<prompt> Human: Ive seen the 30 rule thrown out a lot but Im its not clear to me whether thats before or after taxes.I have about 20k in student loan debt and no other debt. Im looking for a 1 BR apartment in Manhattan.  <response>: Take a minute and think about what you actually need. Our default setting in life should be to pay as little as possible. That being said, there are always caveats and exceptions.You probably dont need a super expensive place, nor do you want to live in a slum. Whats going to work best for you, that costs the least. 