Cost of Living

[Distilled Water]

My brother called me asking for money and it got me thinking, am I crazy?

He has a near full time job, I'm sure making between 8-9/hr. how does he not have money?!?!? I hear this from other people about raising minimum wage etc that are my age. Is there something wrong with my math?

Monthly Bills
Student loans : $462.75
Rent/Utilities: $300
Medical Insurance : $97.55
Car insurance: $50
Gas: $150

That totals at just over $1,000/month in bring home pay. As you can see my student loans were the bulk of my bills. I lived like this for months & had medical insurance (which again most people don't. Gotta have that iPhone!)

Am I crazy for telling my brother to figure it out? Is there a heart inside my chest or just an old frozen black coal-ish looking thing in there?

[AE14]

Costs are through the roof. $300 for rent? Where i that, I am ready to move. Lol

[T-Bone]

My brother called me asking for money and it got me thinking, am I crazy?

He has a near full time job, I'm sure making between 8-9/hr. how does he not have money?!?!? I hear this from other people about raising minimum wage etc that are my age. Is there something wrong with my math?

Monthly Bills
Student loans : $462.75
Rent/Utilities: $300
Medical Insurance : $97.55
Car insurance: $50
Gas: $150

That totals at just over $1,000/month in bring home pay. As you can see my student loans were the bulk of my bills. I lived like this for months & had medical insurance (which again most people don't. Gotta have that iPhone!)

Am I crazy for telling my brother to figure it out? Is there a heart inside my chest or just an old frozen black coal-ish looking thing in there?

What about the car bill?. You just have insurance down there, also Rent/Utilites $300?. Really? Dang, that is insanely low!. Gas I would say is at least 200 maybe $250. What about Internet/Phone?. Electricity?. Food?. You left a lot out. Eight to Nine dollars an hour?. That would have been ok maybe 15 years ago.

[Distilled Water]

Costs are through the roof. $300 for rent? Where i that, I am ready to move. Lol

I had a roommate, it was a 2 bedroom apt. I had the small room so I paid slightly less. Unless you're in a large city, this is an extremely avg price.

Even here in fresno,CA you can find 2 bedroom apt for <$700/month without much problem. Not the nicest area but extremely do-able.

[Rodja]

I think you lowballed a lot of your estimates, especially rent/utilities. Mine is triple that and I live in a very modest area.

[Ballesteri]

Lending money to your brother is like when you were in jr high and asked some girl you knew that kind of liked you to borrow a quarter when you both know that it means i have no intention of paying you back but it just sounds "more better"

[breezy11]

I had a roommate, it was a 2 bedroom apt. I had the small room so I paid slightly less. Unless you're in a large city, this is an extremely avg price.

Even here in fresno,CA you can find 2 bedroom apt for <$700/month without much problem. Not the nicest area but extremely do-able.

Man. I'm living in the wrong part of the country. The average income must be a lot lower though.

[Distilled Water]

What about the car bill?. You just have insurance down there, also Rent/Utilites $300?. Really? Dang, that is insanely low!. Gas I would say is at least 200 maybe $250. What about Internet/Phone?. Electricity?. Food?. You left a lot out. Eight to Nine dollars an hour?. That would have been ok maybe 15 years ago.

No cable/Internet. The rent/utilities were lump'd together. I had a roommate also

$250 for gas? Where the heck are you driving?!?!? Gas is 3.50/gal and round trip is about 60mi/day and I don't pay close to that.

No car payment bc I didn't have one, I didn't need a new car. Didnt have the nicest car but it got me from A to B with zero problem.

Food was bought with $$$ about $150/worth but that income qualifies for food stamps.

What have I left out now?

[Distilled Water]

I think you lowballed a lot of your estimates, especially rent/utilities. Mine is triple that and I live in a very modest area.

Those were my exact costs, no low-balling sir.

[T-Bone]

No cable/Internet. The rent/utilities were lump'd together. I had a roommate also

$250 for gas? Where the heck are you driving?!?!? Gas is 3.50/gal and round trip is about 60mi/day and I don't pay close to that.

No car payment bc I didn't have one, I didn't need a new car. Didnt have the nicest car but it got me from A to B with zero problem.

Food was bought with $$$ about $150/worth but that income qualifies for food stamps.

What have I left out now?

Sounds like you lucked out or Cost of living is a lot lower in your area. Maybe closer to $200 for gas, I'd say at least $50 a week.

[Distilled Water]

Ok so change my rent/utilities to $762.75/month if it makes you feel better. They're student loan payments (which a majority at 8-9/hr don't have)

My brother doesn't have them....

[Distilled Water]

Actually, lets take out medical too bc he doesn't (still on one of my patents plans). Now were at about $850/month for rent/utilities.

Am I still crazy guys?

[Rodja]

Those were my exact costs, no low-balling sir.

There's also no costs for food or phone bill. I've never had rent/utilities that cheap in my life even with roommates. I know that in my area, rent prices have gone up ~20-25% compared to just 5 years ago and food has also gone up in that time. Using numbers from years ago doesn't paint an accurate depiction of the current market.

[Rodja]

Actually, lets take out medical too bc he doesn't (still on one of my patents plans). Now were at about $850/month for rent/utilities.

Am I still crazy guys?

This number seems more realistic to now, but you still have to account for food, transportation, phone, etc. Those alone are at least another $400 per month and more than a full-time, $8/hour job would pay.

[beastybean]

If you can afford it, let him borrow it. Does he ask often? Do you believe he'll pay it back? I borrow money from my brother if I'm seriously hurting, but I tell him how ill get the extra to pay him back. In the end he's family and you should try to help.

[Distilled Water]

There's also no costs for food or phone bill. I've never had rent/utilities that cheap in my life even with roommates. I know that in my area, rent prices have gone up ~20-25% compared to just 5 years ago and food has also gone up in that time. Using numbers from years ago doesn't paint an accurate depiction of the current market.

I know what you mean, this was last year though brotha. That income qualifies for food stamps. They're giving them out like suckers at the doctors office these days, I hear.

Are you in the northeast?

[beastybean]

Also what is the money for? He probably over spent his income. Tell him you'll let him borrow it if he creates a budget plan so it won't happen again.

[Distilled Water]

Also what is the money for? He probably over spent his income. Tell him you'll let him borrow it if he creates a budget plan so it won't happen again.

It's happened a few times. He owes me well over $3,000.

[Rodja]

I know what you mean, this was last year though brotha. That income qualifies for food stamps. They're giving them out like suckers at the doctors office these days, I hear.

Are you in the northeast?

Texas.

It's happened a few times. He owes me well over $3,000.

This changes the game. He's not living within his means. It's not your responsibility to bail him out repeatedly.

[Distilled Water]

This number seems more realistic to now, but you still have to account for food, transportation, phone, etc. Those alone are at least another $400 per month and more than a full-time, $8/hour job would pay.

Transportation was the $150/gas. We have a family plan for the phone my mom pays for ($15/month)