Quick tips on budget moving.

     Typically most people getting their first apartment do not need professional movers. They are expensive and moving yourself is a great way to save that extra cash. Depending on how far away you are moving from your current resident, you will most likely be able to just use your own car and possibly borrow a friend who owns a truck. If you decided to move a couple hours away or you don't have access to a truck, than your best bet is to rent a moving van. You can usually get them fairly cheap,  I believe Uhaul starts at around 15-20 dollars a day for a truck or small moving van, which is all you will really need if your doing everything yourself. Now the hardest part is once you get everything moved and your unloading into your new place, where are you going to put everything? The easiest way to do this is just have all your boxes labeled. Kitchen, bath, bedroom, living room, etc. That way you can just put those boxes in their designated rooms and then once your done unpacking you can rearrange to your liking. Now the furniture you currently have may not fit just the way you like so eventually you may have to sell stuff and buy different furniture etc. That is what we will discuss in the next one. How to organize and maximize space.

Rental Application

  Above is a basic example of a rental application that I got off of Google images. You will need to give your personal information and previous addresses for credit checks as well as if you have any rental history. They also ask for employer information because you must make a certain amount or you have to have a co-signer. They usually require the person to make 3 times the rent and the same goes for the co-signer.

Co-Signer
   For those of you that are wanting the freedom to be on your own and don't want a co-signer to control anything than there is nothing to worry about. A co-signer is someone who basically vouches for you and agrees that you will pay the rent and if you don't they are responsible. A co-signer has no power to get a key to your apartment or make decisions unless you give the manager permission to allow them.

Processing Fee
  When you do apply for an apartment most places will charge you a processing fee which can run anywhere from five dollars to thirty dollars per adult. What this covers is the cost to have a credit check done. Almost always these processing fees are taken off of the first months rent. Make sure that the application is filled out correctly with no mistakes on personal information otherwise you may have to re-submit another application.

References
  References refer to previous rental history. For, new renters your parents do not count unless you have a contract that states you are actually paying rent and how long. It is better to have a long history at one residency than it is to have short history at different residents, but either way as long as its a good history and no evictions, excessive complaints, etc it will be acceptable.

Lease Agreement
  Once the application and credit checks are done and you are approved to live there than you will have to fill out the lease agreement. The lease agreement is where you acknowledge that you accept the terms and conditions of your stay. It will have your monthly rent and information on how to pay rent, when to pay and late fees. There will also be literature about all the ammenites, laundry room agreement, pool rules, parking, maintenance, inspections and so on. There is a lot of paper work but it is usually good to read most of it, especially about rent and late fees and guest information. It will take you am hour or so read before you sign just so you know what your getting into. Once all of that is done you will finally get your key, along with any parking permit, laundry cards, etc.

 Now that all the important paperwork and agreements are taking care of it's time to move in and enjoy your new place. Next movers or move yourself....

Welcome to Surviving Apartment Life!!

      Your first apartment, true independence. The excitement is overwhelming and your imagination runs wild. You have already picked out every piece of furniture, your dishes, towels, entertainment, etc. Only one problem.....you forgot the apartment. Then panic takes over, "Where should I look?", "What should I look for?", "Room mates or no room mates?", "Help!!!" Relax, you have come to the right place. The first step, which is one of the hardest, is to plan a budget. This is very important!! I learned the hard way and struggled a lot. The benefit of a budget will help you lay out exactly what you can afford and what you can't. Remember, your responsible for everything, so factor in electricity/gas, water/garbage(typically paid for by landlord), any cable or satellite tv, and renter's insurance. Create a budget on paper or on the computer and print out and take a month to put money in the bank because not only will you need to pay your first month of rent but also a security deposit, which is usually one month of rent but can also be a lot more. Once you have that all figure out and you know how much of an apartment you can afford, now it is time to look.
     Figure out what is most important to you. Would you really use that extra storage of a garage or would you rather have a larger apartment for a home business or school work. Do you need that dog you have always wanted right now or can you settle for a fish? Make a list of what is most important and what you can do with out and look online or in free publications you can get at the grocery store and even look in the paper. Look for the amenities that you must have and see what is in your price range. Call on apartments you are interested in and schedule a walk through so you can can see the apartments first hand and get a feel for the neighbor hood. Another option is to search online for reviews on the apartment. Just pick your favorite search engine and type in the apartment name along with the word review and read what other people thought of the community, the management and the apartments themselves. Once you have decided on an apartment its paperwork time.

Next: Rental application, references, co-signers and more...