@alex.petrakieva: Ep 2. A little context on the numbers 👇🏼 I’m a full-time content creator and my husband works full-time with me. We both get paid a salary through our business, and we use our take-home pay to determine what we’re comfortable spending on our lifestyle. That $9,765 is what actually hits our personal account after taxes, 401(k) contributions, health insurance, etc. Is that all the money we make? No 😂 We also take shareholder distributions from the business every month, so technically we have wiggle room to spend a lot more. We just… don’t really want to. I still want our everyday lifestyle to make sense based on our salaries rather than continuously increasing our spending just because the business makes more. WITH THAT SAID 😂 I am getting my two-bedroom. I need a freaking office. Our living room is currently an office/storage room for cameras, lights, computers, desks and approximately 700 pieces of tech junk. I want a living room that’s just a living room and a bedroom that’s just a bedroom. At this point, that is one lifestyle upgrade I am VERY willing to pay for. 😂 #chicago #costofliving #california

Alex Petrakieva
Alex Petrakieva
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Region: US
Monday 31 August 2026 22:31:26 GMT
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kornelik79
Kora :
Who pays this much for one bedroom in chicago? This is crazy
2026-09-01 00:17:37
364
ashleyisoffhermeds
Ashley :
No better place to be poor than in California.
2026-09-01 00:07:42
351
xoxo_t00
xoxo_t00 :
One questiom- with that income why do u not prefer to own a house than rent an appartment?
2026-09-04 13:31:08
0
frozenbarbie89
lowenergyhighdreams :
Alexnotonthebudget anymore
2026-08-31 22:43:17
874
letsunsera
letsunsera :
Girl, you chose SUCH a high rent: That's above market rate for a one-bedroom. — Chicago native
2026-08-31 22:47:08
255
practicarious
practicarious :
I love the transparency on how much you spend and what's important to you in a future home environment.
2026-09-04 12:26:47
0
andessey.c
andessey.c :
Move to Arizona buy land and farm and live life
2026-09-04 04:36:07
0
jsjamesss
James lopez :
My 2 bed apartment in Irvine, ca cost $3,100 with its own garage and the second parking spot is included :)
2026-09-01 02:03:38
206
deliadamaris17
Delia Damaris 🤍 :
You are waaaay overspending on essentials 😳
2026-09-01 01:04:47
65
nikawithk
Nika :
Don’t let them scare you it’s gonna be so worth it.
2026-09-01 17:45:07
40
littlefoxgrl
👻 :
I take home slightly more and my rent is $5000 and my electricity bill is $900 in the summer. I rent a house in the LA suburbs.
2026-09-02 15:06:17
0
mandalabygoldie
Goldie :
Damn...1200dollars for groceries for 2 People.....
2026-09-01 06:24:11
32
mold_invest
Moldinvest :
since u've hit coast fi do u guys plan a mortgage in CA?
2026-09-04 05:47:35
0
kaileensavannah
kaileen :
you’re not gonna pay 325 for parking in socal so that’s at least a plus
2026-08-31 23:32:25
152
paushu
Pau :
Wtf your insurance is cheaper than your parking space? I hope that adds another insurances itself because WHAT!?
2026-09-04 03:33:39
0
bizlyoshenka
Lex :
how is car insurance 100? damn, we out here paying $340 😭 crying in Canadian dollars. ok but seriously what does that cover?
2026-08-31 22:41:27
77
_chanelpov
Chanel :
I moved from LA to Chicago last year & people don’t believe me when I say it actually cost more to live downtown Chicago than DTLA. I paid 2600 800sqft parking 125 high rise Windsor building. Chicago: high rise 2800, 250 parking plus they force you to pay for internet gas water 125… for a smaller apartment. 3175 a month vs 2725 in LA. I’ve been considering moving back lol
2026-09-01 13:36:48
10
swayyz
SwayYZ :
You can honestly get a decent plan downtown San Diego for about 3800
2026-08-31 22:39:00
76
usershady38
Shady🇲🇽🇲🇽 :
These are pretty accurate estimates except that now living in California you will spend so much more on outings and gas and food because you will just want to be outside all the time. They’re so much to do there and you will be very social there.
2026-09-01 01:02:18
21
tabicorrea
TabiCorrea :
San Diego here: the rent of my single family house 3bd 2.5 bath, 2 car garage w/W&D, AC in a very nice community costs less than your apartment rent alone. I’m near MV (aka the most central part of SD). Oh and we also have two pools, gym, free Pilates, free yoga, and other stuff. I don’t think you have to spend a ton more. 😉
2026-09-01 00:20:29
35
3li.mack
3li mack :
Come to Temecula it’s north county San Diego and it’s beautiful, walkable and safe. Or Murrieta but it’s less walkable
2026-09-01 01:38:29
18
missbiancaxoxo
Your mommas a hoe :
EVERYONE warning you about CA are people who wished they lived here. Now CA is not cheap but I wouldn’t live any where else. Just make more money 🤪
2026-09-01 00:54:27
5
therosarian
Rosarian :
have you considered that you spend the majority of the time at home because it's Chicago. in Cali you'll be out a lot more.
2026-09-01 00:36:17
12
emigbeatriz
emigbeatriz :
Why we don’t get enough of Benji 😭
2026-08-31 23:17:53
14
fussycabbage
fussycabbage :
I live in SF and used to pay $4K for a two-bedroom apartment. Now I pay $6K for a house with a yard in a really nice neighborhood. I love SF, so the cost is worth it to me. But $4K in Chicago?! 😂 For that kind of rent, I need California weather included.
2026-08-31 23:00:15
11
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