Greetings fellow apartment-ites!

If you're anything like me -- you've been home for about a week and are getting a bit claustrophobic. It's the first time I've been back in the 'burbs without a car(ie escape plan) since high school. Actually, my senior year I bought a used car with the money I'd saved from working at the local shoe store, so even then was a different story. I've actually never been stuck at my parents house for 11 days.

I don't know what day you guys are at, but I'm at day 5. And, on one hand it's been great to put my debit card on hold and enjoy the traditional human ritual known as family bonding. But, my family is also kind of crazy. Like, unafraid to cause a public scene crazy. So, here are some realizations I've had thus far and hopes for the future. If you have any additional tips, feel free to share.

1) Moms enjoy flowers. If you're in the doghouse, or think you might be soon, get the lady some pretty, bright, living organisms.
2) The town library still exists - and I forgot how fun reading is. Living and working the hours I do, I tend to pop in a movie or read newspapers when I have spare time. I'm currently reading the new Junot Diaz book, The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao which recently won the Pulitzer Prize and it's amaaazing. Highly recommended!
3) Shopping at malls cuts the time spent doing said activity in half. Um. Gap is next to Macy's which is next to Crate and Barrel. Not all over Manhattan!
4) Target. Go. Go often. Buying your advil in bulk has never been easier.
5) Take a walk around your neighborhood. Embarrassingly, I forgot that nature was so peaceful.
6) Deep breaths are powerful animals.
7) Smile -- pretty soon you'll be able to ignore calls and return to sleeping in until noon. For now, just remember that your family loves you!

My roommate got laid off. . .and has taken over the apartment! Now what!?

So, tis the season to be. . .laid off. Or, at least so says all the major news outlets. While most of us early to mid twenty-somethings have been spared because, lets be honest, we're not worth much, many of us haven't been so lucky. And some of our roommates haven't been so lucky. Which means they've started hanging out in their pj's in the apartment 24/7.

It's a tough spot, because on one hand, um, their whole life is now in chaos. Without a job, financial independence becomes dicey. And, especially if you're in New York where rent is obscene to begin. . . dropping $700+ on rent is a big deal. But, on the other hand, its common space. . .

Wow, I can't even type that without feeling like a complete jerk.

I was thinking I'd write this blog and advise those of you in this position to try to reason with your roommate. But, I think those of us who still have jobs may need to be the accommodating ones in this case. It's the right, if inconvenient thing to do. If your roommate is your friend, you'll need even more sensitive kid gloves. It's a tough time to be an adult, but as much as I'll deny that title on a regular basis, uh, I kinda am. WE kinda are. And, it may be even harder for us as we've never been directly affected by a recession and certainly not a recession of this magnitude. Our grandparents lived through much worse and talking with my grandma, she seems more optimistic than any of my friends. Her logic is that we've pulled through tough times once and we can do it again.

So, with that can-do spirit, maybe we can both try to be the better human in our apartment these days. Maybe in our cities in general. People are scared and frightened about the future and often when people feel such uncertainty, they act in ways they don't really mean. Speaking for myself, I know that I can grow in the whole 'being patient' area. And. . .I should probably start thinking about donating to a food bank. Yeah, there are alot of things I'd like to buy, but other folks, perhaps like your roommate, have it a whole lot worse.

Let's hope for a better 2009. Fingers crossed.

Holiday tipping makes me uncomfortable the way tipping cab drivers makes me uncomfortable. How much am I supposed to tip? 10%? 20%? Do I just round up? And as I'm sure many of us are feeling this year, I kind of want to tip just enough. Well, I suppose some of us feel that way every year. . .but I digress. In my research, I've found that during a recession, as long as people haven't lost their jobs, they are expected to tip the same amount as in years previous. While this knowledge is all fine and good, what if one has never lived on their own in a city and thus HAS NEVER TIPPED BEFORE?! Well, have no fear.

According to a Yahoo Poll (and ABC.com) , here are some typical numbers for common service providers:

• Cleaning person - $50
• Hairdresser - $20
• Manicurist - $20
• Newspaper carrier - $20
• Barber - $15
• Building superintendent - $25
• Doorman - $10-80
• Pet-care provider - $25
• Mail carrier - $20
• Fitness instructor - $25

They had a few additional suggestions, but the services provided in that section included, "elevator operator" and I'm pretty sure you wouldn't be reading this blog if you had one and therein lived on Park Avenue. If you're interested, I've done a bit of reading and The New York Times' City Blog did a pretty comprehensive guide last year, which also discusses both the history and merits of tipping. It's kinda nerdy interesting, actually. Basically, it says that tipping is both a way of expressing appreciation, it also is a down payment towards good service in the year to come both for service providers and for professional employees.

I guess, it comes down to this - is there someone that provides a consistent service for you? If so, why not take thank them if you financially can. If you can't do it financially, bake them some cookie or write them a nice note. A bit of appreciation can go a long way.

I know that often, we at myfirstapartment.com are kinda like IKEA in our services; we provide an excellent starting point but then make you do a whole lotta work in order to actually get the dresser the way god intended. Or, you know, actually find an apartment.

But, every now and then we get a scoop and the below is directly from a past blogger. Her friend is skipping town and her loss is your gain!

Details:
Studio Apartment
4th Floor Walk-Up
Hell's Kitchen/Midtown West Location, 56th between 9th and 10th
$1395.

Believe us or not, that price, for that location is a pretty good deal. I have a friend who pays $1250 for a room in Gramercy Park, and such is Manhattan. If you're interested, please email myfirstapartment@gmail.com or post your information as a comment below.

G'luck!

P.S. Did anyone else catch the snow this weekend? What a beautiful city this is, all bundled up and covered in snow. . .

Welcome back, Gentle Blog readers!

I hope you had a festive Thanksgiving and enough turkey to last a lifetime. Well, at least until next year. As December marks the beginning of “End-of-Year” reflection, let us reflect back on a topic from September: How to best negotiate your lease.

Ah, what memories – the stock market wasn’t completely in the crapper, and one didn’t feel guilty about spending money on frivolous things, like a small hot chocolate(I’m kind of kidding, but I really have only bought 1 hot cocoa anywhere since it became cold. And I am a hot cocoa fanatic!). In any case, in that post, we spoke about how one should always negotiate no matter what, because the worst that can happen is for your landlord to say “No.” Remember?

Well, the times are getting even better for the ol’ negotiation!

This week, NY Magazine writes about how landlords have to now go out of their way to keep and lure tenants, because both the buying and RENTAL markets are doing so badly. I tend to hate the phrase, "make more with less" because it's usually the company telling the employees that. However, I'd be down with my landlord giving ME more for less, certainly...

So, while you may be considering waiting before you move out, recognize that now may be the perfect time; there are always benefits to catching a trend early. And, cheaper rents may be one of them!

But rent aside, there are plenty of other ways to sweeten your apartment pot. Since the beginning of October, I’ve been trying to get my landlord to get rid of the mouse that’s been playing hide-and-go-seek with me in our kitchen. He says he’ll so something, he doesn’t -- it’s a great game. Well, a friend recommended a trap she found online that works great, but is $40.00. I call up the landlord, mention how the mouse is giving me nightmares, ask if I could buy the trap and deduct it from the rent…and wahlaa!

Done and done – and now I’m mouse free.

Have any of you tried out the negotiating tips? Any success? Let me know!