Renting is Expensive and Nobody Talks About It
Okay so I've been renting for like 4 years now and I'm SO tired of people acting like it's just "pay rent and chill." Like no Karen, there's literally SO much more to it and I wish someone had given me the heads up before I signed my first lease.
I was literally 22, fresh out of college, thinking I'm about to adult properly. Found this cute studio for $1350/month and I'm like cool, I can swing that. WRONG. So wrong.
The Apartment Hunt Reality Check
First off - application fees. Every. Single. Place. wants money just to CONSIDER you as a tenant. I applied to probably 8 places (because the market is insane) and dropped like $400+ just on application fees. For apartments I didn't even get!
Then there's the whole deposit situation. They want first month rent, last month rent, security deposit, and sometimes this random "administration fee" that's basically them charging you for existing. My $1350 studio turned into needing $4200 upfront. WHO HAS THAT LYING AROUND??
Oh and if you have pets? Forget about it. My sister has this sweet golden retriever and she had to pay an extra $300 deposit plus $50/month pet rent. PET RENT. For an animal that probably causes less damage than most humans.
Don't even get me started on renter's insurance. Every landlord now acts like your apartment is gonna spontaneously combust if you don't have it. Another $25/month because apparently they don't trust you to not burn the place down.
Living There is More Expensive Than They Tell You
So you finally move in and think the financial surprises are over. NOPE.
My landlord was like "utilities included!" which sounds amazing until you realize he's charging everyone a flat $85/month whether you use $20 or $200 in electricity. Basically subsidizing your neighbors who blast AC 24/7 while you're trying to save money.
Maintenance is this whole other mess. My toilet started making this horrible noise at like 11pm on a Sunday. Landlord's "emergency maintenance" only covers "life threatening situations." Apparently a broken toilet doesn't qualify? So I had to call my own plumber and drop $180 because I wasn't about to deal with that.
And rent increases - ugh. They just casually slip that into your renewal notice like "hey rent's going up 7% next year k thanks!" No discussion, no negotiation. Take it or leave (literally).
The Stuff That Messes With Your Head
Here's what's really frustrating though - you can never actually make it YOURS. Like I've been staring at these hideous brown cabinets for 2 years and there's nothing I can do about it. Want to paint? Need written permission. Want to change the gross light fixtures? Also need permission.
Plus there's always this anxiety about lease renewal time. Will they jack up the rent? Will they decide they want to sell? Will they just randomly decide they don't like tenants anymore? You're basically never secure.
Meanwhile I'm literally paying my landlord's mortgage every month and building zero equity for myself. It's depressing when you think about it.
Online Payment Fees Are Highway Robbery
Most places now force you to pay online through their portal. Sounds convenient right? WRONG AGAIN.
They hit you with "convenience fees" that are anything but convenient. Usually 2-3% if you use a credit card. So my $1350 rent becomes like $1385 every month just because I don't want to mail a check like it's 1995.
That's an extra $420/year just for pressing "submit payment." It's honestly insulting.
Rent Rewards: Finally Something That Doesn't Suck
So my coworker Emma told me about these rent rewards things and I was skeptical because like, when do renters ever catch a break? But I figured why not try it.
Basically you pay rent through certain apps/websites and they give you cash back or points or whatever. I've been using this app called Piñata for like 8 months now and honestly it's the first time I've gotten ANYTHING back from paying rent.
Every month I pay on time (which hello, I was doing anyway) and I get points that turn into Amazon gift cards. Last month I got enough for like $40 in groceries. Not life changing but definitely better than nothing.
My friend uses Stake and gets actual cash back - like 1.5% or something. She's making like $250/year just for paying rent she was already paying. Her processing fees are covered plus she pockets extra.
There's also this one called Incentco that works with certain buildings. My upstairs neighbor gets points through them that she uses for Target gift cards.
Look, it's not gonna make you rich, but when everything about renting feels like a scam, at least this gives you SOMETHING back.
The Annoying Parts (Because of Course There Are Some)
Obviously it can't be perfect because nothing ever is when you're renting.
Your building has to actually work with these platforms. Some landlords are stuck in the stone age and refuse to use anything digital. Mine was cool with it but I know people whose landlords said no.
Some of the rewards expire if you don't use them fast enough. Others only work at certain stores. And depending on the setup you might still pay some processing fees.
However, I already lose a lot of money on rent each month, so it feels good to get even a small amount back.
What I Would Have Liked to Hear
If you're about to start renting, here's the real talk:
- Budget way more than just the monthly rent. Add like $1000 to whatever you think you need for all the random fees and deposits and surprises.
- Expect your rent to go up every year because landlords are greedy and they can get away with it.
- Look into rent rewards from the beginning. That adds up over a year, even if your monthly income is only $20 to $30.
- You might have to move at any time for reasons that are entirely beyond your control, so try not to grow too attached to any one place.
Here's the Real Deal
Renting is expensive and annoying and designed to benefit landlords, not tenants. There are hidden costs everywhere and the system basically sucks.
Rent rewards are literally the only thing I've found that gives tenants any kind of advantage. You're paying rent anyway - might as well get something for it.
If your building doesn't have a rewards program, bug your landlord about it. What's the worst that happens, they say no? At least you tried.
Honestly at this point I'll take any win I can get in this overpriced rental market.
A Note for Massachusetts Renters:
While this article reflects common frustrations for renters across the U.S., it's important to know that Massachusetts has some of the strongest tenant-protection laws in the country. Specifically, several of the fees mentioned here are illegal for landlords to charge in Massachusetts:
- Application Fees & Admin Fees are Illegal: Landlords are prohibited from charging prospective tenants any fee to apply for an apartment or any "administration fee." If a landlord asks for this, they are breaking the law.
- Upfront Costs are Limited: The only payments a landlord can lawfully collect at the start of a tenancy are the first month's rent, the last month's rent, a security deposit (which cannot be more than one month's rent), and the actual cost to purchase and install a new lock.
- Pet Deposits are Illegal: Landlords cannot charge an additional security deposit for a pet. They are, however, allowed to charge a higher monthly "pet rent."
- Maintenance is a Landlord's Responsibility: Massachusetts has a strong State Sanitary Code. If essential items like plumbing are broken, your landlord is required to make repairs. Tenants have legal recourse if a landlord fails to do so.
Published 8/12/25