Tips on Saving Money by Sharing an Apartment with Others

Renting an apartment all on your own can be very expensive. Not only do you pay all the rent costs, but you also have to pay all the bills by yourself. It’s no wonder that many apartment renters share their apartment with other people.

While sharing your apartment with other people can save you money on rent costs and utility bills, there are also disadvantages with sharing an apartment with other people, for one, you could lose your privacy.

But despite the obvious disadvantages of having to share your apartment with other people, you really can’t afford to lose a good flatmate, especially one that respects your privacy and pays their fair share of the expenses on time.

Here are a few tips on how to save money by sharing your apartment with other people while not also driving them away:

The information in this article is based off my experiences sharing apartments with other people.

The Details:

1. Have a Written Flatmate Agreement

Making a written flatmate agreement with your flatmate might seem too formal especially if your flatmate is a family member, relative and/or friend. However, oral flatmate agreements are almost always forgotten, causing misunderstandings and even quarrels down the road.

That’s why having a written flatmate agreement with your flatmate is essential. This is because you can always refer to it whenever a disagreement on living arrangements occurs. Make sure that you and your flatmate both sign the agreement as proof that you both agree to abide by it.

A written flatmate agreement must be exhaustive and not written only as an afterthought. For example, Do you allow pets? How much noise do you tolerate? Do you allow visitors? How about curfew?, and so on.

But most of all, the sharing of apartment expenses must be clear. You must clearly stipulate how much your flatmate has to pay on rent and bills and when are they supposed to pay. You should also clearly stipulate potential issues regarding rent and bill increases.

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2. Divide the Chores

Dividing the chores to be done in the apartment doesn’t only mean such common chores as regular cleaning and grocery shopping, it also means doing less commonly done cleaning chores such as bathroom cleaning.

Let’s face it, a lot of people don’t want to clean bathrooms, especially the toilet. Even if they do clean it, it would be lackluster at best. That’s why besides dividing the chores, you should also set standards on quality when it comes to doing cleaning chores.

Make sure that appliances which need to be maintained are maintained. For example, the accumulated lint on washing machines can cause it to malfunction. Making it a part of regular routine cleaning is very essential to save on maintenance and replacement costs.

The same goes for grocery shopping, make sure that you have a detailed grocery shopping list. If you don’t, it’s entirely possible that your flatmates would spend your grocery money haphazardly, making you lose money in the process.

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3. Respect Your Roommate’s Private Space

It can be very hard to find a flatmate, especially one that respects your privacy and pays their share of the apartment expenses on time. That’s why when you find these good flatmates, you should try your best to keep them.

Usually, one of the biggest reasons why your flatmates leave you is because they feel that you are invading their private space. Your flatmate would tend to leave you if they think you are dominating their lives.

For example, you are not supposed to go to their bedroom, or use or even just touch their private possessions without their permission. This especially applies if you are a male and your flatmates are females.

You’re also not supposed to barge in while they are having conversations with their visitors or even when they are just talking on their smartphones. You are also not supposed to disturb them if they are doing something. If you must, ask for their permission first.

The cost of losing a flatmate can be devastating, especially if you are finding it hard to pay your apartment’s rent and bills. Usually, a flatmate pays almost half of your rent and bills. Losing this much money can be financially devastating. So, respect their private space as much as you can.

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4. Be Diplomatic

No matter how harmonious is your relationship with your flatmates, you won’t always agree with them on certain issues. For example, you might have a flatmate who tends to overeat a lot, causing you to pay for much higher grocery bills than you need to.

Rather than making a big fuss about this to your flatmate, approach them on a diplomatic basis. You can explain the problem they are giving to you with their activities or actions, while also hearing their own point of view on the matter.

Usually, minor misunderstandings and even quarrels can be solved by tackling the problem diplomatically, while a violent reaction or outburst can worsen an already strained relationship with your flatmate.

You must realize that no two people are the same. Most people have a different point of view from another on the same subject, even if you’re close friends or even family.

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Final Words

Renting an apartment by yourself these days can be very expensive. This is the reason why many take on flatmates to share their rent and bill expenses with them.

You need a well written flatmate agreement, divide the chores, respect your flatmate’s private space and must be diplomatic when you’re dealing with your flatmates.

This is because it can be very hard to find a flatmate who respects your privacy and pay their share of the apartment expenses fairly and on time. This is why when you find such a flatmate, you should do your best to keep them.

Remember, a single flatmate can cut your rent and bill expenses by half. They greatly improve your finances, especially if you are struggling with your rent and bill expenses. Who knows? You might actually find a flatmate who’ll become your best friend in the future.

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