is spending half your monthly wage on rent doable?

Lily-Rose_3

geerex wrote: »

Sorry to say this, but in this day and age I honestly don't see why people should spend half their net income on accommodation. We're one of the richest nations in the world, unless you have learning difficulties or a personality defect, minimum wage (or thereabouts) should be the preserve of the under 21s.

This is such a horrible post!

Seriously, what planet are you living on?!!

You seriously believe that people on minimum wage must have a personality defect or having learning difficulties? This must be one of the most ignorant and ill-informed posts I have ever seen.

Almost 20% of people in the workplace are on minimum wage, for all kinds of reasons; ranging from them not being fortunate enough to have been able to do a degree, to having a degree but STILL only getting a minimum wage job, to being in a family break down or losing a well paid job and being forced to take a minimum wage job. Some people didn't come from privileged backgrounds and had poor education, and are only ABLE to get minimum wage jobs! It doesn't mean they're not right in the head as YOU are implying!

This is one of the rudest, and most offensive posts I have ever read on here. I can only assume you are either a troll or you are incredibly ill-informed and ignorant.

As for the OP. I can't believe how incredibly rude some people are being towards him: banging on as if he is some kind of failure in life because he ONLY gets £1000 a month income!!! Some people would regard that as pretty OK. Also, people are going on at him as if it's soooooo easy for him to just go and grab a job that pays twice as much as he gets now. What planet are some people living on?!!!

And of course it would be hard to live alone in private rent with that income, as you'd possibly only have £400-£500 left for the month for everything else. So yes it is doable, but you would not have anything to spare.

Can you live with your girlfriend OP???

newcook

OP – have you considered a place such as a house split into separate flats? My brother used to live in one of these about 15 years ago and he used to pay about £65 a week for his self-contained flat and this included all bills (electric/gas/water).
There were a couple of other flats in the house that were cheaper but they had a shared bathroom where as he would rather pay a little bit more and have the privacy of his own bathroom.

Sure, his place wasn’t massive but it was his own little place where he could have whoever he wanted over and it was affordable.

BigAunty

geerex wrote: »

Sorry to say this, but in this day and age I honestly don't see why people should spend half their net income on accommodation. We're one of the richest nations in the world, unless you have learning difficulties or a personality defect, minimum wage (or thereabouts) should be the preserve of the under 21s.

As far as I'm concerned, the National Minimum Wage is morphing into the National Maximum Wage. It isn't a liveable wage unless you are a single person living at home.

The UK has some of the highest transport, child care and public transport costs in Europe - we live in a low wage/high expense economy.

As there is more and more under and unemployment, particularly with the rise in part time jobs, and competition from EU migrants, there is such competition for jobs that employers don't have to offer decent wages to attract applicants.

I believe that year upon year, through pay stagnation and the rise in part time and zero hours contract, there will be more and more workers on NMW so that it won't be a minority anymore - semi skilled and skilled employment will also start to slide down towards it.

I don't think it has anything to do with a lack of quality or drive on the part of applicants but the fact that more and more jobs will pretty much only offer the NMW through the entire career of the applicant, regardless of their experience, age, length of service of the company.

Many job that pay above NMW pay only pennies more per hour and are NMW-like.

The majority of new claims for housing benefit are actually made by those in employment.

sulphate

fitnessguy1 wrote: »

i know a few people (just aquaintances) who have gf's and they still live with parents. it can be frustrating as i would like to be able to cook for my gf on nights and not have anyone else to get in the way. it would just be good to have some total privacy once in a while. i don't particularly like the situation at all but not much i can do right now. i could certainly flatshare, but it would have to be with strangers which i'm still a bit reluctant about. i was thinking of just saving up quite a bit of money and just renting a place and hopefully the money saved will tide me over and help towards bills until i can get myself into a better paid job. is that even a wise idea?

The problem is that your expectations are high but your income is relatively low.

You will need to adjust one of these - either you lower your expectations and accept you will need to flat share with strangers (a fact of life/risk for many working people, I'm afraid) or increase your income somehow. Your choice.

I don't see any letting agent willing to let a property solely to you. When we rented we needed to take home 2.5 times the monthly rent per month. Assuming that rule, for a house with a rent of £500 per month you would need to take home £1250 in their eyes.

