Are You Ready to Rent?

Are you living with your family and thinking about moving into your first apartment? Or maybe you did live independently, but you got hit by the economy and moved back in with your parents. If you’re considering moving out for the second time, you’re not alone. According to recent Census data, 24 million Millennials—or nearly one out of every three people between the ages of 18 and 35—live with their parents.

The majority of younger people are earning considerably less than their parents did at the same age, after adjusting for inflation. In fact, the individual earnings for young workers have remained flat over the past 50 years, according to a Pew Research Center study on Millennial life in 2019. In other words, even for those who are working full time and want to make the move to independence, it’s tougher than it has been in recent history.

The goal: To pay your bills, stay out of debt, and enjoy your new space.

Can You Afford to Move?

Although you may feel ready to get out on your own, or get back out on your own, make sure your finances are in order before you take the leap. Take a look at some rental listings in the areas in which you are interested in living and get an idea of how much you’ll have to pay to live there.

How much rent can you afford? U.S. Housing Department guidelines suggest that you shouldn’t pay more than 25% to 30% of your gross salary for rent. In other words, if you make $30,000 per year, you should look for apartments that cost about $750. If this isn’t realistic in your area, you may have to get a roommate to share the cost.

Next, you’ll have to consider your other monthly expenses and whether you’ll be able to pay those bills as well. Do some accounting to determine how your finances will balance out with the added expense of living in your own place. Start with your monthly take-home pay, add any other income you might receive, and subtract your other expenses from this number.

If you are making payments on a car, credit cardor student loan, be sure to include these amounts in your expenses list. Gas for your car (or a pass for public transportation), insurance (rental and vehicle), cell phone bills, and an estimate of the amount you usually spend on personal items should also be included. Additionally, you may want to review and consider every online subscription that you have like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon prime, dropbox, Google drive, and any other apps you like. These costs can sneak up on you and often go unnoticed in budgets.

Ask your parents or other people you know to help you come up with estimates on how much your expenses, like your utilities, cell phone, cable bills, and groceries will cost. They might also alert you to additional expenses that you weren’t aware of.

Learn to Budget

What if your expenses turn out to be higher than your income? This is where things get interesting. In short, you’ll have to get out your calculator and make a budget. Relying on your credit card to cover this shortfall is a no-no and is often a dangerous path to major debt.

Take a look at your budget. Is there anything in there you could live without or pay less for? Usually, the answer is “yes,” and if you look critically at how you spend your money, you will likely be able to trim your expenses so that they match up with your income, or better yet so that you have some money left over each month to save in case of an emergency.

Also consider that you’ll have to have some savings (or some help) to begin with, as most apartments will make you pay your first and last months’ rent upfront, along with a security deposit. There will also be fees for hooking up your utilities to consider, along with moving expenses and the cost of any items you’ll need once you move in. Laundry is also often an additional expense.

Finally, you should consider renters’ insurance. Some rental properties will even make you purchase it as part of the lease agreement. Rental insurance is affordable and it can cover damage (such as in a fire) and theft to your belongings. It will also protect you from liability if you cause the damage yourself. While it’s not absolutely necessary, don’t leave it out of your considerations—it might be worth the investment!

Find a Place You Can Call Home

Once you have set some parameters in terms of what you can afford, it’s time to start looking for a place to move into. Start by searching internet sites and by visiting the neighborhoods where you might like to live.

Although you’ll definitely want to find a place that fits your budget, make sure it’s also in a neighborhood you like, are familiar with, and feel safe in—what looks like a bargain can turn out to be a nightmare if you feel uncomfortable there, live too far away from your friends and family, or have to make a very long commute to your job.

Looking at the Lease

Whether you decide to rent month-to-month or sign a year-long lease, be sure to read what you are agreeing to carefully. The lease should detail how much rent you must pay, when it is due, how long you can occupy the apartment or house, and who is responsible for utilities (some leases include them). It will also include rules about pets, roommates, and whether you can paint or do improvements.

Make sure that you get your lease in writing and that you keep a copy for your records once it is signed. If you’re unsure about anything in the lease, ask the landlord. If you get an answer you can’t live with—or you don’t get one at all—you should probably keep looking. Tenancy-at-will for instance is a difficult choice.

The Big Move

Once you’ve signed your lease and have a move-in date, it’s time to start working on a list of what you’ll need in your new place. One way to do this is to make a list of what you use regularly for a few days, including kitchen utensils, office supplies, and personal items. If you won’t be taking these items with you, you may have to shop for your own.

Keep in mind that your first apartment will not have all of the amenities you may be used to and, if you can’t afford to buy them all for yourself right away, you’ll probably have to be resourceful and make use of what you do have.

Similarly, if your budget is tight, you may not be able to have new furniture right away.

If you don’t have any furniture of your own, start asking family and friends if they have bits and pieces you can buy, have or borrow. You can do the same for any other items you need.

You should also stock up on basic items for your pantry such as pasta, rice, canned goods, and frozen foods. Keeping your kitchen well stocked with things you like, know how to cook, and are easy to prepare may prevent you from going out to eat, which will help you stay within your new budget.

If you’ve done everything right, your utilities should be hooked up, your bags packed and your bills paid. Determine what day you will be moving into your new place and decide how you’ll get your things there. If possible, recruit friends and family to help you move, rather than hiring a mover.

The Bottom Line

The transition to making it on your own may not be simple, but if you do it right, you can avoid having to retreat to your parents’ basement. Plus, you’ll develop the skills you need to improve your standard of living as you go along.