Dear Dave,

I just received a formal job offer in law enforcement. I’m debt-free, single, and I’d like to move out of a roommate situation and into my own apartment. I’ll be starting out at $34,000 a year, then moving up to $38,000 after my probationary period. You have a rule that says to make sure rent or house payments are 25% or less of your take home pay. If I can find a place where utilities are included, do they figure into that amount?

Josh

Dear Josh,

It’s really more of a guideline than a rule. The point of not letting your housing cost eat up more than 25% of your take home pay is to make sure you have money left over for other important things. It’s hard to save and invest for the future when a huge chunk of your money is eaten up by rent or a mortgage payment each month. But no, utilities are not part of the one-fourth of your take home pay guideline.

At this point, it doesn’t sound like you need anything fancy. Try to find a safe, quiet place to call home—somewhere you can relax and decompress when you’re off duty.

—Dave

* Dave Ramsey is CEO of Ramsey Solutions. He has authored seven best-selling books, including The Total Money Makeover. The Dave Ramsey Show is heard by more than 16 million listeners each week on 600 radio stations and multiple digital platforms. Follow Dave on the web at daveramsey.com and on Twitter at @DaveRamsey.