Where to live on ~500/month? (Phoenix, Scottsdale: 2014, cheap apartment, to rent)

[DesertGirl_24]

I'm currently crashing a friend's couch, but am looking to move out and live on my own (or with a roommate).

I did find a part-time waitressing job (having had previous serving experience) pretty quickly, and can probably afford ~$500/month (give or take an extra $100).

I work in Old Town Scottsdale, so would prefer something within relatively short commuting distance. Is DT PHX the only place that would work?

I'd prefer to live somewhere with others around my age (mid-20s) with some things to do at night. I don't need clubs or anything like that, just maybe some cute neighborhood bars/cafes/restaurants. Thanks.

[ShampooBanana]

Downtown Phoenix will almost certainly be too expensive for anything remotely decent or safe. At that price point your best bet is an older student apartment building within a mile or so of ASU. You should be able to find that to split with a roommate for $500/mo and you'll be around people your age, not too far from Old Town, and still walking or easy biking distance to everything there is to do in downtown Tempe/ASU area.

[Prickly Pear]

Originally Posted by ShampooBanana

Downtown Phoenix will almost certainly be too expensive for anything remotely decent or safe. At that price point your best bet is an older student apartment building within a mile or so of ASU. You should be able to find that to split with a roommate for $500/mo and you'll be around people your age, not too far from Old Town, and still walking or easy biking distance to everything there is to do in downtown Tempe/ASU area.

If you are looking in this area where I currently live you are better off with a house that’s not under rentmeasu (that landlord is known to sue and evict a lot of tenants). I pay $630 with two roommates for a house, before utilities. The apartments cost quite a bit more than my historic house, especially the closer you are to Mill Ave and just west of Mill (in Maple-Ash).

I live east of ASU by about a mile and it’s still fairly expensive but a lot less so. DT Tempe next to ASU and Old Town are the two most expensive neighborhoods, with DT Phoenix probably tied, so you’ll never be able to afford your own place in these areas. 1 bedrooms average $1400/month before utilities around these parts, with nothing to write home about garden style apartment complexes in south Tempe closer to 1k/month before utilities (market rate for one bedrooms metro wide).

[WSPHXPELON]

Personally I would look into renting a room from someone right there in Scottsdale.

[Code Stemi]

Yeah, look into renting a room in someone's home to be able to stay within that price range. Or split a cheap apartment with a roommate.

[DesertGirl_24]

Originally Posted by ShampooBanana

Downtown Phoenix will almost certainly be too expensive for anything remotely decent or safe. At that price point your best bet is an older student apartment building within a mile or so of ASU. You should be able to find that to split with a roommate for $500/mo and you'll be around people your age, not too far from Old Town, and still walking or easy biking distance to everything there is to do in downtown Tempe/ASU area.

I was just in Tempe today to check it out and it does look pretty great!

Since I don't have a car yet, I liked that there was a bus #72 that shoots straight up to Old Town. Commute time is maybe ~30 minutes. I'll start looking here. Thanks for suggesting!

[DesertGirl_24]

Originally Posted by Prickly Pear

If you are looking in this area where I currently live you are better off with a house that’s not under rentmeasu (that landlord is known to sue and evict a lot of tenants). I pay $630 with two roommates for a house, before utilities. The apartments cost quite a bit more than my historic house, especially the closer you are to Mill Ave and just west of Mill (in Maple-Ash).

I live east of ASU by about a mile and it’s still fairly expensive but a lot less so. DT Tempe next to ASU and Old Town are the two most expensive neighborhoods, with DT Phoenix probably tied, so you’ll never be able to afford your own place in these areas. 1 bedrooms average $1400/month before utilities around these parts, with nothing to write home about garden style apartment complexes in south Tempe closer to 1k/month before utilities (market rate for one bedrooms metro wide).

Thanks for your thoughts. 630 would be out of my budget range sadly. I'm wondering if maybe I can hit my target if I split a 3 or 4 bedroom place there?

[DesertGirl_24]

Originally Posted by WSPHXPELON

Personally I would look into renting a room from someone right there in Scottsdale.

The first group of people I asked were my co-workers, only 1 of whom lives in Scottsdale and she's a bartender making enough money to afford it.

The rest actually commute in from kinda far away because they live at home with parents. At 24, I'm actually on the older side lol. Most of these girls are 20, 21. They do have cars though, which is nice.

[DesertGirl_24]

Originally Posted by Valley Native

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I've been working and paying my own way forward pretty much since I was 16 due to having unstable parents and home life. I don't want anything more to do with them or the abusive strings they attach to their promises of financial help.

I honestly wish people could work a job like waitressing/bartending/something where you are on your feet all day before blurting out the whole "well just work a second job" platitude

[Tia616]

Originally Posted by DesertGirl_24

I've been working and paying my own way forward pretty much since I was 16 due to having unstable parents and home life. I don't want anything more to do with them or the abusive strings they attach to their promises of financial help.

I honestly wish people could work a job like waitressing/bartending/something where you are on your feet all day before blurting out the whole "well just work a second job" platitude

I agree with you, some of these people think it's so easy to just get another job. I work in produce at a grocery store and people think it is so easy, well it's not. And I'm already killing myself at this job, I don't need another. Because no job, no bill or anything else is worth it when it comes to your health overall.

I've been reading along with the posts, I wish you could find something for $500. When I first moved here in 2014, you could have found a studio for that but now you really can't. I wish you luck! And I'm sorry about how your parents are, that's not how they are supposed to be.