Help me with a budget?

[Anonymous]

Specifically, I want to know what I can spend on rent.

I earn $70,000 a year. I spend $20 per week in transportation. $200 per month in internet/tv/phone. Probably $200 a week (yes week, not per month) on food. Let's figure I spend $100 a month on doctors, prescriptions, and health & beauty aids combined. Plus $100 every 10 weeks on my hair, and $40 once a month on waxing.

Right now I pay $1350 in rent and do not have to pay utilities. If I move I will have to pay $75 per month in transportation (which is right about what I pay now), the same for food, the same for internet/phone/tv, and however much elelctric costs. How much can I afford for my rent to go up?

[Anonymous]

What's your take-home pay and how much are you saving for retirement and emergency fund? Personally, I wouldn't go above 25% of net salary for rent unless I had three months expenses saved up and was socking away 10% of gross for retirement.

If you've got those two things taken care of I would go as high as 45% of net, so long as you are a bear of simple tastes, content to spend your evenings in with a good book.

[Anonymous]

OP here: I fully expect that I will have to work until I drop dead, so don't really worry about retirement. I have $30k in savings. I take home $1700 every two weeks.

[Anonymous]

Hi OP,
You may have to work forever and expect to, but so many things can happen that can make that impossible. There have been other threads with the same type of information, but, as an example, my mom started having unexpected health problems at a relatively young age that have made working impossible. It does happen. So you can't just blow off retirement. It would be better to stay where you are and not increase your rent and put those $ towards savings and a Roth. You are probably in your prime compounding years so even $50 a month towards eventual retirement would be something.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

I also go by the rule no more than 25% of net to live comfortably and no more than 33% if you don't mind being frugal with your other expenses. Unfortunately, that means $921/mo or $1228/mo, both of which exceed what you are currently paying. I'd stay put or find a cheaper place. You really can't afford more right now.

[Anonymous]

What are you eating that you are spending 200 a week? Do you buy stuff on sale or use coupons? Does this include things other than food?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I also go by the rule no more than 25% of net to live comfortably and no more than 33% if you don't mind being frugal with your other expenses. Unfortunately, that means $921/mo or $1228/mo, both of which exceed what you are currently paying. I'd stay put or find a cheaper place. You really can't afford more right now.

I live in SF. I know the DC people think it's expensive there, but it's kind of funny to me, since it's much more expensive here. I've stayed put here for five years and have been miserable for five years. I'm just tired of hating home, you know?

[Anonymous]

I would spend as little on rent as humanely possible while I saved up a hefty down-payment for a house I could reasonable afford (ie: no more than 25% of your take-home pay per month). If you never plan to buy a house, then I'd stick with the 25% of your TAKE-HOME pay rule. HTH.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I also go by the rule no more than 25% of net to live comfortably and no more than 33% if you don't mind being frugal with your other expenses. Unfortunately, that means $921/mo or $1228/mo, both of which exceed what you are currently paying. I'd stay put or find a cheaper place. You really can't afford more right now.

I live in SF. I know the DC people think it's expensive there, but it's kind of funny to me, since it's much more expensive here. I've stayed put here for five years and have been miserable for five years. I'm just tired of hating home, you know?

Yes, SF is very expensive, but very beautiful. Has great food, and your calves are probably in fantastic shape.

For financial planning help, I like this woman:

http://www.gailvazoxlade.com/

She used to have a show on CBC called Till Debt to Us Part

[Anonymous]

This is such a weird question.

How much money do you have left each month on average after you pay for everything? What cuts in your budget are you willing to make? Add those two numbers together, and it's what you can afford to increase your rent by.