#basically I'm paying 30-50% more for all food I buy

[sobeautifullyobsessed]

Still coping with homelessness and doing my best to count my blessings when I can.

Though I still haven't found a permanent home within my means, I'm happy to share that I have a safe place to stay since last night and for the next six nights. It's a huge relief not to have to scrabble every couple of days to find a place to lay my head (including the breakroom at work), and I'm so grateful to have access to hot showers and a bed.

However...

The bad news is that this comes at the cost of leaving me severly cash strapped. Between my checking account and my pocketbook, I've got exactly $40 to last until my next paycheck (August 31). I have groceries enough to feed me the next few days and under a quarter tank of gas (the only driving I do is back & forth to work). So, as much as I don't want to ask for help again, I must because next Thursday is still ten days away. The town food shelf is open one morning a week, and that's while I'm scheduled to work. I would greatly appreciate any donations people can spare to bridge me to the 31st.

As always, thank you in advance for your understanding and kindness!💗Even a reblog could make a crucial difference in my situation.

my kofi

[cleverclovers]

So. I need to start a new post because all the updates on the old one was making it quite long and cumbersome.

I'm 50$ short for rent after buying cat and household supplies. Rent is due by the 7th. I'm out of food until the 9th, when I can go grocery shopping with my food stamps. I need to pick up my meds, which means I need money for transportation, because my pharmacy is too far for me to walk.

Edit, January 3 2023: My math was wrong, I'm 62$ short for rent.

My com missions are open, my prices are ridiculously low because my turn around time is long. Donations are welcome. Pay/pal (a.m.gandall@gmail.com), ven/mo and ca/sh app are available options ($rosesinclover), as are ko-fi and pa/tre/on for more long term solutions (rosesinclover).

Sketches: 10

Ink: 30

basic/flat color: 60

Full color: 120

[seoz-seoz]

Note: temporarily closed, thank you everyone, I will reopen with more slots soon!

💥💥I'm opening emergency commissions!!!💥💥

❤️ Please reblog and consider ordering a commission from me!! I am in a really really tough spot now. (You can read under the cut if you're curious as to what's going on.) ❤️

5 slots are open for now!!!!

These are *emergency* commissions, so prices are REDUCED and you can now get 2 CHARACTERS FOR THE PRICE OF ONE!! (That means the listed prices are for 1-2 characters. For three or more characters, add 50% of the base price for each.)

Please email me at seoz.artwork@gmail.com if you're interested! You can also DM me with questions.

~ PRICES ~

Line art

$ 15 head/bust

$ 25 waist up

$ 35 full body

Greyscale or Flat Color

$ 20 head/bust

$ 35 waist up

$ 50 full body

Full rendering

$ 30 head/bust

$ 55 waist up

$ 80 full body

✨️ What I'm offering right now is simplified due to the urgency of my situation. i.e. no complex details or backgrounds. PLEASE READ THE TERMS OF SERVICE & THE HOW-TO SHEETS ABOVE! There is alt text for all the images. ✨️

Context below if you're interested 🧡

This past year has been very very hard for me. I am physically disabled, I have chronic pain, and i have had numerous new health issues. And the last year alone I had to have 3 major surgeries on both of my hips. The surgery costs are insane, plus paying for the long hospital stays, all my different meds, my doctor appointments, etc etc... Basically it’s been a lot of medical payments. So I have been very limited physically, in a LOT of pain, crazy medical bills, and most importantly- unable to work for pretty much this whole year.

My future is very uncertain right now.. the person that has been my caretaker (and letting me live with them/helping with food costs) can no longer afford to take care of me or let me live with them. I have to move out as soon as possible. But as of now I have no where to go, no money, and no job, and severe physical limitations and pain. I have been in the process of applying for benefits but here it usually takes over a year to get it, if you're lucky.

So, I'd really appreciate if you'd share this or think of buying a commission!

Thank you for reading <3

[darlenealive]

Back from my Scandi vacation!

Felt like I took it for granted leaving my brain back in SG and letting Ax do the planning and the navigating. I brought my spirits though! Spending my day off today looking back at the trip which was such a great use of my time. Really appreciating this extra day off after my vacation.

Some tips for Norway and Denmark travels first

1. It's cashless even in the small towns. Cash was more of a liability as it forced us to spend it all

2. Hotels cost as much as Airbnb for 2 pax so opt for hotels as there's guaranteed shampoo, soap, hair dryer, heating and laundry. Most of our airbnbs were missing soap or shampoo which we didn't bring any of, in order to travel lighter. The bnbs we stayed in were also commercialised houses so there's absolutely no feelings attached. Checking in and out would also be more convenient with hotels. We had to return one of our keys from a convenience store which wasn't open in the early morning, in time for our flight.

3. Groceries are marked down on Friday if they expire Monday. If you're in Norway, go to Kiwi or Coop for basic groceries as it seemed to be the cheapest. However, each shop will hv their own discounts (not standardised across the same chain). Eg. We went to a place with 40% discounts on Freia choc which was only available at a particular store.

4. Northern lights chase was the coldest we experienced. Basically, the guide said that if its frost on the floor, it's worse than snow as there's no insulation for your feet. Not the coldest real temperature but coldest we felt. Bring extra clothes and heatpack just in case. The bonfire didn't do anything for me because it's too cold. We went with GuideGunnar which updates its aurora sightings on a daily basis. These guys are crazy and would bring you as far as Sweden just to chase the lights so bring your passports along! They also offer a 50% off the next trip if you don't see it on the day.

5. There's no heat packs there so bring them from home.

6. In Copenhagen, we recommend the Copenhagen card. It's only 65USD for 24hrs and you get free transport, museum pass and boat rides. We only decided to get the card after our boat ride which cost about SGD25-30, which was already a quarter the cost of the card. In Copenhagen, checking of bus tickets was a regular thing.

7. Useful apps for riding public transport: Oslo uses Ruter, Tromsø uses Troms billet, Copenhagen uses Dot tickets. Ticket checking was not very often in Norway. We did not cycle as it felt too cold for more wind to hit our faces.

8. Skip Oslo if you dw to visit a city. We spent 3 nights there and it felt too long. We wanted to do our last minute shopping at Oslo but everything was expensive throughout the whole trip that we started to buy souvenirs earlier when we saw marked down prices. With one more day in Tromsø, we could've gone whale watching.

9. Take into account daylight savings from 29/10. You have 1 more extra hour to sleep but your days are much shorter. We slept a lot because of the cold, about 10hrs of sleep each day and it felt just right.

10. Personally I would have brought instant noodles as the food there isn't flavoured with the same umami as I'm used to. I would also bring a thermal flask there to enjoy my hikes even more, taking a comfortable and warm rest at the peak.

11. If driving, please remember to pay for parking. There's usually a machine to start your parking. Otherwise, the fine is 660NOK. Don't let the rental company settle it as it'll still be billed to you with an extra fee. We would also recommend full insurance since we aren't used to left hand driving and Norway is famous for its narrow roads (at least from Stavanger to Odda where we drove).

12. We used waze for driving and it seemed that speed cameras are only in tunnels but nobody was following the speed limit anyway.

That's about all of the suggestions Ax and I thought of!

Hope these suggestions come in useful for someone.

[creepyscritches]

So I just got two baby rats after taking a break from keeping them consistently since 2013 and it's a good opportunity to lay out the actual cost of getting new rats. They're unassumingly expensive and definitely are not an impulse buy. The only reason I could get them at such short notice is I already had a lot of the base costs covered like bedding, a few toys, and most importantly the enclosure. I'm also pretty financially stable, so the follow up costs were something I already had in place--they're expensive!

Let's break down the cost of day 1, bringing them home. The rats themselves were $25 each, but buy 1 get 1 half off, bringing the total to $37.50. However, they also needed more bedding, a hide, food, and a carrier which quickly adds up. In total, it cost $170 to bring them home w the bare minimum. If I also needed a cage, that total would have been closer to $300 for the smallest appropriate size for 2 rats.

One of the rats had an upper respiratory infection that I spotted immediately upon picking her up. Most rats are already born with the causal organism (mycoplasma) and the rest tend to pick it up from litter mates. Assume you will need a vet visit in the first week to take care of these early URIs (we went today!).

