Bills and Thrills

Now, we discussed ways to get extra money to pay for the bills that you have, but we haven’t discussed how to minimize those bills, and one of the most common bills that people worry about is their rent or mortgage. So, what can you do to tame this large bill? Is there any way to cut costs?

Yes, when it comes to your rent or mortgage, there are a couple of things that you can do to help you pay this large bill. The first thing that you need to consider is whether or not you qualify for a rental or mortgage assistance program in your area. To do this, you would have to research whether your county or state has a program that helps with these costs and you would have to fill out the application that they provide to see if you fit their criteria.

If you don’t fit the criteria for this type of program, then it might be time to reconsider your living situation all together. Maybe, it is time to decide whether an apartment or a house is better for your needs. For instance, you might want to work towards owning a house, but you might not be in the situation to pay for broken appliances like refrigerators or water heaters. If this is the case, you might want to consider taking in a roommate to help cover these costs. This might make it so you can still live in the place that you are paying off while still having the extra money to pay for broken appliances. Having a roommate might also help when it comes to the tedious task of mowing the lawn or shoveling snow.

If you live in an apartment, you might want to see if the apartment manager is looking for someone to help out around the complex. Sometimes, they will hire people to clean the hallways or help with maintenance issues, and in return, they might give you a discount on your rent. Though this might seem like a little extra work, the amount that they take off your rent at the end of the month might help you move closer to your goals.

If you haven’t yet moved but are looking to move, then consider the prices of your prospective homes and your income. You don’t want to rent or buy a place that takes every dollar you earn. You want to leave a cushion in there so you can pay utilities and moving costs. So, try not to pick a place that is at the tippy top of your budget. Instead, find a place that allows you to keep a couple hundred dollars after the bill is paid so you can attend to unexpected costs.

Also, if you are moving and you are trying to figure out whether buying a house or renting an apartment is better for your needs, assess the situation. If you buy a house, you will be liable for any broken appliances. Most places don’t come with all of the appliances that you will need, so you will have to buy them. Also, if you do buy a house, you will be in charge of maintaining your lawn and shoveling snow if that is an issue that occurs in your area. Calculate the costs and the time that it will take to do all of this and decide if this is still something that you want. You might find that the time and the money that it takes to do all of these things doesn’t work with your plan, and this might save you a headache before you are faced with situations that you aren’t yet ready for.