I’m moving into a new apartment next month. I will be moving down from a 1 bedroom to a studio. This will save me $60 a month in rent. My new monthly rent will be $375 which is pretty cheap even for here. It is almost as big as my current apartment so there will be plenty of room for me. I don’t have a lot of stuff and don’t need much space.
The location is nice too. While searching for apartments I discovered that you can often get an apartment just as cheap in a nice neighborhood as in a crappy one. My new location is very convenient being about halfway between school and work. My bank and a grocery store is right across the street so I should be able to cut down my mileage a little. Hopefully that savings won’t be negated by impulse junk food purchases at the grocery store.
When I move in I will have to get gas service again. It will be cold soon and I have to have the gas on for heat. I’ll be looking forward to it because the cold showers are starting to get a little too cold.
Congrats on the new digs – I love downsizing as a way to save money when you don’t need the extra space! Is biking a realistic option? It would be good for you physically as well as mentally, it would save money, and it would deter you from buying too much food since you wouldn’t be able to carry much home (plus you’ll be motivated to eat healthy because of all the exercise you’re getting).
Or get a Xootr…this nerdmobile is a scooter for grownups, with large no-flat wheels, an incredibly long glide, and a frame that will support a grown man. Because it’s not a bicycle you can get away with riding on sidewalks, a lot less dangerous than navigating a street full of two-ton vehicles whose distracted drivers might not notice you.
I bought one when My Beloved Employer, a megauniversity, jacked up the cost of disabled parking to the point where I no longer could afford it. Develops that the surrounding city allows people with disabled license plates to park in any metered parking for free, all day long. Although pushing the Xootr along isn’t altogether pain-free, it’s a lot better than hiking that far, and the thing REALLY zips along.
Makes me look a little strange, but since I’m past the point in my life when I’m trying to catch a man, I don’t care. If you were a young guy, it probably would look kinda cool: a step up from the skateboard.
CFO-The grocery store is right across the street from me. I’ll be walking over there. It is funny that you should mention biking though. There is a bike path right in front of my apartment that goes right past my school. I do plan on riding my bike to school when I get back in. It also goes right by my job but since I deliver pizzas for a living I’ve got to drive to work.
vh- I’ll check out the Xootr but since I already own a bike I’ll probably just stick with it. I’m not a young guy, I just turned 40 on Sunday.