My vet charges $85 for an exotic exam--exotics are usually anything outside of standard dogs and cats, so expect exotic prices for any small pet. I scheduled their appointment the next day after bringing them home (Monday) and had them examined by today (Thursday). These appointments can't wait or else the URI may result in lifelong complications! The vet saw both but only felt the sick rat needed the full exam, so I only had one of the $85 exam fees. Since she needed antibiotics, I also had to pay for 2 prescriptions (this is where the real cost comes in). The vet total came to $210 and both rats are on a 10 day antibiotic regimen. I also picked up several types of baby food to mix the medicine in for around $8.

I also needed ledges and hammocks for their enclosure, which roughly came to $50. I need more than that, so I expect the final total to be around $150. I'll also transition them to a healthier food than they've been eating, but it's pricey as well at around $30 a bag.

So let's tally the cost of 4 days of rat ownership with a relatively stocked starting point.

Rats: $37.50

Initial supplies: $132.50

Cage accessories: $50

Baby food: $8

Vet care: $210

Total cost: $438

So the initial cost of these animals was NOT the sticker on the cage ($37.50), but a whopping $438. I also still need at least $100 more worth of cage pieces and maybe another $100 for replacement trays for their cage's shelves. I very well expect to run upwards of $600 to get them at an acceptable level of care.

ALL of these are mandatory for a healthy rat. We can't skip any of these basic care requirements. Rodents are mischaracterized as "easy low cost pets", but all of them have these huge costs just to have a basic enriching set up. My guinea pigs have the same story and so do all my past hamsters. They're a commitment both emotionally and financially and it's important to have these things lined up when you bring a little dude home!

[returnofahsoka]

Hi Kam! Happy New Year :-) I found out the other day that I'm giving a paper at a conference this summer in Budapest. I apologise for reaching out like this, but you're the only person from Hungary I know, so I was wondering if you have any advice for someone who's never been to Budapest before. Is there anywhere you'd recommend going (especially for an archaeologist)? I'm not sure if I'll have time (or money) to travel outside the city, but I could possibly do a day trip. Sorry if this is a bother :-) - Em

hello and congrats to the conference!!

sorry it's taken me this long to answer but here we gooo

under readmore because it got long lmao

budapest is a truly great city for sightseeing and most things are within walking/reasonable public transport distance from each other so that's pretty cool

here are some sights i know are really worth checking out

buda vár (buda castle), the old royal castle on the hill, along with the mátyás templom (a church, i think it might be a basilica but i never learned the types of churches and at this point i'm too afraid to ask) and the halászbástya (fishermen's bastion)

idk i just love the sziklatemplom a lot (which is another church but it's inside a cave)

parliament (tbh i have never been inside but i guess it's pretty??)

dohány street synagouge (it's one of the biggest synagouges in the world i believe and it's just. gorgeous.)

városliget (a nice park)

hősök tere (heroes' square) that's like the most touristy place in budapest

idk what else. i'll look it up though until then

now for the archaeology part: museums!!

the hungarian national museum (includes archeological and more modern periods)

aquincum (the old roman town on which budapest was found) along with the budapest history museum (includes archaeology specifically within the city)

the museum of fine arts (fine arts + the ancient egyptian and antique collections)

museum of ethnography (it's opening in the summer so you might not be able to see this one, depending on the date of the conference)

the national gallery is also there (more paintings!)

things to do

walk around the city centre. i love it, especially in the spring/summer. just the streets and the houses and ahhhh i miss living there tbh

bathhouses!! they are super famous and also beautiful, i think one of them's been here since the turkish times

eat eat eat. hungarian food is lovely and very very homely. but there's street food and also sweets and like. they are all amazing. you gotta try them

other things to know

the airport bus is the best way to get to the city from the airport

you can buy a 24 hour or 72 hour public transport pass that lets you use everything within the city (including even boats)

day trips to other cities are pretty easy to do. trains are relatively cheap and the furthest you would have to go is like 3 hours i think?

we're part of the eu but our currency isn't euros. many stores accept them, and if you are paying by card then the currency isn't a problem anyway, but i'd recommend having some money bc you never know if the card reader is working/if they accept your foreign credit card/etc. our currency is huf (hungarian forint)

it's a 50/50 chance if the cashier in a store/restaurant will speak english or not. learn a couple basic phrases in hungarian just in case, and you're good to go (i'd be happy to help with that!)

if you are coming here in the summer, it's gonna be HOT. around 30 celsius at least. so be prepared for that

that's all for now, i'll let you know if i think of something else!!

[therealmerbirb]

I'm trying to look up how much ammunitions/arms cost so I can do some math on how much militaries spend on their armies but I'm terrified that looking up things like "how much does an M16 cost" will get me on a watchlist

I only did some light research because of that and I found that military grade M16s are about $30k each. Now let's be generous and say that the army has 10 thousand soldiers in it (since the military of a country is actually a very small percentage of the total population, and typically consists only of able-bodied adults between the ages of 18 and 50). Out of this, let's say that only 5 thousand are armed forces (the rest play roles such as recon, artillery, medics, etc and therefore do not carry their own armaments on a regular basis). This means that this government would need to spend $150 million for these guns to arm everyone (which, if we're gonna throw in ammunition and maintenance equipment, will clock in at around $200M just for that).

Now, let's pile on things such as all of the other stuff. Armor, rations, artillery, transports, tanks, aircraft, soldiers' pay and training, et cetera. Everything else. Including training and upkeep, a typical military class tank should cost around $10M, so larger armies that have a higher number of tanks will have say $300M worth in tanks. We'll also say that in total rations amount to about $10,000 annually per soldier (as a ballpark comparison, a fast food order will run you about $30 if you buy one in the morning and one in the afternoon, so multiply that by 365 and you get about $10k). Going back, we have 10 thousand total military operatives, so this becomes another $100M.

Why am I going on this tangent? Well, let's do some basic math on this. Adding up all of the things listed (soldiers, weapons, tanks, artillery, rations, et cetera) we get approximately $610.01 Million dollars to run the military for a year. Sounds like a lot, right?

But that's not how much an imperial country such as the US spends on its military.

they spend billions on this.

in 2022, the US spent $877 billion on their military. By these calculations, that is enough to fund the military for more than ten years. Of course, the US military is significantly bigger, but given that there is nobody who is actively attacking our country right now there would be no need for this unless we were the ones doing the attacking. Even cutting this number in half and simply choosing to withdraw from half the fights we pick, we would still be spending $438.5 billion AND have $438.5 billion to actually spend on making our country a better place to live in.

This is why people are so angry about the US' military. It's possibly the most colossal waste of resources in world history.

[dogfightz]

wonderful

pairing: ron weasley x oc

year: 4th

warnings: nothing really, just fluff. also i wrote this for myself thinking no one else would see it lmao.

also please note, this oc has a lot of character development, and one of the characters is another oc! for a little backstory, she’s oliver woods younger sister, she’s a ravenclaw and her parnets basically disowned her when they found out. she stayed with remus and dora and the burrow sometimes because her family knew them. but yeah, that’s a little backstory, now please enjoy :)!

(gif made by me!)

-

scarlet woke up bright and early on saturday. you may be asking why but she had a small date with ron weasley today. god, everyone knew. harry, hermione, draco, eva, fred and george(they wouldn't stop talking about it in the common room).

scarlet placed her feet on the blue rug, stepping out of bed as luna looked at her. she was up early. luna smiled at scarlet as she turned the pages of one of the many herbology books around the girls dorm. scarlet smiled backand walked over to her dresser, trying to find an outfit. the girl fished out a blue and yellow flannel, a nude turtle neck, and some black jeans.

scarlet grabbed her clothes and headed to the bathroom. cho was just coming out, she rolled her eyes at scarlet. scarlet was very confused. it seems like cho had became friends with all the mean ravenclaw girls and even some of the mean slytherins, leaving scarlet and luna behind. they weren't very close but it still hurt scarlet.

scarlet ignored cho, and simply walked into the bathroom, throwing her clothes off and getting dressed. she already got a shower the night before to save time. once she was done, she walked back to her dorm with luna, and sent an owl to oliver, her brother.

"Dear Oli,

    How's life? I haven't sent in owl in a few days but I got your letter. Today, I am going to Hogmade with Ron. Just a day with my best friend. Have you heard from mom? Or dad? Let me know.

Snape was talking about how you were so good in potions, saying I should be better. I think it's because I'm friends with Harry. Also, I heard you got the spot on the team! Good for you, I'll be coming to your next game in January. For now, I'll keep sending the letters.

