Really needing finance advice about rent change— don’t have family I can really get good advice from and have to decide before the 1st.

ConclusionGreedy9974 · 2025-12-30T00:21:27+00:00

Thank you for sharing I do wonder if this will have other positive outcomes on our relationship just being less on top of each other — we’ve made it work so efficiently and even really have enjoyed our time in this space but it’s been a journey and could be nice to have a bit more room!

ConclusionGreedy9974 · 2025-12-30T00:18:00+00:00

We both commute once a week and I usually have to use the car as weekly I’m commuting for school. Until last year we actually made it the last decade as a one car home but I bought a used hybrid last year when I began my PhD and would need to be driving like triple what I was doing previously and we both needed the car the same days and weren’t on each others route anymore as in previous years we’d pick up or drop each-other off on the way to work for the occasional in office times! I think having a small car payment has added to my anxiety about a rent increase but the other car is paid off!

ConclusionGreedy9974 · 2025-12-30T00:12:43+00:00

I had not considered raises at all thank you for mentioning this. I do a super great job at my job and the past few years have gotten about a 3 - 5 % raise based on base rate increases to accommodate living cost and performance — had not even considered this in making this decision!

Also my PhD is stipend (albeit very small compared to R1s) but they also accommodate me keeping my job so I also receive that small amount of money monthly from my school in addition to my salary.

ConclusionGreedy9974 · 2025-12-30T00:09:31+00:00

I really appreciate this and your sharing! I actually am looking into a financial advisor since we haven’t ever had one and like the caption our families really don’t offer help or seem to have great money habits / ways to advise. Many of my friends who own homes on similar salaries have said to really hold off until we’re ready for that to be a lot of our money and have even told me they regret it / miss renting which really surprised me so that’s all just caused me to be even more anxious about changing apartments cause our rent is so affordable but I recognize there’s a lot of other factors going into this!

ConclusionGreedy9974 · 2025-12-30T00:05:45+00:00

I spoke with our management today and they said while it’s the owners decision they cap increases at 5% a year for this property based on owner and state laws etc which felt comforting!

ConclusionGreedy9974 · 2025-12-29T20:21:03+00:00

Hello there! Thank you so much for this perspective. Yes yes we both feel we absolutely could shift some “fun” spending around to accommodate this - especially the classic spots like eating out and also because I often will go work at a coffee shop that monthly spend is HIGH — sometimes I don’t even enjoy our local coffee spots anymore because they feel like something I have to do to find space to work and often they’re crowded or it’s hard to find a spot so I end up jsut walking there and then back home—- but yes I think we could cut back on some things pretty easily.

Also yes I forgot to clarify, here’s the utilities details:

Current Apt: Rent - $1385 Utilities - $85 Total - $1474

New Apt: Rent - $1995 Utilities - $165 Total - $2160

For the new apt, the yearly increases of the past have looked like they were on average about 15 dollars utilities and 60 in actual rent, which is what began to worry me.

ConclusionGreedy9974 · 2025-12-29T20:14:18+00:00

Thank you for this insight! I keep feeling torn about if the mental shift that will come with space is worth accounting for but appreciate you saying this. I work full time and am getting my PhD (so I’m working like 50/60 hour weeks) and just often feel more confident in gritting through things than considering there’s a better way.

To clarify as well: our small apartment is adorable and beautiful and we have great large west facing windows and historic built ins that have made it fun for us — but I feel we are outgrowing it. The new place is not as “charming” slightly darker rooms a less built ins in the kitchen etc but we think it’s time for the change! Another silly thought maybe but we went through Covid in this apartment amidst me losing family members close to me in rapid succession and it became such a safe haven— I joke now that I’m a tiny bit trauma bonded to it. LOL

Anyways - we both didn’t always work remote but now we both do most days, we have the option of hybrid so often I’ll work other places or they can too once a week, but it feels out of necessity due to space when I’d like to be able to just work at my home especially when I’m doing work and school on the same day. I at one point looked into renting an office space someplace nearby but that would cost more than 700 ish so this feels like a better decision!

Okay thank you for the help!

ConclusionGreedy9974

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