How To Save Money On Rent - Dividend Income Investor (2024)

How To Save Money On Rent: 13 straightforward ways to lower the cost of renting an apartment, condo, house, or primary residence.

Renting instead of buying is often viewed as a waste of money.

However, if you know how to save money on rent, renting might actually be a smarter decision.

Renting can make expenses more predictable and help you avoid lawyer fees, interest on a mortgage, property taxes, and utility costs.

In addition, you don’t have to use your life savings on a down payment if you rent.

If you are a disciplined saver and investor that finds a way to rent for cheap, it can also help you become financially independent faster.

In this post, I will show you how to save money on rent based on my own experience renting in Toronto, Canada.

Let’s dive right in.

How To Save Money On Rent

How To Save Money On Rent - Dividend Income Investor (1)

How To Save Money On Rent

1. Rent Close To Work

One way to save money on rent is to find a place that is closer to your work or school.

If you can move within walking distance, you can put your transportation costs into the rent costs and afford a better place.

Instead of having a car and insurance payment, you can put that money towards the cost of rent and walk to work or school.

Let’s say your car payment and insurance cost $500 per month. In this scenario, you could opt to get rid of your car and insurance payment and find a place closer to your work. Even if you have to spend $400 more on rent, you could still save $100 per month.

Alternatively, if you take transit, you can move close enough to eliminate the cost of transit.

Before I worked from home, I spent roughly $120 per month on transit. But now that I don’t have to leave the house, I keep all that money in my pocket.

2. Rent Close To Transit

If you are unable to rent within walking distance, you could rent close to transit to avoid the cost of a car and insurance.

At the very least, you can probably save a few hundred per month on the insurance.

Additionally, your expenses will be more predictable because you won’t have to worry about oil changes or car maintenance.

3. Negotiate With Your Landlord

Signing a twelve-month lease is a big commitment.

Usually, you have to pay first and last months’ rent upfront.

Before you commit to such a large expense, you could try to negotiate with your landlord.

It’s possible they could say no. But you never know if there’s any wiggle room if you don’t try.

You never know what kind of situation your landlord is in either.

Maybe they are worried and haven’t received any other offers.

If that’s the case, you might be able to shave a few dollars per month off the cost of rent.

Even if it’s $25 to $50 per month, that will add up over the long term.

How To Save Money On Rent - Dividend Income Investor (2)

4. Stay In The Same Place For A Long Time

If you find a good, affordable rental unit, you could stay in the same place for as long as possible to save money.

Typically, landlords are only permitted to increase rent by a fixed amount each year.

In Toronto, it’s usually around 2% annually. But as soon as a tenant moves out, the landlord can set whatever price they want.

To give you an example, my second apartment in Toronto was $1,300 per month in 2014. By 2019, the same apartment would have easily cost $1,800 per month. However, I was still paying under $1,400 per month just because I never moved.

5. Do Your Research

You absolutely must do your research in order to save money on rent.

I mean, you can’t just accept the first place you look at.

You have to study the market and look at different options and areas within a city.

After you visit a few places and do your research, it will become clear where to find the best value.

6. Be Open To A Basem*nt Apartment

If you are open to a basem*nt apartment, you can save a lot of money on rent.

Of course, you have to sacrifice privacy and natural sunlight.

But you will likely save hundreds per month.

Sacrifices are an excellent way to save money when you are looking to rent your first place.

How To Save Money On Rent - Dividend Income Investor (3)

7. Make Sure Utilities Are Included

Utilities can be expensive and they add unpredictability to your budget.

So, let homeowners deal with them and make sure they are included.

Out of the five places I’ve lived in the Toronto area, the cheapest one included utilities.

8. Rent With A Roommate

If you are willing to live with a roommate or multiple people, you can save a lot of money.

I think this option is more suitable for students and younger people, though.

At this stage of my life, I value my privacy so I would only consider this option as a last resort.

But during school, in London, Ontario, I was able to keep my rent as low as $375 to $450 per month by living with roommates.

9. Look For Places In a Renter’s Market

Rent prices dropped like crazy in Toronto because of the pandemic.

Since people required a larger space to work from home, many people moved out of the city.

Rent prices fell to the lowest they’ve been in years as a result.

For landlords, this was a nightmare. For renters, it become a renter’s market. It was the perfect time to move, so I took advantage of it.

Obviously, situations like this are rare. But there are still lower rent opportunities every year if you are willing to rent in the winter.

10. Build A Great Relationship With Your Landlord

If you have a place you like and a great landlord, you should work on building a great relationship with them.

Some landlords enjoy the idea of helping tenants and providing affordable housing.

Even if they are just breaking even on the mortgage, they still own an asset that is increasing in value.

Furthermore, some landlords don’t want to deal with the hassle of finding new tenants. They just want an income stream that pays down their mortgage.

As such, they may be willing keep rent at the same price you originally agreed upon.

All you have to do is get along with them, respect their place, and build a good relationship.

How To Save Money On Rent - Dividend Income Investor (4)

11. Utilize The Bunz Housing Zone

If you are willing to do your research, decent rental prices do exist.

You just have to know where to look.

One option to consider is the Bunz Housing Zone. You can visit the website or apply to join the Facebook group.

But once you gain access to it, you will find surprisingly affordable options posted all the time.

12. Move In With Your Significant Other

I recently wrote about how the key to financial independence might be a good relationship.

