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This is bad/ Need your advice

March 31st, 2010 at 03:05 pm

It would be nice if just once something in my life could go right.

I am being forced to move now. Frown There goes my entire savings. I was so happy that I saved up $3000 this year to start my savings, finally and now almost all of it will be gone.

My plan was to stay where I was until at least the end of this year, paying only $400 to live with my roommate. My roommate owns the house. But lately, we have not been getting along, to the point that I am afraid to go home out of fear of being yelled at. Yesterday he flipped out and called me vulgar names because I took a shower in the morning instead of at night like I usually do. Today I slept in a bit so I could avoid running into him and then he barged into my room and demanded to know when I was getting up because he needed to take a shower. Then he yelled at me because I wouldn't clean up his dog's vomit (I would have but I was running late…)

The dog used to be both of ours, but then just his when I decided I'd be moving before the dog passed away. I love the dog but it was decided after my own dog died and after I decided to move before the end of the dogs natural life that the dog would do best living in a big house, with my roommate when I eventually moved to a smaller place.

My roommate no longer wants my fiance to stay over on weekends (which I understand) and since my fiance lives with noisy people (which I can't be around--see my prior blog) and a bunch of cats which I am deathly allergic to, I can not go to his house ever. Last time (the only time) I tried I stopped breathing. It was horrible. Roommate has said that he will literally call the police the next time fiance is over for more than a day and have him removed. Um? Not sure if that is even legal.

I should point out when fiance is over, we almost never leave my room. We eat our meals on an enclosed porch so as not to bother my roommate in the kitchen. We only cook after roommate is done. My fiance does the dishes, dusts, vaccums, and generally does more cleaning around the house than myself or my roommate combined. Because of my noise issues, we do not make any noise like loud tvs, music etc.

I have to move alone. This is hard because I can’t be in a noisy area. My earplugs only control so much. I was okay living with a roommate I knew but moving in with strangers is not something I can handle.

Fiance can't move with me. Not for at least 3 to 5 years. He has no money and is chained to a worthless house that he can't even attempt to sell for (at least) 3 years because of a lawsuit attached to it. He won't walk away from it (even though financial advisors have told him that is really the best/only option in his case) because he doesn't want to hurt his brothers (they co-own). He's tried to rent his room but no one wants it. It's basically like we're not even planning a life together and I have to do everything by myself anyway. We hope his house & the lawsuit will be behind us within 5 years so we can start our life together. We are 33 & 36. A five year wait is hard at our ages but there is no other choice.

If I take another roommate, chances are that roommate will be even less tolerant of him being there on weekends.

So my rent will double, probably more than double, in less than a month. I will need to use almost all of my savings for 1st, last, security. The absolute cheapest, suitable 1BR apartment I have seen so far costs $750. It is in a town where my auto insurance will go up $47 a month. It is a longer commute. I will also have to look into paying more for heat and electric (currently my utility is $139 for gas only) and I will have to pay for at least internet to continue my ebay business. The average 1BR apartment I have seen runs between $800-$900 for a decent, safe area.

I do not know what to do. I already work out of the house between 6:30 AM - 7:00 PM (taking commute time into account). This job pays me just under 50K a year in MA. I work my Ebay stuff between 7:30-10:00 pm 2 or 3 nights a week. I handle packing/ shipping for Ebay Saturdays between 9:00-12 AM. I make about $400 a month with this. Taking an after-work job would be tough because I get home so late. I suppose I could try to take another job in the city but I likely would not get home those nights until 11 PM, and it would cost me to commute to the city on weekends.

My average bi-weekly paycheck that I can count on is $1221. So $2442/mo. I can generally count on no less than $200/mo for Ebay though it's not guaranteed. So far this year, it's been $400+ each month but there will obviously be months when I run out of stuff to sell. So I call my income $2642 for now.

My current bills (in order of due date) are:
$105 / parking
$400 / rent
$139 / gas
$227 / car
$288/ loan
$15 / prescription
$90.10 / insurance (combo renters/auto)
$75 / misc bills that pop up (medical/excise tax/car repair etc.)

This comes to $1339.10 ($1340) per month. Before food and gas. I don't drive my car except for to work. I eat mac & cheese & ramen. I don't buy clothes or wants. I don't go out.

I only have $1100 or so left over after these bills with my GUARANTEED income. $1300 left over with my almost certain Ebay added in.

