Gift Ideas from $0 to $15 for Everyone on Your List

December 3, 2017 | By Taylor AuthorMy First Apartment

I have love/hate relationship when it comes to giving gifts. I love that moment of finding the perfect gift for someone and knowing how much they’ll like it, but I hate the sometimes arduous process of actually figuring out what the perfect gift is, not to mention the how much lighter my wallet feels after every holiday…

The Ultimate Money Hack: Living Beneath Your Means

November 7, 2017 | By Sarah AuthorMy First Apartment

Moving into your first apartment is big. It’s huge! A life milestone you’ll never forget. Living in your first place can make you feel like a real adult: independent, savvy, and ready to take on the world. The only problem? Wanting to live bigger and better than your Instagram peers can lead you to trouble…

3 Ways to be More Thrifty This Week

October 25, 2017 | By Sarah AuthorMy First Apartment

It’s pretty easy to be wasteful, and sometimes it’s important to take a step back and ensure you’re getting the most out of your belongings, your paycheck, and your life! A great way to do so is implement a few “thrifty” habits into your daily routine. These habits will not only help you save a…

My First Apartment Furniture Purchases: Prices and Product Reviews

October 19, 2017 | By Taylor AuthorMy First Apartment

Buying your first furniture can be really fun, but it can also stressful when you have dozens of different options and don’t know which ones to choose. It’s especially hard if you’re ordering online and don’t have the chance to see the product in person before making your decision. In an effort to alleviate some…

7 Local Happening Apps To Find Fun, Free Things To Do In Your Neighborhood

September 16, 2017 | By J Simpson AuthorMy First Apartment

Moving into your first apartment can be both exciting and scary – you have the freedom to do what you want, when you want, but what if you can’t afford to have fun? Local happening apps help alleviate that fear, making it easy to find affordable things to do in your area. Find out what’s…

Grocery Coupons and Sales: Are You Really Saving Money?

September 2, 2017 | By Taylor AuthorMy First Apartment

Shopping sales and using coupons are a great ways to save money, but only if you’re using them the right way. If you’re not, they can actually end up costing you a lot more. This is especially true if you are just learning to shop for one person. The tips here are focuses on grocery…

How Meal Prep Can Save You Serious $$$

August 16, 2017 | By Sarah AuthorMy First Apartment

Saving up for a big vacation? Saving to move out? Saving for a new car? Unfortunately, money doesn’t exactly grow on trees. But, what if I told you that you have more money than you ever imagined? The key to unlock some extra cash? MEAL PREP! Now, I know you’ve heard about meal prep from…

Budgeting Boot Camp: Printable Apartment Budgeting Worksheet

August 8, 2017 | By MFA Editors AuthorMy First Apartment

Our Budgeting Boot Camp continues. We are getting a high volume of comments from our readers to our budgeting-related posts Rent Calculator, How Much Rent Can I Afford on My Hourly Pay, How Much Money Do You Need to Save to Move Out, and others, asking for help with estimating first apartment living expenses. In…

Help! My Roommate is A Bad Money Manager

July 13, 2017 | By Sarah AuthorMy First Apartment

We all know that person…the one who just seems to be a terrible money manager! From over-spending to under-saving, this friend is the one always scrambling to make ends meet because they simply spend money they don’t have. The situation is much worse when this friend is also your roommate! What to do when your…

How to Turn Into a Penny Pinching Millennial

June 25, 2017 | By Kristen AuthorMy First Apartment

Being at the forefront of adulthood is a tricky phase to manage. We are looking for a new job, trying to navigate the world outside the college cocoon, and calculating how we could ever afford to leave our parents’ house. We may feel just lost for a while but slowly we all catch up, start…