$40k Salary:Living In Seattle = ? (sales, rentals, car insurance)

[Bichigo]

I just came back from Seattle, WA and wanted to know if this was possible. Single, no kids, nothing fancy but would like to live in downtown Seattle. Only bills I could think of is Elec, Cell, Internet, Water, and rent...

So is it possible?

Thanks!

[Bichigo]

Oh and I'm not trendy or a shopaholic or anything like that lulzies...

[shoegal111]

Originally Posted by Bichigo

I just came back from Seattle, WA and wanted to know if this was possible. Single, no kids, nothing fancy but would like to live in downtown Seattle. Only bills I could think of is Elec, Cell, Internet, Water, and rent...

So is it possible?

Thanks!

Possible but it would not be easy.

[Bichigo]

I currently live alone and my rent is 604, elec is about 100, cell is 100, internet/cable is about 80, i think that's about it with close to $1400 a month to do whatever =/ this would be the first time i make a drastic move outside of the state but.. i suppose i could test it out for a year and see how that goes. Is there anything else I need to know about the living expenditures in Seattle?

[VeronikaW]

I saw some rentals downtown for about $800/month for studios, so I think it's doable.

V. =)

[Anders15]

What about with kids, but water/electric is included in $1200/m rent? Is that possible?

[shoegal111]

Originally Posted by Bichigo

I currently live alone and my rent is 604, elec is about 100, cell is 100, internet/cable is about 80, i think that's about it with close to $1400 a month to do whatever =/ this would be the first time i make a drastic move outside of the state but.. i suppose i could test it out for a year and see how that goes. Is there anything else I need to know about the living expenditures in Seattle?

Food is more expensive in Seattle in general but even more so in the downtown. Toilet paper- Scott TP back east is at most $0.75 a roll. In the downtown area $1.35 a roll.

Parking if you have a car will run you about $175 per month and insurance about 800-1000 depending upon coverage/company. If you are carless as I was my first year figure $800.00 for transportation (e.g. bus, cabs, etc) as you will need to actually leave the downtown from time to time.

No local or state income tax but almost 10% sales tax.

Restaurants are expensive but some healthy, decent food could be had at a few choice places.

Fresh flowers are cheap compared to other parts of the country. If you get them from Pike Place Public Market then buy during the week because vendors tend to raise prices for the weekends due to tourism influx.

I would stay away from renting on first/second or third ave. near the intersections of Pike and Pine as they are not the best areas. You can try Harbor Steps on First-they do have studios but they are closer to 1K. And anything from 4th and higher areas in the downtown proper tend to be nicer areas. Can't tell you about specific rent rates though besides Harbor Steps because the other place I stayed I believe is not in your price range.

Good Luck.

[GetMeOutta32812]

I find it hard to believe that if you can live somewhat frugally and are relatively debt-free that you could not make it as a single person on $40K/year. Would you live like a king? Probably not, but I wouldn't think you would starve or have to panhandle on the streets either.

$40K/year = approx. 2700 month net.

2700
-1200 rent (seen lots of somewhat decent studio/1br in Ballard, Queen Anne, Capitol Hill, etc. on Craigslist). Why so set on downtown? Lots going on in other neighborhoods too. Also, more likely to find free/on-street parking outside of downtown...)
-50 cell phone (T-mobile offers 1,000/min mo. at approx. this price/mo.)
-100 electric (reasonable for 1 person) ?
-100 car insurance (assuming car is paid-in-full)
-100 (basic cable/internet) ?

[Note: I don't live in Seattle (yet), so I'm going on approx. numbers of what others have posted in this forum.]

Leaves you with approx 1150 a month for food/entertainment, etc. If you have a car, go to WalMart or Costco for TP, paper towels, toiletries, cleaning supplies, etc....). If sales tax is a big deal, drive to Oregon every 6 months or so to buy clothes, electronics, furniture, etc. Like to read(?), get a library card instead of B&N.

Admittedly, you won't save a lot of money each month or be able to buy a house, but I would guess it can probably be done (note caveats above: frugal, debt-free, own a paid-for automobile, etc....)

Again, I DON'T live in Seattle (yet), so please take advice FWIW.

[Bichigo]

Thank you so much you all! Very helpful tips and advices I would like to try this out for a year or so just to see how it's like! I am debating whether I should bring my car over or not. Seeing that the above poster averaged his/her first year a whopping $800 vs. my $1,000 yearly car insurance.. i'll ponder on it some more

[shoegal111]

Originally Posted by Bichigo

Thank you so much you all! Very helpful tips and advices I would like to try this out for a year or so just to see how it's like! I am debating whether I should bring my car over or not. Seeing that the above poster averaged his/her first year a whopping $800 vs. my $1,000 yearly car insurance.. i'll ponder on it some more

YW. If you are not bringing your car then living downtown is very convenient since you can catch a bus or cab anytime day or night and you are about only 15 minutes away from anything not counting for rush hour traffic.

If you like in any other areas a car is needed much more.

Feel free to DM me if you need anything and btw, I am a girl.