LogFAQs > #953915137

Some of you seem incredulous, so a bit more info.

The second place I lived/rented a room was the college Glen Apartments in Lacey WA. You can look them up, a 3 bedroom 2 bath is still $1125 there a month. We split it 3 ways and with Utilities/internet (also split 3 ways) it was almost exactly $400 a month.

There was an income cap of $60k so if you make more than that, you couldn't live there, but that was the only caviet.

I just rented a room with the two roomates who were already there, so I didn't get the master bedroom with it's own bathroom, I had to share the second bathroom with the other roomate.

I put myself on the waiting list to get my own though (before moving to tacoma) so I could get the master bedroom with it's own bath, and just grab 2 more roomates.

There are places like that all over the US, and you can either have friends as roomates or interview until you find two other people who you wouldn't mind living with and BAM you have $400 or less rent.

Meanwhile I have posted before about Safeway and shopping/saving money. Safeway was bought out by Albertsons a few years ago, and sadly they do not have many of the good deals anymore. You can no longer save 70-80% on average when you shop there (without using physical coupons which I don't do).

You CAN still save about 40-50% which still, in general, puts the cost at safeway significantly lower then winco/costco/walmart etc. You simply have to buy based on what is on sale, stock up on stuff, use the points you get on discounts etc.

Usually you have at least 1 or two meats that are on significant sale every week. I buy based on what is on sale that way, I also use my points to get 7$ off from the meat department for 4 points (and I always click on the special that gives 4-10 points if you spend X amount of dollars.

This means I usually get at least 5 points per trip, and sometimes over 10. Last month I had 28 points total (while still spending less then $200 a month on groceries), which let me both fill up my gas (for $1 off a gallon) and get $28 off my grocers ($7 off per 4 points used).

Meanwhile I mostly got tri-tip steaks last month for $5 a pound (normally $10 now), some chicken (for $2/pound boneless skinless), some ground beef ($3 a pound). I did get some T-bones since they were on sale, but I don't think i'll do that again cause after you factor in the bones etc, it's really not worth it.

I pay $30 for my phone and $30 for my car insurance as well. Medical is almost free right now as it's based on my income (will go back up once I start working).

That is my total expenses per month.

Meanwhile other then CA (especially the bay area), NY (it's even cheaper to live on long island than here), Hawaii maybe and a few other places, this is one of the most expensive places to live in the US. I could move almost ANYWHERE and be able to spend less money than here, and some places you can rent your own place for $500-600.

I want to work, so moving somewhere I can work matters for now, but if you don't need to work, are retired etc, there are many places you can move that are way cheaper. Forks for instance you can get a 10k mobile home and pay $220 a month for lot rent (with water/sewage included). That is a backup plan of mine.

You can also just look around and find rooms for rent like I have done repeatedly, even in CA (and lets be honest most of CA is pretty insane to try and rent/live in) you can get something semi-decent for $700 (yes, even in the bay area. I found a place on Tennison in Hayward CA.....right by my favorite burrito place (all meat burrito.......homer droooooool), for $650 awhile ago. I didn't take it cause of covid and having to move during that etc.

The food in the Bay is SO GOOD though, plus I grew up there (from 11 on, I lived in Hayward/Fremont/Alameda/Dublin etc). I know how to get around everywhere like the back of my hand. I could take bart to travel as well etc.

Anyway I don't recommend LA either, but yeah, I know how to live on a budget, even if I don't need to, I do. I had a rough childhood and I just automatically save and spend as little as possible. I spent plenty on making my wife happy, but that was different. I have a hard time spending money on myself, so I work hard to ensure whatever I do pay is efficient.

I consider renting a room as a waste of money, as a mobile home long term is FAR better (especially if it's a two bedroom and you rent out the other one.

Long term a mobile home that you rent out the other room on, actually MAKES you money per month. If I got one of those up in Forks for instance, It would initially pay any morgage/lot rent I had, and long term probably net me about 300$/month after paying the lot rent.

At 60 (9 years) I'll have about $1200/month coming in, so having a setup where I not only have no rent per month, but get an extra $300 from renting a room.....would be really nice, at least for as long as I'm actually still around lol.

---

Tacobot 3000 "Saving the world from not having tacos."
Friends don't make their friends die Hanz. Psychopathic friends do.