Author Topic: Is a mustachian life possible in D.C.?  (Read 3551 times)

alf2015

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Is a mustachian life possible in D.C.?
« on: November 20, 2015, 08:51:25 PM »
Hello all!

Looking to relocate my budding mustache to D.C. for work. What are some good neighborhoods to look at?

I'll bike to work, which is downtown Near Franklin Square. Looking to rent a 1 BR.

Our expenses are really low right now in Brooklyn, and we hope to keep them just as low in D.C. We are young 30s and don't party much or do much night life.

Also looking for inexpensive gym if anyone knows of one. Also grocery options!

Basically, is a mustachian life possible in D.C.? Please explain!

Wile E. Coyote

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Re: Is a mustachian life possible in D.C.?
« Reply #1 on: November 20, 2015, 09:26:30 PM »
There are a few threads on this topic. Hopefully they will help.  I unfortunately was not very mustachian when I lived in DC, so I don't have much to offer. It is a very walkable city, so that helps, but housing is a bit pricey in places.

http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/ask-a-mustachian/can-you-be-mustachian-in-mddc/

http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/ask-a-mustachian/how-to-survive-in-washington-dc/

http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/ask-a-mustachian/moving-to-washington-dc-housing-help-requested/


Thegoblinchief

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Re: Is a mustachian life possible in D.C.?
« Reply #2 on: November 21, 2015, 05:58:09 AM »
The DC group is very active in getting together, I get the impression DC is actually one of the strongest active Mustachian areas. I'd perhaps post in the meetup thread for DC as well.

arebelspy

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Re: Is a mustachian life possible in D.C.?
« Reply #3 on: November 21, 2015, 06:05:19 AM »
The DC Mustachians are awesome, I went to one of their meetups and very much enjoyed it.

Their group is larger than most I've heard of, because I think you almost HAVE to be Mustachians to try and live there, since it's so expensive. ;)

They have a Google Groups (or G+?) DC Mustachians group you should join.
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mozar

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Re: Is a mustachian life possible in D.C.?
« Reply #4 on: November 21, 2015, 04:50:40 PM »
Generally, the more east you go the cheaper it is. I would look at Bloomingdale and Eckington. I biked from Petworth to Foggy Bottom for 3 years which is 3 1/2 miles each way. Downtown DC is in a valley so as you go north you start going up hill. I also like Brookland.

Also know that the closer you get to a metro the more expensive. Once you get a mile + away from a metro it gets cheaper.

undercover

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Re: Is a mustachian life possible in D.C.?
« Reply #5 on: November 21, 2015, 08:38:58 PM »
Why wouldn't it be? I'd say it's 99% possible besides the housing cost...but your salary is presumably making up for that, else why would you stay there?

Longwaytogo

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Re: Is a mustachian life possible in D.C.?
« Reply #6 on: November 21, 2015, 09:35:35 PM »
The DC Mustachians are awesome, I went to one of their meetups and very much enjoyed it.

Their group is larger than most I've heard of, because I think you almost HAVE to be Mustachians to try and live there, since it's so expensive. ;)

They have a Google Groups (or G+?) DC Mustachians group you should join.

Another theory they had on why the group is so large is because of the popularity of his 2013 article in the Washington Post. That's when 80-90% of the group seems to have found him (myself included)


I actually live in MD so don't know much about housing costs/locaations but from what most of them have said and I have read elsewhere it's one of the more bike friendly cities so that should be in your favor anyway.

IslandCyclone

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Re: Is a mustachian life possible in D.C.?
« Reply #7 on: November 22, 2015, 08:19:25 AM »
Try Takoma Park.  I started to grow my mustache in DC but it was by way of community living in Columbia Heights.  It's doable but takes a little research.

oraclesimo

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Re: Is a mustachian life possible in D.C.?
« Reply #8 on: November 22, 2015, 01:52:09 PM »
Would appreciate any specific neighborhoods that would be good for a 15-25 min bike commute to work downtown. Looking for cheapish sublet for a few months and good bike lanes. Thanks!

aspiringnomad

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Re: Is a mustachian life possible in D.C.?
« Reply #9 on: November 22, 2015, 05:07:00 PM »
Would appreciate any specific neighborhoods that would be good for a 15-25 min bike commute to work downtown. Looking for cheapish sublet for a few months and good bike lanes. Thanks!

mozar's neighborhood recommendations are pretty spot on. I'd add in Edgewood as well. Downtown now stretches pretty much contiguously from Foggy Bottom to Union Station, and if you're working on the east end towards Union Station then the neighborhoods s/he mentioned will be particularly easy to bike commute from using the Metropolitan Branch Trail. Generally, the further east you go, the cheaper the rent, but it's also possible to find reasonable rents in neighborhoods west of Rock Creek Park, which might be more appealing if you work closer to Foggy Bottom/Dupont/Golden Triangle. As mentioned, you can find the best deals if you are committed to biking everywhere, and don't mind being over a mile from a Metro station. There are even decent deals to be found in Glover Park, Van Ness, and even Cleveland Park if you look further away from the Metro stop, and those areas are generally safer and quieter than the more eastern neighborhoods.

As for the OP's question about gyms: find out if your work building has one since many do. If not, cheaper options include Planet Fitness and (I'm told) Gold's. I'm not mustachian with my grocery purchases (a mix of TJ's, Harris Teeter, and Whole Foods), but I think there's an Aldi in an autocentric part of Northeast DC.

 

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