Even when great airfares are available, finding a place to stay in a foreign country can be expensive. That’s why we are really excited about CasaSwap.com, an awesome website that can hook you up with a room, apartment or house, find you a roommate if you need one, and even help you find someone to stay in your own place while you’re gone.

CasaSwap.com is a free international housing network. Members can find accommodations from other members all over the world, and the site gives you the ability to swap your room, find a room, or even find a place with a fellow student roommate wherever you want to go.

The site was designed with students on tight budgets in mind. It’s a perfect way to find that missing piece of the puzzle that allows you to fulfill your dream of traveling or studying in a foreign land. It also provides students with a way to sublet their own accommodations over a summer or semester, and even provides a way to swap houses or apartments for quick trips, like a spring break

Check out the site at http://www.casaswap.com , become a member, and get ready to pack your bags for exciting travel opportunities all over the world!

One of the (few) things I hated about moving out of my parents’ house and into my own place was having to learn about insurance: health insurance, car insurance, renter’s insurance, dental insurance—and the list goes on (seriously; check out Wikipedia’s list).

Fortunately for college students, universities generally make health and dental insurance pretty simple by offering plans specifically designed for their students. So I knew if anything happened to me—I’d be good to go. But what about my stuff?

What It’s For?

A landlord’s insurance only covers the building—if there’s a fire or robbery, you’ll be left high and dry. That’s where renter’s insurance comes in. Renter’s insurance covers anything from loss of property through theft or fire to someone breaking an arm at your place and filing a lawsuit; it even covers stuff stolen from your car. (The Student Insurance Group has a list of typical things covered and not covered.)

Types of Renter’s Insurance

There are two main values of renter’s insurance—current and replacement. Current value insurance repays you the current value of the stuff that’s gone (so, for example, for a $90 pair of shoes you bought three years ago, the insurance company would give you $20, the value after wear and tear). Replacement renter’s insurance, on the other hand, gives you $90 to buy a new pair of shoes that replaces the pair you had.

Student Geared, Quick and Easy

Several insurance companies specifically work with college students (see end of blog). Most offer simple and quick quotes online and one site (www.nowwhat.com) even has a game to illustrate how quickly you can lose lots of money. It took me less than five minutes at two different sites to get quotes; to cover around $5,000 worth of my stuff cost about $12 a month.

Do I Really Need It?

It’s all about perspective. Let’s say you go to college for five years—the new national average—and acquire usual college purchases: a TV, clothes, a computer, an iPod, CDs, DVDs, kitchen appliances, etc., for a total replacement value of $10,000. A policy will cost you about $200 a year; for five years, that’s a total of $1,000. If you lose everything, you’ve essentially spent $1,000 to replace $10,000 worth of stuff. Not a bad deal.

Statistics show that out of 7.7 million college students in the USA, under 500,000 are robbed a year; in 2007, there were around 1.5 million residential fires (NFPA). Using a little college algebra, you can guesstimate that about one college student out of every 16 will have to deal with a fire or theft (see calculations below). For some, that may seem like an easy risk to take. In the end, it’s about the price you’re willing to pay for peace of mind. Like all insurance, you hope to never have to use it. But if you don’t see $12 a month in terms of how many Ramen Noodles it can buy, renter’s insurance is definitely something that’s worth looking into.

NOTE: College students living on campus are generally covered under their parents’ homeowners insurance and do not need renter’s insurance to protect their things.

Renter’s Insurance Websites for College Students:
– http://www.nssinc.com
– http://www.collegestudentinsurance.com
– http://www.studentinsurancegroup.com/coverage_premium.php
– http://www.nowwhat.com

Other Renter’s Insurance Websites:
– http://www.libertymutual.com

– http://www.geico.com/getaquote/renters

– http://www.allstate.com/renters-insurance.aspx

– http://www.nationwide.com/renters-insurance.jsp

Calculations for Guesstimate
*Numbers rounded up for simplicity*
1. Number of robberies = 450,000 (500,000 is the number of victimized crimes. I took a slightly smaller number for robberies.)
2. Number of fires = 38,000 (Percentage of USA population that is students—7.7 million/305million = 2.5—multiplied by number of residential fires—2.5% x 1.5 million = 38,000. Rationalization: percent of college students in population is equivalent to percent of college student fires in population fires. In reality, this number is probably too high.)
3. 488,000 instances of theft and fire for students/7.7 million total students = 1/15.7 or 1 in 16 college students

Written by: Laura Aiuto

If you have any interaction with the outside world (and as college students, I’m assuming you do), you’ve had some brush-ups with the world’s newest obsession—living green.

