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.

与房主协商

在你签下合约或续签合约之前，花点时间跟你的房主协商一下。通常情况下如果你愿意签较长的租约，你的房主可能会给你减一些月租。如果他/她不太愿意给你减月租，那你可以试试让他/她包水电费或停车费。

Have Roommates

A foolproof way to save money on rent is to have a roommate or two. Take advantage of Craigslist or Roommates.com and find a couple roommates. Living with roommates is much cheaper than renting your own studio or one bedroom apartment.

找一个合租人

要省钱的可靠方式还是找一个或两个合租的室友。可以上Craigslist或Roommates.com找两个合租伙伴。和两个人一起合租比独自租下一个工作室或一室公寓便宜多了。

DIY Decorating

Make your apartment feel like a home by decorating frugally¹. If you enjoy photography, grab your camera and go take some pictures. Then use them as decorations around your apartment. Or, if you enjoy pottery², showcase your creations in your apartment.

自己装饰房屋

你可以自己简装一下公寓使之看起来更有家的感觉。如果你喜欢摄影，不妨带着你的相机去拍一些照片。然后用它们来装饰你的房间。或者，要是你喜欢陶艺，就在房间里摆上你的作品。

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

随着日用品费用的不断上涨，和室友共享食物是省钱的一大绝招。加入Sam' Club或Costco，设立“购物日”与室友一起购物，买大分量的食物。然后分摊账单。或者每晚轮流做饭。一次做几人份的饭比只做一人份的饭要省钱一些。

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 lighting³. By making small changes to your utility usage, you can save big time.

注意你的水电费

不注意的话，水电这些费用会让你的花销直线上升直至破产。离开房间的时候，把灯关掉。刷牙的时候关掉水龙头。买个节能灯。花些心思在水电使用上，你可以节省一大笔钱。