PMB Step 4: Finding a House (Start the Budget) MP4 S2 17-18

START THE BUDGET

Figure out your BASE PAY using the following website and formula:

PAYSCALE.COM

Do career research and find in-depth salary data for specific jobs, employers, schools, and more.  Once you have identified your Job Title and Location in the United States, it will give you a salary range.  You will make the Entry-Level (25%) to start with.  You will need to use the following formula to change your salary from Annual GROSS PAY to Monthly NET PAY for your budget:

Yearly GROSS PAY x .65 = Yearly NET PAY

Yearly NET PAY / 12 Months = Monthly NET PAY

Today we will review the PMB Worksheets, and enter the information that includes estimating our expenses.  We will spend time, in class, reviewing the following worksheet:

PMB WORKSHEET - CCS-515 CSA MP4 S2 17-18

Once you have opened the worksheet, review all of the sections.  You are required, for this project, to keep track of all of your spending.  Your CheckBook tab will have all of your Debits and Credits listed as you make decisions.  Today we will fill out the Projected totals on the worksheet to give you an idea of how much you THINK you will spend.  When we put actual costs in, you might be surprised by what differences there are.  Make sure you enter all the information requested on the Data Sheet, and keep track of your Menu, Grocery List, and Shopping Lists on the specific pages listed.  The main worksheet is only for looking at the totals received or spent.  Make sure you use FILE, MAKE A COPY and SHARE it with Mr. S (hscribner@ccs.us) for credit.

FINDING A PLACE TO LIVE

Today your project is to find a place to live in your new town.  Make sure you identify how much it is to live there.  You need to make sure that you consider whether the rent includes any utilities, or other amenities that you might want.  Part of this search will require you to find a way to get to your new job.  What type of transportation is available, or will you need to live where you have chosen.  How far is it from shopping and other supplies/stores?

Things to consider:

How are you getting to this new location?

What are you taking with you, and how will you get it all there?

Find a way to price the cost of your transportation.  Be specific about why you are choosing this place to live.  How much of your monthly budget will you spend to live here?

List the Address of your new home below, and include the amount you will pay for rent each month:

You can use some of the following websites to assist you in your search:

Apartment Finder     Aparments.com     Hotpads.com     MyNewPlace.com     Abodo.com

More Resources:

Article with GREAT Checklists and Facts from FASTWEB.com:

https://www.fastweb.com/student-life/articles/a-college-student-s-complete-guide-to-finding-leasing-off-campus-housing

"7-Step Guide to Finding Your First Apartment"
BY MIRIAM CALDWELL ,Updated April 12, 2018

Once you start your first real job, you will be looking for a new place to live. You need to know how to rent your first apartment. This is an exciting time, and you may be considering getting your own place. This allows you greater freedom and flexibility. Before you make this decision you need to make sure you carefully consider how much you really can afford.

1. Determine How Much You Can Afford to Pay - Before you go out to begin looking for your first apartment, you should determine how much rent you can comfortably pay.  Generally, your rent should be about 25 percent of your income. You may be approved for up to 30 percent of your income. However, you need to consider your other expenses and debt payments. You should be able to cover most of your daily living expenses (groceries, utilities, eating out, and entertainment) on about 25 percent of your income. Take time to look at your budget before you start looking for your apartment. You should be focusing a lot on getting out of debt and saving money.

2. Find the Area Where You Want to Live - You need to determine the best place for you to live in relation to where you work. The farther away you are from work, the higher your transportation costs will be. If you work in a major metropolitan area you will find that the housing costs decrease the farther away you live. The trick is to find a balance between the two. You may save money by moving close to a train line.  You can begin by searching online to get a general idea of the pricing in the area.

3. Consider Getting a Roommate - After you have determined the general prices and what you can afford, you should decide whether or not you need a roommate. You need to take into consideration that you will be paying for all of the utilities yourself.  These may cost more than you realize. You should also determine the size of the place that you need. Generally, your first apartment is rather small.

4. Consider Both Large Complexes and Private Rentals - Once you have decided on one or two areas that you want to live in you should look online as well as in the newspaper. You may be surprised at the deals that you can find there. Landlords with smaller properties often only advertise in the paper, though Craigslist has become another viable option. You may also want to call a few property management companies to find out what they have available.

5. Start By Looking at 5 Properties - Choose up to five properties to look at. If you do more than this all at once, you will be exhausted and the properties start to blur together. You may want to take pictures of the exterior and interior so that you can remember the apartments. You should also consider safety if you are going to be living alone. A second story apartment is safer than one on the first story. You may also want to look for a gated community, depending on where you are living.

6. Take Your Time to Make a Decision - Although you may feel pressured to make an immediate choice, generally you should be okay thinking about it for 24 hours.  You should go with your general feelings about the place when you make a decision. If you simply choose the cheapest but felt that it was too rundown or unsafe, then you are not making a wise decision. You should feel good about both the price and the apartment. Don’t forget to consider the amenities offered by the apartment community. The more amenities generally means you will pay higher rent. However, if you find a good deal, you may end up saving money if you were to purchase cable, a gym membership, and a phone line.

7. Fill Out Your Application - Finally, you will need to fill out the application, and pay the application fee. Some apartments may require a co-signer if you are just starting your first job. They may waive this for a larger deposit. Generally, you will pay your deposit along with your first and last month’s rent when you sign your lease.This usually happens on the day that you move into the apartment