As soon as I paid off my college loans and started making a bit more money at my job, I began looking for a nicer apartment.
When I graduated, I was so broke that I had no choice but to accept the cheapest possible accommodations.
I simply couldn’t afford much in rent. I settled for a place that was rundown, cramped and located in a rather unsafe neighborhood. I hoped to save money, but the high cost of the utilities drained my monthly budget. I didn’t dare run the air conditioner in the summer because of the high electric bills. During the winter, I set the thermostat as low as I could tolerate and bundled up in sweaters and blankets. Once I got a raise, I was eager to find a bigger, nicer place with more energy efficient heating and cooling equipment. I looked at tons of different apartment buildings. Many of them offered a swimming pool, laundry facilities, workout equipment and covered parking. While all of those amenities were certainly on my list of preferences, I was more concerned with the type of heating and cooling system. I finally found an apartment with a smart thermostat, zoned temperature control and vents located in every room. With the cost of utilities included in the rent, I’d finally be able to enjoy a perfectly comfortable apartment all year round. The building includes a maintenance staff that takes care of the service, air filters and any problems with the HVAC system. Despite the higher cost of the rent, that apartment was no more expensive than my old one. I saved enough on my energy bills to cover the extra cost.