Until next time,

Scarlet R. Wood."

she finished the letter in no time, looking up at the clock. 9:30. ron said to come down for breakfast at 9:35 but she decided to go a bit early. she grabbed her scarf and she headed down to the Great Hall, smiling the whole way.

when she got there it was about 9:33, she was early but it was alright. she saw that ron, hermione, neville, and harry were all out of bed. odd. harry always slept late, maybe it was for training? scarlet didn't question it too much because she was now sitting right next to ron.

"hey, you're early." ron smiled, harry rolled his eyes. why was he was jealous? he liked cho. "of course i am, i'm always early." scarlet replied, taking some pancakes from the table. ron smiled. "i guess you're right.." he replied awkwardly. "well, i've gotta go to hagrids for tea..i'll see you guys later." harry spoke, fixing his glasses. everyone nodded as fred, george, and evanora malfoy came to the breakfast table.

"hey ron! do you remember the protection spell we gave ya?" fred asked, winking. "shove off, fred." ron replied, his face as red as his hair now. scarlet laughed softly. "ronald, you're not embarrassed, are you?" hermione asked, ron rolled his eyes at her. ron was embarrassed but scarlet found it cute. she smiled, and kissed his cheek lightly, making ron even more embarrassed.

-

ron and scarlet walked to the entrance of hogsmeade, scarlet anxiously grabbing his hand. ron smiled. "sorry..i'm just a bit nervous. i heard cho is going to be here....she hates my guts." scarlet chuckled softly. ron nodded softly. "she's a bloody bitch." ron mumbled softly as scarlet began walking towards the candy shop.

as the pair arrived, they spotted luna and neville. the pair was buying some chocolate frogs. scarlet smiled at the pair as ron ran to acid pops. he loved those things, and scarlet had no clue why. "hey ron, why do you like those so much?" scarlet asked coming up behind the boy. he jumped slightly. "you scared me!" he laughed but then shrugged. "but i'm not sure, scarlet. why do you ask?" "i don't know, just curious. ooh! jelly slugs!" scarlet smiled, walking over to the slugs. ron laughed. "you're so odd." he smiled, picking up two packs of the slugs. ron also had about four acid pops.

the pair made their way over to chocolate frogs, ron smiling like a fool. he loved chocolate, and so did scarlet. "how many do you want?" ron asked. "four is fine, i can pay for them. oliver sent me about 50 gallons." ron's eyes went wide. "50? merlin!" ron laughed, hanging her four of the frogs.

-

they paid for their things and decided to go get some food and butter beer with harry and hermione who ended up coming later on.

ron and scarlet walked into one of the restaurant that actually allowed younger people in it. harry and hermione were already there. ron waved at them, walking over to the pair.

harry forced a smile onto his face as he noticed the pair holding hands and hermione sighed. "you've gotta move on, harry. i heard ginny likes you." hermione spoke. harry rolled his eyes. "i like cho." harry replied quickly. hermione looked at him with that look. "fine, i still like her. but not as much as i use to. it just hurts to see he-" harry stopped when he saw the pair inches away from the table. they hadn't heard anything, which was a good thing.

"hey guys." scarlet smiled, looking over at ron briefly. "hey, how was your day so far?" hermione smiled wiggling her eyebrows. scarlet laughed. "oh hush. we've only been here for 35 minutes. we've only went to the candy shop. we're gonna go to the bookstore after this." scarlet replied to the comment.

ron was quiet, which wasn't normal for him. scarlet picked up on it, quickly, too. but the waiter came quicker than normal, so she hadn't gotten the chance  to ask what was up with him until after.

"hey, what's wrong?" scarlet whispered to the boy while hermione and harry were distracted. "nothing, i just feel bad about the whole harry situation. i shouldn't be such a git about everything." ron admitted. scarlet nodded. "hey, love, don't feel bad about it-" scarlet stopped, she had realized she had called the boy love. ron turned bright red, but scarlet continued her statement.

"we all make mistakes, as cliché as it sounds, we really do. now, cheer up. please." scarlet smiled as she directed her attention back hermione who was telling us about fred asking her to the ball.

-

it was now 8:45pm, and all the kids were making their way back to the castle. ron and scarlet walked hand and hand laughing. "oh my god, once! once-let me tell you about this-" scarlet said in between wheezes, "my dad always wanted oliver to fly like flawlessly- so he'd take him outside to practice, and one day oliver fell off his broom and the broom hit my dad in the head so hard-" the pair laughed as harry looked on with jealousy.

"harry, you really need to realize scarlet doesn't feel like same. she obviously likes--no loves—ron." hermione mumbled. "i know, i know hermione. i think i'm gonna ask cho to the ball." he smiled. hermione smiled too. the pair didn't know that cho was with cedric.

"one time fred shit his pants." ron wheezed. scarlet spat one of her gummi slugs out at the comment. "when he was 10." ron continued. "no fucking way!" scarlet laughed harder, hanging ron a gummi slug.

-

ron, scarlet, harry, and hermione all plowed into the common room, everyone laughing. it was a great day. "hey guys, i had fun but i've really gotta get back to my dorm." ron frowned. "uhm..why don't you just stay here? you can sleep on my bed or something." ron spoke awkwardly. "okay—okay fine, but i've gotta write to my brother in the morning." scarlet agreed.

ron lead scarlet to the dorm. everyone had separate dorms with one other person. sometimes, they didn't even have another person. scarlet smiled at the smell of the room. pine, mint, and flowers. it was wonderful. she had been in his dorm before but it didn't smell this good. maybe she was just distracted.

"do you wanna go to bed now?" ron asked, a smile on his face. "sure." scarlet spoke, returning the smile. "can i borrow some clothes from you?" she added. ron blushed before mumbling an "of course."

he handed the girl some red pj pants and grey shirt. she nodded and went into the bathroom connected into the dorm. she slipped her other clothes off, taking her rings and necklace off, sticking them in the pocket of her jacket. she slipped the pants on before putting the shirt on and returning to ron.

when she came back ron was laying on his bed, smiling and looking up at the ceiling. scarlet smiled at the boy again, walking over to the small bed and laying down on her, her head laying on the boys chest. ron blushed softly, as he awkwardly wrapped his free arm around her figure.

"thank you." scarlet mumbled softly, closing her tired eyes. "for what?" ron inquired. "today, silly." she chuckled. "you're welcome. but thank you even more. i had such a fun time.." he smiled, tempted to kiss the top of her head. but he was too nervous.

"scar, do you wanna go to the ball with me?" ron asked, confidently. "y-yes! of course!" she smiled, flipping her body so she was facing the boy. he smiled and cupped the girls cheeks gently, kissing her. scarlet smiled, wrapping her legs around the boy's waist. ron's face heated up as he realized what she was doing.

he had no problem with it, it wasn't a bad thing at all. it was just terrifying, for both of them. but even while thinking this, they kept kissing each other, sloppily, though. scarlet pulled away, placing her forehead up to the boys.

"you're wonderful, ron weasley."

[roswellroamer]

Maramba River Lodge, Zambia to Panda Rest Camp, Pandamatenga, Botswana. 175km. 4/30/19.

Today we awoke to more monkeys. They stole an Italian woman's bread roll then promptly sat on the roof just out of reach almost teasing her as he ate it. Yesterday there was a family that was moving due to the monkeys stealing their stuff but it was mostly food. We packed up while Sean and John visited the falls. They had been too busy the day before trying to source a spare trailer tire and wheel since we noticed the rough journey had broken off the bracket holding it in place under the trailer. No rain again (none since we left South Africa!) and perhaps a touch cooler today. High just into the low 90's. We settled up our room. Again I will comment on the strength of the dollar in this part of the world. For two of us, one dinner, lunches, breakfasts and lots of rounds of drinks and bottles of wine over two days... the grand total equaled $77US. For all those meals and drinks it seems very reasonable. Beers are just over a dollar. We loaded the bakkie when the boys returned and headed out somewhere near 10. We headed back to Livingstone and then backtracked on the M10 until we reached the turn off to aim south to Kazungula, the gateway to Botswana and Southern Africa as they proclaim. However before that turnoff, we passed through the same national park where I was the only one to spot and stop for the giraffes. Today, I was sweeping again and was the only one to spot and stop for a herd of zebras. 🦓 Very cool! Four were gathered around a tree. Just like skittish horses they started galloping away as I approached but got a couple good shots first. The border crossing in Zambia reeked of the same chaos we had experienced coming in. However we did hire a guy ($20) to help guide us through the process. Passport stamp and then ledger signing. Then another stop to get your Zambian paperwork stamped. I thought we were done, but no! We had to then actually pay Zambia to cancel the scam insurance they had made us buy on the way in! $50 to buy it and it was supposed to be for a month. Then 3 days later they demand $20 to cancel it. You can't get your exit paperwork stamped without it. Some sort of local tax was also required, about $5/bike. They sure know how to make it difficult and expensive to cross their borders. Plus we learned from our host that they also charge 15% VAT whereas across the river in Zimbabwe they do not, creating an imbalance that tourists are starting to take advantage of to the detriment of Zambian tourist businesses. Anyway, the whole hour or so we were mostly waiting around our bikes in the dirt amidst countless trucks that are waiting much longer, we were hounded by some guys selling bracelets, carvings, money exchangers, etc. Generally very nice but persistent and don't really take no for an answer. We then laid something like $20 for the ferry which is something like a rickety barge to cross the Zambezi into Botswana. 🇧🇼In 2007 they started a massive bridge and roadway project. Instead of 1920's tech to cross the river they are building a proper bridge between the two countries. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kazungula_Bridge Expected completion is next year and it looks like they may meet that expectation. Finally our "guide" motioned is to proceed down to the water's edge. We were about to crops the mighty Zambezi for the last time on this African adventure. The ferry was on the way from the Botswana side and it looks like a very basic flattened out barge with some hydraulic lifts to adjust the entry/exit ramps on either end. We quickly embarked and one of the locals told me he was shuttling back and forth to try to get some of his trucks through the border crossing. I can't imagine dealing with that on a regular basis.