You’ve all heard the typical pointers—turn off not-in-use lights, watch your air conditioning, recycle, use cloth instead of plastic, etc.—and the neat thing about these tips is that most of them not only help the environment, but save you money. But—you’ve heard them before; so I did some digging and found a few not-so-typical tips to living green.

The “Phantom Load”

Every appliance you have plugged in uses electricity—even when it’s turned off (Don’t think this applies to you? Do you have a TV? Game Station? Cell phone charger? Computer? Blow dryer? Coffee pot? Microwave? Get my drift?). Incredibly, up to 40% of your energy bill comes from this “phantom load.” Solution: Unplug appliances you’re not using. Got a few in the same room? Use a power strip to unplug them all at once.

Dirty Air

Cleaner air makes for a healthier you and a healthier planet, but a lot of college students don’t want to buy an air purifier—plus you have to plug those in, which uses energy. Solution: Buy a plant instead! Less expensive, decorative, and just plain nice to have around, a plant for every ten square yards does the same work as a purifier (a list of the ones that do this can be found here).

“Hi! I’m a twice-a-week vegetarian.”

It takes roughly three times the amount of energy to get that steak on your plate than to get any kind of vegetable or pasta—and almost 30 times the amount of water. Solution: Opt for a meatless meal twice a week and the planet will be a little happier; some would argue that you’re a little healthier, too.

Say “No” to Junk Mail

Let’s admit it—nobody enjoys getting junk mail and over 100 million trees a year are cut down for them. Solution: Go to the official stop-junk-mail site and get your name off their lists; you can get your telephone and email address off lists, too.

Like the tips and want more info? Have an overwhelming desire to be as green as possible? Here’s a few websites that are a good place to start and where I got most of my info:
– http://www.Conservation.org/LiveGreen
– http://www.lowimpactliving.com
– http://www.idealbite.com
– http://www.greenyourapartment.com

Written by: Laura R. Aiuto

So you’ve finally got your own place and you want to throw a party.

Yeah, you were on your own in the dorm, but now—*Angelic Singing*—you have a place to party and do whatever you want completely uncensored! Right? Well…kind of. Your city, your apartment complex and even the federal government have a say in how your party goes. Here’s a list of specific things to find out BEFORE you throw a party so you don’t have the Trusted Blue knocking on your door mid-party.

1. Cities often have noise ordinances, but how they measure a nuisance noise varies. A few of the methods used are decibel levels, a “quiet zone” of several hours a night or the audibility of noises pass a certain distance.

2. Most apartment complexes have their own noise ordinances and occupation limits—and they list those in the contract you signed before you moved in. If the apartment complex catches you violating either, it could be grounds for kicking you out.

3. This one’s pretty much a no-brainer: it is against the law to consume alcohol if you’re under 21 or to provide alcohol to those who are. Here’s a site that gives more detailed state-by-state alcohol laws.

4. Although you are not required to, letting your neighbors know about a party before it happens usually works in your favor. If you’ve considered their needs in planning your party (making sure NOT to plan it on a night before their test), they might be more lax on dealing with the noise another night.

Knowing and abiding by the limitations around you will help ensure that your party proceeds uninterrupted. Do a little research and find out what your apartment complex and city expects of you. Now that you’ve got your own place, you’ve got responsibilities along with it (UC Davis has a helpful page about host responsibilities). Know the laws, follow them and have the party you’ve been dreaming about for years!
Written by: Laura R. Aiuto

Movies about college life and its parties have created a stereotype most high schoolers can’t wait to experience.

When you finally get here and get invited to your first college party you find—it’s all a lie. You know nobody, the music is barely audible, and all that’s left to drink is the last of the Hunch Punch, which looks like it was ACTUALLY made in a used trash can.

But then you go to a few more parties and you realize some are indeed like the movies; you quickly learn which ones to go to and which ones to avoid. Now it’s your turn to host a party and you KNOW it’s going to be the stuff legends are made of—but you haven’t come up with a theme. No worries! Here’s a list of themes for a party, whether you want wild and crazy or laid-back and relaxed.

Holiday-Themed

• Thanksgiving
• Christmas
• New Years
• Mardi Gras
• Valentine’s Day
• St. Patrick’s Day
• Birthday
• Independence Day

College-Themed

• Toga
• Cops and Robbers
• GI Joes and Army Hoes
• Sports Events Pregame
• Cowboys and Indians
• Costume
• Lingerie
• Heaven and Hell
• Rubik’s Cube
• Pirates and Sailors
• Classy to Trashy
• Stoplight
• CEOs and Corporate Hoes
• Decade
• Luau
• Jungle

Other

• Wine and Cheese
• Dinner
• Fondue
• Game Night

*Having a party can be a lot fun, but it comes with responsibilities. Check out collegerentals.com’s other party tip blogs for need-to-know party info.*

Written by: Laura R. Aiuto

If you’ve decided to provide food at your party, you’re one of the brave few.

