Regardless of whether you’re renting an apartment for yourself or with roommates, it wont take you too long before you realize that your wallet is getting a bit tighter. Apartment living is a lifestyle that requires creativity and a little investment at the beginning to prolong your savings. Usually when we think of saving, the first thing that comes to mind is “spending less”. That kind of advice oversimplifies the reality of our needs. Smart shopping and investing is key. Here are 3 money-saving tips to make your apartment living more cost-efficient.
Save Energy
According to U.S Energy Information Administration, apartments are the highest leading energy-consuming housing type after mobile homes. What does this say about those of us living in apartments? We need to definitely take it down a notch when it comes to our energy use. An unnecessarily high electricity or heating bill is not doing your wallet or the environment any good.
Things you can do to save energy (and make your apartment living easier and cheaper):
- Plug electronics into a power strip, and when you’re done, turn the strip off.
- If you have a computer, consider buying a laptop instead. Want to keep your computer? When not using your computer, set it to sleep or hibernate mode, it will use less electricity.
- Unplug battery chargers.
- Buy CFL bulbs, which are made for energy efficiency.
- Buy motion detector lights for outdoor and indoor lighting. An investment worth considering as it’ll save you tons of money on your future light bills.
- Shorten showers to cut hot water costs.
Just Buy One- No Duplicates
When you’re out shopping, whether it’s for groceries or clothing, always think about what you already have. If you’re thinking of buying that black coat when you already have 2 hanging in your closet, STOP IT RIGHT THERE. There really shouldn’t be an explanation for why you should put it back. To avoid this, yes…the list is a useful and always will be a good idea to have with you when you’re out shopping. Remember apartment living requires strategy. Another poor habit that many of us could be guilty of, is that we tend to buy food/drinks/items when we’re out when we already have that item at home. If you’re a coffee/tea drinker, bring your favorite tea packets or prepare your coffee in a thermostat coffee mug to keep it nice and warm throughout your day.
Rent or Borrow Items
If you’re short on space and/or on money, this is a great option. This is also perfect for someone on a short apartment lease. Consider borrowing from friends or family, most of the time your family or friends have items they want to get rid of, so don’t forget to check in with them also!
Items you can rent include:
- tools
- bed frames
- furniture
- fitness/sports equipment
- camping gear
You can even rent dogs, but considering that you’re living in an apartment, that might be an issue, for a day trip? Maybe.
As you probably already know, there a tons of money-saving tips and advice all over the web. But when it comes to apartment living, specific strategies are highly needed. Many people talk about saving energy, but saving energy is more than just switching the lights off. Catching yourself when you’re buying a duplicate of an already owned item will save you tons. Lastly, renting isn’t limited to just cars and textbooks, take advantage of the many different types of items you can rent and make your apartment living easier and cheaper.
For more tips from your local Pasadena property management company visit our blog.