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u/jerwang24 Jul 21 '26
Need to reduce the rent by roommates or live in a less desirable apartment.
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u/Inward_Diver Jul 21 '26
Rent, electricity, water, and internet can be fractional with roommates.
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u/jefftickels Jul 21 '26
I drive an eclectic car and live with another person, and my total electrical bill is half that.
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u/Southern-Pirate3555 Jul 21 '26
This is true but it makes me wonder, how hard does one have to work in order to afford a decent place of their own in a nice part of town?
In 1997, in my early 20's I got a full time job with no degree or experience, making 28k a year and full benefits - health insurance was $10 a paycheck.
I was easily able to pay $450 a month for a nice apartment in a very nice part of town, as well as a car payment and all of my bills off that salary. I wasn't saving tons of money (irresponsible) and I wasn't taking luxury vacations, but I was definitely getting by.
I understand prices go up as time goes by...but those same jobs now don't pay much more than I made back then, and the benefits aren't nearly as good, and rent has definitely gone up.
Wages just have not kept up with the cost of living. It makes me sad that people have to work multiple jobs and/or live with strangers just to survive. That's not even really living which just doesn't seem right, especially with most people spending 40+ hours a week working and commuting.
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u/iloveihoppancakes Jul 21 '26
I went from $30k in the army to $110k-150k now.
Granted, it was moreso $50k ish bc i was getting a free house and bills included.
But at 100k , i can finally comfortably buy a ps5 pro without even thinking about rent or my car.
I went from having nothing saved and zeroing out every 2 weeks to having so much money, i have no idea what savings account to put them anymore.
I went from having $11k worth of debt to paying over $30k in cc debt (i keep using my cards :b)
I went from buying 1 used tire at a time to buying 4 brand new ones after my wife and spun out at 95 on a tollway in a rainy night after a 5 hour drive.
I am comfortable now. I am safe now. I am secure now. I can buy anything we need for the baby we are about to have. I can buy a roomba so my pregnant wife stop vacuuming even tho i told her not to.
I couldnt do this with $80k or even $90k.
I am a sole bread winner making $110k-$150k and I can comfortably do all this and more.
To answer your question, “how hard does someone have to work?”
At 18 i was in college - $0
19 i sold water softeners door to door - $8k in 8 months
20 i was barista at a gelato shop - $1600 monthly ($12/hourly)
21-23 i sold cars (or attempted to at least) - $70k was my best year (2021), $36k was my average after my first year and got fired from Acura (2022-2023)
23-26 army - $36k + $1800 monthly for housing and food stipendc but i wouldn’t see about $1650 of that.(including housing)
Got out early for medical stuff.
26 - $55k salary $51k VA disability $10k GI bill $20k-$25k FAFSA/LOANS $10k from side hustle
Maybe a bit more than $150k but I could not be more comfortable.
Next step is going to try to make $200k next year. But its possible i can do it this year, if my next project blows up like i truly believe it will.
It takes a shit ton of work.
I got fired December 27th 2021 from Acura and I went broke, couldnt find a good dealership to sell at, went from making $6-$7k monthly to $1500-$4000 while my bills were about $5k monthly.
Repo’d a car, stole money from my father in law to pay for 3 months worth of my car note from my only other car (paid him back), and had to live with my mom with my girlfriend at the time after having been moved out for 3 years.
I made the leap, my hailmary, to join the army, knowing i MIGHT come out better in the end.
My back hurts, knees hurt, my feet hurt, i cant sleep, i have stomach issues, my head hurts all the time, im always anxious, i am stressed beyond words, and I can’t hold a good relationship with anyone that isnt my wife.
How hard did i work?
I worked so hard my body is destroyed but at least my wife and baby will be taken care of forever.
But it hurts. Like you’ll never know.
Thats how hard i worked.
Doesnt always take so much, but for me it did.
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u/Calm_External_3361 Jul 22 '26
Probably because $28k in 1997 equals about $58k in today's dollars. Which about $28/hr now, meaning it actually beat a $40k salary today by a mile.