While providing food often ensures that more people will come—I know of no college student who would turn down free food—it also increases the cost of the party and can create more stress and work for you. However, there are a few tips and ideas that can help you throw a party with food that won’t cost too much or cause too much distress.

A Little Goes a Long Way

If you want to foot the bill yourself, look for items that feed a crowd. For example, pasta is relatively inexpensive and two boxes of pasta can easily and cheaply turn into two pounds of delicious pasta salad. Here’s a recipe for a pasta salad that feeds 50.

Share the Responsibility

Get your guests involved! You’re already providing the place to party and probably more, so get your guests to bring some food items. To avoid people bringing too much of the same thing, make a sign-up sheet. You can create a virtual sign-up sheet at MySignUp.com.

Think Big

Smaller portions often go farther and last longer, but buying things that are “mini,” pre-made or pre-cut costs you more money. Instead of buying the little sausages, buy regular ones and cut them yourself. Instead of buying potato salad, buy potatoes and make it yourself.

Look for Sales

If you know you’re having a party at least two or three weeks in advance, start looking out for sales at your local grocery store and stock up on supplies. BOGO sales come in handy when you plan on feeding a lot of people.

Want some recipe ideas? Visit these party food websites.

• http://www.greatpartyrecipes.com/index.html

• http://partyfood.suite101.com/

• http://teriskitchen.com/appetizers.html

Written by: Laura R. Aiuto

One of the great things about living in an apartment is the maintenance man.

At no extra charge to you, he regularly saves the day with his microwave/dishwasher/air conditioner/[insert problem here] fixing skills and you can go on with your normal life pretty much uninterrupted.

You scoff? You’ve never even SEEN your maintenance man? Well, apart from putting in another maintenance request, here are a few simple repairs you can do on your own that aren’t too expensive or time consuming.

Unclog your drains

a cup of baking soda chased with a cup of white vinegar is the perfect solution to your clogged drain’s problems. Let them have their way with the drain for a few minutes, then flush it with about a gallon of hot water (mrsfixit.com/fixits).

Fix your toilet

whether your toilet leaks, won’t flush, or won’t stop flushing, the problem with it is probably small and easy to deal with. Do a little toilet research to learn how toilets work, assess what’s wrong with yours and fix it!

Deal with fridge/freezer woes

if your fridge or freezer isn’t doing its job of keeping your food cold, try some of the tricks listed here before calling in the maintenance man.

There are a few things to keep in mind:

1) It’s not your stuff. If you leave it worse than you found it, your landlord may be able to charge you the cost of fixing it.

2) Turn it off! Turn off the water before going after anything that has a drain and unplug anything electric. You don’t want a flood or to get electrocuted.

3) Know your limits. I’m sorry, but you are not the maintenance man. Don’t let successful simple fixes make you believe you now can tackle rewiring the outlet in your room.

Happy Fixing!

Repair Sites:

http://www.fixitclub.com/
http://www.howtofixyourstuff.com/
http://www.mrsfixit.com/fixits/
http://www.doityourself.com/
http://www.thistothat.com

Written by: Laura R. Aiuto

In the simplest of terms, a cosigner is the person who is promising to pay whatever a person owes if that person cannot or will not pay it themselves.

In terms of leases for apartments, a cosigner promises to pay rent if the person who is living in the apartment they cosigned for does not.

Do I need a cosigner?

That depends on where you rent. Most places, however, do require a cosigner if you fall into one or more of these three categories: under 18, no or poor credit history or rent is equal to more than ¼ of income. Apartment complexes that are geared specifically to college students may require a cosigner regardless of any of these things, however.

Who should be my cosigner?

Anyone who is over 18 AND has a good credit history can cosign. That usually is a family member such as a parent or grandparent, but a friend, coworker or teacher who falls into that category—and is willing—could sign as well. Keep in mind that apartment complexes reserve the right to reject any proposed cosigner.

Do I have to pay my rent if I get a cosigner?

YES! Rent is still first and foremost your responsibility. Cosigners are required for “just in case” situations if you are not able to pay your rent. Not paying could affect your credit rating, whether or not your cosigner takes over rent payments if you stop, which in turns affects your ability to get any kind of credit—loans, credit cards, a mortgage, etc.

