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…

This is How Much You’ll Save in Rent by Living With Roommates in Top 25 Markets

April 27, 2017 | By MFA Editors AuthorMy First Apartment

Our first apartment budgeting boot camp continues with a roommates edition. Today we show you how much you’ll save living with roommates vs. getting your own place. What do you save getting a 2BR with one roommate vs. a 3BR with two roommates? Luckily for us, the real estate site Trulia.com has collected information about…

Do You NEED Roommates?

March 23, 2017 | By Sarah AuthorMy First Apartment

With graduation and moving season around the corner, there are tons of people in the market for their very first apartment. One of the most fun parts of living alone is the independence you gain. From managing your monthly bills and making meals to locking up for vacation, living alone will teach you a lot about…

5 Tips to Save Money for Moving Out

March 2, 2017 | By Sarah AuthorMy First Apartment

When you’re on the hunt for your first place, a HUGE thing to remember is that you need to have about 3 TIMES your expected rent ready to go. This money goes towards paying a security deposit equal to (at least) one month’s rent, your first month’s rent due on signing of the lease, plus…

New Year’s Resolutions You Can Actually Keep

December 30, 2016 | By Alex AuthorMy First Apartment

These simple money tips by Alex, originally published three years ago, will give your 2017 a great start. Maybe last year’s resolution to hit the gym and drop 10 pounds didn’t work out so well, nor did that plan to write a best seller. Perhaps you were over-reaching a bit. Luckily, a new year means new beginnings and…

6 Rules for Staying on Budget in a New City

December 6, 2016 | By Kalee AuthorMy First Apartment

Moving is exciting. Budgeting is stressful. Moving to a new city with a higher cost of living while trying to stay within budget is a unique combination of exciting and stressful. You want to explore the new city and discover your new favorite spots, restaurants and shops, but you also have to follow the rules of…

5 Free Money Tracking Apps That Are Great For Staying Within Budget

November 1, 2016 | By Audra AuthorMy First Apartment

Unless you’re a boss when it comes financial responsibility, it’s likely there have been one (or many) times in your life that you’d made purchases without considering the consequences on your budget. (Guilty.) If you haven’t had the (dis)pleasure of receiving a lovely overdraft fine, let me go ahead and clue you in on a little…

Save or Splurge: Food Shopping Edition

August 14, 2016 | By Sarah AuthorMy First Apartment

Starting to cook in your first place can be overwhelming, especially before you get very familiar with your grocery store or market. It’s easy to go overboard when food shopping (especially as you figure out how much you actually eat before it goes bad!)…so follow these tips and learn what you should SAVE money on…

5 Recommended Money Management Apps

August 11, 2016 | By J Simpson AuthorMy First Apartment

Having all of your money available digitally can be great. It lets you pay your bills, at any time, no matter where you; buy things online that you can’t find anywhere; shop for the best deals; even the ability to pay with your phone. Unfortunately, all of the things that make digital currency so great…

How to Create a Basic Budget

July 28, 2016 | By Kalee AuthorMy First Apartment

Creating a budget is one of the most important steps in keeping your finances in order. When you move into your first apartment, you’ll have to pay for necessities, such as rent, utilities, and groceries, while also being able to afford many other monthly bills, including commuting or car payments, student loan payments, phone, cable…