Many people are struggling to afford the high cost of living in the Bozeman area. I live in Manhattan and have to commute to Bozeman for work every day.

I bought a house in Manhattan in 2018 due to the fact that I wasn't able to afford a home within Bozeman's city limits. The commute can be rough, especially during the winter. Things have definitely gotten worse and it's become more difficult to survive here if you're not wealthy.

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Recently, I made the tough decision to sell my pickup. I own a 1995 Toyota with slightly over 110,000 miles. It's rare due to the low mileage. When I first bought it, I had intended to only drive it on occasion due to the fact that I had a more fuel-efficient vehicle to use as a daily driver. It seemed like a great plan until my fuel-efficient Subaru Outback broke down. That left me with only one option, and that was to use my pickup as my primary means of transportation.

Jesse James
Jesse James
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Here's the deal. I only get 8 miles to the gallon and commuting from Manhattan every day is expensive. I wish I could afford to buy another car, but the only way that's possible is if I sell my pickup. It's literally the last thing I want to do, but something that I need to do if I want to continue to live in Bozeman. I've run out of options. I'm grateful to be employed and I work full-time in Bozeman. I can't imagine what it's like for people less fortunate than I am.

Jesse James
Jesse James
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It breaks my heart to see it go, but sometimes we all have to make sacrifices. I'm doing everything that I can think of to simply stay afloat. I'm thankful for all of the memories I've made while I've owned it.

What sacrifices have you had to make in order to afford Bozeman's high cost of living?

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