Expenses

Location is not the only factor in your future cost of living. Choices like eating out vs. cooking at home, renting an apartment vs. buying a house, and owning a vehicle vs. biking to work all affect your monthly expenses. 

You will be asked to choose your preference for 11 types of expenses, from Housing to Savings.

Completing the Expenses Section

1. For each Expense type, click on the option you like most. Each option will show a dollar amount reflecting how much that choice will add to your monthly expenses.

In the example below, choosing a 1 bedroom apt. for Housing will add $830 to monthly expenses.

2. To move to the next Expenses section, click on the "Next Expense" button near the top of the page. The button will tell you which section you will work on next.

3. The Utilities section does not require you to choose an option; rather, you can adjust the dollar amounts if you wish (for example, if you do not plan to have cable, you can change the amount to $0 to remove it from your monthly expenses).

4. As you complete each section, the cost of your choice will be recorded and a check mark will appear next to the section name in the left hand menu.

5. Once you have completed the final section (Savings), click the "Next: Education" button at top-right to move to the next part of the Reality Check.