Are you thinking about either moving off campus or you already live on campus and want to move to an apartment?  You’re not alone and while each one has it’s own upside and downside, there are some tips you should follow when you want to live off campus for a very cheap price. 

Get roommates.

The biggest mistake that most college students make when they move off campus is that they want to either live by themselves or they pick a roommate that’s pretty bad with money, etc.  Make sure that you know your roommate before you sign a lease.  There are so many bums out there, you don’t want your roommate to be one of them.

Go small.

There’s no reason to get a spacious 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment when it’s going to be just two people.  Try and go as small as possible.  The smaller the apartment you get, the less you’re potentially going to pay.  If you find that you can’t get a roommate, I would recommend you try and find a studio apartment.  Depending on what part of the world you live in, these can be pretty cheap.

Do your research.

Applying for an apartment shouldn’t take you two minutes, instead you should use all of your resources and take a take to find the perfect apartment.  Use resources online such as apartments.com to find an apartment.  Always make sure that you take a tour before you sign any papers.

Have less bills.

All apartments vary when it comes to bills.  Some apartments will include things like gas and water but some apartment complexes will make you pay for everything.  The best option for a college student is generally to find a place that combines everything into one payment, this way it involves less stress for you when you have to pay ten bills instead of one.

Don’t overdo the decorating.

Being in college isn’t anything fancy.  You should be going to college so that you can live a nice lifestyle later.  For now, you’ll want to stick with cheap decorating.  Don’t overdo yourself and purchase nice sofas, tables, etc.  Instead, go out and buy a cheap futon and table.  In the end, you’ll probably be getting rid of it anyways.  Or if you want to take a different route, you can always try to find a furnished apartment, where they supply the furniture for you.

Living on your own isn’t expensive.  It’s only a lot of money if you make it that way.  Make sure that you’re frugal with your spending and you watch your electric bill.  The less electric you use like your air conditioning and TV, the less you’re going to spend.  You’re probably already in a lot of debt because of student loans, you won’t want to get in even more with an apartment.