Searching for a college apartment as a college student is never fun when forced to consider something that’s reasonably affordable. Thankfully, those who rent apartments to students already know this, and it’s possible to find and negotiate good deals. In other cases, you just need to be resourceful on your own in order to find the best solution to saving money.
Here are four ways that you can save money on a college apartment:
Look for an Apartment Near Your College
A surefire way to save money on your college apartment is finding one that’s near your college. Walking to campus is the best thing for you since driving is always a strain on finances. With gas prices still volatile in various cities (and car insurance premiums always expensive), having to commute to college in a car daily is near impossible when you’re working on a strict budget.
Ideally, finding an apartment within a 1/2 mile from your school gives you the opportunity to save money by walking or riding a bike, while gaining the benefits of exercise. This also saves you money rather than living in a dorm on campus, which will always cost you more.
Negotiate Rent
The Chicago Tribune once noted that rent is more negotiable for students in recent years than ever. Some apartments near colleges offer free rent for the first month, or at least free utilities. Negotiating on rent is also a common occurrence, especially with apartments competing with one another locally.
An effective way to negotiate in this instance is to haggle, which not everybody has experience in doing. However, if you’ve ever seen it done in retail stores, you know meeting in the middle on a price is a near art form.
By letting a landlord know you could have rent for $50 cheaper in a nearby apartment, a haggle on rent could mean an even better deal in the apartment you’re considering. With rent continually being more expensive than a generation ago, always look for deals in apartments that cater to students, because many of them do.
Inspect Your Apartment to Avoid Losing a Security Deposit
Security deposits are a way to gain money back once you move from your apartment. Regardless, keep in mind that any damage in your apartment could be pinned on you, hence the manager keeping some or all of the security deposit amount for repairs.
This is why having a full inspection of your apartment when you first move in will save you money in the long run. Note anything needing fixing in your apartment to the owner-manager so they’re aware that you didn’t cause the damage in your time living there. If you receive your security deposit in full once moving out, you’ll ultimately have money ahead.
New College Apartments Built from Shipping Containers
A recent report from USA Today noted a brilliant new concept for students to save money: Apartments made of giant shipping containers. You’ve perhaps seen these steel shipping containers at ports, and many of them are unusable after they arrive on our shores.
Rather than having them go to waste, these containers get used in constructing economical apartments designed for students. One in particular in Huntsville, Texas was recently built within walking distance of Sam Houston State University with the intention of much lower rents than you’d find in any other apartment locally.
These shipping container apartments are starting to pop up both here in the United State and overseas as construction materials continue to balloon in price. Let’s hope more of them get built as a way to help college students already struggling to pay for college avoid exorbitant rents just for a decent living space.
These are just some of the ways you can save money when looking for college apartments. Have some tips of your own? Let us know in the comments below.
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The four ways mentioned here in this article to save money on college apartments is really helpful for students especially those who are on a tight budget. The suggestion to look for apartments created out of shipping containers is a great one as these are expected to be cheaper than the others. The importance of fully inspecting the apartment and noting things that need fixing before moving in, is generally ignored and many students fail to get back their security deposit. It’s a must read for college students who want to save money on apartments.
I’m with you guys for the most part but college was financially the most stressful time in my early life. I had to pay a lot out of pocket and didn’t qualify for much financial aid. One of the ways I saved a ton was by finding a place 2 off campus that was only 3 miles away. I saved like almost 150 a month plus water and directv were included! can’t beat that and it was usually a 5 minute drive in the morning, which i didn’t mind because it was the perfect time to get my morning boost of coffee. So follow these guys advice, but do this as well!
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