just got back from chicago thinking bout moving there? (budget, apartment)

[BigRed0715]

I just got back from chicago the past wkend was there for the cubs game on sunday. I love chicago my sister lived in alqonquin but i really like the downtown area we stayed at sutton place and just need ideas of nice apts but reasonably priced and in a good area. I work for pepsi and single so looking for rent around 600 a month. I do like the downtown area but not sure if thatd be to high priced.Hit me up with any places and if you have the # i would like that too.

[Chinolala]

You can't live downtown on $600 a month. Maybe $900. If you can work downtown or near it, you can get rid of your car and spend that money on housing.

[sukwoo]

I think some cardboard boxes on lower Wacker are going for under $600 a month. If you're looking for something more upscale, I think you'd need to pay at least $1000, or get roommates. Agree with ditching the car. It should free up at least $100, possibly much more, per month.

[BrandonSi]

$600 for downtown is near impossible, even with roomates. Maybe if you can fit 3 people into a 1 br you might have a shot. The cheapest I ever rented in Chicago was in Uptown @ $450/mo in a crappy apartment with roaches and no a/c and 1 roommate with a dog. Not the best way to enjoy the city. I know you can get a studio in Rogers Park for about $550, but as others have mentioned for downtown, it's going to be much higher. Studios downtown can run $900+. I work downtown and have a parking spot that I pay monthly for, and it's ~$275/mo. Sorry to break the bad news to you, but you're going to need to either ditch the car or make more money.

[jdiddy]

Originally Posted by BigRed0715

I just got back from chicago the past wkend was there for the cubs game on sunday. I love chicago my sister lived in alqonquin but i really like the downtown area we stayed at sutton place and just need ideas of nice apts but reasonably priced and in a good area. I work for pepsi and single so looking for rent around 600 a month. I do like the downtown area but not sure if thatd be to high priced.Hit me up with any places and if you have the # i would like that too.

I know a neighborhood where you can rent for around $600/month. But you'll have to promise me you'll start using commas first.

[BigRed0715]

not necessarly have to be downtown. Just need some good neighborhoods to look at and i really dont wanna ditch my car. Downtown was just an idea, so if any of you have places to look at thatd be great!

[sharkylittleton]

Originally Posted by BigRed0715

not necessarly have to be downtown. Just need some good neighborhoods to look at and i really dont wanna ditch my car. Downtown was just an idea, so if any of you have places to look at thatd be great!

Street parking your car is hazardous to it's health. My car has gotten hit atleast 4 or 5 times, and for whatever reason I'm missing 2 hubcaps. Both of them are from the driver's side. It's quite comical but my ride has 120k miles on it so I can care less. I'd hate to see some before and after shots of a nicer car after a year of street parking.

[nessatar]

Originally Posted by sharkylittleton

Street parking your car is hazardous to it's health. My car has gotten hit atleast 4 or 5 times, and for whatever reason I'm missing 2 hubcaps. Both of them are from the driver's side. It's quite comical but my ride has 120k miles on it so I can care less. I'd hate to see some before and after shots of a nicer car after a year of street parking.

We have a parking spot included in our rent but it's a pain to get into so my husband thought he would just streetpark instead. Yeah. One time on the street and there was a major dent in the door. We use the parking spot now.

[aragx6]

We're at the point where we don't really care about the condition of our car since we know we'll be driving it until it won't go anymore. As long asyou have this mindset, street parking is fine. But if you are going to flip out about a ding or a scratch you are not going to like street parking.

There's another thread about a girl with a $600 budget going on right now. Is this possible?

[BrandonSi]

Originally Posted by aragx6

We're at the point where we don't really care about the condition of our car since we know we'll be driving it until it won't go anymore. As long asyou have this mindset, street parking is fine. But if you are going to flip out about a ding or a scratch you are not going to like street parking.

I agree 100%.. When I first moved here I had an audi TT and had to street park it and my stress level was at a constant 10 worrying about that damn car. Needless to say I sold it about 4 months in, and then bought a 2002 corolla, and even though we have a garage now, dings, scratches, whatever don't even phase me. If you have a nice car, get parking, but even then be prepared for some dings.