Once across the river we rode under the partially constructed bridge and through a shallow pool of cleansing water so as not to bring bugs/dirt with possible infections into Botswana. The whole feel was different. No money traders or guys selling stuff. An actual computer or two was spotted inside! Though, after a couple of us passed through it quit and the rest were processed with manual paperwork. Still it was only passport control, one ledger and then paying of 165 Pula (about $15) by credit card and then we were done. Well nearly. We all did need to walk on a wet mat to clean our shoes as we had done to the tires. Then a guard took our stamped paper and off we were heading, southward into the animal rich country of Botswana. Apparently there used to be hunting allowed but due to some abuse, all hunting was prohibited here for a long time. Poachers are shot. I've been told there are more elephants here than anywhere else. It didn't take us long to find some. After getting gas in Kasane and some hydration 😓 we spotted a herd of elephants while traveling south on the A33. Two youngsters were quickly hustled off into the brush before I could stop and get my phone ready. 🐘 But a few others remained on both sides of the road and flapped their ears for us. Got a few shots, then we warily proceeded to pass between the graceful pachyderms. 🏍 We passed a few herd of zebras but the volume of our approaching bikes made them all scatter before we could get anywhere close. Glad I spotted some others earlier today. Another 100k and we arrived at the well marked Panda Rest Camp. I hear there are lions around since when there are zebras and bucks (we saw a large herd of them which scattered quickly upon our approach) there be lions. 🦁 I feel a slow start to seeing game has accelerated nicely. I would be just fine not to encounter a lion while basically defenseless on my bike. There is no real plan to deal with a lion encounter. I've been told whatever I do, don't run. It is silly to expect to see game animals on the bikes since we are so loud and traveling on major or at least well traveled roads. But since we've seen giraffes, baboons, bucks, zebras, warthogs, kudus, tons of birds and now elephants just along the road we aren't doing too badly. We found our lodging, once again a series of thatch roofed bungalows and unloaded our bags. The SA guys had 140 liter duffels made for the trip embroidered with our names. I needed just about every last liter in which to cram my two bags each day but what a nice convenience it to have to lug your own gear on the bike. I promptly found and utilized the swimming pool. As per usual in my riding shirt, neck bandana, underwear and cap. All soaking in the pool and all the pools here have been nice and chilly. Greatly appreciated after a sweaty, hot ride. We gathered for some refreshments by the pool and placed our dinner orders. I got a pepperoni pizza and a 🥗. First one since I arrived and it was good. In fact a few folks stopped by this test camp and picked up pizzas to go. No Domino's around here. 🍕Went to the bungalow to burn the mosquito coil. Sort of like a flat spiral shaped incense that dissuades and possibly kills mosquitoes. No mosquito netting over the beds here (first time in maybe 4 or 5 days) so trying to make the inside of the bungalow a bit safer from them. I'm once again alone out here as all have been to bed for at least 40 minutes or so. A bit embarrassed to say it is still only 10:30 but we went hard last night and I'm ready to get a good nights sleep. 😴Baz' word of the day is slapgat. Pronounced slap-chat with a guttural German ch, as in achtung. It means someone who is useless and also a lazy slob.

[yournewapartment]

Do you have like a checklist or something of things that need to be done before you can move out? I have over a year to get ready, but I'm not certain what "ready" means exactly. What needs to happen before a person can live on their own (in the USA)? Thanks for answering, love your blog!

I’m realizing now that I have lots of posts that detail different parts of this moving into a new apartment process, but none that discuss everything. So this post is essentially a conglomerate of four different posts: Adulting 108, Moving (On Your Own), Living On Your Own, and Apartment Hunting 101.

But here they are, in step by step order! Enjoy!

Finding an Apartment (Apartment Hunting 101)

Overview: There’s no getting around it, apartment hunting is a stressful process. The waiting and wondering gets the best of everyone, so give yourself a break and remember not to be too hard on yourself. The more prepared and decisive you are, the better off you’ll be!

1. Step One: The most important step in this entire process is coming up with your list of “Need and Won’t”. This list can always be adjusted in the spur of the moment, but will act as a baseline to help you easily disregard impractical apartments. Before you even start your search, sit down with any roommates (SO or otherwise) and come up with a list. Here is my list:

Need: Dishwasher, pet friendly, heat included.

Won’t: First floor apartment, all or mostly carpeted apartment, no closet space.

2. Step Two: Decide your price range. The paycheck to paycheck life is not a great one to live, so try to find an apartment that still allows you to put anywhere from $100-$500 into savings every month. Figure out how much you make monthly, with taxes taken out. If you’re paid every other week, this is two paychecks. If you’re paid every week, this is four paychecks. Start with your total monthly income, and subtract the following expenses. Let’s say you make $1,000 with taxes taken out:

Rent - Let’s say you’re living with a roommate, and your rent is only $500 per month.

Electric - My electric expense is $60 a month for a one bedroom. Once again, you’re living with a roommate so let’s say that you pay half of that. $30.

Internet - $30 a month internet only. Please don’t waste your money on cable. Just use your mom’s Netflix account.

Travel expenses - I spend about $85 a month on gas. Let’s say you use public transportation and spend around $100.

Food - Figure you’ll be spending $100 per person each month. So that’s another $100.

Misc expense: Let’s just add an additional $50 worth of expenses on. Because you never know what’ll happen.

That leaves you $130 a month extra to put in savings or to use in the event of an emergency! That’s awesome. Substitute your own numbers in, and figure out how much you can afford for rent. Immediately disregard any apartments that do not fit in this budget.

3. Step Three: The best way to find dependable apartments is to consult with your fellow apartment renters. Consult with coworkers, friends, family- anyone who is currently renting in the area that you would like to rent in. Get the inside scoop on potential apartments, both their advantages and their pitfalls. If you don’t know anyone who is renting where you’d like to rent, here are some other apartment hunting options:

Craigslist: Obviously

Drive-bys: Literally drive around until you find a cool looking apartment complex. Find their rental office and go right in, this is how I found my first apartment.

Your college: The Dean’s Office will have a list of apartment offerings to give kids who don’t qualify for on-campus housing.

This Site: A list of the top ranked apartment hunting sites.

4. Set up an appointment: After finding a potential apartment, consult with the landlord or apartment representative to set up a date and time to see the apartment. Respond promptly to any email or phone call they leave for you. On the flip side, if they aren’t prompt in their response to you RUN.

The first apartment I ever looked at, my boyfriend and I showed up on time and the landlord wasn’t there. We called her and she said that she was running late, and told us that the apartment was open and we could show ourselves inside. Serious red flag, but we gave it the benefit of the doubt and went in. Long story short, she never showed up. She gave us a tour of the apartment over the phone and kept saying that she was five minutes away, but never came. We later found out that her rental office was two minutes from the apartment we looked at. Talk about flakey! We told her we weren’t interested, if she can’t even show up to show us the apartment, how the hell can we depend on her to fix any problems we might have? Because you’re young and inexperienced, some landlords will try to give you the run around. Your age is no concern of their’s, and has no bearing on how you will act as a tenant. Here are some red flags for flaky landlords:

Not contacting you within one day of leaving them a message. Disregarding the weekends.

