Making rent is one of the biggest stresses American families deal with every single month. When you’re already in a tight spot financially, it can seem impossible to make and pay your rent on time. That being said, there are options out there that can help you find a true path forward. To help individuals and families in need, here are six paths that are guaranteed to help you pay rent on time:
1. Set-Up Reminders
One of the hardest aspects of paying rent on time (or any bill on time) is remembering when it’s due. If you fail to go into the backend payment system to submit your payment on time, the late fees and penalties can add up fast. Thankfully, financial responsibility and scheduling can often go hand in hand, as long as you’re willing to make the effort. By setting up useful reminders, you can stay on top of paying bills (and rent), without worrying about being forgetful. The longer you dedicate yourself to this tactic, the more naturally responsible and time conscious you’ll become.
2. Seek Out Rental Assistance Programs
When you’re desperate to make rent on time, rental assistance programs are the best option available. Thankfully, they’ve become more commonplace than ever before post-covid. If you’re living with a family, and need rental assistance, there are even more options available to you. Discovering the proper financial help program in Houston for your family will expedite the process.
3. Consider Signing Up for Auto-Pay
If you’re still worried about making payments on time, it’s time to consider using an auto-pay setup. With auto-pay, your payments will come out of your specified account on an exact date, every single time they are due. While some people worry about auto-pay set ups, they are the best way to keep yourself beholden to a strict and useful payment schedule. Rent payments can almost always be set up via auto-pay, but some bills will not have this option. When this is the case, you’ll need to use the reminder system that we discussed earlier on in this article.
4. Take Advantage of Grace Periods
In some cases, landlords or property managers will give you a grace period when it comes to paying rent. If you have these available, do not feel bad about taking advantage of them when you need to. If a payment does not actually incur penalties until a certain date, use that extra time to make the money you need to get the rent paid in full. Taking up supplemental jobs, such as ridesharing or dog-walking, can provide a great avenue for gaining stronger control over your finances, after all. Using grace periods for other bills, so you can prioritize your rent payment, is also a stellar option to consider.
5. Know Your Rights as a Tenant
Depending on where you’re living, you have certain tenant rights that you’ll need to consider (especially when you’re struggling to make rent). Look up your local tenant’s laws, or speak to a lawyer who specializes in them, so you can explore all the options that are available to you. If a landlord or property manager is trying to illegally pressure you into paying late fees or is trying to evict you illegally, you’ll need to contact a legal professional immediately to avoid dangerous consequences. Before signing a lease, you should always read every line of the document to ensure you’re comfortable with the rules you’re agreeing to. However, if a lease knowingly violates your rights as a tenant, you’ll have ammunition to fire back with.
6. Ask Your Landlord for Discounts and Odd Jobs
Especially if you live in a house that’s owned by a single landlord, you can always ask about handiwork or odd jobs you can do around the property to help discount your rent. Landlords do not want to evict tenants if at all possible, as this will cost them money in the short term, so never be afraid to ask about this option. If your landlord is a reasonable person, they should be able to find some way to help you out. Another positive of this approach is that you’ll be able to benefit from the fruits of your labor, as you’ll be making rent money while improving the place where you’re living.
Making Rent On Time is Possible!
With these six hacks, you can finally pay your rent on time without completely stretching your budget. As you learn to adjust your finances successfully, you’ll have an easier time making rent each month.
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