1700 rent on 50k salary before taxes doable? (Oakland, Berkeley: coupons, apartment)

[El Dudero]

Hey Bay Area folks,

I am up for a job in the SF area, and found a couple places nearby SF that are going for about 1700 per month. I know its expensive to live in the area, but I figure it shouldn't be too bad with no car payment/ my car insurance is 50 bucks a month and living by myself that utilities won't be ludicrous. As for my lifestyle, I do like to go out, but not every weekend. I like going to sporting events and hanging out downtown on some weekends. Other weekends I tend to be pretty active by just biking, hiking, or kayaking for the day. Your typical 28 yr old male, in other words.

Anyway thanks for any feedback, I love the area and everyone seems nice up there.

[CAVA1990]

Originally Posted by El Dudero

Hey Bay Area folks,

I am up for a job in the SF area, and found a couple places nearby SF that are going for about 1700 per month. I know its expensive to live in the area, but I figure it shouldn't be too bad with no car payment/ my car insurance is 50 bucks a month and living by myself that utilities won't be ludicrous. As for my lifestyle, I do like to go out, but not every weekend. I like going to sporting events and hanging out downtown on some weekends. Other weekends I tend to be pretty active by just biking, hiking, or kayaking for the day. Your typical 28 yr old male, in other words.

Anyway thanks for any feedback, I love the area and everyone seems nice up there.

You'd do better by finding a roommate so you can pay less. That rent's too high for a $50K salary. You'll be miserable.

[loloroj]

Let's see, $1,700/mos means > $20k/year just for rent, on a $50k salary prior to taxes. Question is, do you like to eat more than once a day? If so, then learn to eat no more than once a day....

[jade408]

Originally Posted by loloroj

Let's see, $1,700/mos means > $20k/year just for rent, on a $50k salary prior to taxes. Question is, do you like to eat more than once a day? If so, then learn to eat no more than once a day....

Pretty much. I'll just do some quick math for you..
Your take home pay will be approximately $2700.
So after paying rent, you'll have $1000.
Do you have a car? -$400
Do you have smartphone? -$70
Do you have a rainy day fund? -$50
Do you have student loans -$200
Do you ride transit? -$70
Do you have electricity? -$50
Do you have credit card bills? -$100
Need gas for the car? -$50
Need toilet paper/etc? -$60
Need to eat? $120

Oops that's $1170 and I didn't even include entertainment. Travel. I lowballed the car and food estimates. Do you need to go to the doctor? What about co-pays?

Now let's pretend you have no debt and no car. You are getting a little closer. And you'd have more breathing room. But the budget above is very very minimal. And that brings me to point #2.

*** Most landlords require you to make 3X the rent monthly. You are only making 1.5X the rent. you likely won't qualify unless the landlord is stupid and shady.

You'll only qualify for an apartment with around $1400/mo rent. Unless you have alternate sources of income.

[El Dudero]

Originally Posted by CAVA1990

You'd do better by finding a roommate so you can pay less. That rent's too high for a $50K salary. You'll be miserable.

It's been suggested to me before. It's a solution and brings down the cost a bit, HOWEVER I don't do well with roommates. I do better independent and worrying about my own responsibilities and not someone elses. As I mentioned in my post, the only real cost that will hurt is the rent @ 1500-1700.

I don't have a car payment, 50 dollars a month for car insurance. My job will pay for gas expenses, as well as health insurance is paid for, and I will be due for a raise after several months. I could do without cable if need be, since cable is extremely overrated in this day and age with internet. My cell is 49 dollars a month, don't need a phone hookup. Just need to worry about internet, utilities and rent, really.

Oh, and as for food, as someone correctly mentioned, I spend roughly 200 dollars food budget per month that's with coupons etc. I rarely eat out, I do enjoy cooking and making my own meals. I've been told that eating out in SF, while you guys have great eateries, it can be expensive. So it is something to keep an eye on and good point to bring up. Thanks.

I know given my preferences to work near a city, whether it would be L.A., SD, or SF. That rent would be crazy high and I have been working to adapt to that.

Keep the feedback coming. It's much appreciated.

[jade408]

Originally Posted by El Dudero

It's been suggested to me before. It's a solution and brings down the cost a bit, HOWEVER I don't do well with roommates. I do better independent and worrying about my own responsibilities and not someone elses. As I mentioned in my post, the only real cost that will hurt is the rent @ 1500-1700.

