Saving Money

Although living in a tiny space gives apartment dwellers an edge on keeping electricity bills low, rising energy costs are forcing everyone to conserve. Whether you care about your wallet or the environment, it makes sense to do what you can to cut back on energy usage. Here are some tips to help you lower your energy usage and save money on electricity — without turning your life upside down.

Fill the fridge. A full refrigerator is more energy efficient than an empty one. It may not make sense at first; doesn’t having more stuff to cool require more energy? It does, but only initially. Once the items in your fridge are chilled, the lack of empty space is what helps to keep the interior cool.

One of the biggest drains on the refrigerator comes every time you stand in front of the open door, deliberating about what to eat. Warm air enters the interior and has to be cooled when the door is shut. A full refrigerator has less space for that warm air to fill and cold food that is better able to retain a low temperature.

No matter how good a deal you have on your rent, eventually you’ll hear about someone who has it better. And then just when you start to feel bad for yourself, you’ll meet someone who’s paying an arm and a leg for a place much smaller than yours. When you think about the wide range of rents in your city, you’ll start to wonder –- how do landlords figure out how much to charge?

For most people, it would be unthinkable to buy a car without negotiating at the dealership. Why, then, do so few people bother to negotiate their rent? Perhaps it’s because we think of our apartment rent in the same way we think of dinner out at a restaurant — the price is simply non-negotiable. Except sometimes, rent is negotiable … the trick is negotiating in the right way. But what’s the best way to go about it?

Renting a place where your landlord doesn’t supply major appliances? The reasons to buy energy efficient home appliances just keep getting more convincing. Not only are they better for the environment, they will probably be better for your wallet. Although their initial cost may be higher, energy efficient appliances can pay for themselves in what you save in electricity, water and heating bills. Look for appliances that have earned the Energy Star qualification. These meet strict energy efficiency requirements set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the US Department of Energy. Before making a new purchase, consider resource efficient options for some of these common appliances.

When it’s time to renew your lease, you don’t necessarily have to succumb to your landlord’s demands. If you’ve been a good tenant, you can engage in some savvy negotiation to get a better deal. It’s always easier for the apartment management to have a guaranteed good tenant than to have to seek out a new tenant with unknown payment and residential habits. These suggestions may help you get on your way to negotiating a better agreement with your landlord when re-signing your lease.

You’re short on cash and need to pay rent within the next few days or incur late fees that you really can’t afford. If you’re strapped for cash, you might consider exploring some online loan options. Online lenders are somewhat sketchy and may charge rather exorbitant interest rates or fees, so be aware of this when using such services. Obtaining a loan through your bank or paying with a credit card may be better options. If you don’t qualify for a loan or a credit card, you may have to resort to these online services. Before borrowing money, however, make sure you completely understand the agreement you’re entering into. When you’re already short on cash, you don’t want to get stuck having to pay back more money than you borrowed. If you know you have money coming, though, an online loan may be an acceptable option.

Maybe you’ve been dreading the summer for months—the high electricity bills due to constant air-conditioning, the expensive road trips in gas-guzzling cars to visit relatives or swim at the beach, the need to buy a new wardrobe that doesn’t suffocate you when the temperature rises above 75 degrees. Fear not: this will be your least expensive summer ever, thanks to the following money-saving tips.

How can you save money on rent? The answers seem obvious: shop around, ask friends, live in a smaller place or a less developed area. There are other ways to pinch pennies, however—just read on for more details!

A good credit rating is a requirement for taking up tenancy in a swanky apartment. If you’re stuck living in flood-prone places with cracked windows and noisy neighbors (made even noisier by the super-thin walls), think about boosting your credit rating so you can qualify to live somewhere a little bit nicer.