Not showing up when they say they will.

Repeatedly telling you that you’re “young” or “inexperienced”.

Telling you that the apartment “is good for college kids” or “a good first apartment” (that just means it’s a shit hole).

If they tell you that the apartment has a large turnover (people are leaving for a reason).

If you speak with one person on the phone, and meet a different person who shows you the apartment.

If they can’t or refuse to give you the exact rent amount.

If they tell you that have to “run some numbers” based on your history. An apartment’s rent should be the same for everybody.

If they can’t answer basic questions about service providers for the apartment.

If you get a weird vibe from them. Listen to your intuition! This is the person who is going to be responsible for fixing all your apartment related problems, you will be dealing with them every month at least. If they seem unreliable, don’t sign the lease!

5. Step Five: Find your appointment buddy! Never, ever, EVER go to look at a potential apartment by yourself. I don’t care how friendly Wendy seems online, she may be a serial killer. There’s no way to tell. Here’s a list of people who can accompany you:

Your older brother

Your boyfriend/girlfriend

Your Aunt Meredith

Your second cousin

Your friend who can scream really loudly

Your Mother

Your Step Mother

Your old nosey neighbor who smells like cats

Literally anyone you can trust

Bribe them with chocolate, I don’t care. Take someone with you! If you absolutely cannot find anyone to go with you, then you need to take additional precautions. Here are some options:

Kitestring

“Share My Location” on your Iphone

Pepper Spray

Posting to Facebook the address you are going to and when you are expected to arrive and leave.

Rescheduling your appointment to a date and time when you can be accompanied

Apartment Checklist

A mental checklist is good in theory, but will you remember it when you’re actually at the prospective apartment with your Aunt Meredith? I think not! Make a physical list of some of the following points, and feel free to add your own. my list is super extensive, but that’s just who I am. I am detail oriented.

Tuck this list in your back pocket and consult it when the person showing you the apartment is not looking.

Expense related

How much is the rent?

Is the rent just the rent, or are there any amenities included? Some apartments include heat, hot water, or electric expenses.

Is hot water included (if the apartment has a washer/dryer in it, then the water is probably a separate expense)?

What Internet service providers are available?

What electric service providers are available?

Do I have to pay for garbage removal?

What is the average electric expense that other renters deal with?

Ask when rent is due. Find out what the rent check procedure is.

Basic

What type of heating/cooling is provided?

What appliances are in the kitchen? *If there is no oven or fridge and you are required to buy your own then run*

What is the apartment complex turnover rate?

Do you have a choice of carpet vs. hard wood floors?

Will window blinds be provided? *If the apartment complex won’t pay for something as simple as window blinds then the landlord is a cheapskate and can’t be trusted*

Is there a “curfew”? Most apartments have a time of night when all the tenants are supposed to be quiet. This is generally not enforced.

What will your address be?

Additional

Is any furniture included?

Is there a Laundromat in the complex? If not where is the closest one?

Similarly, is the Laundromat in the complex card operated or quarter operated? Do you have to pay a fee for the card? Is there a quarter dispensing machine?

Will you be given a free parking permit? *If parking is not free then run*

Ask about local shopping and gas stations.

Ask where your mailbox will be.

Ask what their pet policy is. (some apartment complexes charge an fee)

Ask what their policy on repainting/decorating is.

Ask what their maintenance request policy is.

Ask where the nearest dumpster is.

How often does the complex loose power?

Is there a nearby police station or fire department?

General check

Check all cabinets (for bug infestations or mouse droppings or that they open properly).

Open all the windows and check to see that there are screens installed. Especially important for us cat owners! If there are no screens- are they going to install screens before you move in?

Check that all the light switches work.

Check that the water turns on.

Flush the toilet.

Check all the closet space (for size, mold, and water damage).

Check how all the doors are set (some apartments will put doors in incorrectly and they’ll never close properly).

Check the outlets (bring a phone chord and plug it in).

Check any balcony access.

Take a look at the paint- is it chipped? Is it stained? Will they be repainting?

Knock on the walls to see how hollow they are (hollow walls require studs if you want to hang anything up).

Open up the oven and make sure it’s clean. If it’s not clean make it clear that it should be cleaned if you want to move into the apartment. It’s not your job to clean up after the previous tenant.

Check that none of the floorboards are sticking up/creaking.

Check for nails and screws in between hardwood floor, tile and carpet (I’m not even kidding).

Check your phone to see how much cell service you have.

Can you hear any neighbors? Could you hear them in the hallway?

Final Decision

If the apartment you visited fits all your criteria, feel free to tell the landlord that you’re interested in pursuing this apartment. This way they can advise you of the next steps. Before you sign ANYTHING, visit the apartment complex twice more to make sure that everything is kosher. Do NOT tell the landlord that you will be coming by.

During the day: Do a drive-by of your prospective apartment to see what it looks like during the day. Is it safe? Are there lots of people standing around outside? Is it loud?

During the night: Come back another night to check the safety of your apartment. Ask yourself- would I feel comfortable taking the trash out late at night? Having friends over? If the answer is “no” then run…

Applying to Rent the Apartment

Overview: After choosing an apartment that you like, there are lots of steps that need to be taken before you can actually move in. 

1. Rental application. You will need to fill out some sort of rental application when applying for an apartment. You’ll be asked for previous addresses (if you’ve lived in previous apartment complexes landlords will actually call and ask about how good of a tenant you were), if you’ve been convicted of a crime, pay stubs, references and/or credit information. If you don’t have a credit score, some complexes will require you to co-sign the lease with someone who does, like a parent. If a landlord does NOT ask you to fill out any kind of application, I’d advise you to run for the hills and not rent from them.

2. Approval. Apartment complexes will mail you a packet of information after you’ve been approved. This will list your new address, what power company services are available, apartment amenities, school districts, local attractions, as well as your next steps. My current apartment complex also mailed me what Internet providers are available, which was a nice extra bonus.

3. Initial expenses. Your next step will be to put down a “security deposit”. This will either be exactly the same or very close to the amount you pay for rent monthly. This deposit ensures that you don’t destroy the apartment, if you do they won’t refund you. You will also be asked to pay your first month’s rent in advance. Most rental companies will only accept money orders for these initial expenses, you have to go to your bank to get these. They’re essentially checks that take the money out of your account right away.

4. Apartment check. After you’re approved for an apartment, ask to see the actual unit that you’ll be moving into. Make sure that you see said apartment before signing any lease. Notice how loud your neighbors are, how good of a cell signal you have, the condition of the apartment, etc. This is a pretty extensive list.

Before You Move

1. List it up. Make a list of everything that you will need to accomplish before you are ready to move. This includes items that need to be packed, people that need to be contacted, pet accommodations, etc. I love lists, but you may not, so use any organizational technique that works for you.

2. Divide and conquer. After you’ve made your list, organize items based off of how much time they’ll take you. Packing will be fairly time-consuming, so this is something you’ll want to invite friends over for and break up over several days. I like to have “moving” parties whenever I’m getting ready to move, essentially I buy some chips and dip, play some Trap, and invite my friends over to act as my minions. Something like canceling your subscription to Cosmo will take you very little time and energy to do, so it’s something you can do when you’re ready for a stress-free activity.

3. Contact companies. Speaking of canceling your Cosmo subscription, you will need to update your address with all of the companies you use. If you’re no longer going to be using that company, you’ll need to call them and tell them when to end your service. If you’re going to continue to using that company, you’ll have to call them and tell that you’ll need an address change. Give them the exact date you’ll be moving so that they can backdate your information. Some examples of companies:

DMV in the county you’re moving to (if you’re going to drive)

Your doctor’s office

Your college (even if you graduated, they send out alumni letters all the time)

Your credit/debit card company

Your bank

Your phone company

Any government programs you’re a part of

Any companies that you have loans with

Your health insurance company

Your auto insurance company

Amazon

4. Pre-move in List. Make a shopping list of all the non-perishable items you will need before moving in. I’m talking trash cans, first aid kits, toilet paper, laundry detergent, etc. I like to work on this list over the span of several days, and do a large shop before moving in. Your moving day will be stressful enough as it is, don’t add the stress of missing something you need. Here’s a pretty good list.