Using only my guaranteed income, if I were to suddenly have to pay $800 for rent, and let's assume $300 for gas/electric/internet and ran out of stuff to sell on Ebay, I would be left with only $539 for gas/food/savings. I would have next to nothing for savings or e-fund.

OMG. What do I do? Frown

12 Responses to “This is bad/ Need your advice”

  1. Joan.of.the.Arch Says:
    1270051272

    Step up your e-bay sales to raise cash as fast as possible. Check all rental ads you can find starting immediately. Place ads seeking a roommate who has similar intolerance for noise. Ask roommate if he will tolerate you there one more month. One more month would give you just the slightest boost in saving for the expenses of moving to new apartment and will give you a bit more time to find a living place. Be open to temporary house-sitting positions ---quiet house, all to yourself, utilities paid.

  2. merch Says:
    1270052575

    I would also look at the bright side. You are able to save currently on your income. And the move should be to a more peaceful environment. I think the only reason you are waiting to get married is so that you aren't burden by your fiancés lawsuit and potential liabilities from that. Your finance sound commendable and stand up guy. I would try to see if there was a way to protect you from the liability and lawsuit if you were to get married. You would probably need to see a lawyer. But if you were to find a strategy to limit your liability, then it could fast track getting married. And you two moving on with your life together. Good luck.

  3. Chris P. Says:
    1270056176

    WHy is your monthly income so low compare to your annual salary? Do you have a lot of deductions?

  4. blackdiamond Says:
    1270057012

    I live in Mass. I claim '0' on my tax form. Out of my check (almost $1000) comes state & local taxes, health isurance, dental insurance, pre-tax subway & parking, and a small 401K contribution. It works out to around $1000 per check.

  5. fern Says:
    1270060406

    Your current roommate sounds like a moron, so i don't know how you could have remained living there through year's end anyway.

    Please be assured that not all roommates will be like that. When you go looking for a new place, i would be upfront and honest and see if they would object to visits by your fiance. If they do, move on.

  6. frugaltexan75 Says:
    1270066095

    I'm with Fern. There are good roommates out there. You just need to make sure that you map out what your needs and expectations are at the beginning, and see if the potential roommate is agreeable.

    I ran into somewhat of a similar situation this year, where the lady I was renting a room from had a complete personality change. I'd planned on staying there through at least May, but ended up moving out at the end of January. I'm SO glad I did.

  7. Jane Doe Says:
    1270079603

    Don't know where you live exactly, but if you are anywhere near a teaching hospital or college that is a great place to find cheap rooms to rent with grad students/med students/residents who need quiet to study, are broke and so need to keep utilities cheap, are happy for even very moderate extra income from rent, and often have roommates move in or out quickly. I see posters up around the hospital here all the time looking for quiet roommates to rent a cheap room. It sounds like you need to get out right away, even if it hurts, because erratic angry roommates like that can generate expensive frivolous lawsuits against you for imaginary slights. Good luck!

  8. Jerry Says:
    1270135067

    I, too, think that moving is probably going to lead to the best thing for you in the long term. Nobody needs to live with someone like your current roommate, even if it is cheaper. If you can get some insurance of a normal, quiet, respectful roommate, then that makes sense. I like Jane Doe's idea about college areas, if you have one.
    Jerry

  9. ceejay74 Says:
    1270136322

    Why do you claim zero exemptions? Do you usually owe taxes? If not, that's an easy way to free up some money to cover rent.

  10. blackdiamond Says:
    1270147174

    Thank you everyone.

    I claim 0 because I worry I'll end up oweing. I wonder how likely that is?

    My roommate has since asked me to stay because he can't afford where we live (his house) by himself. I am standing my ground and looking into some places this weekend. Small places I could live by myself. One is kind of out of the way and quiet. It's in an attic so no one above me making noise. I's $725 but my auto insurance would go down because of where it is.

    I also found out my insurance for one area would only go up $12.50 a month which means I could look there as well. Cheaper places and some are nice. Worth $12.50 more a month maybe to be in a big complex with a professional manager and a pool. I'll keep you posted.

  11. LittleMsMom Says:
    1270565851

    I have a question, you said the dog was both of yours but became his when you would be moving out before the dog died. What was your relationship that you got a dog together? Are you related or where you in a dating relationship at some point?

    If he is a former boyfriend I could understand him not wanting your fiance to come over IF he still has feelings for you. If he is a relative maybe he does not like your fiance because he is protective of you and thinks you can do better. (Relatives Always seem to think we can do better even if the fiance is perfect)

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