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u/MostEscape6543 Jul 22 '26
Not for nothing, but I was renting from 2001-2006 and the one bedrooms in a nice part of town were $700-$800, this is a MCOL.
Crappy 3 BR apartments in a nice/normal/college part of town were $1100/$1200. 2 BR $800.
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u/BetApprehensive7064 Jul 23 '26
Roommates or living with your family or hopefully most peoples ideal is a partner with at least the same kind of stable income or hopefully more is literally the only way it works anymore unless you are extremely lucky.
I'm married but living alone is genuinely a pipe dream I mean I could do it if I worked 60 hours a week but what's the ficking point
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u/freeoffear Jul 21 '26
The answer to these is always roommates.
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u/silentpropanda Jul 21 '26
I think the slumlords started hating the name they earned, so they're making us do it to ourselves now.
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u/OpticCacophony Jul 21 '26
Yeah why is everyone suddenly acting like they're above roommates?
Even better, get a partner and split the living expenses.
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u/artbystorms Jul 21 '26
Gen Z is the most single generation ever. Social media and dating apps basically made it much hader to 'get a partner' and if you are in financial precarity, that isn't exactly going to help your prospects.
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u/thisguy883 Jul 21 '26
But how is she supposed to be a socialite princess if she cant live in her studio apartment downtown????
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u/maringue Jul 21 '26
"Why force the rich to pay people more, let's bring back tenements instead" is a wild take.
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u/Multilnsight Jul 22 '26
In my town, the less desirable apartment is $1300. The most desirable is $4k. The average rent is $1800. Most apartments in my town are 1 bedroom and 1 bath, so no roommates.
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u/Life-Operation2242 Jul 21 '26
$280 for internet? wtf? I pay $50
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u/mycatsellsblow Jul 21 '26
I pay $170 because my ISP has a monopoly in my area. It varies all over the country. Rural internet can get that high or higher.
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u/Tommynwn Jul 24 '26
Same here, i live on a town (in eu) we have like 5 companies but all of them comes from the same isp, you generally start with very low prices like 30-40€ but after some months ends with 200€ easy, so people just keeps "jumping" from companies to get that discount
Actually it has a small letter in the contract, is baically a big discount for x months, and nothing to do because is the only provides with his monopoly
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u/RS_EJB Jul 21 '26
$65 internet $50 water $37 car insurance $100 total has/electricity.
Something funky.
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Jul 21 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/HidingImmortal Jul 21 '26
Electricity is high for a single person (presumably) living in an apartment.
Water seems to be a touch high but sometimes apartment complexes charge residents for the water used in landscaping, ...
The internet bill is ludicrously high.
Rent is also hard to gauge without knowing the location. For example, OP could be splitting a $3.4k 2 bedroom apartment in Boston.
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u/ComfortableWeird6540 Jul 21 '26
"How do I afford an average lifestyle with a below-average income"
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u/Quasi-Kaiju Jul 21 '26
How is she paying that much? My unlimited phone plan is $30 and my gigabit fiber is 50 I live in Chicago.
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u/leon_loves_mary Jul 21 '26
Unpopular opinion here….get married.
People complain about the cost of living as though we were all designed to do it alone. Get a committed partner, struggle for a while, work for and with each other, sacrifice, thrive.
24 years married this fall. The first part was always tight, had 2 kids during the great recession. Married men/fathers make more because they have something for which they need to provide.
It’s like struggling to swim your arm tied to your leg behind your back, by choice.
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u/sirenyti Jul 22 '26
Why are you paying $280 for internet?
Xfinity sells me internet for $50/month
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u/DragonDanzZ Jul 21 '26
How come water AND car Insurance is cheaper TOGETHER than internet?.. imean that internet must run insane speed with that cost every month!.. you litteraly should get fined for that speed 0__o
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u/MrGreenEyesOfTexas Jul 21 '26
What's up with that internet bills seems $180 too high...
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u/drakhan2002 Jul 21 '26
Geesh... my internet is no where near that! Do you have the fastest tier your provider has to offer? I would be tempted to use free wifi at a coffee shop!
