I almost always rented from people who owned small places. The first place was a summer sublet, obtained by word of mouth. Moving at the end of a school year helped during college days as alot of places became vacant then. Offering to paint and fix up goes a long way. Our second place (me and roomies) allowed the lease signer to "sublet". At one point there were five of us. That cut costs considerably. We found out about it from a friend of a friend. Since we had a terrific landlord and lady and were willing to work on the place ourselves our rent never increased during the years we were there. The third place was on my own. It was the first building my landlady ever owned. She did the construction work herself. We chatted for a while before she offered the lease. I must have passed muster. She even let me bring my cat at no charge.
I agree with the employee loyality crap. I worked for a soft drink company. Drove in the snow on a narrow street , uphill, risked life and limb just to get laid off. And yet they show a profit. yea and then these greedy companies want a bailout. Glad to see that they are taking soda machines out of school. Hell beer is better than soft drinks . what a joke. It wasn't Pepsi by the way...
You pretty much nailed it, though a surge protector might be a bit extreme for a regular trip. I always add a second pair of comfortable sneakers--dress shoes are a drag come day three.
Best source is always to go "local"- local/community newspaper or newsletters, Craigslist specific for that city, even university or community posting boards/forums. The locals who rent out extra space in their homes tend to offer the best prices and leniency as compared to the apartment complexes.
Apartment complexes may only advertise prices based on # of bedrooms, but prices may fluctuate even further based on other factor (upper/lower floor, parking lot or pool view). One apartment I saw had a W/D but I did not want one and asked it to be removed; to my surprise, they agreed and deducted the price from the rent.
It's been a while since I've traveled for business, but some other things I never leave home without when on a work trip:
Sleeping gear - eye shade, ear plugs and clothes pins/binder clip (to hold curtains closed). These were especially useful when I worked nights and/or got stuck in a hotel doing some renovations. But also useful if you get a room which has a bright street light and/or busy street just outside your window.
Exercise gear - jump rope and exercise bands/tubes. I try to continue my workouts when traveling. But it's hard to depend on having a reasonable workout facility readily available. A jump rope and some stretchy tubes as well as a reasonable understanding of basic body weight exercises (or a set of FitDeck cards) and any hotel room can be turned into a mini-gym.
Snacks for the flight - Yes, these can be bought at the airport, but it's cheaper and more healthy to bring your own. After multiple times getting stuck on the plane sitting on the tarmac for more than an hour, I learned that having some extra munchies makes life a lot more bearable. A good book helps too.
I worked in big ticket sales for a few years and I will agree that having the right amount of green on you to pay for the item you are dealing for is important. That said, actually "flashing the cash" is not something you want to do. Telling the seller you have the cash in your pocket or subtly showing them how much money you are carrying doe not let them know you are serious, it let's them know you are someone who expects to be accused of not having the cash on them, it signals that you may be dishonest, cheap, obnoxious, and likely overly confident of your ability to deal.
Don't get me wrong, there's little wrong with answering directly if the seller asks you whether you have the cash on you, but using the promise of cash in hand as a negotiating tactic doesn't hold as much weight as it used to. When credit cards were less reliable and laws against bouncing checks less enforced, cash up front was a bigger deal. Carrying a big wad of cash instead of a debit card today is more indicative of an inability to manage one's finances than of any wealth or skill in business. At present, a buyer pulling out a huge fold of greenbacks is more likely to make the seller of a big ticket item think they are dealing with someone who is inexperienced in deal-making who does not often make large purchases.
Also, this may sound counter-intuitive, but some sellers don't like dealing with cash in large amounts, particularly large sellers. Cash requires counting and storing and doesn't require the submission of important identifying information about the buyer that most companies place a great deal of value in.
Sometimes when a house seems cheaper than it should be there is a reason. We kept thinking the last house we lived in was quite a steal until the sewer started backing up and the basement started leaking. Look at the types of windows and doors on the place too, landlords don't care what you have to pay for utilities and a lot of older houses don't have tight windows and doors. Make sure you look for any signs of water damage as well because more than likely it is an on-going problem!
Trying to cut back-I just bought Tetley tea as an alternative to my favorite, Twining's- I am so impressed with the flavor and the price, i can't recommend it enough. It surpasses Lipton's and any store brand by far- if you're into "bag" tea. Good to know I'm not alone!
It should start to foam within a short time, 20 minutes or less. You should get bubbles in the airlock within 24 hours. If it is not aggressive enough for you, check the temps and maybe drop a crushed Bean-o in there.
Honestly, I have not rented in awhile. However, when I did rent, I know that rent seemed to follow the general rule of real estate: location, location, location. If you are willing to live in a less desirable area or place, you are going to pay cheaper rent.
