<prompt> Human: So, some background and I realize this is a lot to go over, but any input would be greatly appreciated:-I just graduated college last month.-I had no experience in my field coming out of college my fault. My options as far as jobs was limited as such. -I managed to land a job in my degree field civil engineering, doing construction inspectionproject stuff, however, it only pays 44,000 a year. I will also have to relocate 4 and a half hours from home I dont mind this as I know a lot of people in the area. I will be working in the Northern Virginia area. -I get full benefits with 401K matching and all that I have a 401K set up.-I get time and a half for any overtime hours worked, and do expect to work a bit of overtime. -I have a car that is fully paid off and only a year old. In addition, my friends father owns that brands dealership in the area to help me out with maintenance and the like.-Though my car is in great shape, I really wont be using my car that often. My job is giving me a car to use that they pay for gas and everything like that because I have to do a significant amount of driving between job sites. I would value this at around 8k per year because it wont be going on my car due to the amount of driving I will be doing, which is a nice bonus. -I have zero debt of any kind. -As far as my spending habits go, I dont buy much. I dont need a new wardrobe for work, and I really just dont buy anything extravagant. I still have things like a nice TV from college, and the only thing I could see myself replacing in the near future is my laptop 4 years old, having some problems lately, was never great to begin with. I dont eat out much either. I do, however, like to go out with my friends on the weekend pretty frequently and will be potentially living around a significant amount of my closest friends from college. I would say thats my biggest expense. -Now, my living situation. I got my job right before graduation, whereas most of my friends got their jobs at the beginning of the school year. Most figured out their living situations already. One still hasnt, and he was looking into get a house with several people. This was ideal, and would be fairly cheap with a few people, but he isnt starting until August. Im starting this month. As such, he wont be moving to the area for a while, and thus the timing didnt work out. My college roommate, who is one of my best friends who I lived with for 3 years, is currently unemployed finishing 1 class for his degree and living at home. So he is out for the time being. As such, I will be living on my own for now added cost. -My ideal living situation would be somewhere in Arlington by a Metro station doesnt every young person who wants to move to NOVA want that? Really following a crowd here.... This gives me perfect access to the highway I take to work a bit west, access to DC, and being around all of my close friends. However, Arlington is expensive as crap obviously. Now, most places around NOVA are just as expensive. Rent ranges from 1200 from a 1 bedroom more out west where Im working and not in my ideal living situation to significantly more than that for a studio apartment in my ideal living situation, which I obviously cannot afford. People say Im silly for wanting to live in Arlington and make a bit of a commute to where I work due to the traffic, but frankly, Im not paying for the commute because of the company vehicle, and Im from New York. Im used to traffic. -In addition to some affordable 1200-1300 1 bedroom apartments out west, I have been looking at a studio apartment in Arlington. Great location, very nice building, has a washerdryer in unit, decently sized 518 sq feet. I dont have a lot of stuff, nor do I need a lot of space, is literally next to a metro, and in the area where all my friends live. Its 1400 a month ouch, and you have to factor in utilities cost as well. I looked into several other places around there, which were either all full or had a significant amount of problems Ive been in contact with my fathers friends daughter, who is a realtor in the area and has been helping me out with this. -Now, one of the main things is Im expecting hoping this to be temporary for about a year. Ill be up for a salary review in the not too distant future and Im an engineering, so Im hoping for a decent increase if my work is good, and Im crossing my fingers that my college roommate gets a job and I can move in with him, I can move in with another friend, or I meet someone through work who I can move in and save money that way. So, with that all in mind, heres kind of what Im asking. I want that studio because its everything I desire in a living situation, but I dont have to have it. Factoring in 1400 rent, plus utilities, plus entertainmentfoodother necessities. Keeping in mind Im making 44,000 plus whatever you want to price that company vehicle as. Keeping in mind I dont really need to buy anything for my apartment, and that I dont spend much aside from going out and I will certainly try to keep the cost of that down as much as possible. Not blowing 50 bucks at a bar, etc. Thats still a looot of my salary not including overtime since I cant calculate how much Ill actually do. Am I going to be absolutely miserable for the next year paying that hoping my situation improves next year? Am I going to be crippling my savings with how much Ill be spending on rent I know the 30 rent and all that? Getting a 1200 apartment as opposed to a 1400 one is 2400 a year, and thats pretty big for what Im making. So am I just a complete idiot for even considering going with that 1400 one, given the situation?  <response>: Change your outlook on the situation. You make 44k, have no debt and presuming young. It is a shock to have to start paying all the bills rent, utilities, food, etc., but ultimately its a way of life. Dont lock yourself into a long term lease. Based upon your comments, you need something quick and easy so you can later decide what works best. 