Why Renting A Bigger Place May Save Me Money

It’s really interesting to shop for unique things like apartments or cars. Each is so different it’s hard to compare, you can’t exactly hop online and find the best deal like you would for, say, a certain model of digital camera. The whole thing is a bit more nuanced than that.

Clearly costs are an issue to me and, in looking at larger spaces, my rent is going to cost more. But there are some additional features that a larger apartment can accomodate that might make this move actually less expensive than where I live now.

I’ve attempting to assign some monetary values to some of this stuff, if only so I can fairly compare apartments. What do you think? Have I forgotten anything?

Currently at the Bar Harbor Laundromat, I am paying about $6 for a load of laundry. A big load, sure, but $1 for 16 minutes of dryer time? Come on!

I do about a load of laundry a week so having my own washer dryer will save me at least $24, not to mention not having to deal with the hassle that is going to the laundromat.

All summer, I’ve been going out for drinks, if only because I can’t exactly invite people over to my house. Having a spot where I can entertain will not only be fun for me but also save me some cash. Also, everything in Bar Harbor is starting to close for the winter so soon, there won’t even be many places for me to go!

A couple places have an internet connection they said I can use. I might not take a chance on this since the internet is my livelihood but at least I know I have a backup connection if there are times where mine won’t work.

Maine winters are cold and to me, a landlord that includes heat in the rent costs means they are 1) concerned about my comfort and 2) have insulated their building well so as not to lose money themselves. Winterizing can be a great cost saver but knowing how much things will cost up front means no guesswork for me, which I appreciate.

A few apartments I’ve looked at are nice enough to include utilities, like electricity and water/sewer. I’ve been clear with all potential landlords that I’d be working from home and they are still fine with covering those costs. Nice!

Currently, I take Sadie to a dog groomer since I don’t have a bathtub where I can wash her myself. Sure, I still have to take her in to have her nails trimmed (some tricks really aren’t teachable to an old dog) but if I don’t have to pay to wash her, that works for me. Also, sometimes I want a soak myself. Ahh, I am appreciating that already.

I am currently paying $2-$3 every time my neighbor takes care of my trash, which is once every week or so. The transfer station isn’t far so I could haul the trash myself but it stinks up my car and is a complete hassle so this small cost worth it to me. Having this service come with my rent will be even better. (I’ve looked into it and I’d be paying about $30 a month minimum to have a professional service deal with it.)

I have a few items to store (a bike and moped among them) that if I could store on site would save me from having to rent a storage unit or take advantage of a garage-owning friend.

More storage also means I can buy in bulk, something I clearly can’t do at the moment.

Currently, I have a mini fridge as my only cold food storage, which means I can’t really make food ahead and freeze it or buy in bulk. Not only would having a freezer allow me to eat more ice cream but it would help me cut food costs.

This week, I’ll either be moving or not moving…most probably moving. I’ll keep you posted!