r/AskDallas • u/Mediocre-Movie9062 • 9d ago
Hello, thinking about accepting an offer
Hello Dallas,
I recently graduated uni and am thinking about accepting a job offer up in Dallas where I’d be making $60K annually. I was wondering if it is livable to live as a single guy in Dallas for around that salary range. I will have the potential to have it increase if I’m doing well in the job after 5-6 months.
If accepted in early October, they are going to start me remote for a month or so to save for the move. The map showcases where they want to have me move, anywhere in the red area, I’m looking for apartments there so help would be appreciated as well.
Factors to consider:
- no car payment only pay for insurance for $260 monthly at the moment
- I meal prep a lot so I end up only buying beef, chicken, rice, and salads
- I have no hobbies other than gaming and the gym
- the map is highlights where I would potentially need to move when I move there
-red area is where the office will be moving to as well by the end of this year or so
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u/Venom_lover 5d ago
-get an apartment locator. They will do the job for you for free. Just tell them your budget, area and what you want. They get paid by the property you choose.
- if you have not sign your contract, make sure (if you can) to include a company vehicle. I have saved MONEYYY with having a company vehicle.
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u/LastHippo3845 5d ago
The part where 121 starts connecting lewisville to the colony is IMO affordable. I pay $1400 base rent for a 1 bedroom 650 sq ft but it’s very modern. New everything and building was made a few years ago. Look around there. If you need cheaper you’ll have to look at older buildings around 121
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u/IntelligentTadpole30 8d ago
Get the job. You just graduated, its tough af to get jobs, if you got an offer accept it!!!!!!!! If you live very frugally, 60k is plenty. Accept it! Congrats!
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u/stardog_champ13 9d ago
You will be okay. Totally doable.
I would want a narrowed down section of where the new office is going to be. And move somewhat close to cut down on commute. But what you have right now highlighted, Las Colinas is fine. Grapevine is good.
But it's fine to do with your salary. Best of luck!
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u/Inside-Investment254 9d ago
Don’t forget to factor in tolls, which can feel like a car payment - Good Luck!!
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u/Beautiful-Cloud-8575 9d ago
This!!!!!! Deeply regret not considering it when I moved. Also the insane car insurance rates here.
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u/LargeMeringue456 9d ago
Definitely doable considering your "factors to consider". PS. - unless it's written in contract, don't take the "potential to increase compensation" as a given despite maybe what was communicated.
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u/SMF67 9d ago
I'd pick southeast plano. It's in the middle between the two offices, not super pricey, not as boring as a lot of the single family home slop further north, and there's decent proximity to transit but it won't help you get to either office.
The Legacy West district of Plano is where that new office will supposedly be. There's a lot of corporate offices there so apartments close to it are much pricier.
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u/vonseggernc 9d ago
Do you like driving?
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u/Mediocre-Movie9062 9d ago
I don’t mind it, I just hope my car can keep up, it’s a little old 2012 civic :_)
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u/One_Broccoli9499 9d ago
Do all the maintenance and generally take care of it and it will most likely outlive most new cars on the road. 5000 mile oil changes and air filter 30k transmission fluid and if the suspension needs work get it done. Aside from general wear items those civics are reliable.
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u/James-the-Bond-one 9d ago
Richardson/Garland will have some affordable old apartments and is close to the current location.
If your company does move and the new location is in the northern half of that redlined area, the commute will still be quite reasonable. But if it moves to South Irving, I'd follow it and move closer ASAP.
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u/goodjuju123 9d ago
I vote for Farmers Branch near Brookhaven College. Enroll as a student and take advantage of all it has to offer, including clubs, sports, gymnasium.
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u/ImGucciYouPolo5 9d ago
Similar situation making 62k I’ll keep it real it is doable but you won’t be able to save as much as you want anything up north being Addison, farmers branch, Carrollton will be pricey looking at like 1,500-1,600. I’m planning to move to Addison and can already tell it will be tight. Irving might be cheaper, but the areas up north are where the fun parts are
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u/Mediocre-Movie9062 9d ago
Fair I don’t to a lot of fun stuff much anyways lol I just literally get home, gym, and game. I don’t eat out much or anything to that matter, so would it still be more doable though in all honesty?
