Don’t Overspend on Rent

Don’t Overspend on Rent

Are you paying too much for rent? How would you know if you were? According to the US Census Bureau, 25% -30% of your gross income is an ideal amount to budget toward rent. In addition to rent, remember to factor in another 3-4% for housing expenses, like utility costs. When setting your budget for a new place, be sure to follow these tips to prevent overspending.

Orange Apartment Building 1

Calculate How Much to Spend on Rent Step 1: Evaluate your total income. If you have a roommate, combine your incomes together and follow the same process. (Although if you fear you might not want to live with a roommate forever, perhaps budgeting on one salary can be beneficial.) Step 2: If you choose to spend 25% of your income on rent and utilities, multiply the gross income by 0.25. Step 3: Divide the total amount from Step 2 by 12 months, and you will have the recommended maximum amount to spend on rent and utilities. Example: (The following income rates are from the 2013 average starting salaries for recent graduates via CNN Money.)

No Roommate

You & Roommate

Step 1 Income:  $44,000 /yr Combined Income: $37,000 + $61,000 = $98,000 /yr
Step 2 $44,000 x 0.25 = $11,000 / yr $98,000 x 0.25 = $24,500/yr
Step 3 $11,000 / 12 months = $917/month $24,500 /12 months = $2042 /mo
If you plan to spend only 25% of your gross income, and are making $44,000 a year without a roommate, it is recommended that you spend no more than $917 on rent and utilities. If you budget 25% of your income toward rent and utilities, and make a combined income of $98,000 with a roommate, it is recommended that you spend no more than $1021 for your portion, if rooms are equal. It is our hope that these tips help you avoid overspending on rent during your next apartment hunt. To find reasonably priced apartments in your area, visit ForRent.com. For more ways to save money on rent, be sure to browse the Apartment Living blog for great ideas!
Related Topics (1)

Recommended Posts

How can I decorate effectively in a small apartment?

How can I decorate effectively in a small apartment?

How to go about decorating your apartment depends a good deal on the space itself, and smaller apartments or studios often require a special approach. Here are some things that might make the task a bit easier: Mirrors can make the place look significantly larger. Opting for smaller furniture can help make more space. Consider […]

read more
How to Create the Perfect Rental Ad

How to Create the Perfect Rental Ad

How to Create the Perfect Rental Ad Featuring the best aspects of your rental space and including pertinent information are both very important and will help garner more of a quality response to your apartment or home rental advertisement. Description: Include details that aren’t seen in the property description. [4] Examples: Spacious garage Great views […]

read more
What To Do When There’s No Space For A Kitchen Table

What To Do When There’s No Space For A Kitchen Table

Having a big kitchen and dining area can be a luxury that many apartments simply don’t have. Fitting a kitchen table into a small space can be next to impossible. There’s no need to worry though, ForRent.com is here with some quick hacks you can try when your kitchen is too small for a normal […]

read more
5 Tips for Saving Space in Closets

5 Tips for Saving Space in Closets

As most of us renters know, while closet space is a nice amenity to have, it isn’t usually one of our top choices for narrowing down apartments. Therefore, we are usually stuck with whatever closet space we are given in the apartment we choose. And while a closet the size of Harry Potters Room under […]

read more

Pick a Category or Topic

Categories

Topics