Can you live comfortably in Chicago on 30k a year? (Lincoln: coupons, high crime)

[Runuova]

Originally Posted by MSchemist80

Rent alone is $1.2-2k per month. There is 1/2 to 3/4 your take home right there or you need roommates none of those options I would consider comfortable for most people. Add utilities, food, transportation, incidentals and you are scraping the bottom.

That depends on the neighborhood! You can get places for lower than that.

[via chicago]

Frankly, if you're paying 2 grand on rent for a 1 bedroom in Chicago you're doing something wrong or just enjoy lighting dollar bills on fire.

Are people that out of touch? You can find a 1 bed in Avondale for $700.

No, it probably wont be glamorous but acting like you cant find anything less than $1500 is silly. Not everyone needs to live in River North luxury highrises

[UrbanCheetah]

Originally Posted by via chicago

Frankly, if you're paying 2 grand on rent for a 1 bedroom in Chicago you're doing something wrong or just enjoy lighting dollar bills on fire.

Are people that out of touch? You can find a 1 bed in Avondale for $700.

No, it probably wont be glamorous but acting like you cant find anything less than $1500 is silly. Not everyone needs to live in River North luxury highrises

Right. I refuse to pay more than $1,100 for a 1 bedroom. More than that it's like you might as well get a mortgage and buy a place. In Avondale and even Old Irving Park you can find nice 1 bedrooms from $800-$1,200 per month.

[jwuk45]

Seriously, people are saying you can't live on $30k?? I've lived on less than $20k for years. $600 for a room in a decent place (with roommates. This is really a better option if you want to live in a nice area. You can live anywhere in Chicago for $600 a month if you have roommates), $40 for healthcare, $35 for phone, $200 a month for food, $100 for utilities, $200 a month for going out drinking and whatnot. That still leaves over a grand for transport and whatever else.

At the end of the day, you can live on pretty much any wage. It's all about not wasting money, cooking your own meals, shopping around for bargains, not wasting electricity, etc. If you think you can't live comfortably because you can't go to Starbucks every day or eat out all the time, then I guess you're going to struggle...

[Runuova]

Originally Posted by jwuk45

Seriously, people are saying you can't live on $30k?? I've lived on less than $20k for years. $600 for a room in a decent place (with roommates. This is really a better option if you want to live in a nice area. You can live anywhere in Chicago for $600 a month if you have roommates), $40 for healthcare, $35 for phone, $200 a month for food, $100 for utilities, $200 a month for going out drinking and whatnot. That still leaves over a grand for transport and whatever else.

At the end of the day, you can live on pretty much any wage. It's all about not wasting money, cooking your own meals, shopping around for bargains, not wasting electricity, etc. If you think you can't live comfortably because you can't go to Starbucks every day or eat out all the time, then I guess you're going to struggle...

I agree 100%!

[Bluefox]

Originally Posted by pete6032

There's no kitchen.

LOL yeah I noticed that afterward. too good to be true I guess...

[UrbanCheetah]

Originally Posted by jwuk45

Seriously, people are saying you can't live on $30k?? I've lived on less than $20k for years. $600 for a room in a decent place (with roommates. This is really a better option if you want to live in a nice area. You can live anywhere in Chicago for $600 a month if you have roommates), $40 for healthcare, $35 for phone, $200 a month for food, $100 for utilities, $200 a month for going out drinking and whatnot. That still leaves over a grand for transport and whatever else.

At the end of the day, you can live on pretty much any wage. It's all about not wasting money, cooking your own meals, shopping around for bargains, not wasting electricity, etc. If you think you can't live comfortably because you can't go to Starbucks every day or eat out all the time, then I guess you're going to struggle...

What age and day are you living in?

$35 for phone? What kind of whack ass plan can you get with that?
$200 month for food? Unless you like eating cheap crap all the time. If you are someone that wants to eat healthy and cook, it's going to be more than that. I am frugal with grocery shopping and it costs me above $200 per month.
$100 utilities? Right in winter?
$200 month for drinking? That all depends on the person.

