Since the job I chose is in Cary, I took to the internet to find housing options. I ended up finding a decent option online (2000 Crossroads Manor Ct, Cary, NC 27518) that only has a 3 minute commute to Epic, which will save me a ton of gas money. The apartment's monthly rent is $1,198, and my housing budget is around $1,863 (maximum 33% of my monthly income), so this apartment fits nicely, especially since I prefer to have the price below 25% of my budget.
The 765 square foot apartment includes 1 bedroom and 1 bathroom. We can assume the security deposit is the first month's rent. According to numbeo.com, the average Cary resident's monthly bill for utilities in total is roughly $185. Since Verizon covers the Cary area better than any other data provider, I will be going with their unlimited ultimate phone plan which costs $65/month.
For furniture, I expect I will need a bed, desk, couch, coffee table, dining table, and chairs. I can take the desk and chair from my
current bedroom, and we can borrow a friend's truck to transport my mattress. I would then get a
dining table
at Costco for around $999.
Everything else I will get from Ikea, so I would get a decent
$80 coffee table,
and a
$900 couch
(why are they so expensive?!).
Overall, this furniture will cost me about $1,979 dollars, which will take our $10,000 savings down to $8,021.