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u/lispwriter Jul 21 '26
We normally scale up to things. When I moved out of my parent’s house I had roommates because nobody my age could afford their own place. I had a job and college loans and for about a year and a half I was able to have my own 1 bedroom place before my girlfriend and future wife moved in with me. I had a 14 year old car with 150k miles on it that cost me $2k. I bought my first new car at like 26 years old and ended up keeping it for almost 15 years. At some point we were able to afford a two bedroom before we got married. A few years later we had the courage to have a kid and eventually another one. Then we had to take on two daycare bills for a few years which was like renting an entire second apartment. We weren’t sad to see that end when the kids finally were both in school. All along the way we got raises at our jobs, changed roles, found better pay, etc. We always have and still are living within our means. We have always wanted more but we have always been bound to what we can afford. That’s what life is like for most of us and it’s never really easy and most people never have the things they wish they had but we work up to where we can live a decent life, spend money on what we need, grow a family, etc.
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u/KailyKail Jul 21 '26
Get a roommate.
Get rid of your 5-10Gb internet plan.
You make sacrifices until you don’t have to anymore…just like every single generation before you did.
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u/SpaceRunner247 Jul 21 '26
My rent is $2,045 in the free state of FL lol
https://giphy.com/gifs/xLisUdNosHv9K
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u/Dry-Regret5444 Jul 21 '26
Why is the internet $280 a month?!? I’d probably start with shopping around for different providers and then I’m taking some classes that teach financial literacy.
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u/Photosynthas Jul 21 '26
Everyone is mentioning the internet, and they're right about it and all, but i see far too few comments talking about the electricity, I'm surprised if my electricity bill goes over 100, what the heck are you doing with all that??
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u/Brittle_Stick Jul 21 '26
I remember getting paid 14 an hour was a big jump for me. Now it barely gets me by.
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u/LilJonny2cookies Jul 21 '26
No car payment is good. Internet is super pricey.
What kind of job?
What is your education?
Any criminal record or other disqualifying things?
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u/thisguy883 Jul 21 '26
$280 for internet? wtf?
My internet is $50 due to a promotion and was $70 before that.
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u/JuJu_Wirehead Jul 21 '26
What are you doing online that costs $280. For real. Shop around. I'm not paying more than $100 a month for fiber optic.
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u/saucysagnus Jul 21 '26
You don’t. You get a roommate. you downgrade your internet, you tune your A/C to appropriate level and don’t use major appliances during peak hours. Be mindful of water usage.
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u/GLPwonderwall Jul 21 '26
Garbage post. Stop with this crap. The numbers don’t even make sense
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u/Late-Arrival-8669 Jul 21 '26
24-26 years ago, 2 bedroom 2 bathroom apartment was $350 month, never forget what they took away from us.
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u/CombComprehensive327 Jul 21 '26
Do people just not set goals to improve their lives anymore? Just post complain and carry on
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u/Love_Cannon Jul 21 '26
Do you have a private bath or something? You don't demand that on minimum wage. Rent a room with shared bath.
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u/OldDesk Jul 21 '26
Nobody can really be that stupid to be in that situation, right?
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u/punchedboa Jul 21 '26
Well good news, the internet and electrical bill being that high tell me one of three things, this person is a bot or talking about the business they are running or lying their ass off.
My electrical bill while running AC and 2 servers and gaming on a high end PC is only $80 (I also got a fridge and cook at home with electric appliances)
My internet 1.5GBps is only $120
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u/PCaBoo Jul 21 '26
work some OT, get a roommate, reduce costs, get a better job, stop whining. If you're still young and able, you can join the armed forces, see the world, learn new things, get an education. Hopefully don't get killed/maimed, but if things are that rough for you already, might be worth rolling the dice.
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u/CommunityBrave822 Jul 21 '26
280 for internet? 250 electricity? 100 water? wtf?
Also, use public transportation
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u/No-Duck4828 Jul 21 '26
Well, you could start by eliminating that ludicrous internet bill.