In short, moving in with your significant other allows you to split your expenses.

Of course, this is only a good option if your relationship is ready for it.

Because if you move in and your relationship is not ready, it could end up being a disaster.

In fact, it might end up costing you more money if it doesn’t work out.

13. Rent Out A Den Or Parking Space In Your Existing Place

If you have a parking space that you don’t use or a large enough den, you could consider renting it out to lower the cost of your rent.

In Toronto, I’ve seen people rent out small dens for $1,000 per month. And a parking spot could easily generate $100 to $200 per month.

If you do go this route, you should discuss it with your landlord to make sure you maintain a good relationship with them.

How To Save Money On Rent - Dividend Income Investor (5)

How To Save Money On Rent – Final Thoughts

Renting doesn’t have to be a complete waste of money.

An argument could be made that owning a house is a waste of money and that it’s smarter to invest in the stock market.

Frankly, if you learn how to save money on rent, the only advantage of buying a home is the leverage a mortgage provides.

Related Articles

Save Money On Groceries – 14 Highly Effective Ways To Reduce Grocery Costs

How To Save For A Down Payment On A House

I am not a licensed investment or tax adviser.All opinions are my own.This post may contain advertisem*nts by Monumetric.This post may also contain internal links, affiliate links to BizBudding, Amazon, Bluehost, and Questrade, links to trusted external sites, and links to RTC social media accounts.

Connect with RTC

Twitter:@Reversethecrush

Pinterest:@reversethecrushblog

Instagram:@reversethecrush_

Facebook:@reversethecrushblog

Email:graham@reversethecrush.com

How To Save Money On Rent - Dividend Income Investor (2024)

FAQs

How to make $1,000 a month through dividend investing? ›

In a market that generates a 2% annual yield, you would need to invest $600,000 up front in order to reliably generate $12,000 per year (or $1,000 per month) in dividend payments.

What is the best way to invest to live off dividends? ›

A smart strategy for people who are still saving for retirement is to use those dividends to buy more shares of stock in firms. That way, they will receive even more dividends and be able to buy even more shares.

How much do I need to invest to make $300 a month in dividends? ›

However, this isn't always the case. If you're looking to generate $300 in super safe monthly dividend income (note the emphasis on "monthly" income), simply invest $43,000, split equally, into the following two ultra-high-yield stocks, which sport an average yield of 8.39%!

How much money in dividends to make $5000 a month? ›

Invest in Dividend Stocks

The payments are considered passive income since you can collect the dividends whether you trade the stock actively or not. To generate $5,000 per month in dividends, you would need a portfolio value of approximately $1 million invested in stocks with an average dividend yield of 5%.

How to make 3k a month in dividends? ›

A well-constructed dividend portfolio could potentially yield anywhere from 2% to 8% per year. This means that to earn $3,000 monthly from dividend stocks, the required initial investment could range from $450,000 to $1.8 million, depending on the yield.

How do millionaires live off interest? ›

Living off interest involves relying on what's known as passive income. This implies that your assets generate enough returns to cover your monthly income needs without the need for additional work or income sources. The ideal scenario is to use the interest and returns while preserving the core principal.

How much dividend stock do I need to make $1000 a month? ›

To have a perfect portfolio to generate $1000/month in dividends, one should have at least 30 stocks in at least 10 different sectors. No stock should not be more than 3.33% of your portfolio. If each stock generates around $400 in dividend income per year, 30 of each will generate $12,000 a year or $1000/month.

Can you become a millionaire from dividends? ›

So, Can You Get Rich Off Of Dividends? Dividend investing can indeed be a path to building wealth over time. By harnessing the power of compound interest and carefully selecting dividend-paying stocks, investors can create a growing stream of passive dividend income.

How do I make $500 a month in dividends? ›

Dividend-paying Stocks

Shares of public companies that split profits with shareholders by paying cash dividends yield between 2% and 6% a year. With that in mind, putting $250,000 into low-yielding dividend stocks or $83,333 into high-yielding shares will get your $500 a month.

Are monthly dividends worth it? ›

Monthly dividends make budgeting easier by providing more frequent cash flow to income investors. May 6, 2024, at 2:50 p.m. Stocks are this list reward investors with a healthy, steady flow of additional income through dividends.

Is $5000 enough to move out? ›

The answer depends on various factors, such as your location, lifestyle, and personal circ*mstances. While $5,000 can be a good starting point, it's crucial to have a clear understanding of the costs associated with moving out and living independently.

What is one way to make the rent on an apartment less expensive? ›

Selecting less desirable neighborhoods, getting a roommate or two, accepting lower quality amenities, and properly budgeting your living expenses are good strategies to save on monthly rent.

How much should I save to rent? ›

Based on the above categories, you should save an amount equal to at least 3-4 months' rent. That will cover paying rent for the first month, security deposits and last month's rent.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Maia Crooks Jr

Last Updated:

Views: 5806

Rating: 4.2 / 5 (63 voted)

Reviews: 86% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Maia Crooks Jr

Birthday: 1997-09-21

Address: 93119 Joseph Street, Peggyfurt, NC 11582

Phone: +2983088926881

Job: Principal Design Liaison

Hobby: Web surfing, Skiing, role-playing games, Sketching, Polo, Sewing, Genealogy

Introduction: My name is Maia Crooks Jr, I am a homely, joyous, shiny, successful, hilarious, thoughtful, joyous person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.