5. Electric set-up. Use the information packed your landlord sent you to find out who your electricity provider is. Call them, you’ll probably get a pre-recorded message. Choose the option that says something along the lines of “set up electricity”. You will be connected to an actual human being, who will ask you to read your new address. Tell them to turn on power to your apartment a couple days before you move in. They will set up a billing plan with you (ask to be put on a budget, it’ll save you lots of money) and give you your account information.

6. Internet set-up. Setting up your internet is similar to setting up your electric, but a bit more hand’s on. Most cable/internet companies always have some sort of deal going on, a year or two years of discounted service. Be aware of when this discount will end, and contact the company to see if they can offer you a new deal. If Verizon is offered in your area, I strongly advise you to use them for Internet service. i was on a two year plan with them that saved us $40 a month on internet service, and after it ended they put us on a new plan that is now saving us $42 a month. Fuck yeah! Also make sure to set your internet installation date for the day after you move in, so that you’re not stuck sitting in your internet-less apartment, unable to read my blog. Know that most internet companies charge installation and routers fees, and if you complain enough they’ll drop one or both of these. Just be like “I’m a poor college student” or threaten to go to another internet company.  

7. Send ahead. If possible, send/drop off some of your items ahead of time. If you have a family member or a friend that lives nearby where you’ll be staying, ask if they can hold a few boxes for you. You can also mail yourself packages and ask your local post office to hold them for you, but you’ll need to arrange that ahead of time.

8. Forwarding address. You will inevitably forget something, so make sure to leave your forwarding address and contact information with your ex-landlord, college, ex-roommate, etc.

9. Signing the Lease. The last thing you will do before moving into your new apartment is signing a lease. You will be given a copy of the lease to keep, as well as the key to your apartment and/or laundry key. Keep your copy of the lease in a safe place, and make sure to get duplicates of your apartment keys.

During Moving

1. Take your time. Don’t try to unpack everything in one day! Take some time to explore your new space, and decide where to put everything in a leisurely way. There is no set schedule for moving.

2. Assistance. If you have friends/family helping you make the move, assign them specific tasks so that nobody spends their time pestering you and asking “what do you need help with?”. You can even decide these tasks ahead of time, during your plane or car ride over.

3. Be neighborly. You’ll likely meet some neighbors during this process, and make sure to stop and greet them, even if you’re in the middle of something. First impressions do matter, even when they shouldn’t, and spending thirty seconds to greet someone in a parking lot may save you a lot of hardship in the long run. Ask your neighbors to recommend local attractions, places to eat, what laundromats to use, etc.

4. Check everything. During your first few days moved into you new apartment, look around and make note of anything wrong. Outlets that don’t work, scratches on the wall, peeling paint, etc. Report these ASAP to your landlord to be fixed. This will give you a good idea of how put together their maintenance unit is. Make sure to offer maintenance workers water and be polite to them when they’re fixing anything in your apartment.

After You’re Settled (Specifically for Living Alone)

1. PKW. Phone, keys, wallet. Every time you go anywhere. Check twice. The worst part of living on your own is having to rely on yourself to never forget to lock yourself out or leave your wallet at a sandwich shop in a mall. Make absolutely sure you have duplicates of your keys (I would get a couple made) and give one to a friend who lives nearby who you can count on. I also like to keep an extra set inside the apartment itself in a secure place, just in case. Your landlord can let you in during office hours, but giving a key to a trustworthy friend helps you 24/7.

2. Cleaning routine. You don’t have to sit down at a writing desk and draft this out, but spend a few minutes coming up with a basic cleaning regime for you to follow. It’s definitely easier to do a little each day, but if that doesn’t work for your schedule set aside at least an hour and a half during your time off to get your apartment spotless. I don’t know about you, but whenever I deep clean my apartment I feel like I’m living in a hotel for a day, and I absolutely love it.

3. Make a “moving” shopping list. This is everything you will need (minus food) for your first week at your new place. Do a big shop, and get all the essentials out of the way: first aid kit, cleaning supplies, tape, cat food, etc. Your first week moving into your new place will be stressful enough, you don’t want to be halfway through setting up your living room and realize that you forgot to buy trash bags.

4. Secure yourself. I’m not the most agile or fast person in the world, and I do live in a mid-sized city that has a good deal of crime. The apartment complex I live in is very safe, but I still like to double lock my front door at night. It might be smart to keep some pepper spray or a baseball bat somewhere in your apartment, just in case.

5. Stay social. Even the most anti-social person gets lonely. Make sure to hang out with your friends, not just your co-workers, your actual friends. Get out off your apartment every few days and go see a movie, get a cup of coffee, go people watching at the park, etc. It’s easy to get depressed if you’re living alone and doing the same things the same way every day- allow yourself to mix it up.

6. Meal prep. It can be stressful and seem useless to cook complicated or “fancy” meals when you’re living on your own. Plan your meals for the week and make a list before going shopping. Get yourself enough food to make a variety of dinners that will only take you fifteen minutes. If you do want to go crazy and make steak and mashed potatoes for yourself, make enough for two meals. Also, nobody is going to think poorly of you for stocking your fridge with a couple frozen dinners.

7. Customer service. Living alone means that you are going to be doing a lot of talking to customer service representatives. Get comfortable talking to people over the phone. Tell the rep what you need as quickly as you can, and try to be polite because customer service at a phone center is a garbage job that doesn’t pay well. On the flip side, don’t be afraid to ask for a manager if you’re upset or unhappy with your service. Take their survey at the end of your phone call, tell them how unhappy you are. It’s someone’s shitty job to look at all those surveys, no complaint goes unheard. Companies with great phone service: Verizon, Apple, Amazon. Companies with awful phone service: USPS (literally the worst), electric companies, health insurance companies.

8. Guest space. This is not required, but it’s a good idea to have some sort of space for a friend to stay the night. A friend of mine had a bad breakup, showed up at my apartment with ten minute’s notice, and then fell asleep on my couch after an hour of crying. It as 7:30! Whatever, she needed it. Keep an extra blanket and pillow in your closet, I like to keep travel sized shampoos and conditioners in my bathroom cabinet on the off chance a guest wants to use my shower. I got these at a hotel for free, but they’re available at CVS and other pharmacies.

9. Toilet paper. Don’t let yourself run out of toilet paper! I like to buy more when I notice I only have one roll left. The same deal goes for paper towels.

10. Enjoy. Living on your own is simoltaneously exciting and exhausting, but an all around must-have experience. Enjoy the freedom to forget to make the bed, to decorate your bathroom however you want, to have ice cream for dinner, to watch reruns of Friends and cry when Rachel decides to move to France. Make sure to give yourself lots of space to move at your own pace, but please remember to eat three meals a day and to go to the doctor’s for a checkup at least once a year!

[yournewapartment]

How do I find a decent apartment, and like I'm general be an adult

Here’s information on Apartment Hunting, but can you be more specific about what “Adulting” activities you’re interested in learning about? xx

Apartment Hunting 101

Overview: There’s no getting around it, apartment hunting is a stressful process. The waiting and wondering gets the best of everyone, so give yourself a break and remember not to be too hard on yourself. The more prepared and decisive you are, the better off you’ll be!

1. Step One: The most important step in this entire process is coming up with your list of “Need and Won’t”. This list can always be adjusted in the spur of the moment, but will act as a baseline to help you easily disregard impractical apartments. Before you even start your search, sit down with any roommates (SO or otherwise) and come up with a list. Here is my list:

Need: Dishwasher, pet friendly, heat included.

Won’t: First floor apartment, all or mostly carpeted apartment, no closet space.

2. Step Two: Decide your price range. The paycheck to paycheck life is not a great one to live, so try to find an apartment that still allows you to put anywhere from $100-$500 into savings every month. Figure out how much you make monthly, with taxes taken out. If you’re paid every other week, this is two paychecks. If you’re paid every week, this is four paychecks. Start with your total monthly income, and subtract the following expenses. Let’s say you make $1,000 with taxes taken out:

Rent - Let’s say you’re living with a roommate, and your rent is only $500 per month.

Electric - My electric expense is $60 a month for a one bedroom. Once again, you’re living with a roommate so let’s say that you pay half of that. $30.

Internet - $30 a month internet only. Please don’t waste your money on cable. Just use your mom’s Netflix account.

Travel expenses - I spend about $85 a month on gas. Let’s say you use public transportation and spend around $100.

Food - Figure you’ll be spending $100 per person each month. So that’s another $100.

Misc expense: Let’s just add an additional $50 worth of expenses on. Because you never know what’ll happen.