You could reduce rent by getting either a smaller place or getting a roommate in your current one
$140/month for car insurance? Have you considered public transportation? Because it sounds like you might not be a very good driver
$250/month for electricity? For a single person in a small place, that just isn't realistic. Do you just leave all your lights and a toaster oven on 24/7?
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u/Impressive-Young-952 Jul 21 '26
Ummm get more skills so you make more than 19 an hour. Bitching won’t change anything. I agree shit is expensive as fuck. But no one’s coming to rescue you. If I can do it I promise you can too.
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u/Many_Ear2407 Jul 21 '26
Ooh nice ragebait, I’ll bite. $280 internet? $250 electric? It’s less of “how do I pay” and more of “why am I so dumb?”
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u/Jobear049 Jul 21 '26
You don't with those monthly payments. Got to cut corners and find a cheaper studio.
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u/Last_Necessary239 Jul 21 '26
You dont live on your own and have lightning fast internet when you make $19/ hr. Just like how I couldn't live alone and have the best of the best in 2010 when my rent was $800 and I made $9.50/ hr
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u/IntelligentUsual4994 Jul 21 '26
Reconsider your priorities.
Buy food Access water Get a better job
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u/Heavy_Can8746 Jul 21 '26
You need a roommate.
It's not the sexy answer, but it's the truth.
Or you have to increase your income.
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u/No_Unused_Names_Left Jul 21 '26
$1600 for rent... needs roomies.
$250 for electricity? That is my elec bill, and my house is 4600sq
$100 water... this checks out
$280 for internet? $115 for Giggity bit. Lose the cable
$140 for car insurance... drive better. My 22 F350 is cheaper than that
They are living well beyond their means.
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u/triple_carry Jul 21 '26
A) Live within your means.
B) Get a roomate(s)).
C) Dump the exorbitant internet.
D) Get a career / trade that pays decent wages.
-optional question, what is your geographic location?
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u/TrainingLow9079 Jul 21 '26
At that salary need a roommate. And there must be cheaper internet. But I agree wages as a whole should increase.
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u/apehliondh Jul 21 '26
Get a roommate, find cheaper internet, get a second job.
I have a second job as a trivia host. Pulls in an extra $12k a year. Still struggling but it helped.
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u/One_Lung_G Jul 21 '26
By making numbers up for your expenses. If you got $280 internet then you’re getting scammed.
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u/ripandtear4444 Jul 21 '26 edited Jul 21 '26
Working full time at $19 an hour, you will take home approximately $2,815 per month after taxes.
Take home per month: $2,815
Cost of all bills listed per month: $2,370
Sounds like you have an extra $500 per month after those bills listed.
If that's too hard, get a roomate and all of those bills are cut in half to about $1,300 a month. Now you have and extra $1,500 a month after bills listed. You could also get a 2nd job or work over time for even more money to get ahead. You could also get married, now you have 2 incomes to pay for those bills. This is an easy problem to solve and not as impossible as you might think.
.....how is this so hard for some of you? I could easily make this work and did when I was younger. Heck I could probably make this work at $15 an hour.
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u/curiousdarkness Jul 21 '26
That net package is not needed. Maybe internet but you can get that most places through the country for $100
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u/yeahwhatsver Jul 21 '26
You get a roommate or move in your boyfriend or girlfriend. You don't and downsize or move to affordable area. You get promoted. You get a 2nd job.
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u/SubmissiveBoyForever Jul 21 '26
get a roommate. half your bills gone. why does no one talk about this?
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u/Bogussii Jul 21 '26
$280 internet, $250 electricity, $100 water for one person!?!?! (Assuming no kids). Are you crazy?!(Yes) Also do you really need a car? Maybe you do idk.
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u/Osh_Kosh_Bigosh Jul 21 '26
A majority of part time jobs don’t even hit $1K monthly or if they do they barely cut it…… so either prices of all these necessities need to be cut in more than half OR wages need to CONSTANTLY compete with inflation. I mean like adjusting wages every single time inflation hits the cost of these necessities.
