Saving money in shared housing is not just saving on the cost of housing. You also save because you can share the basic housewares. Below is list of some of the more common machines used.
- Vacuum Cleaner
- Toaster Oven
- Toaster
- Iron
- Blender
- Food Processor
- Lawnmower
- Can Opener
- Coffee Maker
- Coffee Grinder
And those are just household small appliances. Setting up a household also requires trash cans, bath mats, curtains, dish racks, extension cords. You get the idea. There is a great list of basic household items on the University of Michigan site. “House/Apartment Setup Checklist” (Scroll down, PDF will automatically download.
When you move into a house that’s already set up many of those items are already there. That’s a great advantage.
If you do buy things for your home, it is a good idea if one person owns an item, be it the coffee maker or the living room curtains. In other words it is a bad idea to share the cost of buying a household item. At some point you will go your separate ways and it’s good to be clear then who will take what items. If there are items you and your housemates agree you need, plan who will buy what. It is that person’s decision if they buy top of the line or budget. After all she will own it beyond the time spent living with you. You can save money on these items. Check out this link for some great advice: Graduation Time: Setting up Your New Home
When people use what you own, wear and tear is inevitable. Be prepared for this. Use other people’s possessions with care. Clean up after yourself. If you break something that belongs to someone else, replace it. Look at this post on Dutch rules for great guidance on living well with another person’s possessions.
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