Are you consistently surprised by the first of the month? Do you often find yourself talking to your landlord about grace periods and late fees?
Use the following tips to avoid unnecessary fees, stress, and headaches by setting yourself up for success with your rent payment schedule.
Avoid the possibility of forgetting to pay rent altogether by making your rent payment automatic. Most apartment complexes will have an online bill payment option that has the option for automatic transactions.
However, if they do not have the option, your bank will. Go to your online banking page and navigate to the bill pay section. Enter the information for your rent payment, and schedule a monthly payment date. Make sure you read the fine print that explains when and how the money will come out of your account, and make sure you will have the funds to cover the payment.
If you have one or more roommates, schedule a sit-down and appoint the most responsible person to remind the others for rent payments. Agree on when and how reminders should be issued, and set clear expectations on how rent is to be paid.
Smartphones make it incredibly easy to set reminders, but with the amount of distractions on our screens, it’s easy to disregard a reminder notification.
Download a reminder app that lets you customize the notification sound, and choose a specific ringtone that is only used to remind you that the rent is due.
If you’re always surprised by the first of the month, try budgeting your rent payment a week early. If you reorganize your budget to allow you to pay early, then you’ve built in an extra one-week grace period in case you need a little extra time.
Plus, paying rent early on a consistent basis will show your landlord that you’re a responsible tenant. If you do hit a tight spot and need a few extra days, they will likely be much more flexible if you’ve been making an effort to always have your payment in before the due date.
If all else fails, it doesn’t hurt to post notes around the house reminding you and your roommates when the rent is due. Sometimes, having a tangible visual reminder is much more effective than a digital one.
Looking for an apartment in Cayce? Contact Otarre Pointe Apartment Homes to learn more about our housing options.