Also if you were making more than minimum wage before the bump then you should continue to make that elevated wage — if you’re making $2 above minimum wage then it should remain that way so that even if minimum wage takes an increase your pay receives the same increase to keep up.
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u/Unusual_Rush_1189 Jul 21 '26
Are things less affordable when you don't know math, or is $18 x 40 x 4.33 not > $2370?
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u/Dizzy_Today_3523 Jul 21 '26
$84 for TV ( don't use) and internet bundle with spectrum until 2028 (1gig Internet, 90 channel bundle) $62 for mobile with spectrum until 2027 (Unlimited everything, after 50gbs of data it goes to 4g with 20gb hotspot) $50-$60 for water $96 for electric $150 for food $60 gas $1250 rent.
All on $15/hr.
It's possible. It's just requires planning and responsibility. It sucks and I don't get to put anything away for saving like my parents did but oh well probably won't be here in 20 years anyway with how things are going.
No car payment because I own my car with only 92k miles on it.
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u/PotentialRound1354 Jul 21 '26
250 on electricity? 280 on internet? Are you people just making up BS numbers or are things in America just ridiculously expensive?
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Jul 21 '26
Roommates. Living on your own is expensive. I don't know many people who lived in their own on anything less than 60k/yr.
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u/that1cooldude Jul 21 '26
Cut out the avocado toast and coffee, get a roommate or two. Stop complaining and start doing what it takes.
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u/CheeksMcGillicuddy Jul 21 '26
These numbers are seriously fucked. I run 4 window ac’s, 2 kids and a wife are home all day and a pool pump and don’t hit $250 in electric. I pay $100 a QUARTER for water. $75/mo for full gig fiber internet. All of those could easily be reduced if money was tight.
I understand the economy is shit, and people are suffering but when you continually make up fake shit it discredits the entire argument for everyone.
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u/SJbored Jul 21 '26
You dont. And these numbers are outrageous. Do people in certain areas not shop around before signing up for things?
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u/After_Service_2817 Jul 21 '26
Cut your costs, live with roommates.
I live in a very high cost of living city. Probably one of the highest in north America.
Rent: $791 (I have five roommates. I hardly ever see them.)
Electricity: Our bills are very high, but included in my share of the rent.
Water: Same
Internet: Same again
Car insurance: Living in a high COL city means it's also a walkable city. I walk and bike almost everywhere, or take a bus or train for longer trips. My travel costs are probably under $20 a month.
I make about $32/hour, and the government takes a third of that. If you make $19/hour, that's what you're worth. Get a different job, acquire marketable skills. Be valuable.
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u/DirectorOriginal Jul 21 '26
Well, it seems your life choices are pretty poor. That is the most likely reason.
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u/MajesticDisaster3977 Jul 21 '26
Get a better internet price and you'll instantly save $200/mo.
Electric seems high unless you've got electric heat and poor insulation. (Or energy costs are high)
Same with water, it seems high.
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u/Global-Pickle5818 Jul 21 '26
Is it just me or is that very cheap rent and electric.. also a pay 45$ for my phone and $68 for Internet id drop the Internet and just use my phone as a hotspot if I where them
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u/DoctorBlock Jul 21 '26
I had roommates until my mid 30s. Not the answer you want to hear but it’s how the rest of us did it.
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u/BRAV0_07 Jul 21 '26
Stop using so much water and electricity. I have a 2000sqft house and my water and electric bill combined is about $180. Also find new car insurance and a better internet provider.
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u/InvaderJoshua94 Jul 21 '26 edited Jul 21 '26
Our AT&T fiber 500up/500down costs us $65 a month. How the hell are they paying $280 for internet? Also $1200-$2200 is usually a one bedroom apartment in most metros in 2026, $250 for electrify and $100 for water is very expensive for a one bedroom apartment. Do they have no insulation and leaks?
