生活小貼士:租房時簡單實用的5招省錢法
Negotiate
Before you sign a lease or renew your lease, take the time to talk to your landlord and try negotiating. Oftentimes if you are willing to sign a longer lease, your landlord may be willing to reduce your monthly rent. If he or she doesn't seem receptive to lowering your monthly rent, try getting him or her to include utilities or parking in your rent.
與房主協商
在你簽下合約或續簽合約之前，花點時間跟你的房主協商一下。通常情況下如果你願意籤較長的租約，你的房主可能會給你減一些月租。如果他/她不太願意給你減月租，那你可以試試讓他/她包水電費或停車費。
Have Roommates
A foolproof way to save money on rent is to have a roommate or two. Take advantage of Craigslist or and find a couple roommates. Living with roommates is much cheaper than renting your own studio or one bedroom apartment.
找一個合租人
要省錢的可靠方式還是找一個或兩個合租的室友。可以上Craigslist或找兩個合租夥伴。和兩個人一起合租比獨自租下一個工作室或一室公寓便宜多了。
DIY Decorating
Make your apartment feel like a home by decorating frugally. If you enjoy photography, grab your camera and go take some pictures. Then use them as decorations around your apartment. Or, if you enjoy pottery, showcase your creations in your apartment.
自己裝飾房屋
你可以自己簡裝一下公寓使之看起來更有家的感覺。如果你喜歡攝影，不妨帶着你的相機去拍一些照片。然後用它們來裝飾你的房間。或者，要是你喜歡陶藝，就在房間裏擺上你的作品。
Share Food With Your Roommate
With the price of groceries rising, a great way to save money is to share food with your roommate. Invest in a membership to Sam's Club or Costco, set up shopping days with your roommates, and buy in bulk. Then, just split the bill. Or, switch off cooking dinner every night. Cooking in bulk tends to be less expensive than just making one meal at a time.
和室友共享食物
隨着日用品費用的不斷上漲，和室友共享食物是省錢的一大絕招。加入Sam' Club或Costco，設立“購物日”與室友一起購物，買大分量的食物。然後分攤賬單。或者每晚輪流做飯。一次做幾人份的飯比只做一人份的飯要省錢一些。
Watch Your Utilities
Utilities can add up quickly and be a total budget drainer. When leaving a room, turn off the lights. Don't leave the water running when you are brushing your teeth. Invest in energy efficient lighting. By making small changes to your utility usage, you can save big time.
注意你的水電費
不注意的話，水電這些費用會讓你的花銷直線上升直至破產。離開房間的時候，把燈關掉。刷牙的時候關掉水龍頭。買個節能燈。花些心思在水電使用上，你可以節省一大筆錢。
