How to Navigate a Housing Budget

January 6, 2019 | By Nat AuthorMy First Apartment

The general suggestion for rent is 30% of monthly income, but many people end up paying far more. In fact, 1 in 5 millennial parents report spending 50-59% of income on housing, according to a 2016 report from the National Endowment for Financial Education. Crazy, right? Due to rising rental rates and fewer available units,…

Where to Live: Median Rent and Largest Industry in 50 States

April 30, 2018 | By Nat AuthorMy First Apartment

No matter where you live, finding an apartment that’s affordable, safe and not awful-looking can be a challenge. With the rising price of rent in growing cities and the trends of more people choosing to live in apartments versus traditional homes, deciding where to move can be a tricky business. Even more, if you’re thinking…

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…

Living On Your Own: 7 Tips For Avoiding Budget Woes

October 21, 2013 | By Audra AuthorMy First Apartment

When you finally make the big move into your very first apartment, you are pretty unaware of the big financial hit you are about to take. No, that doesn’t mean you’ll be broke for the rest of your life nor does it mean that you can’t make it on your own. However, it does mean…

Don’t Get Surprised by These Extra Expenses on Your Rental

October 15, 2011 | By MFA Editors AuthorMy First Apartment

WATCH OUT FOR THESE FIVE EXTRA COSTS ON YOUR RENTAL by Katherine So you’ve made your rent budget and you’ve been good and remembered to budget for basic utilities like internet, cable, electricity, gas and even water. But what about those sneaky expenses you didn’t think about and are now stuck with because you signed…

Job or No Job, Post-Grad Apartment Hunt Starts

May 3, 2011 | By MFA Editors AuthorMy First Apartment

Congratulations to our blogger Elyse who is graduating from college! “My Post-Grad Apartment Hunt Starts” by Elyse May is here and so is my college graduation. While it’s exciting to celebrate the end of writing papers and reading for anything besides pleasure, it also means the end of being coddled by my student status. With…

Mail Call: How Much Should Your Rent Be Increased Yearly?

August 9, 2010 | By Alissa AuthorMy First Apartment

You heard it here first — we’re going to the mailbox! Benjamin from Allentown, PA wants to know how much his rent should be increased per year. Ah, don’t we all. I’m actually about a month away from my landlord sending me my renewal papers and I’m already anxious as to whether he’s going to…

The First Two Things to Decide Before You Start Your Apartment Hunt

May 3, 2010 | By Alissa AuthorMy First Apartment

It’s May and you know what that means — the beginning of summer rental season. If you act fast you may luck out but otherwise, get ready for rentals to go bat-shit crazy. To give you a head start on your hunt, the first two questions you need to ask yourself right now, this very…

90 Degrees of Apartment Searching

June 1, 2007 | By Theresa AuthorMy First Apartment

Hi there! I’m Theresa. I’m currently living in Staten Island, NY. I had three roommates there, but they’ve all up and left due to life changes/hating NYC, and I can’t afford to stay there anymore. I’m looking in Philadelphia, where I went to school and where a number of my good friends reside. I’m pretty…

How much do I need to save before moving?

April 23, 2007 | By MFA Editors AuthorMy First Apartment

We get asked this question a lot, so here’s a repeat of a post from last year. When you are planning to move out on your own you’ll need be able to cover three types of expenses: 1.) your monthly rent and utilities and 2.) all upfront fees and moving costs and 3.) furnishing your…