Renting Apartment

Penn

I was just wondering if I'm mad? I currently commute to work (35 miles each way) but I'm thinking of moving up. I don't really want to house-share, so I was thinking of renting a 1-bedroom apartment. The way I see it is:

Rent - 650
Elec/Heat - 150
Internet - 40
Food - 250
Supplies (cleaning etc) - 50
Existing Car Loan - 150
Petrol - 90 (occasional trip home, sometimes have to drive as part of my work etc)

Total = 1380

This would leave me with just over 500 a month, which I could save for car insurance and things like that. My job is secure enough, but even if I lost it I could easily move back home (even if it meant losing the deposit)

So am I crazy? Are there others in similar situations and how have you dealt with it?

Cheers for the advice

accensi0n

paddyirishman85 wrote: »

I was just wondering if I'm mad? I currently commute to work (35 miles each way) but I'm thinking of moving up. I don't really want to house-share, so I was thinking of renting a 1-bedroom apartment. The way I see it is:

Rent - 650
Elec/Heat - 150
Internet - 40
Food - 250
Supplies (cleaning etc) - 50
Existing Car Loan - 150
Petrol - 90 (occasional trip home, sometimes have to drive as part of my work etc)

Total = 1380

This would leave me with just over 500 a month, which I could save for car insurance and things like that. My job is secure enough, but even if I lost it I could easily move back home (even if it meant losing the deposit)

So am I crazy? Are there others in similar situations and how have you dealt with it?

Cheers for the advice

Where do you plan on renting?

BC

Is the 500 spare to include socialising? Do have a TV and need to budget for a licence and monthly bills?

Penn

BC wrote: »

Is the 500 spare to include socialising? Do have a TV and need to budget for a licence and monthly bills?

I think with the way I over-estimated stuff like supplies and maybe petrol, TV license and bin charges would be included there. Although having never lived from home, I don't know how much I'd spend on supplies (cleaning supplies, washing up liquid, toiletries etc). With the 500 left over, I'd plan on saving half it (for stuff like car insurance, tax etc) and the rest would be mine. Don't go out an awful lot anyway, mostly cinema or something

accensi0n wrote: »

Where do you plan on renting?

Ashbourne, although I did see some slightly cheaper places in Ratoath. But if I was in Ashbourne I'd be more likely to go home for lunch so probably save a bit more money there

brianthebard

Your budget sounds normal enough. What's the going rent in Ashbourne at the minute? If you take your time and look around and haggle you might get lower than the 650. I think you should stick with those numbers for now, although personally I'd probably spend more on food than that but everyone is different. Perhaps for the next month keep all your receipts, assuming you're at home with parents get their receipts as well for cleaning products etc and see what it adds up to. If you've never shared before then I understand why you don't want to start, but a two bed might be a good option if you know someone you would get along with. Personally I'd love a one bed place though so definitely know where you're coming from there.
Tbh I don't know why you think this is mad at all, you're being pretty practical! Have you some worries about saving money for the future or giving up home luxuries?

jelly&icecream

I doubt the electric and heating bills would be as high as 150 a month for one person living in a one bed apartment tbh (unless you're running a server farm or some every duty electronic equipment constantly) . I'd say you could reduce that one to 100.

Penn

brianthebard wrote: »

Your budget sounds normal enough. What's the going rent in Ashbourne at the minute? If you take your time and look around and haggle you might get lower than the 650. I think you should stick with those numbers for now, although personally I'd probably spend more on food than that but everyone is different. Perhaps for the next month keep all your receipts, assuming you're at home with parents get their receipts as well for cleaning products etc and see what it adds up to. If you've never shared before then I understand why you don't want to start, but a two bed might be a good option if you know someone you would get along with. Personally I'd love a one bed place though so definitely know where you're coming from there.
Tbh I don't know why you think this is mad at all, you're being pretty practical! Have you some worries about saving money for the future or giving up home luxuries?

