[Laxntiga]

Questions are on the bottom if you want to skip through the whole introductory/explanation part.


I'm currently living with the rents and hoping I can get the job I interviewed for last week.

I asked for enough salary to put away some savings (few hundred bucks / month) and live with the following expenses (monthly):

Rent (Utilities included): $700
Gas: $150 (calculated for distance, mpg, price per gallon)
Food: $200
Credit Card (misc): $400
School Loans: $150

Yup... that's about it. I prepaid my car insurance for the year and my Miata is paid off, so no car payments there. The credit card is a bit high because EVERYTHING I spend outside of the above expenses is on credit card. Beer, entertainment, presents, random things I need, etc. Food was calculated by $5 for breakfast, $8 for lunch and $10 for dinner, $2 for snacks or a cup of coffee or whatever.

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The rent is currently set at $700, I don't want to go over that... but if I pay a little bit more, I know I could get a 1 bed apt or a nice little studio. I do have a few extra hundred bucks after all my expenses.... hmmmm
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PROS AND CONS OF EACH LIVING SITUATION

Living alone in a 1 bed apt/studio

Pros:
Peace and quiet
Own space
Only need to watch out for yourself
Don't need to clean up for others
Personal time whenever I want (have company over)
Ability to do what I want, when I want (ie. walk around in boxers)

Cons:
Loneliness
Pay more for rent
No utilities split (internet = $40 bucks)
Parents can come over whenever

Living in a home-stay(rent a room in a house)/ house or apt with roomates.

Pros:
Companionship
Friends
Can throw parties
Split utilities
Split rent
Don't need own furniture

Cons:
Have to deal with other people and their problems
More friends
Waste a lot of time doing random stuff - like parties, cleaning up for others, helping others with random things
Watching out for the well being of others
Cant do what I want, when I want
Almost no privacy


At my old job, I rented a room in a large house. It worked out great, it was nice, the family is a friend of a friend's, they were very hospitable. All utilities were included and I even had my own parking space. I only paid $650 a month. I had a private bathroom and I was even allowed to use their washing machine which was really nice of them too. What I didn't like was, I couldn't bring girl guests over, throw a party, or play music too loud. So it's was basically no privacy and I couldn't do everything I wanted. I'm thinking if I rent a studio apt or a cheap 1 bedroom apt it'll be different. I can buy furniture off craigslist or go to Ikea and have my own space. I can invite my friends over when ever. If I get lonely, I can always pick up a 2nd job, go to the gym, go over my friend's house, go to a bar etc. I think I would be able to keep myself busy.



1. What did you pick?
2. Do you think you made the right choice?
3. What do you like and dislike the most about your choice?
4. Is there anything I excluded and need to take account for when making my decision?

[watcher]

i think it really comes down to how much money you're willing to spend. i moved out into a 1 bedroom. when i think about it now, i feel maybe i should've rented a studio instead. less furniture to deal with, less space to clean up, less rent to pay.

getting lonely in your apt is a temporary thing. it's not that you bring people over all the time. but you start to appreciate [and get used to] being alone. it's comfortable, and as long as you have hobbies, it's all good. gym is good. i picked up cooking, which keeps the time rolling. once in a while i will have guests over, but to tell you the truth, i personally don't like having people over to drink and party hard. most of em dont clean up after themselves, and since it's my pad they've trashed [and bathroom they've puked on], i gotta eventually deal with all of that.

it's ultra convenient to live alone if you have a girlfriend, or even if you date around. you have a space for you two to chill and relax. watch a dvd, have some wine, don't worry about people walkin around, etc. [this can be negligible if you date girls who have their own pad, but i guess it's a plus u have urs too]

at the end of the day, however, it comes down to what you're willing to spend. you're buying a luxury. u can always drink at bars, chill with the girl in your car or a nice cafe [or movie theatre], you can figure out ways to get 'me' time elsewhere than ur own home. that money can go in an investment, or it can go in claiming back your personal sanity. whatever makes you the happiest, go for it. in my case, my income supports my lifestyle, so i juts went ahead and did it.

[erure]

I chose a 1bedroom apartment because there weren't many studios available in my area (and if there were, they were all taken already). I didn't really want to live with other people because I've done that in dorms the past 2 years and it was a little stressful.

I am happy with my decision, except that it really is expensive. Even though my parents pay for the apartment and everything, the guilt really adds up... I wish I could have found a studio. Everyone comments on how big the apartment is and how I don't need so much space. I really don't.

[FRUITYCHEESECAKE]

I just wanted to point out that from what you've described above (the situation where you stayed at a friend's of your friend place), you did have privacy. You had your own bathroom, bedroom and it really sounded like it was a nice place to live for what is worth.

I personally would pick studio or 1-bedroom apt because I've had pretty bad experienced living with others. I think it really depends on your personality as well. I like to keep my place decently clean. I am not compulsive cleaning addict but I don't want to have stacks of dirty dishes in the sink or have dirty bathroom or anything like that. I had to deal with two girls who wouldn't even clean bathroom (I had to do it alone for that year) and after that year, I had five roommates in Florida (where I was relocated). All of us were busy with work but you had to keep your place clean in Florida. Otherwise, you would be inviting cockroaches to your place to take over. I took my roommates numerous times about how important it is to keep our place clean but they wouldn't do anything about it although they understood why it was necessary. Soon, we had some cockroaches at our place. So I had to clean after those five girls and myself for six months - got fed up with it and came back home.

So if something like this doesn't bother you much, then you could go with roommates.

