What advice do you have for a 1st time renter and how can I save money on food, electric bill, cable bill etc.

My rent is 675 which goes over the recommended percentage of 30% of my monthly income. I make close to $1900 a month. Its a one bedroom and I have no kids or debt besides a student loan. How much will my electric bill be?

Public Comments

1. that depends on in what state you live in, here in texas the monthly electricity bill can reach as much as $200 considering the nonstop AC use, but I am sure further north it's much less. Cable or DSL is usually $50 ish
2. my electric bill is usually $30 in winter and can be $100 in summer. You just have to make sure you don't leave it running when you aren't home, and make sacrifices. Instal a programmable therostate to keep the heat and air conditioning low when you are not home. As for food, buy a lot of vegetables and pastas, those will keep you healthy w/o breaking the bank. Take your $1900 less rent, less cell phone, less any other fixed monthly expenses, then budget $130 for utilities and hopefully you have about $500 per month left over for food, gas, and entertainment. If you don't, then you might have to cut cable, cell phone, or anything else that you don't need.
3. Your electric bill will depend on a lot of factors such as the size of your apartment, how energy efficient the appliances are, how well it is insullated, the weather where you live and your habits. To reduce your electric bill: make sure all doors and windows are fully closed when you are running the heat or a/c. Close curtains or blinds in the summer to avoid letting sun heat an apt you are trying to cool. Set the thermostat a few degrees higher (or lower depending on the season) and consider turning it when you are away from home as well, such as when you are at work. You can also use fewer lamps and handwash dishes. Check with your energy co. some have lower rates for using energy at off-peak hours--for example in my area it is cheaper to run the washer/dryer at night then during the day. Cable averages about $55/month but most cable companies have a basic package for about $15 which gives you 20 or so channels but you have to ask for it. Same thing with the phone company (assuming you have a land line)-Tell them you want the cheapest plan they have (often $10-15 less than the standard quote). To save on food don't eat out as often, obviously. It is also usually cheaper to make your own food than buy pre-maid meals so learn to cook if you can.
4. You must document ,on a generous calender,all that has transspired. There are many intricate details of each company's contract that you must first assimilate and document. Many of these 'details' must be recorded.Future deposit accreditations and short term 'special pricing for first time customer sign-ups' must be recorded for future corespondence. Dates,times and amounts have to be recorded. Every minute you spend on this is worth a day of solstice. Do not allow the 'bigs' to gain an inch of ground. Thus is the way to forward you to accepteted(and respected) life as a responsible adult.