Author Topic: Saving $1,000/month on housing  (Read 2119 times)

mandy_2002

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Saving $1,000/month on housing
« on: February 11, 2015, 10:43:40 AM »
I've been living in a 2 bedroom apartment in the east bay area of San Francisco for about a year and a half.  A couple weeks ago, a friend of mine mentioned that her cousin is moving out of the 3 bedroom house that they share, and she is looking for a roommate.  I didn't think much of it, until she said that the rent would be $1150/month cheaper than my current rent, plus utilities. 

My plan is to simplify my belongings by getting rid of some of my larger furniture, reduce my clothes by about 10% (the room has a surprisingly large closet), and move towards less stuff so that I can travel slowly around the world in my early retirement, possibly with the Peace Corps, and possibly just on my own, living in South/Central America or SE Asia, or wherever else my heart may take me.  I'll be reducing my belongings in the next month and moving in March!

In the house, the difference between utilities is pretty big (I don't pay water or gas currently), but it's less than $150, so I will be saving $1000/month.  My current "forced" savings rate is 50% (through different auto-deductions to 401k, HSA, and a brokerage account), and this will take me over 60% (which according to the "shockingly simple math" has brought me 4 years closer to retirement, 3 years from now if I leave the bay area after retirement to reduce my fixed costs and escape the sun, or 6 years from now if I decide to stay). 

Exflyboy

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Re: Saving $1,000/month on housing
« Reply #1 on: February 11, 2015, 11:20:57 AM »
Thats fantastic Mandy.. That $12,000 of taxed income your saving there!

So Many people I know look at this kind of opportunity and it doesn't even occur to them to consider it.. which makes ya want to scream at them sometimes!!!

Yeah moving is a pain, but that is an incredible trade off!

Frank