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Gasoline – $ 100
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Incidentals: $ 50
Total cost : $ 884
Breakdown of ancillary costs:
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Internet connection – $ 45
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Savings account – $ 250
Total cost: $ 295
Final word
You should know how much rent you can afford before you start looking for a home. If you don’t know your limits, you can easily overcome this limit, which will make every month a struggle. If you get stuck, look for other ways to reduce your monthly expenses, such as saving money on grocery shopping or cutting cable television.
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