Electricity and gas
When you are approved to live in your apartment, you will be asked to install electricity and gas before the date you plan to stay. When choosing your power company, please visit www.whitefence.com and www.powertochoose.com. Don't wait until the last minute to set it up, because there will usually be a waiting period of 3-5 business days until they can come out and open it.
What is the monthly electricity and gas bill?
My electricity bill ranges from $125 to $180. I have a two-bedroom room with very few air conditioners, even though we do use heating in the winter. I tried to turn off the lights when no one was using them, but my roommate was not so careful.
Utility (water/garbage)
Apartments usually charge water, sewage and garbage.
What is the monthly utility fee?
These bills can be $15-50 per month. I spent about $25-50 to buy water and garbage. Because my facility uses allocated water, this means that my water bill depends on the amount of water used throughout the complex. Many apartments charge a fee, which may be better for those with very strict budgets.
Internet and cable TV
Don't forget to budget for the internet and cable TV. Before deciding which company to work with, you will want to look around for the best deal.
Furniture
There are many ways to save money and still have all the functional furniture you need.
Try garage sales, humanized habitats, goodwill, flea markets, or friends and family who have sofas or bedside tables, they don't want it anymore.
Check out Craigslist, where you'll find a lot of things... some are even free!
Don't underestimate the power of the warmth and the sofa cover, it can make the old sofa on the side of the road look new. Look closely and you may find some great discoveries! You can also rent furniture. Sometimes they offer a furniture rental agreement and may even include a TV with a living room. They offer a financing plan that allows you to pay in monthly installments.
Additional fees
Don't forget everything else you need to allocate funds in your budget. What I can think of is that you will also spend money on:
- Food
- Gas or transportation
- Phone
- Interesting
- Personal hygiene products
- Cookware, pots and utensils
- Cleaning supplies
- Detergent and soap
- Plate/bowl/plate
- Laundry
Make a realistic budget and take all the things you need before moving in. I recommend collecting it slowly on a few paychecks so that when you want to pay a deposit, the cost will not be as high.
