If you just graduated from college, you’re probably used to having gym access included in your tuition. Consider browsing thrift shops or shopping online. Furniture can be expensive or cheap – and much of it you won’t need to buy right away. If you’re moving into your first place, you may not have much in the way of furniture. That said, if you’re stretching your budget to get a parking space, you probably could do without one.įurniture. While parking is often a luxury, in certain situations you’ll need parking unless you want to circle the block for half an hour every time you come home. This includes car payments, insurance, gas and maintenance. When considering how much apartment you can afford, remember to factor in your car expenses. Depending on where in the country you live, a car may be a necessity. Here are some additional expense to consider:Ĭar. The expenses above, you should expect no matter where you live. Learn to cook – and bring bagged lunches to work and watch your savings grow. If you’re a bit tight on money, one of the best ways to save money is to eat-in regularly. While you’ll never get a bill in the mail for groceries, this is an expense you’ll absolutely need to cover. So take out a policy – they’re usually very inexpensive. While it may seem far-fetched, a catastrophe could strike you. Renter’s insurance protects your things, in case of damage from theft, fire, flood or other disaster. You’ll save some money and still have plenty of shows to watch. Or, consider subscribing to a streaming service or two instead of cable. If you want cable as well, use the same company to get a bundled deal. In this day and age, internet is an necessity. Conserve and use fans to pay a little less.Ĭable/Internet. Depending on how often you use your A/C, it can really balloon your electric bill – think two or three times as much as you pay in the winter. But because it’s a summertime only expense, and optional in some parts of the country, we thought we’d have a separate line for it. You’ll pay for A/C through your electric bill. That way, there will be no confusion and no accidentally unpaid bills.Īir Conditioning. Your landlord can give you information about your electric provider – contact the company and put the bill in your name.
Expect to pay for electricity, no matter what type of unit you live in. If your building uses radiators, don’t expect a heating bill, but do expect a slightly larger monthly rent.Įlectricity. … However, not all apartments charge for heat. (If you have a gas range, you’ll also likely pay for the gas you use in cooking.) This expense will be fairly high in the winter … and almost non-existent in the summer.
If your unit has a thermostat, expect to pay for heating. Pay on time to stay in your landlord’s good graces – and to avoid any late fees. This is your primary monthly expense – and the largest. Once you get that out of the way, what are the monthly expenses you can expect: Either way, as you move in you’ll also need to buy some basics like toilet paper, hand soap, cleaning supplies, etc. Friends, on the other hand, are cheaper and may be happy to help. Movers can be expensive, but they’ll also likely do a better and quicker job. You need to decide whether you’re using movers or friends. This is a one-time expense, but it can be a big one.
But what are your expenses once you move in? Let’s break it down.įirst, there’s the moving. You’ve signed the lease and you have a move-in date. First Apartment Budgeting Basics: Your Monthly Expenses Checklist
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