I value having privacy and my own time and you could always have your friends over. It's not like you are losing friends if you don't have a roommate.

[watcher]

^ u know... after some time hangin out at girls pads... i've realized that girls are slobs too. im sure there are girls that keep their place clean, but WOW... some girls... it's like you wonder how in the world they are able to survive in such a dirty home...

[Laxntiga]

^ sounds like you never had any sisters. You're mom must be pretty neat too.

My mom..... wherever she goes, leaves a path of destruction. It's bad feng shui lol. Someone once told me you can get a glimpse into someone elses mind just from looking into their room.

[watcher]

^ sounds like you never had any sisters. You're mom must be pretty neat too.

My mom..... wherever she goes, leaves a path of destruction. It's bad feng shui lol. Someone once told me you can get a glimpse into someone elses mind just from looking into their room.

i do have a sister. mom cleaned up after her, so didn't see the path of destruction. mom's a neat freak. she likes things clean. i did visit my sis at her apartment though... i didnt see any carpet...

[duykato]

My mom..... wherever she goes, leaves a path of destruction. It's bad feng shui lol. Someone once told me you can get a glimpse into someone elses mind just from looking into their room.

This is VERY true.. My room is very simple.. and clean.. and a friend of mine came over and instantly she said, "You must live a very chaotic life. People like you tend to like to come home to things that are organized and simple because you deal with so much during your day." and... she was RIGHT on the money when she said that.

1. What did you pick?
2. Do you think you made the right choice?
3. What do you like and dislike the most about your choice?
4. Is there anything I excluded and need to take account for when making my decision?
Anyway, in your situation, I live by myself. I love living by myself, and for me, it's definitely the better choice. Friends can drop by whenever, I can listen to music as loud as I want, also... I kinda only listen to easy listening stuff like classical, lounge, or clazziquai.. of course the occasional hip-hop/rap/rock/alternative, but most of the time it's really chill music. What I love about living on my own is the independence. I have no one to blame for anything but myself. So if I make a mess, it's my mess, my dishes in the sink... stuff like that. I don't need to get on anyone's case. I don't answer to nobody but myself. What I dislike the most about living alone, this was a major issue up until pretty recently is the loneliness. I'd come home to nobody, and I'd wake up to nobody. It gets rather depressing sometimes, but lately I've been having someone drop by a lot so the house isn't so lonely. Plus we like to cook together, which is pretty sweet.

Also, I've come to find that 700 bucks a month can get your very far or nowhere depending on where you're living. NYC, Bay Area.. yeah.. you're not living in your own place on that, which I'm sure you probably know better then anyone else seeing as you sound like you're someone who's done their research. So if I may ask to better suit your needs, where it is you wish to live?

[Laxntiga]

Well I would like to be within 30 miles of Denville, NJ (Where my job is, don't go and steal my potential future job now hahaha jk.)

That leaves me in North Jerz. I'm open to Morristown/Madison area, I went to college there and it was really nice and quiet. I can live anywhere really... I'm a very simple guy. The only thing I really care about is... I don't want to travel more than 30 mins to get to work.

I would like a more suburban/woodsy/calm quiet place to live.


I totally get the go to sleep by yourself/wake up by yourself deal. I was thinking of getting a 2nd job to make some extra money or to pay down my college loans. I hope to come home exhausted where I just shower and fall asleep.

[melkimx]

i live alone in sf bay area, in a studio that's a bit under 600 sq ft. originally chose a studio because i thought it would be more efficient than a 1-bdr (i don't have a lot of guests so not much need for separation of space and then the living/dining areas just tend to be really underused). chose to live alone because i have a really low tolerance level when it comes to roommates, housemates, etc... don't like noise, don't like clutter, don't like strangers in my home, don't even necessarily like the way other people choose to decorate and personalize.

some cons about the whole setup: i won't splurge on things i might otherwise choose to if i had roommates, like cable TV or certain appliances or pieces of furniture. bills are obviously higher than they would be if i was splitting them with other people. and living alone can get a bit lonely, so awhile back i decided to adopt a cat, but now i'm getting really annoyed because i can't shut him out of my room at night, because it's a studio and there's no door or anything.

some pros: living alone in a small space really forces you to take responsibility for your place and be more organized. there's no space for clutter, so anytime i start to accumulate too many items, i'll weed out the things i don't like and throw them away or sell them. and i can't exactly just stash things wherever because i don't have unlimited space, so i have to be a bit more organized. it makes me seem like a really neat person; everyone who visits comments that my place is very clean. and i'm living alone, so the way everything is set up is my own system, organized to my own liking. living without a roommate could get lonely, but my bf visits a few times a week, which fulfills most of my need to socialize, and he's always pretty careful not to be messy or leave items behind. most importantly -- i especially appreciate this based on my last experience with a roommate -- i don't wake up in the morning to see whatever random guy my roommate decided to bring home, i don't have to deal with anyone stealing my shampoo or prescription medicines, and i don't go into the kitchen seeing a huge pile of dirty dishes in the sink because my roommate somehow decided that those pots and pans couldn't possibly be hers even though i never cooked and she always did.

obviously that's just me, and i'm like this crazy introvert with a bit of a controlling neat-freak side, so i just really don't do well with roommates. other people would probably hate the setup i have; i guess you just have to ask yourself how important it is to have autonomy vs. having people around when you need them. when i get lonely, i can definitely see how people would want to have roommates, but i say, if you live with someone else, unless you're the most easygoing person in the world, choose wisely.