That leaves you $130 a month extra to put in savings or to use in the event of an emergency! That’s awesome. Substitute your own numbers in, and figure out how much you can afford for rent. Immediately disregard any apartments that do not fit in this budget.

3. Step Three: The best way to find dependable apartments is to consult with your fellow apartment renters. Consult with coworkers, friends, family- anyone who is currently renting in the area that you would like to rent in. Get the inside scoop on potential apartments, both their advantages and their pitfalls. If you don’t know anyone who is renting where you’d like to rent, here are some other apartment hunting options:

Craigslist: Obviously

Drive-bys: Literally drive around until you find a cool looking apartment complex. Find their rental office and go right in, this is how I found my first apartment.

Your college: The Dean’s Office will have a list of apartment offerings to give kids who don’t qualify for on-campus housing.

This Site: A list of the top ranked apartment hunting sites.

4. Set up an appointment: After finding a potential apartment, consult with the landlord or apartment representative to set up a date and time to see the apartment. Respond promptly to any email or phone call they leave for you. On the flip side, if they aren’t prompt in their response to you RUN.

The first apartment I ever looked at, my boyfriend and I showed up on time and the landlord wasn’t there. We called her and she said that she was running late, and told us that the apartment was open and we could show ourselves inside. Serious red flag, but we gave it the benefit of the doubt and went in. Long story short, she never showed up. She gave us a tour of the apartment over the phone and kept saying that she was five minutes away, but never came. We later found out that her rental office was two minutes from the apartment we looked at. Talk about flakey! We told her we weren’t interested, if she can’t even show up to show us the apartment, how the hell can we depend on her to fix any problems we might have? Because you’re young and inexperienced, some landlords will try to give you the run around. Your age is no concern of their’s, and has no bearing on how you will act as a tenant. Here are some red flags for flaky landlords:

Not contacting you within one day of leaving them a message. Disregarding the weekends.

Not showing up when they say they will.

Repeatedly telling you that you’re “young” or “inexperienced”.

Telling you that the apartment “is good for college kids” or “a good first apartment” (that just means it’s a shit hole).

If they tell you that the apartment has a large turnover (people are leaving for a reason).

If you speak with one person on the phone, and meet a different person who shows you the apartment.

If they can’t or refuse to give you the exact rent amount.

If they tell you that have to “run some numbers” based on your history. An apartment’s rent should be the same for everybody.

If they can’t answer basic questions about service providers for the apartment.

If you get a weird vibe from them. Listen to your intuition! This is the person who is going to be responsible for fixing all your apartment related problems, you will be dealing with them every month at least. If they seem unreliable, don’t sign the lease!

5. Step Five: Find your appointment buddy! Never, ever, EVER go to look at a potential apartment by yourself. I don’t care how friendly Wendy seems online, she may be a serial killer. There’s no way to tell. Here’s a list of people who can accompany you:

Your older brother

Your boyfriend/girlfriend

Your Aunt Meredith

Your second cousin

Your friend who can scream really loudly

Your Mother

Your Step Mother

Your old nosey neighbor who smells like cats

Literally anyone you can trust

Bribe them with chocolate, I don’t care. Take someone with you! If you absolutely cannot find anyone to go with you, then you need to take additional precautions. Here are some options:

Kitestring

“Share My Location” on your Iphone

Pepper Spray

Posting to Facebook the address you are going to and when you are expected to arrive and leave.

Rescheduling your appointment to a date and time when you can be accompanied

Checklist

A mental checklist is good in theory, but will you remember it when you’re actually at the prospective apartment with your Aunt Meredith? I think not! Make a physical list of some of the following points, and feel free to add your own. my list is super extensive, but that’s just who I am. I am detail oriented.

Tuck this list in your back pocket and consult it when the person showing you the apartment is not looking.

Expense related

How much is the rent?

Is the rent just the rent, or are there any amenities included? Some apartments include heat, hot water, or electric expenses.

Is hot water included (if the apartment has a washer/dryer in it, then the water is probably a separate expense)?

What Internet service providers are available?

What electric service providers are available?

Do I have to pay for garbage removal?

What is the average electric expense that other renters deal with?

Ask when rent is due. Find out what the rent check procedure is.

Basic

What type of heating/cooling is provided?

What appliances are in the kitchen? *If there is no oven or fridge and you are required to buy your own then run*

What is the apartment complex turnover rate?

Do you have a choice of carpet vs. hard wood floors?

Will window blinds be provided? *If the apartment complex won’t pay for something as simple as window blinds then the landlord is a cheapskate and can’t be trusted*

Is there a “curfew”? Most apartments have a time of night when all the tenants are supposed to be quiet. This is generally not enforced.

What will your address be?

Additional

Is any furniture included?

Is there a Laundromat in the complex? If not where is the closest one?

Similarly, is the Laundromat in the complex card operated or quarter operated? Do you have to pay a fee for the card? Is there a quarter dispensing machine?

Will you be given a free parking permit? *If parking is not free then run*

Ask about local shopping and gas stations.

Ask where your mailbox will be.

Ask what their pet policy is. (some apartment complexes charge an fee)

Ask what their policy on repainting/decorating is.

Ask what their maintenance request policy is.

Ask where the nearest dumpster is.

How often does the complex loose power?

Is there a nearby police station or fire department?

General check

Check all cabinets (for bug infestations or mouse droppings or that they open properly).

Open all the windows and check to see that there are screens installed. Especially important for us cat owners! If there are no screens- are they going to install screens before you move in?

Check that all the light switches work.

Check that the water turns on.

Flush the toilet.

Check all the closet space (for size, mold, and water damage).

Check how all the doors are set (some apartments will put doors in incorrectly and they’ll never close properly).

Check the outlets (bring a phone chord and plug it in).

Check any balcony access.

Take a look at the paint- is it chipped? Is it stained? Will they be repainting?

Knock on the walls to see how hollow they are (hollow walls require studs if you want to hang anything up).

Open up the oven and make sure it’s clean. If it’s not clean make it clear that it should be cleaned if you want to move into the apartment. It’s not your job to clean up after the previous tenant.

Check that none of the floorboards are sticking up/creaking.

Check for nails and screws in between hardwood floor, tile and carpet (I’m not even kidding).

Check your phone to see how much cell service you have.

Can you hear any neighbors? Could you hear them in the hallway?

Final Decision

If the apartment you visited fits all your criteria, feel free to tell the landlord that you’re interested in pursuing this apartment. This way they can advise you of the next steps. Before you sign ANYTHING, visit the apartment complex twice more to make sure that everything is kosher. Do NOT tell the landlord that you will be coming by.

During the day: Do a drive-by of your prospective apartment to see what it looks like during the day. Is it safe? Are there lots of people standing around outside? Is it loud?

During the night: Come back another night to check the safety of your apartment. Ask yourself- would I feel comfortable taking the trash out late at night? Having friends over? If the answer is “no” then run…

Additional Resources

Apartment Setup: My post that briefly outlines locating, checking out, and setting up a new apartment. Also has some next steps that I’m not going over in this post. It’s pretty good if I do say so myself!

Apartment Hunting 101: A list of helpful resources all relating to locating and checking out potential apartments. Some of the links aren’t set up correctly, so you will need to copy and paste them into a new browser.

NYC Renters: This post is designed for NYC Renters, but the points are still valid even if you’re not renting in NYC. A must read!

Stuff Nobody Tells You: I love love LOVE @hipdomestic so much! They haven’t posted anything recently, but this blog is an incredible resource. Check out this post that really goes into depth about apartments.

[yournewapartment]

Hi! This blog is a life saver haha! I have a little question; I'm going to be looking for apartments soon and it's my first time ever being away from home,,, is there anything I should look out for in general? Thank you!

Hey I’m so glad I’m helping! I have been meaning to write a post of this nature for a long time, so thank you for asking. Here. We. Go.

Apartment Hunting 101

Overview: There’s no getting around it, apartment hunting is a stressful process. The waiting and wondering gets the best of everyone, so give yourself a break and remember not to be too hard on yourself. The more prepared and decisive you are, the better off you’ll be!

1. Step One: The most important step in this entire process is coming up with your list of “Need and Won’t”. This list can always be adjusted in the spur of the moment, but will act as a baseline to help you easily disregard impractical apartments. Before you even start your search, sit down with any roommates (SO or otherwise) and come up with a list. Here is my list:

Need: Dishwasher, pet friendly, heat included.

Won’t: First floor apartment, all or mostly carpeted apartment, no closet space.

