Tips on Splitting Bills With Roommates
One of the many advantages to having a roommate is splitting the bills. Yet, conversations about money aren’t easy even with the best of friends. By following these simple tips for splitting the bills with your roommate you will save money and have a successful living relationship.
Conversation
Talk about and agree on written financial ground rules for splitting your bills so you and your housemate don’t run into money issues later on. Then, sign off on these rules just like you did on your apartment lease before you live together.
Rent
Rent is the biggest expense and one you might expect would be a 50/50 split. In reality not all bedrooms are created equal. One bedroom may be larger or have the better closet. Some roommates decide how to divide the rent based on bedroom square footage or view. Discuss and approve which rooms you are claiming and how to divvy up the rent if all things are not equal.
Bills
The easy way to pay bills is to just split all bills in half. But what if one roommate can’t live without cable and the other only binge watches Netflix on Sundays? This is where matters could get sticky. Create a spreadsheet with the specifics of who handles what bills and the amount each will pay to eliminate potential future disputes.
Technology
SplitWise, Splittr and Venmo are all apps that make splitting bills simple. These apps often have their own payment tool and integrate with PayPal. Not only will you figure out how to split utilities but you can divide up the cost of other household items like toilet paper and light bulbs without a hassle. Itemize and automate your shared expenses to save time, help both parties stay on budget and provide a transparent accounting of all expenditures.
Furniture
Furniture is too difficult to buy together. When you move how do you decide who gets to claim that comfy sofa? Or how do you determine its’ present day value so one roommate can purchase that sofa from the other roommate?
Groceries
Plan on buying your own groceries unless you are sharing a meal together or throwing a party. People have different food preferences and appetites. Plus we all know that discovering the carton of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream you’ve purchased and are craving is empty is a rough hurdle for even the strongest of relationships to overcome.
Looking to Split Some Bills?
If you and your roommate are looking to live more affordably, you might want to check out Oak Park Apartments wide selection of 2 bedroom apartments. The Village of Oak Park provides a more affordable lifestyle than Chicago while being only 7 miles west of downtown. According to Thrillest.com, Oak Park is arguably Chicago’s coolest suburb.
Oak Park Apartments offers studios, one-bedroom, two-bedroom and three-bedroom apartments for rent near Chicago, and all units are pet-friendly. Browse our available apartments or contact us for more information.