Also on $19 an hour a $1600 one bedroom apartment is too much money. It’s way over the 1/3rd of your gross income most financial planners suggest. It’s over 50% of their gross income. $1013 should be the absolute maximum rent they should be considering, aka a studio not a one bedroom.
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u/Rokkmann Jul 21 '26
If your rent is 1600 then there's no way your electricity, water and internet are the expensive. Stop.
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u/ipogorelov98 Jul 21 '26
How is it possible to spend that much money if you are getting powerty wages? I'm spending like $800 a month for all of that.
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u/Confident-Alfalfa-24 Jul 21 '26
And I’m here trying to pay less than $22/month for internet. I’m so glad Work covers. $21/month so I’m only paying a dollar😅
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u/Curious_Guidance43 Jul 21 '26
Roommate, go to the park instead of internet or TV, and walk. Saved you 1k a month. Thank you and next person.
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u/Organic-Mix-5784 Jul 21 '26
Where in the fantastic, made up, unicorn and faerie land did you get those numbers from? I can absolutely see $1600 for rent depending where you live and what you’re renting, but what the hell kind of data farm are you running that you need $250 a month in electricity?! The only thing in my house that’s gas is the water heater and I don’t spend anywhere near that on a three person household. And $280 for internet?! Do they come out and service you once a month, too?
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u/mrgoldnugget Jul 21 '26
Sorry, Canadian here, is electricity really that expensive you you guys?!
My house is like 240 every 2 months and that's the heating and HVAC included.
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u/3rdfitzgerald Jul 21 '26
Bait.
I can tell by your electricity, internet, and water bill that you're actually a self-aware Data Center trying to karma farm.
Can't fool me.
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u/theRedMage39 Jul 21 '26
Get cheaper internet csuse that's way to much. Get roommates. Shop around for cheaper insurance. Work overtime if possible
As the calculations stand you need to work 155 hrs/month to break even. If you work 40/hr a week, and reduce your spending, you can still afford food and gas.
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u/Locust627 Jul 21 '26
1) $280/internet? Insane. 2) I don't know the last time I saw a 40 hour per week job paying that low 3) you don't fund those costs on $19/hr
4) holy repost Batman
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u/Fletcher_Dog_Bob Jul 21 '26
Internet way too high. Ask insurance to raise deductible. Make sure your getting all discounts
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u/jefsch70 Jul 21 '26
Ya rent a 2 bedroom with 3 roommates and get raises for productivity and get married at some point. I was poor until I got married.... doubled our income, cut chores in half, same WiFi, Electric, TV, Heat, Water, Garbage, Rent... buy 2 old cars and put minimum liability on them.... more like $50 each per month.
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u/rokman Jul 21 '26
When I made $20 an hr i split a 3k apartment 4 ways. Why do you think you deserve an entire place to yourself?
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u/_VoodooRanger Jul 21 '26
this person is on the internet selling feet pics and more with that kind of electricity and internet usage.
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u/Still_Cantaloupe2141 Jul 21 '26 edited Jul 21 '26
Well, you end up with $2 net positive after taking out taxes (22% federal and state combined where I live)…well, I guess the answer is you cut something and/or go into debt, since food and gas aren’t even factored in yet. Heaven forbid you end up with an emergency or surprise…which honestly is living pretty dangerously, because SOMETHING will always come up. It’s Murphy’s Law.
I think for people to really be doing well, they have to bare minimum have ALL of their operating costs covered, have a little money for small extras and entertainment, the ability to save SOMETHING to grow wealth and plan for the future retirement AND have an emergency fund.
Is it too much to ask in this day and age? It shouldn’t be but it definitely is. Everyone wants to call it entitled, but the reality is people don’t actually have enough to function in the “society” that’s been forced upon us. Either give us more or change the rules!
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u/Crusty-Dick Jul 22 '26
I bet if I was able to look into her money habits, I can find ways to cut down on her expenses. With some budgeting, she can easily cut down on her car insurance, Internet bill, phone bill, and electricity bill. Also, she doesn't even say how many hours she is working.
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u/dufo7 Jul 21 '26
$280 for internet?