2. Step Two: Decide your price range. The paycheck to paycheck life is not a great one to live, so try to find an apartment that still allows you to put anywhere from $100-$500 into savings every month. Figure out how much you make monthly, with taxes taken out. If you’re paid every other week, this is two paychecks. If you’re paid every week, this is four paychecks. Start with your total monthly income, and subtract the following expenses. Let’s say you make $1,000 with taxes taken out:

Rent - Let’s say you’re living with a roommate, and your rent is only $500 per month.

Electric - My electric expense is $60 a month for a one bedroom. Once again, you’re living with a roommate so let’s say that you pay half of that. $30.

Internet - $30 a month internet only. Please don’t waste your money on cable. Just use your mom’s Netflix account.

Travel expenses - I spend about $85 a month on gas. Let’s say you use public transportation and spend around $100.

Food - Figure you’ll be spending $100 per person each month. So that’s another $100.

Misc expense: Let’s just add an additional $50 worth of expenses on. Because you never know what’ll happen.

That leaves you $130 a month extra to put in savings or to use in the event of an emergency! That’s awesome. Substitute your own numbers in, and figure out how much you can afford for rent. Immediately disregard any apartments that do not fit in this budget.

3. Step Three: The best way to find dependable apartments is to consult with your fellow apartment renters. Consult with coworkers, friends, family- anyone who is currently renting in the area that you would like to rent in. Get the inside scoop on potential apartments, both their advantages and their pitfalls. If you don’t know anyone who is renting where you’d like to rent, here are some other apartment hunting options:

Craigslist: Obviously

Drive-bys: Literally drive around until you find a cool looking apartment complex. Find their rental office and go right in, this is how I found my first apartment.

Your college: The Dean’s Office will have a list of apartment offerings to give kids who don’t qualify for on-campus housing.

This Site: A list of the top ranked apartment hunting sites.

4. Set up an appointment: After finding a potential apartment, consult with the landlord or apartment representative to set up a date and time to see the apartment. Respond promptly to any email or phone call they leave for you. On the flip side, if they aren’t prompt in their response to you RUN.

The first apartment I ever looked at, my boyfriend and I showed up on time and the landlord wasn’t there. We called her and she said that she was running late, and told us that the apartment was open and we could show ourselves inside. Serious red flag, but we gave it the benefit of the doubt and went in. Long story short, she never showed up. She gave us a tour of the apartment over the phone and kept saying that she was five minutes away, but never came. We later found out that her rental office was two minutes from the apartment we looked at. Talk about flakey! We told her we weren’t interested, if she can’t even show up to show us the apartment, how the hell can we depend on her to fix any problems we might have? Because you’re young and inexperienced, some landlords will try to give you the run around. Your age is no concern of their’s, and has no bearing on how you will act as a tenant. Here are some red flags for flaky landlords:

Not contacting you within one day of leaving them a message. Disregarding the weekends.

Not showing up when they say they will.

Repeatedly telling you that you’re “young” or “inexperienced”.

Telling you that the apartment “is good for college kids” or “a good first apartment” (that just means it’s a shit hole).

If they tell you that the apartment has a large turnover (people are leaving for a reason).

If you speak with one person on the phone, and meet a different person who shows you the apartment.

If they can’t or refuse to give you the exact rent amount.

If they tell you that have to “run some numbers” based on your history. An apartment’s rent should be the same for everybody.

If they can’t answer basic questions about service providers for the apartment.

If you get a weird vibe from them. Listen to your intuition! This is the person who is going to be responsible for fixing all your apartment related problems, you will be dealing with them every month at least. If they seem unreliable, don’t sign the lease!

5. Step Five: Find your appointment buddy! Never, ever, EVER go to look at a potential apartment by yourself. I don’t care how friendly Wendy seems online, she may be a serial killer. There’s no way to tell. Here’s a list of people who can accompany you:

Your older brother

Your boyfriend/girlfriend

Your Aunt Meredith

Your second cousin

Your friend who can scream really loudly

Your Mother

Your Step Mother

Your old nosey neighbor who smells like cats

Literally anyone you can trust

Bribe them with chocolate, I don’t care. Take someone with you! If you absolutely cannot find anyone to go with you, then you need to take additional precautions. Here are some options:

Kitestring

“Share My Location” on your Iphone

Pepper Spray

Posting to Facebook the address you are going to and when you are expected to arrive and leave.

Rescheduling your appointment to a date and time when you can be accompanied

Checklist

A mental checklist is good in theory, but will you remember it when you’re actually at the prospective apartment with your Aunt Meredith? I think not! Make a physical list of some of the following points, and feel free to add your own. my list is super extensive, but that’s just who I am. I am detail oriented.

Tuck this list in your back pocket and consult it when the person showing you the apartment is not looking.

Expense related

How much is the rent?

Is the rent just the rent, or are there any amenities included? Some apartments include heat, hot water, or electric expenses.

Is hot water included (if the apartment has a washer/dryer in it, then the water is probably a separate expense)?

What Internet service providers are available?

What electric service providers are available?

Do I have to pay for garbage removal?

What is the average electric expense that other renters deal with?

Ask when rent is due. Find out what the rent check procedure is.

Basic

What type of heating/cooling is provided?

What appliances are in the kitchen? *If there is no oven or fridge and you are required to buy your own then run*

What is the apartment complex turnover rate?

Do you have a choice of carpet vs. hard wood floors?

Will window blinds be provided? *If the apartment complex won’t pay for something as simple as window blinds then the landlord is a cheapskate and can’t be trusted*

Is there a “curfew”? Most apartments have a time of night when all the tenants are supposed to be quiet. This is generally not enforced.

What will your address be?

Additional

Is any furniture included?

Is there a Laundromat in the complex? If not where is the closest one?

Similarly, is the Laundromat in the complex card operated or quarter operated? Do you have to pay a fee for the card? Is there a quarter dispensing machine?

Will you be given a free parking permit? *If parking is not free then run*

Ask about local shopping and gas stations.

Ask where your mailbox will be.

Ask what their pet policy is. (some apartment complexes charge an fee)

Ask what their policy on repainting/decorating is.

Ask what their maintenance request policy is.

Ask where the nearest dumpster is.

How often does the complex loose power?

Is there a nearby police station or fire department?

General check

Check all cabinets (for bug infestations or mouse droppings or that they open properly).

Open all the windows and check to see that there are screens installed. Especially important for us cat owners! If there are no screens- are they going to install screens before you move in?

Check that all the light switches work.

Check that the water turns on.

Flush the toilet.

Check all the closet space (for size, mold, and water damage).

Check how all the doors are set (some apartments will put doors in incorrectly and they’ll never close properly).

Check the outlets (bring a phone chord and plug it in).

Check any balcony access.

Take a look at the paint- is it chipped? Is it stained? Will they be repainting?

Knock on the walls to see how hollow they are (hollow walls require studs if you want to hang anything up).

Open up the oven and make sure it’s clean. If it’s not clean make it clear that it should be cleaned if you want to move into the apartment. It’s not your job to clean up after the previous tenant.

Check that none of the floorboards are sticking up/creaking.

Check for nails and screws in between hardwood floor, tile and carpet (I’m not even kidding).

Check your phone to see how much cell service you have.

Can you hear any neighbors? Could you hear them in the hallway?

Final Decision

If the apartment you visited fits all your criteria, feel free to tell the landlord that you’re interested in pursuing this apartment. This way they can advise you of the next steps. Before you sign ANYTHING, visit the apartment complex twice more to make sure that everything is kosher. Do NOT tell the landlord that you will be coming by.

During the day: Do a drive-by of your prospective apartment to see what it looks like during the day. Is it safe? Are there lots of people standing around outside? Is it loud?

During the night: Come back another night to check the safety of your apartment. Ask yourself- would I feel comfortable taking the trash out late at night? Having friends over? If the answer is “no” then run…

Additional Resources

Apartment Setup: My post that briefly outlines locating, checking out, and setting up a new apartment. Also has some next steps that I’m not going over in this post. It’s pretty good if I do say so myself!

Apartment Hunting 101: A list of helpful resources all relating to locating and checking out potential apartments. Some of the links aren’t set up correctly, so you will need to copy and paste them into a new browser.

NYC Renters: This post is designed for NYC Renters, but the points are still valid even if you’re not renting in NYC. A must read!

Stuff Nobody Tells You: I love love LOVE @hipdomestic so much! They haven’t posted anything recently, but this blog is an incredible resource. Check out this post that really goes into depth about apartments.