is spending half your monthly wage on rent doable?

Barny1979

Is moving in with your GF an option?

fitnessguy1

@bitterandtwisted. i do earn a pittance yes. i am not complaining. i just don't understand how letting agencies charge so much per month for grotty little flats that visibly need work in the photos. i guess if i moved up north it would be cheaper, but i don't particularly want to move up north without some kind of contingency plan. i definitely want to change the circumstances but without a plan i cannot. no one wants to be stuck in a dead end job like i am at the moment. it is god awful.

Barny1979

Supply and Demand, that's why they can charge higher rates.

DUTR

fitnessguy1 wrote: »

@bitterandtwisted. i do earn a pittance yes. i am not complaining. i just don't understand how letting agencies charge so much per month for grotty little flats that visibly need work in the photos. i guess if i moved up north it would be cheaper, but i don't particularly want to move up north without some kind of contingency plan. i definitely want to change the circumstances but without a plan i cannot. no one wants to be stuck in a dead end job like i am at the moment. it is god awful.

You are complaining, and rightly so, I'm not going to scour previous posts, you do have a plan :eek:, and that is to seek better salaried employment, if it means getting further qualifications then college springs to mind, in the long run it will be worth it.

BigAunty

DUTR wrote: »

Big Aunty you remind of when I had my 1st place, was netting about the same, I remember the 1st electric bill arriving it was £5.85 and I was in a panic about how I'm going to manage to pay it, that was in 1998 too, now I have been mortgage free for over 4 years in my 2nd house.
The OP probably can manage it, but needs to realise the 1st few years are going to be a struggle. And not to try and get all the mod cons overnight, I went years without a washing machine.

Ah, yes, another flashback. Quite often the lodgings didn't have a washing machine and I would have a serious think about how long I could wear something to try and cut down on Launderette costs, if I could save money by taking wet washing back so I didn't have to pay towards a drier.

When I walk round poundshops now I find myself wishing they originated many years ago when buying toiletries, stationery, small gifts, cleaning products, batteries, bike tools and the like when I was a teenager in digs seemed to just eat away great chunks of my spare cash.

To the OP - sorry for the nostalgic turn. I just want you to do a realistic assessment of affordability and how you might have to slash back on items that you pay for now without a second thought.

fitnessguy1

Barny1979 wrote: »

Supply and Demand, that's why they can charge higher rates.

i am not picky, but there comes a time when you need to have standards. when i look at some of those flats i think to myself that i am thankful for being able to live with my parents at the moment. i know that people are in much worse situations and most likely HAVE to rent those kind of places as they don't have family.
also i could rent with my gf, but because we haven't been together that long i don't want to take a big leap like that yet.

Buzzybee90

£500 is a low rent, in my opinion. As you've said above your wage is quite low for a 28 year old, an extra couple of hundred a month could make a real difference for you.

But realistically, unless sharing, you're going to struggle for much less than 500, unless you're in a cheap area, which I'm guessing you're not.

My rents have been 650,650&550 and the 550 is by far the best, there are gems out there.

However it is doable, but might not be much fun, maybe see how things progress with your gf? What do your parents think?

BitterAndTwisted

fitnessguy1 wrote: »

I just don't understand how letting agencies charge so much per month for grotty little flats that visibly need work in the photos.

Generally, landlords set the rent upon advice from letting-agents according to local demand. The further you are down the affordability ladder the less you are able to expect and receive better standards. That's the way the market works, unfortunately.

You should see the state of some of the dives I had to live in when I first left home! First place was a bedroom and living-room/kitchenette with a shared bathroom on the landing. And that bedroom I shared with another girl for a third of my take-home pay. But beggars can't be choosers.

fitnessguy1

@buzzybee90. it is a low rent but then bills and other costs to take into consideration and it works out bloody pricey considering the area is not that great (a lot of council estates and generally unpleasant areas). it is just a case of trying to get that job that pays the extra couple hundred per month. it isn't easy to even find a job paying a 2 thousand more per year. my parents don't really say much. they have mentioned they could help me with a deposit and first couple months rent, but that doesn't really help me when it comes to having to keep the payments up myself because i still have a low paying job. that isn't intended to sound ungrateful and i appreciate the offer from them, but i need better job ideally. i think they want me to just be happy and better myself. i also think they just want me to p*ss off! haha

Buzzybee90

fitnessguy1 wrote: »

@buzzybee90. it is a low rent but then bills and other costs to take into consideration and it works out bloody pricey considering the area is not that great (a lot of council estates and generally unpleasant areas). it is just a case of trying to get that job that pays the extra couple hundred per month. it isn't easy to even find a job paying a 2 thousand more per year. my parents don't really say much. they have mentioned they could help me with a deposit and first couple months rent, but that doesn't really help me when it comes to having to keep the payments up myself because i still have a low paying job. that isn't intended to sound ungrateful and i appreciate the offer from them, but i need better job ideally.

Yes I'm aware, but it's the same for everyone and I know it's bloody difficult out there but again, it's difficult for everyone.

Think about if you would like to live with gf one day because that's the crux, half the rent and double the income.