The advantages of renting a home are numerous: no property taxes paying, your utilities bills are lower, and your insurance is quite inexpensive unlike the homeowner’s. Nevertheless, the rent expenses are still there, not making it any easier on you to save for the home you could potentially own. However, there are a few suggestions that will help you keep the rent at the minimum.
1. Live With a Roommate
This is probably the best option for anyone, because it will cost half the rent’s standard amount. Not everyone can live with a roommate, but try to adjust for your own good. Not only will the rent expenses be lower, but also you will be able to save the money for some other necessities. Cleaning supplies are for example the one thing you could agree to buy together.
2. Think Twice Before Moving In
Do not decide to start living on your own on the spur of the moment. It is paramount you have all the facts together, and realize whether this is actually the right decision for you. Think about the distance from your future home and your work, for example. Moreover, consider carefully the area you want to live in, whether it is more costly or not.
3. Do the Extra Work Around the Home
If you are willing to help a landlord from time to time, he will probably be willing to cut down your rental expenses. Shoveling snow and cleaning out the gutters is the perfect job you can help with, if you are renting a house. On the other hand, your landlord will be grateful if you decide on refinishing the cabinets and painting the walls in the apartment, for a lower rent. Both you and your landlord will benefit from this, because he will not have to pay someone else to do the work, and you will save some money that month.
4. Help Other Tenants As Well
It is always great to know a little bit about everything, and if you know your way around the maintenance, you are a lucky person. This could give you the opportunity to live rent-free. If you are expected to do the high maintenance jobs that involve plumbing, or electricity fixing you should be highly qualified for that, so that you do not inflict even bigger damage. Therefore, you could simply offer to pay attention to any potential problems that can appear around the property, and let the landlord know immediately if something goes wrong. That might not leave you completely rent-free, but it could lower your expenses significantly.
5. Be Prepared to Adjust
You might not like the idea to live in an old apartment, but your rent payment will be a lot lower than the one in a new building. It is certainly not good to accept to live in a shack of a place or the building is nearly crumbling, but well-maintained older homes are both comfortable and inexpensive.
6. It Is OK To Live With Your Parents
You can always move back with mom and dad if you cannot go on with paying rent. They will be glad to have you back home, and you might even find a better payed job in the meantime, and start saving for the place of your own.
Having all facts in mind, it is time to think and decide whether it is time to rent a place or not. If you are already renting an apartment, these suggestions will definitely help you cut down the expenses. If you are still not living on your own, this will be a great prelude to what you can expect when you start renting a home.