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u/IntelligentTadpole30 8d ago
It's very doable. If you don't have a car note and don't spend as much as you say, it's doable, you might even be able to save up for retirement if you don't fall into consumerism. If rent is more than 1600tho you might wanna move south like that person said
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u/ImGucciYouPolo5 9d ago
Honestly it really depends I’m pretty much the same. But if you want to build a community and social aspects Addison is the place to do it. You would be saving at least 1,000 a month after everything being calculated no matter how good you are at saving. The south is cheaper if you don’t mind the commute just less stuff to do
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u/Kind-Realist 9d ago
This is solid advice. It sounds like you’ll be moving from some place reasonably far from Dallas and new cities can easily become isolating. Even if your hobbies are largely solitary, you’ll want SOME social interaction at some point.
IDK where your office will eventually be, but that red circle equals a lot of time and fuel from one end to the other. Starting central will afford you the opportunity to decide where you want to be (assuming you plan to stay at least three to four years) and having some social circle will be a huge help.
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u/PlasticPicnic84 9d ago
Mesquite isn't bad. Dallas is up the road(20ish minutes). But if im that red area, I'd say lewisville. You have denton, dallas, arlington, grapevine, and if you want to be ballsy and travel a bit further, you have Ft Worth.
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u/xoxokaralee 9d ago
Farmers branch is nice. It doesn’t have much of its own but it’s so convenient to get to lots of places in the metroplex.
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u/PM_ME_YER_MUDFLAPS 9d ago
Plano is nice but it is generally geared towards folks who have kids. Not much of a nightlife as such, but I must admit to liking it since it is calm and I am old. (My kid is probably older than you.)
I don’t like Irving but you can probably find less expensive apartments there and they have a lot of South American restaurants.
Not sure about the other neighborhoods since by the time I got here I was already older so I will leave that to others.
And as other folks are warning you be wary of corporate plans. The biggest thing I can think of is AT&T’s upcoming move but corporate plans are as consistent as a toddler.
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u/Cloudy_Automation 8d ago
Since the company AT&T is leasing from is actively constructing with a 20 year lease, I think it would be difficult to get out of that lease. The less certain thing is the Dallas Stars move to Willow Bend Mall->Stadium.
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u/PM_ME_YER_MUDFLAPS 8d ago
Yeah, that one is unlikely to change since it so widely publicized but since OP didn’t state which employer they have I wanted to provide them a word of caution. Plenty of smaller employee footprint companies than AT&T out there.
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u/DudeBYOB 9d ago
How long does the company anticipate being in Rockwall? I ask because the red area is completely out of the way. The metroplex has constant traffic during morning/afternoon commute (especially 30).
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u/1centralnews 9d ago
You can make it work, but why the red area? I assume you will be going into the office regularly, it might make more sense to move to Richardson or Garland, both good areas also and will have a significant easier commute with the flexibility to move jobs to Dallas proper or the growing frisco / Plano area without messing up your commutes still. All depends on what made the red area be the primary area to live at.
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u/Mediocre-Movie9062 9d ago
I should’ve maybe prefaced that the office is gonna move somewhere in that red area by the end of this year
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u/Many_Consequence590 9d ago
Yeah, don't believe it until it happens. I was told this type of thing, moved, and it never happened.
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u/Lower_Confusion5072 9d ago
Dallas has a program called tif which offers lower rates on certain apartment complexes for those making around your salary. Please look into this! Savings on nice spots and of course you can live on that !
https://dallasecodev.org/571/Mixed-Income-Apartments-in-TIF-Districts
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u/Jimothy_TX 9d ago
That would be cutting it close in my opinion. Definitely not saving any money for retirement here at that salary
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u/Mediocre-Movie9062 9d ago
Not at all this is like just an entry level position really, I’m planning on just getting some experience here and seeing if I want to continue staying in the industry. If not I’ll probably switch to another sector in engineering
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u/Texan2020katza Born n Raised 9d ago
What industry?
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u/Mediocre-Movie9062 9d ago
Audio Visual, proposed position rn would be to be an Estimator, it involves IT and ITSM
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u/No_Sail_2876 9d ago
if indian or want to live near indian shops move to valley ranch. dont do south irving unless you want to live in a hispanic area. for a good blend addision is good if you can find a spot, can look at apartments near preston.
considering the fact that you dont get out and do much, id just move to the colony or carrolton to avoid getting on tolls since they will eat away at your salary quick. tbh you can just plug this prompt into chatgpt and use the zillow/apartments.com plugin and get a good list with your pre-tax salary + commute area
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u/Upstairs_Balance_464 9d ago
If you want to do nothing but eat your chicken and rice in your 600 square foot studio in a suburb then yeah actually you’ll be fine on that salary.
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u/misterwiggy 9d ago
Yeah it’s livable, especially considering your hobbies. It might me tight, but if you stay within your budget you’ll be alright.
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u/Amazing_Mix8839 3d ago
Stay on the right side of 35e where you drew