Posts Tagged ‘Paying Rent’

Kiplinger’s Guide to Apartment Renting

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A user passed along this article as a good overview of how to get the most out of your rental, and we thought you might find it interesting and informative. Here's a summary from the full article; click the link below to read these tips and the comments from this top personal finance website publisher. read more

Should You Get a Tax Refund Loan to Pay Your Rent?

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It sounds like it's too good to be true. Tax preparers will do your taxes, file them and you will get your tax refund money today. The rent is due, the credit card is carrying a balance too high and the old computer now takes over 10 minutes to boot up. The government has been holding it all year and refund time is like a holiday. April 15th should be a federal holiday and a day off work. Do they really want to stimulate the economy? Above all, that refund money is yours, you deserve it and you shouldn't have to wait another day, right? read more

Charging Your Rent on a Credit Card

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These days, it seems like you can charge anything on a credit card: bus passes, school tuition, even a pack of gum. One thing that does get people pulling out their checkbook month after month is rent. Even this is slowly starting to change. Across the country, more and more apartment complexes are accepting credit cards for rental payments. We spoke to building managers and landlords across the country to see whether they allow tenants to pay rent on a credit card. read more

How Much Money Do You Need to Move?

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We often decide to move apartments to help improve our financial situation: for a better job or more affordable housing. Unfortunately, the process of moving always seems to be more expensive than we anticipate. The little costs we don't think about can really add up. If you want to avoid that unexpectedly low checking-account balance, it helps to make a budget as soon as you decide to move. read more

What Does Your Landlord Know About You?

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After you've found that perfect apartment to move into, the rental application you may have to submit is easy to forget about. You fill in your contact information, check a few boxes and hope for a positive phone call in the coming days. While most renters assume their landlords know something about their histories, most don't know quite how much a landlord can learn about you from your rental application. read more

How Rent Prices Are Determined

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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? read more

Tips for Lowering Your Monthly Rent on Move-In

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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? read more

Tips for Splitting Rent Among Roommates

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Dirty dishes, late-night noise, unwanted guests: These roommate conflicts pale in comparison to disputes over paying rent. When you first move in to a new apartment, or if new roommates join you in your current place, you'll have to work out the best way to split the rent among all the tenants. Resolving this issue amicably and openly sets the stage for good roommate relations in the future. Unfortunately, there is no blueprint for how rent should be split. The lease given to you by your landlord will usually indicate the total amount of rent due each month but will not provide guidance on how to split the rent. Here are some typical ways tenants divide rent and some other factors to consider. read more

Getting a Loan to Pay Rent

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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. read more