Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
So, I'm a lifelong Maryland resident (currently living with the parents), recent college graduate, and I've landed an entry level position paying about $35,000. My plan for the near future is to work for 2-3 years while living in the city before going back to graduate or law school. I realize the opportunity to save money by living at home (Gaithersburg) and commuting to work is a great idea and I am giving it some thought, but I'd like to find a studio apartment and get a feel for city life as I am planning to attend school in DC in the future. I have very minimal debt as I've worked throughout my college career and have commuted from home since my sophomore year.
All this leads to a desire to finally move out and make it on my own for a bit. I have a great relationship with my parents, and though it may seem a bit selfish or irresponsible I'd just like to spend a few years just working and having fun as a 20 something.
If I budget about $900 for rent + utilities will I be able to find a decent place and have enough to enjoy myself on the weekends? I've gone through other threads in this forum and I'm a bit taken aback by the claims that 35k-45k is very difficult to survive on in the city.
I'm gonna give you the advice nobody gave me when I graduated. Screw trying to impress other people by living on your own. Law School is crazy expensive and the best gift you coudd do for yourself or your parents could give you would be to live at home and save your money to graduate debt free or leave with as little debt as possible. Better yet save that money and put it into a mortgage. Rent is the worst thing you could ever do in the DC area because you pay all that money and get absolutely nothing in the end. Go study up on real estate -mortgages and save your money, every single nickel for costs you'll incur during law school or for a down payment on a home. Your gonna hear people say that its great that your taking initiative to be responsible and let me tell you thats a bunch of b.s. Save your money for a house or law school and screw independence.....
Have to concur with Zippy here---35 k won't get you far and neither will the "I'm independent" attitude. Especially if you're just "using the place for weekends", which would be a total and utter waste of money. The more money you save, the less debt you'll be in in the future---and that's what will be impressive, not whether or not you can afford your own apartment out of college. There's plenty of people that live on their own nowadays but not many that live without debt. Rethink your strategies and get a roommate or two or three or live at home.
I'll have to agree with everyone else! If you can stay at home and continue your edcation, go for it! If you choose to work, stay at home and save as much as you can to put toward a down payment on a house. If it were me, I'd opt for that law degree.
You are very, very lucky that you and your parents get along well. Save the money and you will be way ahead of everyone else out there who has college loans to repay.
If you want to liven the city, it'd be tough to get a studio in a good area for that price, but you will be able to get a room in a townhouse with other people your age, perhaps round capital hill. On the debate between living at home or moving out. Why not enjoy your twenties in the city instead of thinking about mortgages. God knows your gonna have enough stress (and hopefully reward) at Grad school. Move to the city.
I am seriously considering the live at home route so I hope it doesn't seem that I am already sold on moving out. The points that Zippy7fo, SmerkyGrl, and sweet-t-virginia are all well taken and weigh as huge, positive considerations for continuing to live at home. I suppose it was my mistake in prefacing so much before asking my question, but my question and request for advice was more concerning my budget and if this was even feasible option; as in, will I be able to survive with a $35,000 salary in DC? I have an absolute ceiling of a $1000 budget for rent + utilities (I think I will look into the townhouse/roommates option if a studio is completely out of the question). This still leaves me with a little money to save and a little money to use. Also how much money should I be budgeting for food? I have no idea what a week of groceries costs for a single male.
One advantage I see in moving out is that it will give me a chance to become acclimated to living alone before I start grad/law school. I am sure to most college graduates living away from home has been a reality for 4 years so it's not much of a sea change, but I imagine the double whammy of starting grad/law and learning to live alone again is not an optimal condition for doing well in school. At home I do my laundry and I cook breakfast and lunch for myself, but I don't have to think about grocery shopping, cooking a good dinner, paying multiple bills, or cleaning.
Hm, so I guess I have a second question now. What if I lived at home and saved my earnings for the next year, and then moved out for one year before I start school again? I would have a little cushion saved up and I get the practice of living alone before starting school.
Thanks again for all the replies here, they're much appreciated.
If you really want to explore life in DC, do it! Don't even think about getting a studio, though; anything in your price range is in the 'hood. Find a group house with folks your own age and give it a try. You'll learn the independent living skills that you will need for grad school. At worst, you move back home if things don't work out, but at least you'll be able to say you tried.
I am seriously considering the live at home route so I hope it doesn't seem that I am already sold on moving out. The points that Zippy7fo, SmerkyGrl, and sweet-t-virginia are all well taken and weigh as huge, positive considerations for continuing to live at home. I suppose it was my mistake in prefacing so much before asking my question, but my question and request for advice was more concerning my budget and if this was even feasible option; as in, will I be able to survive with a $35,000 salary in DC? I have an absolute ceiling of a $1000 budget for rent + utilities (I think I will look into the townhouse/roommates option if a studio is completely out of the question). This still leaves me with a little money to save and a little money to use. Also how much money should I be budgeting for food? I have no idea what a week of groceries costs for a single male.
One advantage I see in moving out is that it will give me a chance to become acclimated to living alone before I start grad/law school. I am sure to most college graduates living away from home has been a reality for 4 years so it's not much of a sea change, but I imagine the double whammy of starting grad/law and learning to live alone again is not an optimal condition for doing well in school. At home I do my laundry and I cook breakfast and lunch for myself, but I don't have to think about grocery shopping, cooking a good dinner, paying multiple bills, or cleaning.
Hm, so I guess I have a second question now. What if I lived at home and saved my earnings for the next year, and then moved out for one year before I start school again? I would have a little cushion saved up and I get the practice of living alone before starting school.
Thanks again for all the replies here, they're much appreciated.
Lol....Listen to me man!!! Your going to school to study law. If you can study law and torts you sure as hell can live by yourself. Its really easy. Nobody is around and all you hear is traffic, crickets, and crazy thoughts coming out of your head.
Stay home and save your money brah!!! It looks glamorous but its not. Your focus should be 100 percent on getting your law degree and developing your career and not living alone away from the folks because it looks cool and you can have chicks over. The debt and costs your gonna incur are gonna be astronomical and with anemic government that has decided to turn the education system over to the banks and let people gather six figures worth of student loan debt, just to get an opportunity is absurd. Your long term goal should be Lawyer and Financial Freedom to do whatever the hell you want and being 70-100 something in the hole ain't helping you get there. Save your money for a house downpayment or law school costs, drive into the city and hang out with friends like millions of other people do, but take advantage of your situation because its the greatest gift your parents could do to make sure you get off to a good start.....
If you're only planning to work for a few years before going back to school, I suggest what everyone has already suggested... live with your family and save money. And when it comes time for you to go to school, you'll be glad you have that extra cash in your bank account.
With that said, you can live by yourself in the DC area for around $1000 rent/utilities... just not in DC downtown. There are other places that are close to the metro that you can live in for that price. I know someone who lives in Chevy Chase Friendship Heights who has a studio in a very nice location with garage parking. The metro is only about one block away from them, so potentially you can take that to work in DC. They pay a little less than $1100 which also includes utilities. Look at craigslist for people trying to rent out their place as they tend to be cheaper. You can also look for group housing there if need be.
Well, what if all this nice free advice on city-data instead came at a cost of $900 a month? Think you'd still be logged in? I suspect not, and I suspect there are some parallels in that to other circumstances wherein for $900 a month, you'd be ending up with only marginally more than what you could have had for free...
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
