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Article:
How Much Rent is Too Much Rent? by: Dan The Roommate Man You want what every apartment renter wants: the most comfortable surroundings you can get for the lowest possible monthly rent. Some of today's newly constructed apartment communities have taken luxury to an entirely new level. Some complexes have gas fireplaces, TV monitors by the front door, drive-through mail service, and office equipment for their tenants, among other creature comforts. Every renter has to consider the importance of amenities like these. Are they important enough to you to merit a rent increase of perhaps $200 more than the rent you pay now, at a modest yet affordable complex? While some of us consider an apartment as just a place to hang one's hat, others place a premium on home surroundings. But how do you determine how much you can stretch your budget -- without ending up in the poorhouse in the process? One suggestion, provided by Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, is to spend no more than 25 percent of your monthly gross income on your rent. For example, if your annual salary is $'30
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