Basement apartments, spare bedrooms, or apartments in fringe areas are all places where rent will be cheaper. Typically right out of college those places might suffice. However, later in life, not so much.
I echo a lot of the statements already made. You should treat the first impression with your landlord like a job interview. The better the impression, the more likely you will get better terms.
The last time I rented a place, I showed up in a suit (since I had a presentation that day in my graduate class). Surprisingly, the apartment management company "forgot" to ask me about co-signing the lease (with my parents) and ended up asking less for my deposit. Granted, I have a great credit score. But the suit and tie really seemed to make an impact.
Well put. It's always good to also put aside some "mad money" to go out and try to hit the homeruns just to satisfy the part of you that wants to roll the dice on a stock and try to make a lot of money.
But over the long haul, long-term buy-and-hold investing is the way to go.
A lot to choose from. I, too, deal with the same distractions everyday. Time management is one of the skills I've been trying to develop; there are times I'm a victor, but often a failure.
To help me accomplish more based on the schedule, I installed ClocX, a simple and free alarm software.
One could add sound or open a program once the set time is over. But more than the application, commitment would helps me more.
It's a dream job, in fact, it's not a job at all, if one could read and watch and write reviews afterward, and be paid for it. You're doing what you both love: writing and earning.
I hope there would be more opportunities for people residing in a non-US territory.
Websites devoted to book and movie reviews would be great. And where people could write their reviews, to put into practice what they've learn, while earning at the same time.
It's just a thought that I'm sure everyone is also dreaming of.
All r fools....who say that Optical Illusions r very nice...they r real fools....one of them is ---Tanishaa...who has written sumthing above....I hate u Tanishaa....My father is police officer my mother is a house wife.....Tanishaa ia a lollll....She thinks dat she's smart....but she's not....Tanishaa...dare not reply to me....did u understand...u junk girl.....All this is true..
I am Vatsala Varnan from the school-Notre Dame in class 5"A".My mother is a class teacher their....her name is Priya Varnan....she is nice....I live in patna,Bihar,India....And my phone no. is 9987649364...plz call me guys....And wat I say once I prove it...and all of u should know this....
I like Optical Illusions...I just love them.....sometimes they r so interesting that I want to see more and more,...Sometimes...I show them to my friends....we share with each other....they say that these r fabulous....I am so happy....Optical Illusions are for kid's interest also....As I'm also a girl....a child....And I am very interested....My mo often says...wat do u do....?Wen she sees she also becomes amazed... :)
Six years ago I rented a luxury apartment that had an asking rent of $1100 for $850. The four reasons I got such a deal are:
1. I rented from an owner.
The apartment was actually a condo, an investment property owned by a CPA. Every month that the condo went vacant was another month that he had to carry the mortgage and association fees with no money coming in. I was extra lucky because he had multiple units sitting vacant and his real estate agent let it slip. Big mistake.
This was during the Chicago Real Estate boom. It's a lot easier to get a deal now, especially in the more high end market.
2. I didn't hire an apartment service.
In some places (Chicago) the service is free to the renter, others (NYC) both parties pay. Apartments aren't rocket science, you don't need a consultant. Know what you want to pay, where you want to live, and go out there and find a place. Treat it like a part time job; no one cares more about where you will be living more than you do.
3. I moved in the dead of Winter.
Most people start and end their leases in the summer months. It is harder to find tenants in November, December and January than in June or July. Even if the owner has to dramatically drop the price to get you to move in, it more than offsets the potential loss of just one month of vacancy. Renting off-season gives you added bargaining power.
4. I haggled.
I went back and forth with the owner through his real estate agent, when I wasn't getting the right price, I very politely told her it was everybody's best interest to let me have the apartment at $800 and that I was even willing to prepay a couple of months if they like. The counter-offered $850 and I took it.
Getting a good deal on an apartment requires that you do your homework and have the guts to ask for what you want. The worst thing that can happen is they say no.
Sharing a house seems to be cheaper in my area than renting. Try to look as early as possible. Craiglist's list has some good deals, but you can find even better ones through community message boards, or student housing networks.
Long term investing? Ten years now and I am still losing money!!!!!!
the simplest way to search hugely discounted deals at amazon is follow these links at
http://www.dealverse.com
go check it out, its simple and it works.
