Author Archives: Ryan Kraft
+Ryan KraftCost-Benefit Analysis of Cleaning
You should clean, don’t get me wrong. If you’re kitchen is pitiful with dishes, go clean it and do it now. It’s just sanitary. However, moving complicates cleaning a bit. If you’re moving out in two days and your rug is besmirched with years of shoes and the showerhead is crusted in rust, you’ll have to decide whether to hire a cleaning service. When deciding whether to clean your old place, compare the costs of you doing it to your landlord doing it. Two things to remember: Your landlord’s cleaners will cost more than your own. If you hire your …
Read More »Difference Between Public and Private Schools
If you’re moving with kids, you’re going to need to find a new school for them. Your choice will probably boil down to deciding between a public and private school. But how do they differ? Money – money is the biggest difference you will notice right away. Private schools cost a lot more than public schools. Does this mean private schools are unaffordable? No. The reason they are so much more expensive is because public schools are, for the most part, free. You can find affordable private schools. You can also find private schools that will run you well over …
Read More »How to Meet New People after Moving
Meeting new people in a new city or town isn’t easy. Even though you might be a very nice, fun person, it’s stressful approaching a stranger. It’s also hard to know the right places to meet new people after you just move. One of the better ways to meet people is through forced interaction. That is, put yourself in a situation where you will meet others, rather than putting yourself in a situation where you will have to approach the people out of the blue, such as at a bar or sporting event. There are many ways to spark interactions. …
Read More »How to Move Fish
Moving fish requires making a fish tank in your car. Difficulty level: 7.3. Okay, maybe that’s a little too huge, but moving fish isn’t easy. It’s definitely harder than moving a dog, which is definitely harder than moving a chair. Here’s how to do it: Get the materials – at the most basic, you’ll need a plastic container, a plastic bag and some heavy-duty rubber bands. The container will protect the bag. If the container cracks, the bag will keep the fish swimming. Make the tank – put the plastic bag inside the container. Fill it with fish – fill …
Read More »Where are people moving in the Bay?
Is the Bay Area’s extravagant cost of living is finally catching up with it? San Francisco, Alameda, Santa Clara and San Mateo counties all shed more people than they gained in 2010. Actually, this has been happening since 2005 in San Francisco. However, Marin and Contra Costa counties saw net gains in population. Perhaps it is because they don’t have the big cities that the above-mentioned counties do, so their residents aren’t feeling the rising heat of home and rental prices. For those wondering where I came up with these facts, Forbes has a great map for determining where people …
Read More »Lease vs Sublease
Leases are rental contracts between a landlord and renter/tenant. Subleases are rental contracts between a renter and a different renter, or sublessee. There are a few key differences between leases and subleases, which make leases appeal to certain people and subleases appeal to others. When looking for an apartment and deciding whether to sublease, consider these factors: Duration: subleases are usually only for a few months, whereas leases are generally for an entire year. Price: subleases are often cheaper than the rental price in the original lease because renter wants to find someone. Furnished: subleases are almost always furnished with …
Read More »How to Move a Refrigerator
A fridge is a bulky, heavy thing. Moving it takes some care and know-how. Here’s what to do: Unplug – unplug the electricity and turn off the water connection. Do this at least fifteen minutes before moving the fridge. Clean – take out any food and wipe off the top of the fridge so you don’t get dust in your eyes. Take measurements – make sure the fridge will fit through whatever door or hall you plan on taking it through. Fasten the doors – use rope or a bungee cord to secure the doors in place so they don’t …
Read More »Moving Truck MPG
You can’t truly calculate the cost of moving without taking into consideration gas. Whether you’re renting a moving truck or paying a moving service, your stuff is going to get from point A to point B on the fumes of gasoline. Moving trucks, like all trucks, get pretty terrible miles per gallon. At best, on an open highway, they’ll get 17-22 mpg. At worst, in a congested city, they get 8-12 mpg. To put that into a dollar figure, if you’re planning on driving a moving truck 1,200 miles to your new home, 200 of which will be in traffic …
Read More »Renting Climate-Controlled Storage Units
Self-storage units are only good if they protect your stuff. If you plan on storing expensive clothing and electronics that can be damaged by cold, hot and humidity, you’ll want to rent a climate-controlled self-storage unit. Climate-controlled storage units allow you to control the internal temperature of a unit. Some may also allow you to control the humidity. Of course, they come at a price, which is often more expensive than normal storage units. If you’re wondering, “should I get a climate-controlled storage unit?”, do a quick cost-benefit analysis. Compare the price of a climate-controlled unit versus a normal unit, …
Read More »How to Get a Deposit Back from a Landlord
There are a few ways to get a rental deposit back from a landlord. Landlords are often entitled to use your deposit to cover cleaning costs, damages and other things named in the contract when you move out. However, just because your place is messy and your roomy put a hole in the wall that doesn’t mean you should lose your entire deposit. Here’s what you can do to protect your hard-earned money: Hire a cleaning company – if your cleaning company will clean for cheaper than your landlord’s, it’s a no brainer. Roll up your sleeves – you might …
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