Living with a roommate comes with its own set of responsibilities and considerations that you don’t have to worry about when living on your own. Now you have another person that you have to rely on to pay their portion of the bills, clean up and keep a safe home. There are some simple ways you can protect yourself financially and keep a happy home while living with a roommate.
Cleaning
Extra space is usually not a luxury you have when sharing an apartment or home with a roommate. This means that the space you do have needs to stay clean and clear. Accomplishing a clean home doesn’t happen without some cooperation from both roommates.
The best way to ensure you both always come home to a space you are happy with is to share in those responsibilities.
Divide the responsibilities from the first day you move in together. Designate days that each of you do things like vacuum, dust and clean the bathroom. Make rules like cleaning the dishes right after they are used. Knowing what each person is responsible for will avoid a lot of fights down the road.
Split the bills
Paying bills can be stressful if you or your roommate are always strapped for cash. Split the bills up right from the start. It is even a good idea to specify what amount of each bill you and your roommate are responsible for within the lease agreement.
If your roommate has trouble coming up with the money month after month, try to set up a system where they pay a little at a time throughout the month. This will help them manage their money and ensure all of the bills get paid on time.
Protect yourself financially
Unexpected things happen from time to time. Protect yourself financially and ask that your roommate does the same. If something unexpected happened to you or your roommate it may become difficult for you to pay your portion of the bills.
Here are a couple ways to make sure you are protected:
- One of the biggest expenses you can have is health care. Having health insurance is critical to making sure you can pay medical bills if something happened. Whether you are looking for California or Florida health insurance plans, shop around to find the right policy.
- Another important way to protect yourself is renters insurance. If your apartment was burglarized, could you pay out of pocket to replace your possessions? Look into renters insurance for you and your roommate as a means to protect your valuable possessions.
Having a roommate brings an extra set of circumstances to think about. Divide responsibilities from the start and help one another keep a stable and happy home while you live together.