I almost always rented from people who owned small places. The first place was a summer sublet, obtained by word of mouth. Moving at the end of a school year helped during college days as alot of places became vacant then. Offering to paint and fix up goes a long way. Our second place (me and roomies) allowed the lease signer to "sublet". At one point there were five of us. That cut costs considerably. We found out about it from a friend of a friend. Since we had a terrific landlord and lady and were willing to work on the place ourselves our rent never increased during the years we were there. The third place was on my own. It was the first building my landlady ever owned. She did the construction work herself. We chatted for a while before she offered the lease. I must have passed muster. She even let me bring my cat at no charge.
I agree with the employee loyality crap. I worked for a soft drink company. Drove in the snow on a narrow street , uphill, risked life and limb just to get laid off. And yet they show a profit. yea and then these greedy companies want a bailout. Glad to see that they are taking soda machines out of school. Hell beer is better than soft drinks . what a joke. It wasn't Pepsi by the way...
Thanks for all the math, you made it easy for me to decide which method to use for my caffeine fix!
Love it!
Make the coffee at home. I store cold coffee in the refrigerator. Quick iced coffee is delicious. unemployedmarx.blogspot.com
You pretty much nailed it, though a surge protector might be a bit extreme for a regular trip. I always add a second pair of comfortable sneakers--dress shoes are a drag come day three.
Best source is always to go "local"- local/community newspaper or newsletters, Craigslist specific for that city, even university or community posting boards/forums. The locals who rent out extra space in their homes tend to offer the best prices and leniency as compared to the apartment complexes.
Apartment complexes may only advertise prices based on # of bedrooms, but prices may fluctuate even further based on other factor (upper/lower floor, parking lot or pool view). One apartment I saw had a W/D but I did not want one and asked it to be removed; to my surprise, they agreed and deducted the price from the rent.
It's been a while since I've traveled for business, but some other things I never leave home without when on a work trip:
Sleeping gear - eye shade, ear plugs and clothes pins/binder clip (to hold curtains closed). These were especially useful when I worked nights and/or got stuck in a hotel doing some renovations. But also useful if you get a room which has a bright street light and/or busy street just outside your window.
Exercise gear - jump rope and exercise bands/tubes. I try to continue my workouts when traveling. But it's hard to depend on having a reasonable workout facility readily available. A jump rope and some stretchy tubes as well as a reasonable understanding of basic body weight exercises (or a set of FitDeck cards) and any hotel room can be turned into a mini-gym.
Snacks for the flight - Yes, these can be bought at the airport, but it's cheaper and more healthy to bring your own. After multiple times getting stuck on the plane sitting on the tarmac for more than an hour, I learned that having some extra munchies makes life a lot more bearable. A good book helps too.
I worked in big ticket sales for a few years and I will agree that having the right amount of green on you to pay for the item you are dealing for is important. That said, actually "flashing the cash" is not something you want to do. Telling the seller you have the cash in your pocket or subtly showing them how much money you are carrying doe not let them know you are serious, it let's them know you are someone who expects to be accused of not having the cash on them, it signals that you may be dishonest, cheap, obnoxious, and likely overly confident of your ability to deal.
Don't get me wrong, there's little wrong with answering directly if the seller asks you whether you have the cash on you, but using the promise of cash in hand as a negotiating tactic doesn't hold as much weight as it used to. When credit cards were less reliable and laws against bouncing checks less enforced, cash up front was a bigger deal. Carrying a big wad of cash instead of a debit card today is more indicative of an inability to manage one's finances than of any wealth or skill in business. At present, a buyer pulling out a huge fold of greenbacks is more likely to make the seller of a big ticket item think they are dealing with someone who is inexperienced in deal-making who does not often make large purchases.
Also, this may sound counter-intuitive, but some sellers don't like dealing with cash in large amounts, particularly large sellers. Cash requires counting and storing and doesn't require the submission of important identifying information about the buyer that most companies place a great deal of value in.
Sometimes when a house seems cheaper than it should be there is a reason. We kept thinking the last house we lived in was quite a steal until the sewer started backing up and the basement started leaking. Look at the types of windows and doors on the place too, landlords don't care what you have to pay for utilities and a lot of older houses don't have tight windows and doors. Make sure you look for any signs of water damage as well because more than likely it is an on-going problem!
Trying to cut back-I just bought Tetley tea as an alternative to my favorite, Twining's- I am so impressed with the flavor and the price, i can't recommend it enough. It surpasses Lipton's and any store brand by far- if you're into "bag" tea. Good to know I'm not alone!
It should start to foam within a short time, 20 minutes or less. You should get bubbles in the airlock within 24 hours. If it is not aggressive enough for you, check the temps and maybe drop a crushed Bean-o in there.
Honerable? Haha learn how to spell before you talk ****!
For those trying to save money on renting where they currently live, try offering a service (or talent) of yours that may be useful to the landlord.
