Do You Have Renters Insurance?


Updated 06/13/11 3:22 PM · Posted by · 5 comments

Is Renters Insurance Worth It?

Although I've never had anything happen to me in my home that would warrant using my renters insurance (knock on wood), I think that my low-cost investment is quite valuable. If disaster strikes, my possessions will be protected, which the landlords insurance won't cover. The average renters insurance costs between $15 and $30 monthly, according to the National Association of Insurance Read more

Watch Out: Your Late Rent Payments May Hurt Your Credit Score


Updated 01/31/11 3:28 PM · Posted by · 0 comments

Does Rental Payment History Affect My Credit Score?

Experian is going to be the first out of three major credit bureaus to start factoring in rent payment histories when it's calculating credit reports, and Wallet Pop personal finance expert Lynnette Khalfani-Cox thinks the other bureaus will start doing it as well. Brannan Johnston, an Experian vice president, explains that since a third of Americans rent, the company felt that "it was imperative Read more

8 Crafty Ways to Reduce Your Rent


Updated 01/28/11 3:02 PM · Posted by · 0 comments

How to Lower Rent

For a lot of you, a hefty portion of your paycheck goes to rent, according to a SavvySugar survey. In this flagging economy, it's hard to put forward such a big chunk of cash when you're struggling to save. If the high rental prices are stressing you out, here are a few options you should consider in order to lower your rent. These suggestions might be common sense for most, but it's always good Read more

Savvy Community: Basement Living Tips


Updated 01/24/11 5:00 AM · Posted by Savvy Community · 0 comments

Renting Basements

Basement living will definitely be great for your wallet, but is it for you? Readers weighed in on guest blogger LearnVest's piece on staying in the basement of an apartment. Here's what they said: Insurance: It's actually untrue that you probably can't insure your stuff in a basement. You can get renters' insurance that covers you in the case of theft or fire. It will also cover you in the case Read more

Balance Budget With Lifestyle: What’s It Like to Live in a Basement?


Updated 01/28/11 5:02 AM · Posted by LearnVest · 4 comments

Balance Budget With Lifestyle: What’s It Like to Live in a Basement?

We're thrilled to present this smart LearnVest story here on Savvy! When it comes to apartments, light is expensive. For this reason, basement apartments are usually cheaper to live in than apartments that are on the first floors and higher, getting lots of natural light. They tend to appear in big cities, where every square foot counts. If you think about what a brownstone townhouse looks Read more

Is Paying More For a Better View Worth It?


Updated 11/23/10 4:21 PM · Posted by SavvySugar · 5 comments

Cost of Living on Higher Floors

I know a lot of people are willing to fork out more money for a better view (and higher floor) at their apartments, but that's never really been very important to me. It's not like I spend hours looking out the window. In fact, I barely glance at it. Sometimes the difference of a good view and a not-so-good view can range from hundreds of dollars. What do you think — is a good view worth paying Read more

How Much of Your Paycheck Goes to Rent?


Updated 10/25/10 8:04 PM · Posted by SavvySugar · 6 comments

Percentage of Income Spent on Rent

A huge chunk of our paychecks goes to the monthly necessities such as rent, food, and utility bills. For those of you who are renting, I'm wondering how much of your take-home paycheck goes to rent? How Much of Your Paycheck Goes to Rent? Less than 20 percent 20 to 35 percent 36 to 50 percent Over 50 percent Read more

Do You Rent or Own Your Home?


Updated 09/14/10 4:00 PM · Posted by CasaSugar · 1 comment

Do You Rent or Own Your Home?

It's been about three years since I asked you all if you rent or own, and at that point, the renters were in the lead at 52 percent. Considering that since then I have moved twice, and I'm sure many you have had plenty of life changes too, I figure it's about time to pose the question to you again. So head to the polls: do you rent or own? Do You Rent or Own Your Home? Rent! Read more