I'm going to be moving out my parents house soon.

[magomago]

900/month is quite a bit. ~11 grand over the course of a year. Just don't take on too many other activities and fail your shit.

I wouldn't bother with cooking. It will take too much time. I spend 500 or so a month on food. Its entirely fucking worth the extra 300 dollars a month. No cooking, no clean up, no need to store food. don't have to buy spices, cooking utensils, pots, pans, etc. It is simple. If you really want to 'cook' then on the weekend make two big batches of some kind of food, A & B. Then on Monday eat A for lunch and B for dinner. Alternate the next day. You'll be sick of it by the end of the week, so then cook something else.

One last option is getting your mom's help. I know plenty of guys who live on the food they bring from home. Their mom's essentially cook everything they need for the week and they just eat that. Go home the next week to pick up the next batch and repeat. Even if you don't eat it everyday, that can take care of food for half of the week. No money spent either

 

[clamum]

Originally posted by: scorpious
$675 covers rent and utilities. But not internet. However, if I'm not at work during the day, then I should be at school. In which case I can use the internet there. But late nights, when I'm at my place, might really benefit from internet access.

Just buy a porn mag like once every couple months, much cheaper.

For food, use coupons and learn to notice what is on sale and buy that stuff. And in bulk (beef) like others have said. I eat out maybe once every couple weeks, going from eating out 3-4 times a week when I lived at home, and don't even notice it. And I fucking love fast food.

It would help to keep track of your expenses too. It might be a bitch but you can easily see what things are costing you more and therefore where you can look to remove or reduce costs. Sign up at mint.com if you want, it keeps track of your finances and is pretty damn slick.

Above all, use common sense and it's not too difficult.

 

[clamum]

Originally posted by: magomago
One last option is getting your mom's help. I know plenty of guys who live on the food they bring from home. Their mom's essentially cook everything they need for the week and they just eat that. Go home the next week to pick up the next batch and repeat. Even if you don't eat it everyday, that can take care of food for half of the week. No money spent either

I admit my mom drops off food for me, maybe once a week or so, but having her cook everything they need for the week? Haha, might as well just move back in!

 

[Red Squirrel]

Originally posted by: SilentZero
Cut out everything that you don't 100% need. If its a "want", then forget about it. You will save a ton.

Yes this has helped a lot for me. I always want to buy stuff then I ask myself "do I really need this? Can't I just wait till I have my own house so I know if I can afford it?" If I answer yes to any of those, then I close the web page and don't order it.

I keep being tempted to buy 4x 1.5TB drives to fill my 2nd array on my server, but I don't really NEED that raid 10 yet... so it waits.

 

[AlienCraft]

Originally posted by: OCguy
Smaller lines, fatter hookers.

:thumbsup: Rehab is for quitters.

 

[AlienCraft]

Originally posted by: joesmoke
FORCE yourself to learn to cook. Not just easy stuff like pasta/sauce and macaroni, but real meals. Whole chickens can go a long way when ur broke.

A bored man soon learns to cook

 

[Kirby]

Originally posted by: joesmoke
FORCE yourself to learn to cook. Not just easy stuff like pasta/sauce and macaroni, but real meals. Whole chickens can go a long way when ur broke.

Originally posted by: jpeyton
Find the closest Asian grocery store.

Noodles, rice and spice taste good, are cheap, and will fill you up.

This

 

[S Freud]

I would just stay at home with the parents. If my parents lived closer that's probably what I would do.

 

[Bignate603]

Avoid any recurring costs you can. While something might not seem too pricey at $10 or $20 a month those things add up and limit your flexibility.

Also, it may be worthwhile to look into roommates but be warned, good roommates are tons of fun. Bad ones make life hell. If you get a good set of roommates you can probably shave $100-200 off your rent by getting a bigger place and splitting it. Your utilities and internet get split too.

Just be aware that while you can budget all you need for what you make there will be emergencies. Your car is probably the biggest source of unexpected expenses. Needing new tires or repairs can easily give you a $500 expense that you didn't see coming.

 

[Fenixgoon]

damn dude, i spend like.. $100/month on groceries. *maybe* 150.

 

[BarneyFife]

Just stay home until you graduate.

 

[DVad3r]

Don't move out bro, I'm 24, almost 25 and still living with my rents, it's the shit, except my dad, he's crazy!

 

[Freshgeardude]

Originally posted by: scorpious
I spent the first 3 years at college, the last 2 years back at home, and now I've finally gotten stabilized (decent grades, good job). I'm ready to try once again to make it without Mommy and Daddy.

I want some advice for making sure I save as much as I can each month.

$675 covers rent and utilities. But not internet. However, if I'm not at work during the day, then I should be at school. In which case I can use the internet there. But late nights, when I'm at my place, might really benefit from internet access.

I'll probably need about $100 per month for gas since I live ~10-15 mins from school/work. I'll be driving 5 days a week. Civic.

Food is a tough one. I COULD never eat out and spend $200-300 on groceries only. I think. I'm hoping someone can advise that $200 is plenty for food. I don't eat big meals; I prefer to snack throughout the day. Costco FTW?

