Can I live off $35K in Midtown? (Atlanta: buy, maintenance)

[ja1myn]

So now it's looking like I may be able to afford it there as I'm thrifty? I'll report back here with the final salary offer and we'll see from there.

[ecuresident]

I would have to agree, I did it in another city on 35K without a problem, you are just not going to be able to save anything and travel. A couple of tips- try to keep it at 600 a month, that is very doable in midtown, even easier if you get a roommate. On apartments besides getting utilities included (several apartments do include them even at $700/month, otherwise I would say $100-150 in utilities if you follow the tips) try to get an all electric apartment- the gas pass through charge makes gas way more expensive, make sure the apartment uses a heat pump for heat and air conditioning as it is cheaper. Try to get an apartment on the first floor as heat rises. Your biggest expenses that a lot of people dont add up is eating out, if you can minimize that you should be just fine.

[futureATLien]

go to paycheckcity.com and enter in the info. it'll tell you exactly what you''l make and its accurate

[atltechdude]

Originally Posted by ecuresident

600 a month, that is very doable in midtown

If you're ok with a 400 sq ft studio.

[Tarzanman]

The two biggest things you can do to cut costs living in midtown or the city are:

1. Get a roommate. This is obvious. You can either spend ~$700-$900 plus utilities for yourself OR you can split $1200-$1500 with a roommate and only pay half utilities. Not a huge difference, but the $200-$400 you save each month adds up. $400 a month could feed you. There is a big difference between in quality/area between a $650/month 1 br and a $1250/month 2 br. 3 roommates willing to spend ~$1800 a month on rent will get you a nice house in a lot of in-town neighborhoods. It is not always ideal, but living with a roommate will either save you money or improve your quality of life.

2. Get a bicycle. Georgia currently has ad valorum taxes for your car that you pay every year. You *must* maintain auto insurance in order to keep your license plate. If you can get by without a car, great... if not, you should minimize the amount you drive it. Lots of people in town have scooters and only borrow/rent cars when absolutely necessary. MARTA rail is not a horrible option for commuting.... but the buses get stuck in traffic just like all the other automobiles.


I'll add one more:
3. Talk to college students. Those cats are experts at living cheaply. Granted that many college students will accept living conditions that many of us have grown out of, but they are always meeting and talking to new people and are a good resource for anecodtal and word-of-mouth information.

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by atltechdude

If you're ok with a 400 sq ft studio.

I lived in one for the first five years after I graduated from college. It wasn't that bad for one person. A lot larger than half a dorm room!

[tonygeorgia]

You can live off of 35k in Atlanta Metro, I do not know about Midtown

[noah]

Given your situation - little debt, paid for car, frugal you will be fine and since you want to be able to walk to the grocery store etc Midtown will be an excellent choice and probably increase your happiness versus driving all over town and in the long run spending as much on gas and car maintenance as you possibly could save in rent. Lots of small condo and apartment communities in Midtown to consider including mixed in the residential area where all the SFH are, I've seen buildings that are nothing but 1 bdrm units and I bet some are quite affordable.

A quick search on Cragislist shows 1 bedroom apts starting at $599

[StAubin]

If your going to be living in midtown sell your car. That way you would not have to worry about maintenance cost and you get a little extra cash. If you ever need a car, there are a few zip car lots in midtown.

[ja1myn]

Couldn't ask for better advice guys! Keep it coming! I'm taking everything into consideration and I'm getting very excited for the big move. Been looking into a building that is 40 stories high with lots of nice amenities. I even found quite a bit of places that are within walkable distance to everything and start at around $699.

@noah: I will check Craigslist for sure. Thanks for the suggestion.