Living in an apartment near UGA as a student can come with expenses. Whether you have excess expenses or not, it is important to be vigilant and properly manage your budget. We will look at how to keep rent and utility costs down, save a penny here and there, and track your budget online.
Rent and Utilities
When finding the perfect apartment, the rent costs can be a deciding factor. If you are looking for a cheaper apartment near Athens, perhaps specifically under $700 a month, you have many amazing options. With an affordable rent established, it could be time to look at your utility expenses.
Every apartment incurs utility costs. For some apartments, utilities can be included, and you can specifically search for an apartment like this. For water costs, it also matters whether you have a washer and dryer in your unit, and whether you pay for water. However, if the utilities are yours to pay for, here are some simple tricks to decreasing costs. For heat/AC, change your air filter consistently every three months. For water, wash clothes in large loads and be conservative of water in the shower (this includes water heating). Finally, for electricity, use energy efficient light bulbs and turn off lights and fans when you aren't using them.
Saving a Penny
Saving small amounts of money will have a great impact on your wallet. Money is precious to everyone, even those who have a steady income outside of going to school. One example of saving money would be to save it on gas, which has been expensive in recent times. If you have an apartment near Athens transit, you can get around Athens and the surrounding area with ease. It is low cost, and if you have an active UGA ID, you can ride any of the routes for free. It will of course also save you money to rent an apartment close to the Athens school that you frequent most.
One way to save money is to steer clear of shopping malls and outlets. Spending your time doing schoolwork, going to your UGA apartment's fitness center (which also saves money, rather than paying for a gym membership elsewhere), and going to parks are great ways to save money. They give you peace of mind while removing the temptation of spending funds unnecessarily.
Tracking Your Budget
Finally, if you are someone who is diligent or likes to keep track of your everyday life, there are many resources you can use. If you like to write things down, you can use Etsy to purchase print-outs to track your spending or budget. There's also keeping a spending ledger. If you prefer being online, you can create a Google Sheet and track your bills, spending and budget. There are also websites like Rocket Money, but be careful with your personal banking information, as it is riskier.
There are many ways to save money here and there, and it is important to continue your research on your own if this is important to you. You will be thankful in the end, as you will feel more responsible while smiling as you fill your savings account like never before!