{"id":1880,"date":"2014-06-23T21:42:10","date_gmt":"2014-06-24T01:42:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.renthop.com\/news\/?p=1880"},"modified":"2014-06-23T21:43:27","modified_gmt":"2014-06-24T01:43:27","slug":"five-creative-ways-to-save-money-and-space","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.renthop.com\/blog\/five-creative-ways-to-save-money-and-space\/","title":{"rendered":"Five Creative Ways to Save Money and Space in Your Apartment"},"content":{"rendered":"

We know that saving money is a constant struggle. Life’s expensive, especially in cities like New York City<\/a>, Boston<\/a> and Chicago<\/a>. Equally, everyone wants more and better space in their homes.\u00a0We at RentHop<\/a> put our heads together to come up with five creative ways to save money and space in your apartment.<\/p>\n

Get an On-Faucet Water Filter<\/h2>\n

If you don\u2019t mind tap water, stick with that. If you prefer the taste of purified water, or if you\u2019re (justifiably) scared of the myriad pharmaceuticals that find their way into city water supplies, you have some choices. However, remember that New York City has some of the country’s best tap water<\/a>, and you may be fine without a filter.<\/p>\n

You can buy bottled water, but that means lots of expense and extra recycling trips, as well as valuable storage space.\u00a0You’re better off with a water filter. There are some great carafe filters, but if you\u2019ve got a small refrigerator or countertop, get and attach an on-faucet water filter. You\u2019ll need to buy filters to keep the water clean, but they\u2019ll more than pay for themselves by comparison to buying bottled water.<\/p>\n

\"If<\/a>
If your faucet looks like this, *definitely* get an on-faucet filter.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Credit: RIBI Image Library<\/a>\/CC BY 2.0<\/a><\/p>\n

Sell (or Donate) Your Stuff<\/h2>\n

It may break your heart to part with that sweater\u2026until you realize that people will pay good money for it. But posting stuff on eBay or Craigslist is hard, right? Not so much. Once you begin selling, you’ll learn the tips for getting traction and sales.<\/p>\n

Bear in mind that depending on where you live you may need to deal with state sales taxes.\u00a0Also, remember that you need to be extremely careful when selling (and buying) on these sites. Remember to protect your person and your personal information!<\/p>\n

Consignment Shops<\/h3>\n

If you don\u2019t want to deal with buyers directly you can sell your stuff through\u00a0consignment shops. Broadly speaking a consignment shop will take possession of your stuff, sell it and give you the purchase price minus its take. Most towns have at least one \u2013 New York has several \u2013 and they\u2019re often great for shopping as well as selling. If your stuff isn\u2019t worth reselling, don\u2019t just trash it \u2013 donate it, and take the tax deduction. Note that if you donate property valued at more than $250 you\u2019ll need an itemized declaration of the property donated (which you can create with the staff at the center where you donated it). Put this document with your other tax documentation.\u00a0Also, make sure that the organization to which you’re donating is qualified for this purpose. If you’re not sure, ask them.<\/p>\n

Here are eight handy tips courtesy of the IRS on getting deductions<\/a> for charitable donations.<\/p>\n

Netflix + Chromecast = Cheaper than Premium Cable<\/h2>\n

There are several devices available today that let you stream directly to your TV. Assuming you have wireless internet in your apartment, having a Chromecast (or a Roku box or similar) means that with a subscription to Netflix or HBOGo or similar you can do away with premium cable channels (and, presumably, the capacity to Tivo one or more shows). If your apartment building has free wifi, you’re definitely in luck — no separate cable required!<\/p>\n

\"It's<\/a>
It’s just so…cute!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Credit: medithIT<\/a>\/CC BY 2.0<\/a><\/p>\n

Libraries Keep Books, Too<\/h2>\n

No matter where you live you almost certainly have a public library. Use it. You can borrow hard-copy books if you don\u2019t like reading on your Kindle or iPad. Many also lend eBooks, and you can check your library’s website to see the full inventory. But either way, don\u2019t forget to return them! You can also donate books, CDs and DVDs to your public library (make sure to request appropriate tax documentation).<\/p>\n

Separate note: if you still have a DVD player, you can rent lots and lots of DVDs for free from the library. In theory you could do away with your digital subscriptions and your Chromecast or other streaming device. If you have the discipline for this, you\u2019re a better person than we are.<\/p>\n

Learn more:<\/p>\n