I don't have a car payment, 50 dollars a month for car insurance. My job will pay for gas expenses, as well as health insurance is paid for, and I will be due for a raise after several months. I could do without cable if need be, since cable is extremely overrated in this day and age with internet. My cell is 49 dollars a month, don't need a phone hookup. Just need to worry about internet, utilities and rent, really.

Oh, and as for food, as someone correctly mentioned, I spend roughly 200 dollars food budget per month that's with coupons etc. I rarely eat out, I do enjoy cooking and making my own meals. I've been told that eating out in SF, while you guys have great eateries, it can be expensive. So it is something to keep an eye on and good point to bring up. Thanks.

I know given my preferences to work near a city, whether it would be L.A., SD, or SF. That rent would be crazy high and I have been working to adapt to that.

Keep the feedback coming. It's much appreciated.

You are not likely to be approved for am apartment that expensive. Look for cheaper places, in other cities if needed.


I am on my phone, please forgive the typos.

[El Dudero]

Originally Posted by jade408

Pretty much. I'll just do some quick math for you..
Your take home pay will be approximately $2700.
So after paying rent, you'll have $1000.
Do you have a car? -$400
Do you have smartphone? -$70
Do you have a rainy day fund? -$50
Do you have student loans -$200
Do you ride transit? -$70
Do you have electricity? -$50
Do you have credit card bills? -$100
Need gas for the car? -$50
Need toilet paper/etc? -$60
Need to eat? $120

Oops that's $1170 and I didn't even include entertainment. Travel. I lowballed the car and food estimates. Do you need to go to the doctor? What about co-pays?

Now let's pretend you have no debt and no car. You are getting a little closer. And you'd have more breathing room. But the budget above is very very minimal. And that brings me to point #2.

*** Most landlords require you to make 3X the rent monthly. You are only making 1.5X the rent. you likely won't qualify unless the landlord is stupid and shady.

You'll only qualify for an apartment with around $1400/mo rent. Unless you have alternate sources of income.

Good post. But some corrections...

Do you have a car? -0/50 bucks
Do you have smartphone? -$49
Do you have a rainy day fund? -$50
Do you have student loans - No.
Do you ride transit? -$70 (I love Public Transportation, so its a possibility)
Do you have electricity? -$50
Do you have credit card bills? -35
Need gas for the car? -paid for.
Need toilet paper/etc? -60 bucks for toilet paper? What?
Need to eat? This is a good question that has been brought up, budgeting for food should be about 200 bucks. But what about eating out? That's something I will have to watch.


As I mentioned before, I will be due for a raise after a few months. Essentially, most major costs not associated with living expenses are covered by my potential employer. Certainly some things to think about.

[mayorhaggar]

Yeah you're not going to get approved for an apartment on that income--often landlords will want to see your paystub. Also you want to keep your credit clean since Bay Area landlords are obsessive about checking your credit report--and paying all your money towards rent is a good way to not be able to afford unexpected bills. Anyway, why do you need to pay $1700? You should be able to find a 1br or definitely a studio for less than $1400 in somewhere like Berkeley, Oakland, or San Mateo County. If you really don't want to live with roommates (I don't either) then you have to make sacrifices, and that might mean living in the burbs or getting a studio.

[El Dudero]

Originally Posted by jade408

You are not likely to be approved for am apartment that expensive. Look for cheaper places, in other cities if needed.


I am on my phone, please forgive the typos.

No worries, I don't see any typos anyway.

It's something I am considering, but really prefer to be close to work and not have to make a long commute.

[El Dudero]

Originally Posted by mayorhaggar

Yeah you're not going to get approved for an apartment on that income--often landlords will want to see your paystub. Also you want to keep your credit clean since Bay Area landlords are obsessive about checking your credit report--and paying all your money towards rent is a good way to not be able to afford unexpected bills. Anyway, why do you need to pay $1700? You should be able to find a 1br or definitely a studio for less than $1400 in somewhere like Berkeley, Oakland, or San Mateo County. If you really don't want to live with roommates (I don't either) then you have to make sacrifices, and that might mean living in the burbs or getting a studio.

I'm paying 1700 to be near work basically, and you guys are probably right that I wouldn't be approved since these establishments have a decent track record. There's one place I checked out that was closer to 1300 in rent, but not sure about management...you know?

Thanks for your input, I'm not in a real rush to move there but its time to start thinking about places and what works best for me. I'm sure I will find something that will work out. What do you guys think the cap on rent should be, when I am searching around? 1400-1500?