Should You Buy Renters Insurance? Pros and Cons

September 11, 2019 | By Stella M AuthorMy First Apartment

The word insurance can send shivers down many a spine. In healthcare, for example, insurance is the divide between paying a modest amount for healthcare and going into extreme long-term debt. In renting, though, insurance is not nearly as dramatic. Renters insurance is usually quite modestly priced and straightforward. For a generally affordable monthly or…

How Should You Deal With an Unruly Neighbor?

September 9, 2019 | By Stella M AuthorMy First Apartment

You’ve put down a deposit on your dream apartment. The ceilings are super high, the hardwood floors are gorgeous, you have tons of space, the kitchen is huge, and you live in a quiet, convenient location. However, after moving in, you’ve discovered something you couldn’t quite have known before moving in: One of your neighbors…

Five Steps For Finding The Perfect Short-Term Rental

September 5, 2019 | By Stella M AuthorMy First Apartment

Chances are, when you move into your new apartment, you’ll be signing a one-year lease with your landlord. The long-term housing stability that a one-year lease offers is ideal for most people – moving is a chore, and years can pass in your life without major income or location changes. Leases shorter than a year…

What Are HOAs? How Renters Should Navigate Them

September 3, 2019 | By Stella M AuthorMy First Apartment

Renting an apartment from a landlord or management company is par for the course, but renting a townhome is a less common occurrence. A townhome, as compared to an apartment, a rowhome, or even a standalone home on a suburban street, is part of a larger living community where certain rules apply. An organization called…

What Are The Best Ways To Find New Roommates?

August 30, 2019 | By Stella M AuthorMy First Apartment

In 2017, 32 percent of the U.S. population lived in shared households. In other words, nearly one in every three Americans has a roommate or a housemate. Yet almost anyone who’s lived with other people will agree that finding someone to live with is one of the biggest challenges of looking for an apartment. Once…

What Should You Do If Your Roommate Is Moving Out?

August 27, 2019 | By Stella M AuthorMy First Apartment

Having a roommate is one of the easiest ways to keep living costs low. You’ll split the rent and utilities, and you might share responsibilities for stocking household goods. If you’re especially apt on making your roommate situation as financially fair as possible, you might just wind up splitting all expenses with your roommate –…

The Ultimate Apartment Bathroom Checklist

August 23, 2019 | By Stella M AuthorMy First Apartment

Although your bathroom might be the smallest room in your apartment, you’ll need a good number of supplies to make the best of it. Basics ranging from toilet paper to towels don’t just magically come with your apartment. It may even fall upon you to furnish your bathroom; you may be surprised that basics like…

How Long Do You Need To Look For A New Apartment?

August 20, 2019 | By Stella M AuthorMy First Apartment

You’ve made the decision to move to a new apartment. You’ve figured out the maximum rent you can afford, how much you can spend on moving and new furnishings, and when you want to move. But you’re still a bit stressed – you still need to find the actual apartment. Once you’ve figured out your…

Help! I Want To Save But My Friends Love Going Out

August 15, 2019 | By Stella M AuthorMy First Apartment

Going out with friends to a restaurant, club, bar, or show is sure to be a fun time, but it sure doesn’t come for free! That $13 burger, $20 club cover, or $40 show ticket – not to mention the cost of getting to and from your apartment – adds up over time. If your…

Can You Really Stick to a $200 Monthly Grocery Budget?

August 13, 2019 | By Stella M AuthorMy First Apartment

It’s pretty much common sense that buying groceries and making your own food at home is a way less expensive alternative to ordering delivery or take-out or grabbing a bite at your local bar, cafe, or restaurant. Yet monthly grocery costs can still add up quickly, with many households reporting that they spend several hundreds…