Ask Yourself These 6 Questions When You Are Budgeting for First Apartment Expenses

July 14, 2016 | By Kalee AuthorMy First Apartment

The amount of rent is obviously the most important consideration in your first apartment search, but there are several other factors that can make or break your first apartment budget. Before you fall in love with an apartment, ask yourself these six questions and factor your answers in when you are budgeting for apartment expenses.…

Here’s Your Ultimate First Apartment Utility Budgeting Checklist

December 13, 2019 | By Stella M AuthorMy First Apartment

Winter has already arrived in most of the U.S. That means increased utility bills as you try to keep your apartment properly warm while the temperature outside dips below freezing. If you’re living on a budget, this bump in utility bills might cause you some stress, but with this ultimate first apartment utility budgeting checklist,…

First Apartment Budgeting Boot Camp: Couples

April 21, 2017 | By MFA Editors AuthorMy First Apartment

As promised last week, this is the couples week at the first apartment budgeting boot camp. We’ll try to figure out answers to Rachel’s, Celeste’s and Jimmy’s questions. Rachael Rachael asks: “Do you think $810 would be too much rent for my boyfriend and I together?” See Rachael’s question as a comment to https://www.myfirstapartment.com/2012/08/how-much-should-you-plan-for-utilities/this post.…

First Apartment Budgeting Boot Camp: Brit and Billy

April 14, 2017 | By MFA Editors AuthorMy First Apartment

Your first apartment budgeting boot camp continues. Today we look at two real life examples, based on questions we have received from two of our readers, Brit and Billy. (Next week’s lesson will cover apartment budgeting when you are moving in with your significant other.) Brit: “Hi there, I’m also looking to move out of…

First Apartment Budgeting Boot Camp – Formulas and Guidelines

April 7, 2017 | By MFA Editors AuthorMy First Apartment

Moving into your first apartment is a big learning experience in so many ways: How to deal with landlords? How to keep your place clean? How to manage to cook and eat a healthy diet? However, for most first time renters the biggest learning hurdle is how to manage all the new expenses. For the…

2015 Graduate’s Guide to Budgeting for Your First Apartment

April 6, 2015 | By MFA Editors AuthorMy First Apartment

It’s almost time to bid goodbye to the dorms and start planning your next move. If you already have a job lined up, you are ready to start looking for your first apartment. But even if you don’t, you can use the chart below to get a rough idea of what types of expenses you…

First Apartment Budgeting Basics: How Much Rent Can You Afford on Your Salary?

May 13, 2014 | By MFA Editors AuthorMy First Apartment

The most frequent question we get is, “how much does it cost to move to an apartment?” We have covered the topic many times before, so this time we’ll start by looking at what it will cost to live in your first apartment. We estimate the cost at various salary levels, ranging from $20,000 to $50,000,…

First Apartment Budgeting Basics: Your Monthly Expenses Checklist

February 21, 2014 | By Alex AuthorMy First Apartment

You’ve signed the lease and you have a move-in date. You know how much rent you can afford. But what are your expenses once you move in? Let’s break it down. First, there’s the moving. This is a one-time expense, but it can be a big one. You need to decide whether you’re using movers…

Budgeting For The Move to First Apartment

March 20, 2011 | By MFA Editors AuthorMy First Apartment

Our guest blogger Dedreanna has taken out her calculator and figured out what her first apartment move will cost. “Budgeting For The Big Move by Dedreanna We have started to budget for our big move. As I mentioned in an earlier post after graduation my fiance and I are getting our first apartment with another couple. Because of this, most…

6 New Year’s Resolutions To Make the Best of Your First Apartment

December 29, 2022 | By Stella M AuthorMy First Apartment

Having a place to call your own is an exciting milestone, and the start of a new year is the perfect time to set some goals for making the most of your new space. Here are six New Year’s resolutions to consider as you take on this new chapter of your life. Get organized It’s…