As well as rent you have other outgoings. Rental properties for £500 a month around here leave you with outgoings of around £75 for council tax (taking into account single person discount), £40 for water and £60 for gas and electric. That leaves £325 per month for everything else, including food, TV license, mobile phone, internet, transport costs, and luxuries. Some of these costs are hugely variable so only you know if you could afford it on paper. It might be possible but not desirable - you'd still be at risk of falling into rent arrears if you ever had an unexpected bill, which is why many letting agents wouldn't consider you.

fitnessguy1

the difference in price from where i am now compared to up north is amazing. this one bedroom flat is over half the price it would cost for a flat in my area.

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-25101564.html

down here it would cost 500pcm for the same flat. i know bradford is a bit of a dive, but my area isn't that great either.

this one too.

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-32350554.html

i am thinking if it's in my interest to just up sticks and move north. i mean apart from my gf, my ties here aren't too important.

Gavin83

Lily-Rose wrote: »

This is such a horrible post!

Seriously, what planet are you living on?!!

You seriously believe that people on minimum wage must have a personality defect or having learning difficulties? This must be one of the most ignorant and ill-informed posts I have ever seen.

Almost 20% of people in the workplace are on minimum wage, for all kinds of reasons; ranging from them not being fortunate enough to have been able to do a degree, to having a degree but STILL only getting a minimum wage job, to being in a family break down or losing a well paid job and being forced to take a minimum wage job. Some people didn't come from privileged backgrounds and had poor education, and are only ABLE to get minimum wage jobs! It doesn't mean they're not right in the head as YOU are implying!

This is one of the rudest, and most offensive posts I have ever read on here. I can only assume you are either a troll or you are incredibly ill-informed and ignorant.

I kind of agree with him, although I wouldn't have worded it quite as he did. Ignoring young people or those who just want a job to pass the time everyone else should be earning about NMW. I doubt people have personality defects or learning disabilities like the other poster suggested though. I'd imagine it's more a case of the majority just lacking motivation, either through laziness, a lack of self belief or a lack of skills. I guess some would argue luck can come into it but I believe people create their own luck.

Obviously people do earn more than NMW so I think as a person you should be questioning why other people are earning more and see what you can do to increase your own earning potential. In all honesty most obstacles can be overcome.

No disrespect to NMW earners, if they're happy with their salary good for them but if they're not they need to do something about it rather than trying to get the NMW wage increased (which won't work) or just generally complaining.

Gavin83

fitnessguy1 wrote: »

the difference in price from where i am now compared to up north is amazing. this one bedroom flat is over half the price it would cost for a flat in my area.

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-25101564.html

down here it would cost 500pcm for the same flat. i know bradford is a bit of a dive, but my area isn't that great either.

this one too.

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-32350554.html

i am thinking if it's in my interest to just up sticks and move north. i mean apart from my gf, my ties here aren't too important.

Where do you live?

You'd certainly be financially better off moving up north (assuming you could find a job) in your current position at least, if you'd be ok with moving away from your whole life down here.

bloolagoon

xXMessedUpXx wrote: »

Well that just makes me feel wonderful as someone on NMW

A job I'm actually grateful for and lucky to have considering I was too ill to work for 3 years and still have health problems now.

What he means is you should not be on NMW. I interpret his post to be that NMW should be pin money jobs like they used to be. Eg Saturday jobs, not for workers whose role earns profits for companies. It's a reflection on wages not those working for those wages.

Years ago you got pay rises and worked your way up, now you stagnate.

KxMx

I wouldn't write off what you are proposing out of hand but I would have to seriously consider it.

Personally I wouldn't unless I had a good amount (maybe a couple of thousand) behind me in a bank account.

Perhaps stay where you are for now and concentrate on getting some savings behind you, then reconsider?

On the subject of NMW i'm grateful we have it in this country but I totally agree with the comments that more and more companies are seeing it as the "maximum" wage. I think it's a real scandal the level it is at now and it needs to rise significantly.

TheEffect

I'm living at my parents' house and have just started a new job (after graduating). I'm clearing £1650/m, and 1 bedroom flats start at around £750 around here.

Factoring in all the bills and payments that come with renting, I've decided I'm staying put at my parents for now, until I can find a room to rent somewhere.

I'm not sure what rent prices are in your area, but at £1k/m income, I wouldn't recommend getting your own place, not unless you've got some savings.