Rent is Due - Avoid the Hassle, Pay as soon as possible

Something that I didn't focus on as much as I do now (mind you over a decade later) money!  I am back as an assistant manager in property management and the focus these days, rent collection!

You see, I didn't have that issue back in the day.  People simply paid their rent and mostly on time.  But these days, we have our share of renters who don't stay on top of rent payments (sigh).

Here's what some of you who rent apartments can do to save yourself a lot of headache in the future especially with the holidays coming up!

1)  You know you can't pay the full amount well in advance, contact your landlord/manager.
Why do that to yourself, mentally worry about the rent?  If you have no way of paying all your rent by deadline, you know what to do, call or stop by the Leasing Office.

2)  Cut your personal spending at least two to four weeks weeks prior to rent being due.  (You really don't need another thing on Amazon when your rent is due like next week.)  There is no one or nothing as important as having a roof over your head.  Stop caring about holidays and gift-giving and pay your rent on time every time!  If you must do it all, consider additional sources of income like a part-time job for starters.

3)  Have a list of helpful resources in case you need assistance paying rent.  Reach out to charities online, support groups, nonprofit organizations and even places that provide rental assistance based on your profession or club association.  Explore those options before calling the office once again saying, "I'll be late with rent..."

4)  Watch your communication with your landlord and neighbors whether online or offline.  Interesting how people want some understanding when they are in a tough situation, yet they will talk disrespectful, complain, and downright act rude.  You never know what connections your landlord might have to help you, it would make sense to be professional and polite, now wouldn't it?

5)  Lastly, if all else fails, start shopping around for a cheaper place to stay.  Some community managers will cut you a break if you must end your lease early.

Things to do to be sure your rent is on time next month:

1) Take a portion of your first check (at least 40% and put it toward the rent in a separate account).  Your second paycheck put aside 60%.

2)  Calculate all utility expenses and set that amount aside each month.  You can get an estimate of what upcoming utilities might be by looking at a ledger that details how much you have paid in the past.

3)  Don't allow any adult to stay at your place, eat from your fridge, or use your water without making a contribution to your household.

4)  Avoid paying for a pet when you know you can't make ends meet.  Find out if someone else can care for your pet until you can get on your feet.

5)  Research ways to make additional money.

6)  Consider making a home purchase if you can afford it.  The monthly mortgage payments might be a better option for you, but keep in mind you will need to save more money in the event an appliance needs to be replaced or something needs to be fixed.

7)  Consult with a financial planner and a debt consolidation agency to assist with your current debt and investments.  You will find you are probably paying too much interest on credit cards and spending far more money than you can afford.

Nicholl McGuire  Author of What Else Can I Do on the Internet? and the owner of this blog.