Can I survive and make it with $500 a month after apartment rent and utilities are paid?

Question

Hi how much do I need each month for food, transportation, hygiene supplies (toilet paper, shampoo, soap, shaving cream, etc)?
Will $500 be good enough after apartment rent and utilities are paid?

thank you

Answer 1

You are lucky to have 500 left a month. Put yourself on a 125 dollar a week budget. Use local transit or join carpools or ride with your friends. Invest in a cookbook and buy a crockpot(a lot of inexpensive yet healthy meals can be made with it) Don't forget to save 10% of your money 12.50 a week. YOU CAN DO IT Enjoy your place stay home let your friends bring food,drinks ect. Remember to look out for the sponges that visit.

Answer 2

better off sharing an apartment to cut the monthly outlay. Several people in a house is about the best deal, if you can handle it. Rule of thumb is that you should never pay more than half your takehome on housing (and usually no more than about 35%). three hundred bucks a month doesn't go far at all these days either. food will use close to half of that and that isn,t eating all that well. gas prices are through the roof now and unlikely to drop any time soon, so forget the car if that is all the money you will have.

Answer 3

It will be very very tight to survive on $500.I believe that you will cook and eat at home will cost you $200 in grocery bill.If you take public transportation(certainly not your own car) will cost $100. TV/Phone/Internet another $100. Your personal things and occasional clothing shopping will eat $100. You also have to consider unforeseen expenses. My suggestion is to find a decent apartment partner and share rent/utilities That will certainly save you some money and you will be little comfortable. Good-luck.

Answer 4

I would be in heaven if i had $500 per month left over! You could soooo live very comfortably on that, just do what you do in moderation! Dollar store for hygene and essential like wrenalds wrap and kitchen cleaner. Saves you a ton! Make your lunch and limit eating out to jst a couple times a week. You will be amazed at whats left over! Buy Jeans one week, Go out the next week, see a play the next! Moderation, note taking, receipts and smart spending allows you even room to save some of that for a rainy day!! Party on!

Answer 5

Which city do you want to live in? Try looking for information on the "cost of living". For instance, here:
http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/steccpi.html#city

In the US, you'll find the basics are quite affordable - food, hygiene supplies, clothes, but luxuries are often barely affordable (exclusive restaurants/brands of clothing). Education and healthcare are not cheap. If you're not 100% healthy, do not take the risk of going without ensuring you can get healthcare (probably by means of insurance).

Answer 6

Not in the states You can barley get an apt for $500.00
Food about $75.00 a week Transportation You can get a bus pass for about $50.00 a month Hygiene supplies $50.00 if you buy cheep and at the dollar store. Then figure at least another 150.00
in winter time for heating electric at least $35.00 for a phone

You may want to share an apt so this would help with the expenses a bit.

Answer 7

Very possible.

Transportation- is it a car payment, insurance, and gas. That could easily be $500. If it is the bus then it will fit easily in budget.

The rest is variable and dependent on your habits. You could easily get by on $200/mo and you could easily spend more.

It is hard to give solid advice without many details. But, yes it is possible.

Answer 8

as a college student, that enough for me. i spend less than 500 a month...mostly i shop at 99cent stores for my household items and wal-mart for some good looking clothes and personal hygience...

100 on foods
240 on car payment
340 total
the rest i spend on however i want so it not much but it last me for the whole month and if i dont use the extra 160 it go farther to another month.

Answer 9

well about $40 per week for food(one month= $160) for transportation...try finding cheep bus(or buy a 25-$30 buss pass that's good for a month) walking is help full too! well for the necessities like shampoo...go to the local dollar store or Quick-E-market or Rite Aid and spend like $30 there.
Tips:
Try to find deals(example would be 'buy one get one half off") and you should be fine

Answer 10

It could be done, but your activities will be limited. You will have to watch every penny you spend. I have made a nice and easy spreadsheet to track my budget. I purchased my first home and that is when i made this spreadsheet. It really helped me. if you'd like I can send it to you via email. it has a spot to put your income and places to type in your expenses and it'll calculate all the numbers and tell you if youre spending too much.