{"id":182,"date":"2017-08-15T09:00:21","date_gmt":"2017-08-15T09:00:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.renthop.com\/content-manager\/?post_type=studies&p=6610"},"modified":"2017-08-15T09:01:38","modified_gmt":"2017-08-15T13:01:38","slug":"9-ways-to-save-money-on-rent","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.renthop.com\/research\/9-ways-to-save-money-on-rent\/","title":{"rendered":"9 Ways to Save Money on Rent"},"content":{"rendered":"
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There\u2019s an old rule of thumb that says you should look to spend only 30 percent of your pre-tax income on rent every month. According to federal guidelines, people who spend more than 30 percent of their income on housing are considered cost burdened and if you spend more than 50 percent you’re considered extremely cost burdened.<\/span>\u00a0If you\u2019re living in one of U.S. major cities, or you’re classified as a millennial, there\u2019s a high chance you fall into the category of being extremely cost burdened. Another good way of calculating just how much you can afford as your monthly rent is by implementing the 40-times rule. Meaning, make sure to check if your annual income is at least 40-times the monthly rent.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Living in a big city such as New York City or Los Angeles is great, but it’s not cheap. Can’t make rent this month, either? Here are some tips on how to make rent while still managing to pay all of your bills on time.<\/span><\/p>\n Moving to a different area is a viable option for those struggling to make rent every month. If you won\u2019t budge on giving up certain amenities, you should at least consider relocating. You might be dead set on living in a certain neighborhood, based on the area’s reputation and overall attractiveness. But would you reconsider giving that up if moving to another neighborhood meant saving several hundred dollars every month?<\/span><\/p>\n In the last couple of months, we\u2019ve been publishing our updated Rents by Subway Stop 2017 data studies.\u00a0<\/span>Our data scientists took on the task of mapping out rental prices by subway stop for New York City<\/a>, Boston<\/a>, Chicago<\/a>, and Washington D.C<\/a>. The goal of this study was to help renters make an informed rental decision about their next apartment. When looking at these big metropolitan areas, this is what we found in the form of big savings.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n In Chicago, there are 800,000 people using the CTA ‘L’ train system each weekday. Making it safe to say that the renters of Chicago are probably factoring in the ‘L’ train, and the time it takes to commute to work when looking for an apartment. Washington D.C. has the third busiest rail system in the nation, with nearly 750,000 weekday riders. And then there’s Boston, one of the largest rapid transit systems in the nation, behind New York City and Chicago. Bottom line, when renting in these cities, renters tend to take into account the commute and public transportation.<\/p>\n New York City is the perfect example of this. New Yorkers can attest to how big a part the New York’s MTA subway system plays in their daily life. When looking for an apartment, most New Yorkers tend to calculate in the subway when looking for a new place. A shorter commute to work? Perfect. But if you can save a few hundred dollars every month by moving just a couple of stops away on the same train, isn’t that a good investment? \u00a0Adding a couple of minutes to the overall travel time might be worth it to ensure you can make ends meet every month.<\/p>\n Securing the perfect apartment with top notch amenities to go along with it is a goal for most people. However, getting an apartment with certain features might be difficult to come by, depending on your budget. If you can’t afford to pay rent, you need to think about downsizing or downgrading your apartment as size and certain features have a correlation with a high monthly rent. Below you’ll see the price difference between the size of the apartment, showing the median rent for a studio, a 1 bedroom, and a 2 bedroom in selected cities.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Recognize what you can live without. For example, is it necessary to have an apartment that has two bathrooms?\u00a0Back in February, we did a study on the features that are increasing your rent<\/a>. Our findings show that you can easily save a lot of money by downgrading your apartment a bit. Having a doorman, elevator, fitness center, laundry in unit, and parking are most correlated with a higher price.<\/p>\n If living in a walk-up is saving you over $200 a month, isn’t it then worth it to get rid of the elevator? Obey the 30 percent threshold rule when it comes to renting or make sure your annual income is at least 40-times the monthly rent to avoid putting yourself in a tiresome financial situation. Downgrade your apartment by finding an apartment with fewer features. Doing so could save you hundreds of dollars in the end. See below to view how much certain features could impact the rent price in selected cities.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Don\u2019t want to give up certain amenities but you can\u2019t seem to make ends meet at times? Get a roommate to split the bills with. Stating the obvious, a 2 bedroom apartment will always be the more expensive option over a studio and a 1 bedroom apartment. But it can also be the most economical option. If you share a 2 bedroom apartment with one person, you end up saving money. If you share the same 2 bedroom apartment with two more people, your savings increase significantly. Instead of paying rent by yourself every month, take a look at how much you could end up paying if you shared an apartment with roommates instead.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Looking at the numbers, you can save the most money sharing a 2 bedroom apartment with two other people in Houston, paying only $390 a month. The most you\u2019ll spend for a 2 bedroom shared with two other people is in New York City, where the price per month equals $1,167. You’ll be saving the most by upgrading to a 2 bedroom and splitting the bill by three. Even upgrading to a 1 bedroom and splitting it with one person will save you more than paying for a studio by yourself.<\/span><\/p>\n Obviously, people could also choose to have a studio apartment and share it with one more person by setting up a wall, making the apartment function as a flex apartment. However, it’s important to note that studios are generally the most expensive per room because the common space (kitchens, bathrooms, etc) isn’t shared.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The following options are recommended for those who are having a hard time paying rent and looking for financial support to ensure they have a roof over their head. However, you should have a place when applying for programs or affordable housing lotteries, as there are many people applying for the same thing. <\/span><\/p>\n Certain programs are designed to help people who can\u2019t make rent, as long as they are eligible to receive financial support. These programs, also known as \u201cRental Assistance Programs,\u201d have a mission to help low-income tenants and families keep their current housing through providing financial support. Such rental assistance programs can be given through the government, charity programs, local resources, non-profits, etc. Do your research on short and long term assistance programs where you’re living. If you qualify as a low – to moderate-income family, you could be eligible for various programs. See the following examples of resources for selected cities to read up on when looking for more information on affordable housing and various rental assistance programs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n1. Move to a different neighborhood<\/b><\/h2>\n
2. Downgrade the apartment<\/b><\/h2>\n
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3. Get a roommate or two<\/b><\/h2>\n
4. Programs that can help cover rent<\/b><\/h2>\n
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