From
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0918HomeAfford18-ON.html
It claims that to afford a modest two bedroom apartment in CA, one needs to be making at least $19/hr full time. When I calculated my basic needs, it came out to more like $7.50/hour. And I’m in one of the pricier areas of CA (bay area) though not the priciest neighborhood (n oakland) also not the cheapest. I think this is based on the claim that everyone needs to live like a king. Truth is, we really don’t. Truth is, from a global/historical perspective, each person having their own bedroom is a luxury. Hell, each person having their own bed.
But I digress. Time to get ready for work interview.
Later.
having one’s own bed
I actually shared a bed with my female roomie in Florida of all places cuz we were dirt poor (well, that and the bit of white trash under my nails somewhere). Told her she was the closest thing to a wife I’d ever have… plus she did my laundry. *grin* Wonder if they mean to live on your own? My dad always told me your rent should be a quarter of your income. Since you know I have the best rent in the city, mine is definitely less than a quarter of my income… until someone knocks me off to take their place on the waiting list for my space. 😉
I would imagine that they’re calculating their figures on if you’re living alone. Obviously with roommates the total amount you need to be making is lower. And it is true, if you wanted to live alone in even in a one bedroom place in most parts of the bay area you’d have to be pulling in some fairly major money (I’ve not looked recently but I know that the rent for single bedroom apts in my complex was 1400 not that long ago)
my experience in the bay area now is having one half-time job, a one-day/week job, and seasonal work (as a professional musician) — all this, at a slightly higher rate then quoted at that full time rate in the above parent Live Journal posting, allows me to pay my rent, some major bills, and still go out a little to try the plethora of restaurants here and there, and also purchase some more adventurous ingredients for my culinary capers. the one-day/week job is a recent addition, which I hope will not on ly help with bills, but help acquire some sorely needed furniture so I can get out of the boxes of books that have been cluttering my room since I moved to this play at the end of may. I guess yeah, financially it equals out, as I’m living outside the major metro areas of the bay area and in a “bedroom” community in the east bay where I have a room in a house with others (which I don’t mind since I’m close enough to BART and I have a car)…?