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I pay 900.00 for a 2 bedroom apartment and 101.00 a month for electric. Its a small apartment and the heat is paid. My cable is 87.20 per month. I think thats ridiculous and I would move but I am scared to because I was a victim of identity last year and really screwed up my credit.
LOL no. Also, I wanted to reiterate that landlords don't just look at a credit score. It seems that most other people do the same thing I do, which is review the entire report. So, an unpaid medical bill from 10 years ago SHOULD be paid and will lower your score, but a landlord may not consider it a big deal.
Also, for the woman with the "ex" I would recommend at least making a habit of reviewing your credit report once a year. Until you have paid off the bills from the past, and you can pay them off or file for bankruptcy. Even if you pay $2000 in legal costs, IMO it would be worth it if you really can't afford to pay the loans. Again, does it help to complain? You can either be a victim, or act to improve the situation.
I guess you guys aren't asking me for financial advice, but I'm giving it anyway. For the lady with the identity theft. Again, you can get a copy of your credit report for FREE every year. Go get it now and stop living in fear. Once you have the report, start the dispute process with your credit reporting agencies to remove the fraudulent information from your report. I know we all have responsibilities etc, but when it comes to credit, there are things you can do to improve your report and score. They may take time and money, but IMO they're worth it.
The thing is some landlords automatically look at someone's poor credit score and it's an automatic no without knowing the person's situation. My credit is downright awful. There was a point in my life where I had to make the choice between keeping my 730+ credit score or having a roof over my head. The choice was evidently clear and unfortunately, my credit suffered and is still suffering. The rejections made me feel like I was dirt on the sidewalk, it's like I deserved to live in a dumpster because of my bad credit, it sucks.
I am in the process though of repaying every single company back that I owe because I am not one of those people that borrow money and don't return it. Credit is valued too much in this country, is it an important factor in a loan? Of course, but also listen to the person's story before automatically throwing away the application. *I am not writing about those people who truly rack up loans thinking that it's free money and does not care about paying the loans back.
Location: Pelion, South Carolina/orig. from Cape May, NJ
1,113 posts, read 3,494,585 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by icequeen2008
I pay 900.00 for a 2 bedroom apartment and 101.00 a month for electric. Its a small apartment and the heat is paid. My cable is 87.20 per month. I think thats ridiculous and I would move but I am scared to because I was a victim of identity last year and really screwed up my credit.
Ridiculous? $101.00 a month for electric??
I pay $750 a month for a 4 BR, 2,100 sq. ft. mobile home.
My electric bill in the summer with central air on is around $200.
Winter? $300-400. That's ridiculous.
I pay $750 a month for a 4 BR, 2,100 sq. ft. mobile home.
My electric bill in the summer with central air on is around $200.
Winter? $300-400. That's ridiculous.
My electric bill(in the hot summer with AC) was $31 last month. I'd say the size of my apartment is closer to the one you replied than your's is.
I pay $750 a month for a 4 BR, 2,100 sq. ft. mobile home.
My electric bill in the summer with central air on is around $200.
Winter? $300-400. That's ridiculous.
I can beat that. My electric bill in the summer with central air on the house we just moved out of was $600/month. Talk about a budget breaker...
I live in a territory where the electric rate is the highest of ANYWHERE under the US flag. Over a two year period I cut my electric bill in half by gradually replacing all (interior and exterior) incandescent lighting fixtures with energy-efficient alternatives, replacing older appliances with energy-saving models, turning down the thermostat on the hot water heater and just learning a whole different way of conserving energy. Obviously renters can't in most cases be changing out appliances but the others (and there are many more) energy-saving tips can easily be implemented by a tenant and make a big dent in those bills.
I live in a territory where the electric rate is the highest of ANYWHERE under the US flag. Over a two year period I cut my electric bill in half by gradually replacing all (interior and exterior) incandescent lighting fixtures with energy-efficient alternatives, replacing older appliances with energy-saving models, turning down the thermostat on the hot water heater and just learning a whole different way of conserving energy. Obviously renters can't in most cases be changing out appliances but the others (and there are many more) energy-saving tips can easily be implemented by a tenant and make a big dent in those bills.
Unplugging stuff that isn't in use helps a TON too. All those little clocks and blinking red lights add up quickly.
The thing is some landlords automatically look at someone's poor credit score and it's an automatic no without knowing the person's situation. My credit is downright awful. There was a point in my life where I had to make the choice between keeping my 730+ credit score or having a roof over my head. The choice was evidently clear and unfortunately, my credit suffered and is still suffering. The rejections made me feel like I was dirt on the sidewalk, it's like I deserved to live in a dumpster because of my bad credit, it sucks.
I am in the process though of repaying every single company back that I owe because I am not one of those people that borrow money and don't return it. Credit is valued too much in this country, is it an important factor in a loan? Of course, but also listen to the person's story before automatically throwing away the application. *I am not writing about those people who truly rack up loans thinking that it's free money and does not care about paying the loans back.
Even if you pay them back, your credit score will still be low. I know that here, almost all rentals are owned by management companies. They all go purely off of credit score. They do no investigations at all. Due to job losses a couple years ago, my husband and I have horrid credit. However, we would only be able to get an apartment in an area that is quite literally gang infested and very dangerous. Luckily, we are able to live in the house my grandpa owns, but it is far from my work. Gas and car maintenance are sucking a lot of money away from us, so we are trying to find a place closer to work. So far it is to no avail. Even once we pay off the debt, our scores will still be in the tank. Really, there is no way for us to win.
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