I'm sure this has been asked before, but do I have enough money to move? (Chicago: rental, how much)

[PDF]

Hi! I looked through the stickies and didn't find anything about this. And I'm sure it's been asked before, but do people think I have enough money to move?

Right now I have about 3 grand saved up, and I always thought 3 grand was a good amount. Almost moved to Boston with that much last year.

Looking at moving in August or September. I think my aunt is going to let me stay at her place until I find a job, so I probably don't have to worry about a hotel.

Keep in mind I'm 19, and don't have many bills. So I'm not going to be looking for a career yet or anything. Should have $3,700 or so by the time I go. Possibly more.

Is that enough? I'm looking at getting roommates, so hopefully no more than a month's rent and maybe security deposit upfront.

Thanks! I think I'm OK, just figured I'd post on here.

[skipcromer]

If you are staying with your aunt you could probably move here with no money and be fine.

[emathias]

Originally Posted by PDF

...
Right now I have about 3 grand saved up, and I always thought 3 grand was a good amount. Almost moved to Boston with that much last year.

Looking at moving in August or September. I think my aunt is going to let me stay at her place until I find a job, so I probably don't have to worry about a hotel.
...

If you have a free place to stay, you hardly need any money at all to move somewhere. It's housing (rent, utilities, etc) that eats the most quickly into your savings.

$3,700 should be enough to pay for the T and some food and mobile phone bills while you find a job. Once you have a job, there should still be more than enough to pay for the deposit on a rental if you have roommates, and still have some cushion "just in case."

If you didn't have a place to stay, it would be a little riskier, but probably still within the realm of possibility, especially if you knew some people who could help you with job leads.

[NYrules]

Originally Posted by PDF

Hi! I looked through the stickies and didn't find anything about this. And I'm sure it's been asked before, but do people think I have enough money to move?

Right now I have about 3 grand saved up, and I always thought 3 grand was a good amount. Almost moved to Boston with that much last year.

Looking at moving in August or September. I think my aunt is going to let me stay at her place until I find a job, so I probably don't have to worry about a hotel.

Keep in mind I'm 19, and don't have many bills. So I'm not going to be looking for a career yet or anything. Should have $3,700 or so by the time I go. Possibly more.

Is that enough? I'm looking at getting roommates, so hopefully no more than a month's rent and maybe security deposit upfront.

Thanks! I think I'm OK, just figured I'd post on here.

Depending on how generous your aunt is and how long she will let you stay with her, you should be fine. You can look up roomates.com or if you're going to college here, I know that there are postings as to people looking for roomates all the time. If you are gay, you should have no problem getting a roomate either as the few gay friends I do have I know have not had really any problem in finding roomates as it is pretty common to have roomates in certain areas of the city and where Chicago's gay district is it is VERY common to hear of people sharing a place. That area is known as Lakeview and rents are about $1,200 a mo for a two bed up to $2,200 a mo depending on how posh it is so divide that in half pretty much and there you go, thats what your rent will be a month.

[chet everett]

TRY TO GET A JOB FIRST!!!!

Honest, it is not so much how much you have 'saved up" as it is SO EASY to blow through even tens of thousands of dollars when you don't have a job.

I come down very harshly when these sorts of things come up because I know just how easy it is to spend money in Chicago like a madman. A few day games at Wrigley, a few night games watching the White Sox, a few rounds of cocktails with friends (not a real concern at 19...), a bit of shopping, some fast food and soon you are burning money at several thousand a week.

Frankly there is no shortage of underskilled 19 year olds in Chicago, and I doubt pay for such qualifications are much higher here than in Boston or Florida. Not to be too much of a crabby old man, but it starts getting pretty cold here pretty close to September some years, you would do well to have a job lined up before then!

[icebergsyndrome]

I think you're gonna "make it after all" but be aware that the job market isn't the best right now, to put it mildly.

[surlycue]

I am more worried that it will take you another 3-4 months to save an additional $700. What sort of work are you looking to do and are you prepared to spend 6 or more months looking. Many well qualified, experienced locals are spending that much time and more trying to locate a job in the current market.

[emathias]

Originally Posted by chet everett

TRY TO GET A JOB FIRST!!!!

Honest, it is not so much how much you have 'saved up" as it is SO EASY to blow through even tens of thousands of dollars when you don't have a job.

I come down very harshly when these sorts of things come up because I know just how easy it is to spend money in Chicago like a madman. A few day games at Wrigley, a few night games watching the White Sox, a few rounds of cocktails with friends (not a real concern at 19...), a bit of shopping, some fast food and soon you are burning money at several thousand a week.
...

If the kid's smart enough to save up $3,700, I somehow doubt he's so stupid as to start blowing thousands a week - he seems to know the value of a dollar, which is one of young adulthood's most important lessons.

[skipcromer]

Originally Posted by emathias

If the kid's smart enough to save up $3,700, I somehow doubt he's so stupid as to start blowing thousands a week - he seems to know the value of a dollar, which is one of young adulthood's most important lessons.

Thats a pretty big assumption to make. You have no idea how he got that money.

[emathias]

Originally Posted by skipcromer

Thats a pretty big assumption to make. You have no idea how he got that money.

He also thinks about it enough to ask if it's enough, which is a good indicator.