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Old 09-24-2007, 10:42 AM
 
3 posts, read 21,743 times
Reputation: 12

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Hi

I've been offered a position in Silver Spring. My problem is this - I've been looking at the prices for housing. I'm not sure if the salary being offered is livable - $47,000. The only "expense" I'd be bringing with my is a $300/month car payment.

I'm willing to commute - maybe 30 minutes one way. Any ideas? Suggestions? I need to tell the company my decision Friday. The job is 13,000 more a year than I make now, but I'm afraid the cost of living might exceed the increase in pay.

Thanks

Brenda
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Old 09-24-2007, 10:51 AM
 
Location: Maryland Eastern Shore
969 posts, read 2,839,890 times
Reputation: 935
Quote:
Originally Posted by cloud1701 View Post
Hi

I've been offered a position in Silver Spring. My problem is this - I've been looking at the prices for housing. I'm not sure if the salary being offered is livable - $47,000. The only "expense" I'd be bringing with my is a $300/month car payment.

I'm willing to commute - maybe 30 minutes one way. Any ideas? Suggestions? I need to tell the company my decision Friday. The job is 13,000 more a year than I make now, but I'm afraid the cost of living might exceed the increase in pay.

Thanks

Brenda
You might look at Washington Post on-line and see if you can share a house for a limited period of time -
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Old 09-25-2007, 01:08 PM
 
Location: Sneads Ferry, NC
13,323 posts, read 26,772,505 times
Reputation: 6915
Default Housing around Silver Spring

For less expensive areas with 30 minutes of Silver Spring, I'd look at Bowie, Crofton, Beltsville, Laurel (especially the Anne Arundel county area). (I'm assuming you would rent an apartment.) My dental assistants live in Bowie and commute about 40 minutes to the Kemp Mill area. Look for the apartment rental magazines in the supermarkets.

There are also house-sharing opportunities if you can deal with that. I'm sure you can find acceptable housing on the salary offered.
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Old 09-25-2007, 03:11 PM
 
Location: Las Vegas
165 posts, read 562,048 times
Reputation: 106
Default Are you planning to rent?

Quote:
Originally Posted by cloud1701 View Post
Hi

I've been offered a position in Silver Spring. My problem is this - I've been looking at the prices for housing. I'm not sure if the salary being offered is livable - $47,000. The only "expense" I'd be bringing with my is a $300/month car payment.

I'm willing to commute - maybe 30 minutes one way. Any ideas? Suggestions? I need to tell the company my decision Friday. The job is 13,000 more a year than I make now, but I'm afraid the cost of living might exceed the increase in pay.

Thanks

Brenda
47K divided by 26 pay periods (biweekly) comes out to a little more than $1,800 a pay period before taxes. It would be tough to find a house on that type of salary in this area. If you rent an apartment you should expect to pay no less than $1,000 a month if you want something in a decent neighborhood and with minimal amenities. Does that $300 car payment include insurance? Also consider the price of gas. Around Silver Spring prices are hovering around $2.75 or above per gallon.

I suppose the short answer is you can live on the $47K, but it won't be champagne and cavier if you get my drift.

C.
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Old 09-25-2007, 04:48 PM
 
1,389 posts, read 6,282,329 times
Reputation: 300
Bowie is expensive. Living in Bowie the county your houses prices and taxes will be more then Silver Spring.
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Old 09-26-2007, 08:08 AM
 
209 posts, read 604,154 times
Reputation: 56
Hi, I don't know how old you are, but if you are younger you could maybe look into a basement apartment. They tend to be cheaper, but small.
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Old 09-26-2007, 06:07 PM
 
Location: DC-Baltimore area
265 posts, read 1,058,975 times
Reputation: 153
Classic DC-area dilemma... and plenty of salaries around here at that level, at non-profits and such...
It depends on your lifestyle. I am very frugal and my money goes a long way. I am happy with the non-luxury, non-new car, cooking at home, and less-expensive entertainment. Tons of free concerts, museums, and libraries (with DVDs) around here.
For those who aren't frugal, it will be challenging on that salary.
You could live close to your job so you don't have a bad commute, and in SS you will probably pay for that. But in these days of high gas prices, and given the aggravation of lots of commutes, it can be worth it. LOTS of housing in Silver Spring (includign groups) and a lot going on. Sometimes life in the further-out burbs can be pretty bland. It depends what you want.
In any case, you may be looking at a small studio apartment (perhaps in a house, those can be cheaper--try craigslist), or a share. Tons of people do the latter, there is really no other choice in some cases (or they would rather bank the extra money they'd be paying on a solo apt.), and it can even be fun, if you can deal with sharing.
If the job would be a "feather in your cap," I'd try it for a year. I've known people who did that and left after a year or two when they wanted to buy a house and yard.
Good luck.
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