I am bi-lingual, and I used to translate for my landlord for a discount on my monthly rent.
Honestly, I have not rented in awhile. However, when I did rent, I know that rent seemed to follow the general rule of real estate: location, location, location. If you are willing to live in a less desirable area or place, you are going to pay cheaper rent.
Basement apartments, spare bedrooms, or apartments in fringe areas are all places where rent will be cheaper. Typically right out of college those places might suffice. However, later in life, not so much.
I echo a lot of the statements already made. You should treat the first impression with your landlord like a job interview. The better the impression, the more likely you will get better terms.
The last time I rented a place, I showed up in a suit (since I had a presentation that day in my graduate class). Surprisingly, the apartment management company "forgot" to ask me about co-signing the lease (with my parents) and ended up asking less for my deposit. Granted, I have a great credit score. But the suit and tie really seemed to make an impact.
Well put. It's always good to also put aside some "mad money" to go out and try to hit the homeruns just to satisfy the part of you that wants to roll the dice on a stock and try to make a lot of money.
But over the long haul, long-term buy-and-hold investing is the way to go.
The Writer's Coin | Follow me on Twitter
A lot to choose from. I, too, deal with the same distractions everyday. Time management is one of the skills I've been trying to develop; there are times I'm a victor, but often a failure.
To help me accomplish more based on the schedule, I installed ClocX, a simple and free alarm software.
One could add sound or open a program once the set time is over. But more than the application, commitment would helps me more.
Great post! And a time well spent.
It's a dream job, in fact, it's not a job at all, if one could read and watch and write reviews afterward, and be paid for it. You're doing what you both love: writing and earning.
I hope there would be more opportunities for people residing in a non-US territory.
Websites devoted to book and movie reviews would be great. And where people could write their reviews, to put into practice what they've learn, while earning at the same time.
It's just a thought that I'm sure everyone is also dreaming of.
Guys.....Plz join with me on fb,Twitter,Gmail,Orkut....plzzzz :) :)
All r fools....who say that Optical Illusions r very nice...they r real fools....one of them is ---Tanishaa...who has written sumthing above....I hate u Tanishaa....My father is police officer my mother is a house wife.....Tanishaa ia a lollll....She thinks dat she's smart....but she's not....Tanishaa...dare not reply to me....did u understand...u junk girl.....All this is true..
I am Vatsala Varnan from the school-Notre Dame in class 5"A".My mother is a class teacher their....her name is Priya Varnan....she is nice....I live in patna,Bihar,India....And my phone no. is 9987649364...plz call me guys....And wat I say once I prove it...and all of u should know this....
I like Optical Illusions...I just love them.....sometimes they r so interesting that I want to see more and more,...Sometimes...I show them to my friends....we share with each other....they say that these r fabulous....I am so happy....Optical Illusions are for kid's interest also....As I'm also a girl....a child....And I am very interested....My mo often says...wat do u do....?Wen she sees she also becomes amazed... :)
It's meee-
Tanishaa From
Patna....
Six years ago I rented a luxury apartment that had an asking rent of $1100 for $850. The four reasons I got such a deal are:
1. I rented from an owner.
The apartment was actually a condo, an investment property owned by a CPA. Every month that the condo went vacant was another month that he had to carry the mortgage and association fees with no money coming in. I was extra lucky because he had multiple units sitting vacant and his real estate agent let it slip. Big mistake.
This was during the Chicago Real Estate boom. It's a lot easier to get a deal now, especially in the more high end market.
2. I didn't hire an apartment service.
In some places (Chicago) the service is free to the renter, others (NYC) both parties pay. Apartments aren't rocket science, you don't need a consultant. Know what you want to pay, where you want to live, and go out there and find a place. Treat it like a part time job; no one cares more about where you will be living more than you do.
3. I moved in the dead of Winter.
Most people start and end their leases in the summer months. It is harder to find tenants in November, December and January than in June or July. Even if the owner has to dramatically drop the price to get you to move in, it more than offsets the potential loss of just one month of vacancy. Renting off-season gives you added bargaining power.
4. I haggled.
I went back and forth with the owner through his real estate agent, when I wasn't getting the right price, I very politely told her it was everybody's best interest to let me have the apartment at $800 and that I was even willing to prepay a couple of months if they like. The counter-offered $850 and I took it.
Getting a good deal on an apartment requires that you do your homework and have the guts to ask for what you want. The worst thing that can happen is they say no.
Sharing a house seems to be cheaper in my area than renting. Try to look as early as possible. Craiglist's list has some good deals, but you can find even better ones through community message boards, or student housing networks.