Dividing Bills with Roommates

Don't get stuck holding the bills each month with your roomies.  wikiHow has smart tips on #SplittingBills with roommates so you can avoid fighting over paying the necessaries.

Discuss payment obligations around every aspect of your relationship, including rent, utilities, groceries and any maintenance fees and costs.  Come to an agreement on how the cable or satellite bill will be paid.  If one of you doesn't watch television, are they still required to pay?  If not, what happens if that roommate gets sucked in by the tv and winds up watching it too?

What about the thermostat?  If one of you hates to be cold and will continually turn up the heat, should they be required to pay more?  What if one of you works from home and is in the apartment all day?  That roommate will be using more utilities so a case could be made for them paying a larger share of the bill.

If one of you has a significant other that is often at the apartment, should they have to contribute?  What if one of you goes on vacation, will they still be required to pay the bills while they are out of town?

Once you've decided the split of bills, decide who will pay what and how that person will be reimbursed.  Also decide what happens if one roommate is late or doesn't pay?  Is there a short grace period or will you charge your roommate a penalty if they don't pay?  What if they never pay, will they be forced to move out?

Finally, draw up a contract putting all the details in writing so you don't have to get into a "he said/she said" situation.  Then make sure to track your expenses so it's always clear where you stand.  Open communication is the best way to make sure there are no hard feelings between roommates on bill paying.

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Splitting Bills with Roommates

#SplittingBillsWithRoommates can be a great source of conflict.  But it doesn't need to be.  Check out U.S. News and World Report's tips for managing finances with roommates to avoid painful fights.

Have a discussion about finances before you sign the lease together.  Decide how expenses will be divided.  Who will be the one paying for utilities?  What's the deadline for the other roommates to pay their share?  Will everyone be buying their groceries separately or together? 

The easiest way to split bills is evenly.  Sure, one party may watch more cable tv than the other, but maybe that person takes quicker showers, so it's a wash in the end.  To avoid a mathematical nightmare, it's best to just split expenses evenly.

There are some things that will be used by everyone, so the best strategy is to share them.  Toilet paper, trash bags, light bulbs, dish soap and cleaning products should be purchased together.  The easiest way to make that happen is to take a trip together to the store one time each month to get more of these staples and divide the costs evenly.

Sign a roommate agreement so everyone is clear on how expenses are to be split.  Then, once you are living together, track expenses.  There are even apps out there that will let you do this easily and send email reminders so you don't have to hound your roomie for money.

Need help finding that perfect apartment?  Apartment Experts South can help!  We've got the latest information on move-in specials, vacancies, and amenities at all the best Austin apartments.  Give us a call at 512-416-8100 today!