I feel like I'm looking at expenses of ~$1200 a month. 675+300+100+50(household things)=1125.

This is a lot.

My job covers these expenses with a couple hundred to spare. Once summer rolls in, I'll be working full time and I can meet this easily. I'm also considering getting another job, some kind of evening gig.

for internet, depending on your cell phone/ plans, you could always tether a phone for internet at your place instead of paying extra money

 

[buck]

:thumbsup:

Originally posted by: XZeroII
The best food is usually at the bottom of the trash can. Don't be afraid to dig.

The funniest line i heard today.....

 

[Epic Fail]

Apply for food stamp.

 

[sandorski]

Originally posted by: brxndxn
The best way to save money after moving out is to move back in with your parents.

hehe, my thought too

 

[BeauJangles]

Like others said, you can survive on a much smaller food budget. I don't do any crazy cost-saving things, but I spend closer to $100 - $120 month on food. I eat well too.

 

[keird]

Originally posted by: XZeroII
The best food is usually at the bottom of the trash can. Don't be afraid to dig.

I laughed because it was going to be my suggestion. Consider part-time work at a fast food restaraunt. You can eat the old food after it's been sitting too long. It gets thrown in the trash as a quality control measure, but it's safe for consumption. Plus you get paid.

 

[nonameo]

Originally posted by: keird

Originally posted by: XZeroII
The best food is usually at the bottom of the trash can. Don't be afraid to dig.

I laughed because it was going to be my suggestion. Consider part-time work at a fast food restaraunt. You can eat the old food after it's been sitting too long. It gets thrown in the trash as a quality control measure, but it's safe for consumption. Plus you get paid.

all that fast food can't be good for you... be sure to work at a place like chick fil a if you're going to do that. IMO they tend to have better/healthier choices than other places. Plus they are closed on sundays.

 

[liluqt]

$200 is a lot to spend on groceries unless you're buying expensive cuts of steaks or something at full price.

Learn to shop for sales. I'm a coupon kind of person, so that coupled with items on sale really goes a long ways. I base a lot of my meals on what's on sale that week. The sale items rotate weekly enough so you're not eating the same thing day in and day out and I don't have to sit there and wonder about what to cook unless I'm craving something. Absolutely learn how to cook... make a big meal and it could last you for days, leaving you with more time to study and do whatever. I agree with the other posted about asian grocery stores...I usually buy my fruits/produce from there, and meats from the regular stores and you pretty much have instant meal right there! And so much healthier.

 

[alkemyst]

well with a couple years of college behind you you'd think creating a true list of monthly expenses would be the first thing you'd put together and then see if it works from there.

Seriously most aren't able to save in the beginning, much like most businesses don't start a profit stream until a couple years have passed.

However loans, part-time job during the year and full-time work in the summer / holidays are how most 'adults' do it.

Prior to college I worked in banks during the day and then did part time work in the evenings and weekends...I worked full-time + part time during the summers.

I had a decent nest egg by the time I was ready for college and got by with only a balance of 7,000 for the first 5 years of my education while living in my own apartment. I didn't blow my money on toys and stupid shit...I had a decent used car, went out to modest bars/clubs a few nights a week, and didn't try to buy any chick that spoke to me a $100 bottle.

In college I had basic internet, basic cable, I rode my bike to school and drove when I had to, I did things related to campus rather than the high cover charged private functions that happened (mostly with way older dudes looking to pick up young chicks and there were very few there due to the costs just to get in).

I wasn't living the high life but I had probably more fun each day than since I have been working 9-5 now.

 

[magomago]

Originally posted by: clamum

Originally posted by: magomago
One last option is getting your mom's help. I know plenty of guys who live on the food they bring from home. Their mom's essentially cook everything they need for the week and they just eat that. Go home the next week to pick up the next batch and repeat. Even if you don't eat it everyday, that can take care of food for half of the week. No money spent either

I admit my mom drops off food for me, maybe once a week or so, but having her cook everything they need for the week? Haha, might as well just move back in!

You'd be surprised. I know people whose parents immigrated from places like Eygpt, India, China, Korea, Pakistan etc. whose parents literally cook them what they need. They literally bring back a week's worth of groceries precooked in plastic containers.

 

[dabuddha]

You could always eat dinner once in awhile at home which would save money. $200 for food is way more than enough for a single person.

 

[Chunkee]

Originally posted by: joesmoke
FORCE yourself to learn to cook. Not just easy stuff like pasta/sauce and macaroni, but real meals. Whole chickens can go a long way when ur broke.

Or, if you live nears SAMs Club...4.99 for a whole big ass roasted chicken is hard to beat.

 

[James Bond]

Originally posted by: waffleironhead
Look into naked dsl, at&t offers it for around $20 a month. It does not require a phone line. Your food budget is high. Between my wife and I our budget is $250 a month and we do not eat cheap.

This seems crazy to me... I'm single and I probably spend at least $350-450/mo on food. Admittedly, I don't cook a lot, but still.

I've actually begun going to Costco, and damn, it saves me hundreds. Buying one bag of the frozen chicken breasts and a bag of the salmon fillets is the best thing I ever did.

What else is a good buy at Costco?