Will you be working in Center City or nearby? Or in an outlying suburb?

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"Censorship is free advertising by the government"--Federico Fellini

"Do you mind if I smoke while you eat?"

I'm certainly not saying pay the maximum recommended % on rent/housing... that website even recommends you dont bc a lot of people need a little more leeway than that.

However, I was saying those general rules do apply to gross salary, not net... you are correct it says 28% of your gross wage, but thats for housing/condo fees/taxes/etc. Not 1/3 of your net pay INCLUDING bills. I was really only trying to correct the thought that the general '1/3 your earnings' did refer to gross, not net - not recommending anyone blow money just cuz. No offense meant to you valleyTwin

For some personal perspective, I live in a nice neighborhood here in center city - can walk to anything I want to walk to (Philly is a wonderfully walkable city!), go out quite often and still manage to save over 20% of my gross salary a month... I also enjoy cooking so most of my lunches and dinners are of the home made variety which helps a lot!

I'll be working at a near by suburb (Narbeth)

Then look at the location of your job in relation to the Regional Rail line on a Septa map (calling MarketStEl!) You may need the car for work if the job is not as convenient to public transit. But for living and doing other things in the city, you would be surprised at how little you might use it. Look at a neighborhood like Bella Vista and Washington Square West for its ease of access to Market East Station. And other amenities such as supermarkets, coffeeshops, restaurants, bars, etc.


And unless you *must* have designer everything, ~$70K should be just fine for living in Center City and around it.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0x-fkSYDtUY

"Censorship is free advertising by the government"--Federico Fellini

"Do you mind if I smoke while you eat?"

Welcome to the U.S! And, sorry about the low dollar :-)
May I ask what country you're from? Your English is too fluent to make an accurate guess -- I can't tell if you're Dutch or Chinese. (Although I'm going to say Dutch or Scandinavian).

If you want to keep that info private, I understand. Just curious.

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With a $70k salary you can more than comfortably live in any US city, except maybe Manhattan and San Fran.

If your employer is located in Narberth Borough itself, it's highly likely you will be able to walk or bike to your office from Narberth station on the R5 Paoli/Thorndale Regional Rail line. And you will be able to take your bike with you on the train: SEPTA allows bikes on all off-peak trains. Peak trains arrive at the Central Philadelphia Zone stations (Temple University to University City, inclusive) between 6 and 9 am and depart them between 3:30 and 6 pm; as you will be making the reverse commute, you will never ride a peak train.

Valley Twin: Thanks for setting me straight on the ratios. I note also by way of correction that Federal rent subsidies are set so that recipients pay 28 percent of their monthly income in rent. That would be $1600/month in your case -- not quite enough to afford the larger 2brs in my building, but more than enough for the smaller units in the older building, which have high ceilings and loft-style sleeping spaces.

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Sandy Smith, Exile on Market Street, Philadelphia
"Jazz and blogging are both intimate, improvisational, and individual -- but also inherently collective. And the audience talks over both." --Andrew Sullivan, "Why I Blog," The Atlantic, November 2008

I have a rule about not dating people from outside the city. It worked well, since i have no car.

Suburban girls are kinda lame and they always want you to help them find parking when they drive over to your house.

One way to make the city more affordable is to use your Phillyblog money to make up the difference. A lot of people don't realize this but we are all getting paid handsomely to be here. For instance, I made at least $12,000 on my Fluffles postings alone. I've recently been paid by NET to bash City Blue on these pages to the tune of $4,000. And Abner Levy and I are now business partners...I get half of everything. One of the great things about Phillyblog is that you can be only mildly entertaining and make the big bucks here....look at johnnie....barely a giggle out of him and he makes at least $14,000 a year talking about Ron Paul and his pets. Some of the heavy hitters around here are really raking in the big bucks....eldondre gets $20 per post...which makes him the third richest man in Philadelphia. Eastchestnut gets paid nicely as well...but most of his disposable income goes up his nose...if you catch my drift. And that mod money here is outrageous. For instance, Illiniwek is now getting paid a lot of money for being a mod and he didn't realize that he was a mod until last week. The beauty of this marketing scam called Phillyblog is that we are all living lavish Philadelphia lifestyles together. In fact, the Macy's thread alone has kept many of us living the high life.

Phillyblog plus my Carleton Sheets videos have me living in the lap of luxury. In Market East. Near the Gallery. Around the corner from two bums peeing on one another.

So, to answer your question...you've come to the right place, friend. Phillyblog has the answers that you are looking for. I'll see you at Brasserie Perrier as soon as I cash in on this amazing post. This one should really bring home the bacon.

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HEY PHILLYBLOG - SHOW ME THE MONEY!!!

I only post to mock newcomers and defend Canada, and look at this watch I'm wearing - go ahead, pick it up, see how heavy it is?