Income based a little over the top?

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Here's the deal. Been wanting to move out on my own for a while, and it's getting to be an near-emergency.. Apartments around here are way more than I can afford, being about a grand a month for a one bedroom.

There is one place a block away from me that is government-funded, supposedly income based. Bullcrappiola. The lowest rent for apartments in this complex that I qualify to have, is 500 bucks a month or so. Well, that's more than what I make, when you add on the other necessities. And if I qualify for that rent, I'm not even allowed to have another job to make more money!!

What good is the lowest rent I am allowed to have if I don't even make nearly enough for it, when you count electricity, food, and everything else on top of that?

Oh, and I also spot a rock over there. Free rent too!! Now there's an option...

Welcome to the real world, where things cost money, and you never seem to have enough.

What can you afford? Realistic estimates would place your monthly rent at about 1/4 of your monthly income, provided you spend the rest only on food, clothing, medical care, and transportation to and from work.

So if you live alone, one of those $500 per month places means that you have to earn $12.02/hour, $2000/month, or $24,000/year, just to get by! A $1000/month rent would require twice that income.

Have you considered a room-mate?

Roomates are possible. It's just the income based crap I don't understand. I just gotta know, is this right?

The "1/4 Income per Month" is fairly standard for the industry. It's your net income, though - the amount left after taxes.