What would you consider expensive rent? (student loans, homes, buying)

[erieguy]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

<$30,000/year income. High rent, utilities, student loans, car payment, car insurance, groceries. Where am I finding thousands for down payment and closing cost money, exactly?

Didn't you recently post in another thread you make $40k/year?

[prnlvsxy]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

<$30,000/year income. High rent, utilities, student loans, car payment, car insurance, groceries. Where am I finding thousands for down payment and closing cost money, exactly?

1) Work a 2nd job, and/or get a job making more than that. Hell, you can work at Sheetz and make more than that.
2) Move to a lower rent place
3) Sell the car and get an inexpensive used car which will make you
4) Not have to have as expensive insurance as you do
5) If you haven't already, cancel the smart phone
6) If you haven't already, drop cable TV
7) If you haven't already, don't see the inside of a restaurant unless you're working there.

If you do all of that, within a year or less you'll have enough for a down payment. It won't be a fun year, but you'll have it.

[BMan_152]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

<$30,000/year income. High rent, utilities, student loans, car payment, car insurance, groceries. Where am I finding thousands for down payment and closing cost money, exactly?

I bought my house while making $15 per hour (~30000ish) & had everything in that list..

[Paul2421]

Originally Posted by prnlvsxy

1) Work a 2nd job, and/or get a job making more than that. Hell, you can work at Sheetz and make more than that.
2) Move to a lower rent place
3) Sell the car and get an inexpensive used car which will make you
4) Not have to have as expensive insurance as you do
5) If you haven't already, cancel the smart phone
6) If you haven't already, drop cable TV
7) If you haven't already, don't see the inside of a restaurant unless you're working there.

If you do all of that, within a year or less you'll have enough for a down payment. It won't be a fun year, but you'll have it.

i think there are two sides of the coin. seems like your viewpoint on jobs is biased as your are in software. not everyone has the aptitude for software and the demand for software jobs is above and beyond that for other jobs, especially in this economy.


on the other hand though most people should be able to buy a house even on a median wage if that is what they really want to do and make sacrifices in other areas. when you badger on about rising cost for years and years while living in a desirable area of town and not making any changes I am skeptical of that commitment and tend to think otherwise.

[prnlvsxy]

Originally Posted by Paul2421

i think there are two sides of the coin. seems like your viewpoint on jobs is biased as your are in software. not everyone has the aptitude for software and the demand for software jobs is above and beyond that for other jobs, especially in this economy.


on the other hand though most people should be able to buy a house even on a median wage if that is what they really want to do and make sacrifices in other areas. when you badger on about rising cost for years and years while living in a desirable area of town and not making any changes I am skeptical of that commitment and tend to think otherwise.

I understand that, and I'm not saying that you can just snap your fingers and make six figures. But you don't have to be in SW, to make more than $30k. There's no reason to be only making that (like I said, even working a 2nd job part time at sheetz , and you're making almost as much as the day job)

[Boomchee]

$1250 and up would start to get steep(I pay $575/mo in Mt Wash). One of my personal beliefs has always been that you can't count on your job for all of your financial needs. Get a side hustle (legal) and start stashing money away. One of my sacrifices has always been not to have a car note as it's a poor investment. I jitney during off hours and you wouldn't believe the amount of affordable homes for sale. Yeah some of them aren't the greatest of areas but how is this city ever supposed to turn itself around if people keep thinking that Pittsburgh doesn't exist outside of the East End.

[jea6321]

Originally Posted by Boomchee

$1250 and up would start to get steep(I pay $575/mo in Mt Wash). One of my personal beliefs has always been that you can't count on your job for all of your financial needs. Get a side hustle (legal) and start stashing money away. One of my sacrifices has always been not to have a car note as it's a poor investment. I jitney during off hours and you wouldn't believe the amount of affordable homes for sale. Yeah some of them aren't the greatest of areas but how is this city ever supposed to turn itself around if people keep thinking that Pittsburgh doesn't exist outside of the East End.

you pay 575 for a 2 bedroom in mt washington? if so that is incredibly cheap. 2 bedrooms in allentown and beltzhoover go for more than that.

[Boomchee]

Originally Posted by jea6321

you pay 575 for a 2 bedroom in mt washington? if so that is incredibly cheap. 2 bedrooms in allentown and beltzhoover go for more than that.

On a dead end street with great neighbors to top it off. Sure it doesn't have granite countertops and the most modern amenities but it works for me and at that price i'll continue to ride it out while saving money. I actually prefer this area because of the easy highway access. I'm able to make it to any part of the city within 10-15 minutes.

[jea6321]

Originally Posted by Boomchee

On a dead end street with great neighbors to top it off. Sure it doesn't have granite countertops and the most modern amenities but it works for me and at that price i'll continue to ride it out while saving money. I actually prefer this area because of the easy highway access. I'm able to make it to any part of the city within 10-15 minutes.

Yeah, ride that out. You must have a very old school landlord that has not kept up on the market for the past 10 years.

[alastad]

Originally Posted by jea6321

I find the poll numbers a little strange. Is it honestly possible for someone to think that 500 a month for a 2 bedroom is expensive? Even 10-15 years ago that would have been considered cheap.

If that $500 a month includes at least most utilities, than of course not, but having to pay $500 a month on top of electric, gas, water, sewage, trash, cable and internet,
not to mention on top of your cell phone bill ( unless if you have an Obama phone), food( unless if you're​ on food stamps), a car payment ( especially if you have bad credit), car insurance and medical ( unless if you have a job that provides that, or you're on SSI/disability ) and have money left over to do whatever with, than yeah, that does get crazy.