[KevK]

Originally Posted by Croce

I think $2000 a month would be a tight budget anywhere. Since Nevada has no state income tax, a lot of the user fees are higher. Since you are at a lower income level, you will not helped by the lack of a state income tax, but you will be hurt from the higher fees. Some may disagree, but I'd crunch the numbers carefully before making the leap. Figure in rent, utilities, car insurance, etc. Good luck.

Car ownership is not mandatory. The city has a good transportation system that runs 24/7 as well as plenty of taxis. A car definitley makes life easier but it is not absolutely a necessity. I almost never get a car when I visit there. I rented a car one day of our last visit because the wife wanted to go to the outlet mall in Primm. But in the city proper you can get around without it.

[KevK]

Originally Posted by irishspy

Yes SC is nice but the humid weather is too much. I will go to the strip but not as a regular. There are beaches at Lake Mead and etc but more of a pool person. SC or NC would be my second choice. Thanks

I would not live in SC if the house was FREE. But NC is a good option and probably cost less than LV would.

[mjjudd]

I will be 'retiring' in about 3 months from the military. My current planned expenses:

Mortgage: $900 (includes property taxes)
Car Ins: $130 (2 cars and motorcycle)
Utils: $470 (tv/internet/phone/elec/water/sewer/trash)
HOA: $0-60 (new HOA management and have not seen a bill)
Food/Ent: $500

The above is what I am currently paying, with the exception of Food/Ent, since I am still stationed overseas (but wife is living at house).

2k fixed income can be done, BUT, that is with the assumption you will not have any credit card debt, car payments, cell phone contracts, etc.

Also my planned expenses list does not factor in any emergencies/ repairs/vehicle registration/vacations/etc. If you have a nest egg you can dip in to as well, think you should be okay. As for myself, will probly use some of my nest egg for a year or so, then back to work till the house is paid off.

[las vegas drunk]

Originally Posted by KevK

$2000?? In Vegas??? Maybe under a bridge! Seriously it can be done but you will have a very small place to live and more than a few "Ramon Noodle" lunches.

Total B.S. I make $1,300 a month and do just fine.

[las vegas drunk]

Originally Posted by irishspy

I will have a monthly income of about $2000.00 will this be enough to make it. I plan on renting for at least 6 months and be looking to purchase a home during this time. I do not plan on being a strip junkie or lounge lizard. I am single so this is a one person income. I have two more years before my SS kicks in so would like to work some part time. Anyone else in my boat or have been there done that???

You can live very well on that amount. However, I would purchase a condo, not a house. The payment will be much lower, as will the utilities.

[espo1357]

You can do fine with that. Get someone in your family, that you trust, to move out there with you, and then you will have it all.

You could rent a nice house for 1k-1.4k, in a great area, with a roomate.

good luck.

[mysticaltyger]

Originally Posted by las vegas drunk

Total B.S. I make $1,300 a month and do just fine.

I spend about $1600 a month in the San Francisco Bay Area and do fine. My rent is $850 for a studio apartment. Of course, with no air conditioning (and no need for it most of the time), my combined electric/gas bill in the summer is less than $15, and about $30 on the high end in winter. But the electric/gas is the only thing that's cheap. Groceries here are high. Gas is more expensive. Sales tax is 9.25%. Haircuts & other services are also more. Probably auto insurance in my city is pretty reasonable. My $1600 does include some meals out at low to mid range restaurants (not McDonald's but nothing too fancy). I do shop sales at the grocery store, but I buy treats, too. Of course, it helps that I drink very little or no alcohol.

Now, I will say, that $1600 doesn't include normal emergencies, like car repairs, but if you're smart, you should be able to put away $200 out of that monthly income of $2000 for that kind of stuff.

It's really about what you're willing to live with/without. If your car is paid for, and you don't have any significant medical expenses, then you should be ok.

I imagine you can probably get a half decent, maybe even a nice 1BR in Vegas for what I pay for a studio. Personally, (and I know I'm not the norm), I'd rather live in a studio.

$2K a month won't be luxury living, but it should provide all of what you need, and some of what you want.

[Jukesgrrl]

Irishspy, I don't really think your post provides enough info to get an intelligent answer. Is the $2,000 before or after taxes? When you get your Social Security will the $2,000 be added to that? Do you have adequate healthcare or are some of those costs coming out of the $2,000? You say you might eventually buy a home. Are you expecting to finance the majority of the home price or do you have a sizable down payment? And what are you thinking about doing for a part-time job? Your work options in LV might be quite limited, especially given your age. It's hard enough for anyone to find a job these days, but take it from me that most employers couldn't be less interested in employees over 55, although part-time is better than full-time because what they especially don't want to give you is benefits.

I lived in urban areas on less than the then-equivalent of $2,000 a month for many years of my life. But my lifestyle involved a one-bedroom apartment, public transportation, and entertainment that was largely of the low-cost variety (as in museums, parks, libraries, university lectures and films, and a lot of people-watching), and buying a lot of things second-hand, including clothing. I think a lot of people who think it can't be done aren't used to frugality and don't think that some people aren't spending what they're spending on cable and cell phone bills, eating out, home maintenance assistance, vacations, etc. I referred to mending a clothing item recently and my college-educated niece didn't know what the word meant. Many people have no idea what you can borrow at a library, obtain through bartering, or purchase at an auction.

People here are correct that some bills in LV would be higher than other places (esp. electricity and car expenses). But if you have some money stashed for your home purchase, Las Vegas would certainly be a place to buy an inexpensive condo these days. (Just be careful about the HOA fees.) I think some people here might be shocked to find how many people are currently living in Las Vegas on less than $2,000 a month.

And I'm with you on the humidity factor. I lived in Washington, DC, for awhile and I'd never go back to anywhere where the humidity was that high.

Good luck.

[unf0rgiven6262]

Originally Posted by KevK

Car ownership is not mandatory. The city has a good transportation system that runs 24/7 as well as plenty of taxis. A car definitley makes life easier but it is not absolutely a necessity. I almost never get a car when I visit there. I rented a car one day of our last visit because the wife wanted to go to the outlet mall in Primm. But in the city proper you can get around without it.

The buses are frequently late. Sometimes extremely late like up to 45 minutes and sometimes skip stops to stay on schedule. I'm not speculating here either.

[yellowsnow]

Originally Posted by las vegas drunk

You can live very well on that amount. However, I would purchase a condo, not a house. The payment will be much lower, as will the utilities.

LVD, is it truly cheaper when you add in the maintenance/hoa monthly fee? And can't the association raise the fee whenever they want? And there's still property taxes as well.

I avoided all the condo type places because of all these monthly fees. Most of the listings I saw the fees were quite expensive.