Dad told me the $2,100 sublet in Chicago would save me money, and I hate that he was right

Alice Murphy · 2026-10-19T21:10:03.904435+00:00

When I moved to Chicago last spring, my dad kept pushing me to take a cheap sublet on the south side instead of the $1,650 studio near Wicker Park I wanted, and I fought him on it for weeks. I took the sublet at $2,100 total for three months, which was split rent with two roommates, and I rolled my eyes the whole time. My old studio math never made sense once I added up the $80 utility bills, the $200 a month I was dropping on delivery food, and the $150 in rideshares because the train was a 20 minute walk. The sublet was near the Green Line, my groceries cost half as much, and I actually ended up saving around $400 a month. My dad is smug about it and I have not heard the end of it, but honestly, what is the line between saving money and just being cheap in a city like this?

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Dad told me the $2,100 sublet in Chicago would save me money, and I hate that he was right | City Living Regrets - Free To Speak