I don't think anyone is saying you CAN'T live off of $30k in Chicago, it's more so would you WANT to. You will be limited in the things you can do. If it was so easy to live off of $30k COMFORTABLY more people would do it. It's not easy and we don't know what kind of debt that OP has (maybe he has none I am not going to read back). The point is yeah you can live off $30k but you aren't going to have much fun and the "bargains" you are going to get will be crap. Let's also be honest, on a monthly basis there are expenses that will come up that aren't part of your budget, maybe you need to buy a new AC or you have to get a root canal. With the $30k those expenses you will really feel them.

I don't consider living in a crappy studio, having Aldi as my only grocery shopping option, and having to shop at the dollar store for supplies the highest quality living. Again you can do it, but ask most people that do do that, I can bet you they would prefer more money to have a better quality of life. What about if this person likes to stay fit, they need to pay for a gym. Or if they are hit with a huge medical bill after insurance kicks in and they have to pay a significant amount of money for a few months every month? Things happen in life that you don't plan for, it's better to have a cushion than have to suffer for no good reason.

[Runuova]

Originally Posted by UrbanCheetah

What age and day are you living in?

$35 for phone? What kind of whack ass plan can you get with that?
$200 month for food? Unless you like eating cheap crap all the time. If you are someone that wants to eat healthy and cook, it's going to be more than that. I am frugal with grocery shopping and it costs me above $200 per month.
$100 utilities? Right in winter?
$200 month for drinking? That all depends on the person.

I don't think anyone is saying you CAN'T live off of $30k in Chicago, it's more so would you WANT to. You will be limited in the things you can do. If it was so easy to live off of $30k COMFORTABLY more people would do it. It's not easy and we don't know what kind of debt that OP has (maybe he has none I am not going to read back). The point is yeah you can live off $30k but you aren't going to have much fun and the "bargains" you are going to get will be crap. Let's also be honest, on a monthly basis there are expenses that will come up that aren't part of your budget, maybe you need to buy a new AC or you have to get a root canal. With the $30k those expenses you will really feel them.

I don't consider living in a crappy studio, having Aldi as my only grocery shopping option, and having to shop at the dollar store for supplies the highest quality living. Again you can do it, but ask most people that do do that, I can bet you they would prefer more money to have a better quality of life. What about if this person likes to stay fit, they need to pay for a gym. Or if they are hit with a huge medical bill after insurance kicks in and they have to pay a significant amount of money for a few months every month? Things happen in life that you don't plan for, it's better to have a cushion than have to suffer for no good reason.

A single person can get by on $200 in grocery per month and not be restricted to Aldi. There are also cell phone plans for $35 that have reasonable service.

[MSchemist80]

Originally Posted by UrbanCheetah

What age and day are you living in?

$35 for phone? What kind of whack ass plan can you get with that?
$200 month for food? Unless you like eating cheap crap all the time. If you are someone that wants to eat healthy and cook, it's going to be more than that. I am frugal with grocery shopping and it costs me above $200 per month.
$100 utilities? Right in winter?
$200 month for drinking? That all depends on the person.

I pay $13/month for Page+. I don't use data as I am next to a computer almost all the time and text sporadically.

For an individual $50 a week can be doable. I mainly make rice and grilled chicken (I buy whole and quarter it myself) breakfast is oatmeal and greek yoghurt and Lunch is pasta, chicken soup (made from the wings and other sniblets from the carcass and a slow cooker) and whatever fruit is in season. I lost quite a bit of weight over the winter on that diet and exercise.

Utilities it depends on your place but a small apartment possibly. It depends on your thermostat settings and AC usage.

However I agree with your premise that at $30k even total takehome you will be watching your budget very closely and having to skip out on many comforts.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by via chicago

Frankly, if you're paying 2 grand on rent for a 1 bedroom in Chicago you're doing something wrong or just enjoy lighting dollar bills on fire.

Are people that out of touch? You can find a 1 bed in Avondale for $700.

No, it probably wont be glamorous but acting like you cant find anything less than $1500 is silly. Not everyone needs to live in River North luxury highrises

No offense, but I think you're being just as out of touch as anyone else. Do you honestly think that everyone is going to like Avondale just because it's cheaper? There are many people out there where $2000/month is not that much. Are you going to tell them they're wrong for it because they want to live in a high rise downtown?

You're being rather presumptuous here and downright naive. Just because it costs less doesn't mean someone is going to want to do it. Just because YOU wouldn't mean it doesn't mean you have to look down on everyone else who does and can afford it.