I'm so confused. What would you do? (apartment complex, tenant, budget)

[Jill8312]

About three years ago, after getting laid off from my job, my mother became ill so I gave up my apartment, put my things in storage and moved to another state to care for her. When she died, I returned to the area and am currently staying with relatives. This year, with early social security and income from a part time job in retail (needed to qualify) I will get another apartment. I have never worked in retail before, I find it to be hard on the feet and legs and don't want to rely upon it too heavily as I intend to cut my hours back to 2-3 days per week. And, should I be refused to cut back my hours, then I want to remain in the position where my social security income alone will be sufficient for the topic here stated.

Here is where I am unsure of what to do.

There is an apartment complex three miles from where I am now (and work) , but it is not subsidized. The very nice affordable senior building nearby has a 2-3 year wait list in which I intend to get on when I am eligible in a few months. The rent at the nearby complex is cheaper (than the complex I moved from) but you have to pay electricity and water/sewer. This (paying utilities) is one of my concerns. The water/sewer is shared and fluctuates every month. My "share" of the building's water would be based upon the number of people in my apartment. One (me), but still is not fixed because of the buildings usage/cost. The electricity, which I control 100%, could possibly be high in the summer and winter, especially if the management company does not keep them in good working order. These two factors could push the rent higher than the complex I left. But I don't know. I've asked people who live there, and no one complained about either expense being really high. But still.

Now, as for the community I moved from, I loved it. It is a well maintained, all utilities included complex and I'd move back there in a heartbeat. Fixed payment. Done. EXCEPT, it is about 30 one way miles away. So to move back "there" and commute to "here" where my job is will mean wear and tear on my car and additional gas cost. So there is no real savings. Right now I spend $20 a month! on gas), plus it would be white knuckle, bumper to bumper driving in one of the most over crowded corridors of the city.
(Although I could transfer and work at one of the locations closer to the old apartment, but I don't expect to in work retail long as I see the affects on the body of people complaining of their various work related pain (have begun to feel it myself), see how employees are treated, understand the reason for high turnover, and hear the store-nearest the old apartment- is far worse than the one I am at now. Or I could even get another job I suppose, except folks my age have a hard time getting hired, except in retail, which I'm not wild about (no offense). In that regard, it might be best that I hold on to what I've got until the change comes.

I like this area. This county (tax wise, insurance wise) is cheaper than the other. By living here I would remain in close proximity to my family and my grandbabies. I don't know what to do. Both apartments fall within my budget (without a job if it comes to that) except one is "set it and forget it", while the other may or may not be cheaper in the long run.

Is my answer staring at me and I'm not seeing it? Or is it a roll of the dice? I don't want to spend $1K to have the movers bring my furniture down here to this apartment (not the senior apartment I'll wait for) just to find, perhaps, that the bargain was the fixed payment one after all.

Thanks for reading and thanks for your responses.

[WorldKlas]

Have you asked the management office to give you the utilities costs for a single tenant during the past 12 months?

[oregonwoodsmoke]

There are retail jobs everywhere. If you want to live in the apartment that is 30 miles away, go and find a retail job closer to that apartment.