Apartment Shopping Tips For Frugal People
For those who want or need to live frugally, apartment shopping can present a real challenge. This is especially true if they focus solely on the actual monthly rental fee and overlook other factors that also play a critical role in the total cost of living for the space. If you are looking for an apartment that will continue to be affordable each month of your occupancy, consider adding these checkpoints to your apartment shopping list.
Location and transportation options
One of the best ways to make sure that you are looking at an apartment that will truly be affordable is to look for an apartment that is very close to where you spend most of your time. Having a convenient location just minutes from work, school, shopping, and basic care needs will maximize your time and reduce ongoing driving or other transportation costs.
Along with actual location, the available transportation options offered by each apartment can be very important when determining the level of frugality each apartment might offer. An apartment with a higher monthly rental cost may actually be much more frugal on an ongoing basis if it offers cheap or free transportation that will enable you to sell your car or leave it parked.
Basic building configuration and construction
Another important tip for enjoying a frugal apartment living experience is to look at the construction and configuration of both the entire building and the individual apartment you are considering. Apartment buildings that offer thick exterior walls and more insulation will be much cheaper and more comfortable than those with thinner walls and less insulation.
In addition, the location of the unit you are looking at is important, too. Avoiding apartments that have exterior walls can be easier to heat and cool due to the naturally insulating values of neighboring apartments and those above and below it.
Utilities included can be a great deal
Apartments that include heating, cooling and other utility costs in the apartment rental fee can be a better bargain than others with separate costs, even if the actual rental fee is significantly more expensive than an apartment where these costs are separate. To figure out whether an all-inclusive rental fee is a good deal, prospective tenants can ask their real estate agent to help them find average utility cost information for similar apartments in the area with separate rental and utility fees. Your agent can also help you look for other factors that can influence the level of frugality you are likely to find in a particular area, building, or complex. To begin your search, check out a complex like Meadowdale Apartments.