Can a single person live on $30,000 in Austin? (Jollyville, Jolly: to rent, insurance)

[jthomas45]

only having enough money to last about 2-3 months and all the rain is making it hard to work I'am ina bad spot ,can't get fod stamos make to much and the cost of EVERYTHING is so much hee in Austin ,man only making 25k ayear i'm bumming out and with a family of 4 too .
What I need to ask you ( anyone ) is how to I plan for what might become an 911 . just trying to see what I need to do
thanks

[Phisch]

Originally Posted by mgrayce14

Hi All,

Thanks for the comments....I'll definitely check elsewhere and bump up my rental affordability.

Looks like my I'll be able to save a ton..

Can't believe it since California is soooo outrageous that $30K doesn't even touch rental rates....tolls alone out there were costing me $300 a month. (gotta love the 241)

LOVED CALIFORNIA but the cost of living forced me to move onward....

Well...the tolls are high but isn't it a pretty drive and doesn't that make it all worth it? I jest, I jest. The toll roads are incredibly pricey and they keep increasing the rates.

[ctmoving]

Unreal!!! I currently make approx $30,000 in CT and can't even rent!!! It is very good to hear that it will be possible once i get to Austin. Ideally I'd like to buy a small townhome, but will probably rent at 1st. Thanks for all the encouraging posts!! I will stear clear of Pebble Creek!!

[manbehindthecurtain]

Originally Posted by ctmoving

Unreal!!! I currently make approx $30,000 in CT and can't even rent!!! It is very good to hear that it will be possible once i get to Austin. Ideally I'd like to buy a small townhome, but will probably rent at 1st. Thanks for all the encouraging posts!! I will stear clear of Pebble Creek!!

Just remember that the same line of work that nets you $30,000 in CT will probably only net you about 20,000 - 22,000 in Austin. Unless you have a job lined up that is promising you what you are making in CT, prepare to adjust.

Also, keep in mind that the cost of living in Austin is rapidly increasing. 30k a year might buy you 1 or 2 years of comfort before you're going to feel the pinch again.

[satanoid]

At age 18, I was making 30,000.
I started at UT (where I had no scholarships, and no student loans) and bought my first home (20% down payment) in the same week.

I worked full time (50+hours) took a 15 hour+ course load year round - paid my own tuition and mortgage without a dime from anybody else. Finished a bachelors degree in 2 1/2 years, graduated at 21.

Hard? Oh yes. Impossible? No.

[Trainwreck20]

I started at UT (where I had no scholarships, and no student loans)

What year? I paid my way through school, rented an apartment, and worked part-time while going to UT...the only difference was, my first semester fee bill was ~$160 for 16 hours . That was back in the 80's, I am sure it is a little more now. OF course, I was getting paid $1.98/hr and getting tips (and food was cheap back then). I think I was actually living on around 12k/yr.

Anyway, 30K will keep you afloat around here, but not with lots of excess discretionary income. The TCEQ hires entry level permit reviewers right at 30k, and most manage to get by just fine. You will not be living in DT Austin and eating at Sullivan's on a regular basis, but you can rent (possibly buy in some places), pay for a car, and eat.

[satanoid]

Started 2001, graduated 2004.

[paulisphotoman]

Hello, can anyone tell me if a single person can live off $30,000/yr in Austin TX ?
I'm also wondering what net income would be at $30K.....???
I'm looking at a job there, so just trying to figure things out.....
thanks for any info

[CptnRn]

Originally Posted by paulisphotoman

Hello, can anyone tell me if a single person can live off $30,000/yr in Austin TX ?
I'm also wondering what net income would be at $30K.....???
I'm looking at a job there, so just trying to figure things out.....
thanks for any info

If you read the rest of the thread you posted to you can see it was possible in 2007, probably harder now. I'm sure you could do it if you had a couple of room-mates sharing a place.

If you look at the City-Data data pages for Austin //www.city-data.com/city/Austin-Texas.html

Income, earnings and wages data... //www.city-data.com/income/inco...tin-Texas.html

... there are thousands of people living here with less then a $30,000 median family income. So it can be done.

[austin_res]

I lived on $26000 from fall 2010 to summer 2011. I focused my monthly budget on basics: rent (my own 1 bedroom apartment at Riata), utilities, groceries, gas. 30k is possible especially if you have roommates.