Should I cosign for a friend?

This is a personal decision. It may seem like the friend thing to do, but keep in mind that if, for ANY reason, purposeful or not, your friend can’t pay, you are legally responsible to take over payments. That can put a strain on even the best and well-intentioned friendship.

Here are a few sites that have more in-depth info on cosigners:
– People’s Law
– WiseGeek
– Googolplex

Written by: Laura R. Aiuto

You’ve decided to “go it alone” and set up all your utilities. Congratulations on a step towards being a grown-up! Now what? Unfortunately, there’s no one-stop way to do it, but here are a few tips to point you in the right direction.

Utilities

Definitely set up your utilities before you move in. Nothing’s worse than spending all day moving without electricity, heat/air or water in the sink. Ask your landlord for a list of local providers, visit your city’s website or do a Google search for utility providers in your area. Keep in mind that most utility companies require a social security number, have setup fees and could take up to two or three days to hook-up your utilities.

Cable and Internet

Depending on how addicted to Facebook or The Office you are, you can choose to wait to hook-up your internet and cable until after you are moved in. You can get a list of local providers from your landlord, do a Google search or visit a website that compares providers in your area, such as whitefence.com. Cable and internet can be gotten from the same provider (“bundled,” which is rumored to be cheaper, or unbundled) or from separate providers.

Do-It-Yourself Tips and Warnings

Utilities are usually set up in ONE person’s name—and in the eyes of the company, that person is the ONLY one held responsible for payment. If you have roommates and you’re planning on splitting the bill—talk about whose name will be on it and consider the possibility that your best buddies may not pay on time—or at all—before signing the deal.

Your parents probably have some good advice on setting all these things up, so talk to them. Chances are, they’ve done it many times before and know the ropes.

Check to see what your apartment complex provides before going through all this; it’d be a drag to pay for internet when it’s already provided.

If you and your roommies are short on cash—try an experiment! Go without cable or internet for a month and see how you fare; you may find you like not having the distraction always there. I do not, however, recommend trying this with your electricity.

Written by: Laura R. Aiuto

For some, sorting laundry seems like a waste of time. Others wouldn’t think of doing a load without meticulously separating colors.

Regardless of your place on the sorting spectrum, at least knowing how and why to separate your clothes is a skill to have. Here’s a breakdown of Step 1 (Sorting) from Collegerentals.com’s How to Do Laundry blog.

Colors First!

Separating clothes based on colors is most important for items that have never been washed or have only been washed a few times. Bright colors and dark colors tend to bleed and can stain lighter colored clothes when they’re all washed together. After a few washes, however, this typically isn’t a problem anymore.

• Define light: baby blue, sky blue, baby pink, light denim, yellow, sport grey, white and pear green
• Define bright: neon anything, orange, red, blue, green and teal
• Define dark: navy, maroon, black, brown, forest green, dark denim, brick red and dark grey
• What if I have a shirt that has black and white (for example) in it? Err on the side of caution: if it’s the only thing in your load that hasn’t been washed before, wash it with the darks. If it bleeds, it won’t harm the darks, but it could discolor the lights.

Fabrics!

Certain fabrics shouldn’t be washed together because of their delicacy or shedding tendencies. Here’s a list of no-no’s:

• Cotton and linen fabrics, towels, rugs, flannel and chenille items generate lint; try not to wash these with fabrics that attract lint, such as synthetics, permanent press and corduroy.
• Delicate and “loose” knits shouldn’t be washed with big, bulky or tough fabrics; delicates will usually have a tag that specifies that they are delicate.

Types!

Wash sheets, towels, and pants as their own loads (keeping in mind the color rule). These items tend to make a regular load really big; if you separate them into their own loads, your other loads are more manageable.

Bleach!

Bleach can be a scary thing if you’ve never used it before. A few tips for separating laundry based on bleach use are:

• Whites are the only color that should get regular bleach—and only whites that have no other colors. Regular bleach will ruin any color. Too much bleach too many times will also turn your whites yellow.
• Color-safe Bleach can be used on colored items. Always read the bleach instructions and your clothing item’s care label.
• Do bleach loads last! You don’t want any chance of remaining bleach water messing with your later loads.

Clothing is becoming more and more washer-friendly. For college students learning to do their own laundry, most of these tips are rather advanced. If you don’t follow all of them—don’t panic. Your clothes will probably be ok. But for those few items that are still washer sensitive, make sure to do a little research before loading!

Written by: Laura R. Aiuto