My lease expires on August 14th. This should be cause for celebration because, as many of you predicted, living downtown isn't for me. But I'm starting to wonder if I'll end up renewing.
I'd like to live in Pasadena. It's a reasonable commute with a light rail option. Considering that I spend a lot of my free time driving to and from dance classes in Pasadena already, I wouldn't be spending that much additional time in the car. I've toured great apartments (how I've missed natural light!!!) in neighborhoods where it's possible to walk to restaurants, shopping, or park areas. It would make me really happy to live in that sort of setting and it would be so much better for my dogs.
But these apartments don't come cheap. I would be adding about $400 to my rent bill (which is already ~$1,775), spending a little bit more on gas, and paying a premium for movers (because of the secondment, I would have to move on the weekend, which adds expense).
Do I have the money to do all that? Technically, yes.
But it just doesn't feel responsible. I've still got a long way to go until my debts are paid off. I'd like to own my own place, but because I've been saving for retirement and using all my "extra" disposable income to make additional payments on my debt, I haven't saved much in the way of a down payment. It seems like the extra $400 or so per month that I would spend if I moved to Pasadena should be directed to accelerating the repayment of my debts or saved for a down payment.
Meeting my competing financial goals would be so much easier if I were splitting the rent, but moving in with a random roommate might very well cost me my sanity (and, let's be real, I'm barely hanging on to my sanity as it is).
I think the answer is that I need to look at other, cheaper neighborhoods or suck it up and renew my lease.
(Still resentful that I had to give up Beach City--when am I going to get past that?)
5 comments:
I don't know, dude. Sometimes you also have to live your life in ways that make you happy. If a move to Pasadena does, then...
Also, it's LA and rent is never cheap. I pay about what you're paying now for my one-bedroom in the gayborhood, and at my govt job, I probably make a third of your salary. I don't feel irresponsible about that. It's just that I make other choices to save in different ways.
Just saying....
what!?! you mean you're not spending something like $700 for a little poodle to go to the dentist each year? :)
point well taken. i know i have a big salary to work with, but i'm still really agonizing over the small stuff on a regular basis. another look at my priorities and my budget is probably in order. i feel obligated to spend on things like vet visits, but the dance classes... that is the big, frivolous item.
I decided to take a shared apartment in Boston after much thought..and it seems to be working out well so far...except that sometimes I don't get some of the Irish idioms ( my roomie is an Irish lady in her 30s). You could explore the option of rooming up with someone...after 2 yrs of living alone, I find it good to come back home and have a meal and conversation with someone..and it keeps my expenses in order.....and I agree with Virgin, you should spend on whatever makes you happy right now..retirement is a long time away.
I'd be resentful about that, too...
I chose to rent a gorgeous apartment when I worked at my big firm. (Of course, given my location, it was the difference between $650 and $900 a month.) I felt a little guilty about it but it was so nice to come home to a home I loved in a location I loved. It might be worth it!
I totally thought I commented on this one! I meant to and now it's probably too late, but I was going to say go for the one that makes you happiest. You work a lot in a stressful job, you should come home to a place that makes you happy, in a location that you love, near the things that you love to do. I don't think you'd look back and regret the extra expense. I understand the arguments for keeping living costs low so you have money for other things, but it sounds like you will really live in the Pasadena location and love it :).
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