Most people would always like to find a few ways to save some money. There are plenty of tips online for frugal living, and this article presents some of the best frugal living tips for any one renting an Ottawa apartment.
ONLY VISIT AFFORDABLE OTTAWA APARTMENTS
Although this article is about saving money while you’re already living in an Ottawa apartment, this tip is important enough that it still belongs here. You shouldn’t rent an apartment you can’t afford! Live below your means.
When you’re beginning your apartment search, create a budget, find a maximum amount you’re willing to pay in apartment rent, and don’t go over that amount – no matter what! You can visit apartments that are a bit over your budgeted number, but only if you think you can negotiate down to under whatever maximum you’ve set. And if you do visit the apartment but you can’t negotiate down, nix the apartment from you’re list.
PAY YOURSELF FIRST
You might have heard this saying before. This tip can be applied to any one looking to save money. Whenever you get a paycheck, pay yourself first. Before you buy clothes, before you pay your apartment rent, put a little away in a savings account or an investment where you’ll never look at it or touch it.
The saying comes from the book, The Richest Man in Babylon. The book recommends putting away at least 10% of your total earnings. After you do that, and after you do things like pay off your apartment rent, you can do whatever you want with your money, guilt free!
DO IT YOURSELF
One of the advantages of an Ottawa apartment is that if there’s ever a problem with the apartment itself, or the appliances that came in the apartment, you can ask the landlord to fix it (assuming you’re renting an apartment from a reputable Ottawa apartment rental company). However, for all the other stuff (your computer, your furniture, etc.) you’ll have to pay someone to fix it, or learn to do it yourself; same goes for decorating. Learning a few trade skills can save you a lot of money while you live in your apartment. They’ll also help if you make the switch from renting Ottawa apartments to owning an Ottawa home!
MAKE USE OF YOUR APARTMENT KITCHEN
It’s easy to spend a lot of money eating out. But if you cook at home, in your apartment, you’ll save lots of money very easily. The more you cook, and the more you shop for groceries, the easier it’ll be to know which foods are cost-effective, and which ones are a bit too expensive for your “taste.” Most Ottawa apartments come with basic apartment appliances like a fridge and a stove.
DON’T LEAVE THINGS ON
If you pay for utilities, you should be extra vigilant about letting anything run longer than necessary. Don’t leave a light on if you’re not in the room. Don’t let your computer “sleep” overnight – turn it off! If you pay for water, don’t take extra long showers.
In Ottawa apartments it can get pretty cold during the winter. If you don’t want to blast your heat up, then you should close your apartment windows, and make sure they’re not letting cold air in. Tape can fix this, and heavy curtains can also help. As well, make sure your radiator isn’t covered up by furniture.
USE THE LIBRARY
If you’re in any apartments near University of Ottawa or other Ottawa schools, you likely have access to a library. Use it! Besides, how much space do you really have in your Ottawa apartment for more books?
Here are the Ottawa public library locations; their main library is near downtown Ottawa apartments. But as you’ll see on the map, there’s almost always an Ottawa library near you – and that’s not even counting the student libraries around Ottawa.
If you’re looking for an apartment, District Realty has plenty of affordable Ottawa apartments for rent. Check out their Ottawa apartment listings now.