The 650 was the cheapest 1-bed in Ashbourne I saw on daft.ie. I'd definitely try to haggle though. Even 20 or 30 quid off would be a bonus. I wouldn't mind sharing a 2-bed with a friend, trouble is, I don't know anyone in Ashbourne or who wants to move to Ashbourne. Like I said, I commute every day. I just don't like the idea of sharing.

I'm not too worried about giving up home luxuries. To be honest, thats part of the reason I want to move out. I've never lived away from home, even through 5 years of college, so I've been too spoilt. Barely know how to cook anything, can't iron etc. I want to move out because if I don't, I'll never learn those things. With regards to food, I'm currently trying to lose a lot of weight too, so I'll be cutting down on portions and eating healthier things anyway. And like I said, I'm trying to over-estimate everything anyway. Stay on the safe side.

Penn

jelly&icecream wrote: »

I doubt the electric and heating bills would be as high as 150 a month for one person living in a one bed apartment tbh (unless you're running a server farm or some every duty electronic equipment constantly) . I'd say you could reduce that one to 100.

Yeah, I don't mind the cold weather either

This is why I think I'm mad. I've never lived from home, so I have no idea what stuff costs. Do I have to buy a new dishwasher every month or is it every 2 months?

jelly&icecream

paddyirishman85 wrote: »

Yeah, I don't mind the cold weather either

This is why I think I'm mad. I've never lived from home, so I have no idea what stuff costs. Do I have to buy a new dishwasher every month or is it every 2 months?

I'd say go for it. You can't stay living at home forever! And that amount of commuting surely cuts close on 2 hours out of your day. Think what you could do with that free time!

Don't rule out sharing a place though, it'll dramatically bring down the rent. Go and view a few places and have a good chat with the other person/ people living there. If you are any kind of good judge of character you will generally get a vibe about the person's personality.

Other than that don't sign up to a long lease or anything if you're not too sure about things.

Penn

jelly&icecream wrote: »

I'd say go for it. You can't stay living at home forever! And that amount of commuting surely cuts close on 2 hours out of your day. Think what you could do with that free time!

Don't rule out sharing a place though, it'll dramatically bring down the rent. Go and view a few places and have a good chat with the other person/ people living there. If you are any kind of good judge of character you will generally get a vibe about the person's personality.

Other than that don't sign up to a long lease or anything if you're not too sure about things.

Yeah, its about 2 hours a day. Which when you're trying to lose weight is 2 very important hours. I'm up before 7 and not home til around 7 in the evenings, not counting the fact that I sometimes have to do overtime. Plan on walking an hour most evenings if I moved up and I already own some equipment to workout at home, but since I'm so tired when I come home I rarely do anything (go to the gym some evenings, but then I'm not home until half 8)

I'll mull it over for a week or so I think. Thanks for all the advice folks

jw297

Just a quick point on the expenses - when you first move in there will probably be a few initial costs that won't be occurring every month, apart from the deposit there will be smaller household things that you might need to buy, and stuff like cleaning supplies doesn't usually have to be bought every week but you might need to get a few different things all at once when you're starting out.
Sounds like you've thought things through anyway. Might be worth thinking about the fact that you'll be coming home to an empty flat every evening which can get lonely, that factor and sharing costs would be the upside of sharing with someone.
When I first moved out of home, I remember opening the fridge one day and being a bit annoyed that nobody had done any shopping.... it didn't take long to learn how to look after myself after that!
Good luck :-)

Penn

jw297 wrote: »

Might be worth thinking about the fact that you'll be coming home to an empty flat every evening which can get lonely, that factor and sharing costs would be the upside of sharing with someone.

I don't think I'll really mind that. I'm one of those types who enjoys his own company anyway. Normally in the evenings I just eat my dinner then head down to my room for the night. All my sisters have moved out long ago so it's just me and the folks anyway. I suppose what I'd miss most is not seeing my nephew as often, but I'm sick of commuting and I gotta go where the work is.

jw297 wrote: »

When I first moved out of home, I remember opening the fridge one day and being a bit annoyed that nobody had done any shopping.... it didn't take long to learn how to look after myself after that!
Good luck :-)

Cheers lad