Your first apartment: tips on how to save money!
At last! Your first job - and your first apartment! But as exciting as it all is, it can also be quite expensive. As an apprentice, your bank account won't exactly be overflowing and you'll have to use your money carefully. We'll give you tips on what costs to expect and how you can save.
1. do I get housing benefit and housing cost allowance as an apprentice?
As a rule, you do not receive housing benefit as an apprentice. This is because you are entitled to vocational training allowance (BAB) . If your application for BAB is rejected because you or your parents earn too much, you are unfortunately still not entitled to housing benefit.
As an apprentice, you can only apply for housing benefit if you are not entitled to BAB "for the reason". And this is the case if you are either in your second apprenticeship or are learning a profession that is not recognized by the state, such as yoga teacher or typesetter. You must also be of legal age and need proof that you have to cover the costs of the apartment on your own.
You must apply for housing benefit at the housing benefit office of the municipality in which your home is located.
2 Where can I apply for housing benefit or rent subsidy?
Trainees can also apply for a rent subsidy - regardless of whether they receive BAB or the application was rejected because they or their parents earn too much.
2.1 Checklist for rental assistance:
- You are receiving BAB or BAB has been rejected because your income is too high.
- The BAB rent allowance does not cover your heating and rent costs.
- You no longer live at home.
- Before you moved out of your parents' home, you applied for a rent subsidy from the office responsible for ALG II and received permission to move out.
- Your apartment is appropriate in terms of size and price. Otherwise, you will only receive the rent subsidy that corresponds to an appropriate apartment.
Information on housing benefit
2.3 Housing cost subsidy: Are you under 25 years old?
If you are under 25 years old and no longer live with your parents, you are only eligible for a housing cost allowance if you cannot reasonably be expected to continue living with your parents.
This would be the case, for example, if your training position is far away or if serious social reasons justify your moving out.
3. furniture, leisure, party: other costs you have to reckon with
In addition to rental costs, there are other costs that you should take into account in your financial planning.
For example for:
- Furniture, furnishings and also things like pans, towels, glasses, hairdryers, etc.
- Internet and cell phone costs
- Costs for food and other items such as contact lenses, clothing, hairdresser, etc.
There may also be costs for the monthly ticket or any insurance, and you will probably want to go out from time to time or have a hobby like climbing that costs something.
To get a good overview of the so-called cost of living, what is added to rent and the like each month, it makes sense to keep a kind of budget book . Either in the traditional way on paper or with the help of an app.
Keep an eye on costs with a budget book
A budget book can help you keep a better eye on your spending.
With the free "My budget book" app, you can keep an eye on your income and expenditure and manage your money better. The " Moneon Haushaltsbuch" app helps you with personal financial management, provides shared wallets for the whole family and much more.
4. broadcasting fees: not for me!
If you still live at home, your broadcasting fee is of course covered by your parents' fees.
Anyone who no longer lives at home and receives benefits under BAföG, vocational training allowance (BAB) or training allowance under SGB III canapply for exemption from the obligation to pay the broadcasting fee (GEZ). The receipt of benefits must be proven at the time of application, e.g. with a certificate from the office.
Application for exemption from the broadcasting fee
In a shared flat, a flatmate must pay the full broadcasting fee, even if one or more other flatmates are exempt because they receive BAföG benefits. The person who is not exempt must pay 17.50 euros per month for the shared apartment.
Only if all residents of a shared flat are exempt is the entire apartment free of charge. However, rooms or apartments in a trainee dormitory are considered separate apartments for which each resident must pay the broadcasting fee of €17.50 per month.
5 The rental agreement: what you need to pay attention to!
The first basic rule is: Don't sign anything you don't understand!
Tenancy agreements are usually structured in the same way and contain common paragraphs and clauses. Before you sign the tenancy agreement full of eagerness and anticipation, you should read it through at your leisure and ask for clarification on any sentences you don't understand. You can also agree with the landlord to take the tenancy agreement home with you for a day.
Check whether the rental agreement contains the following important information:
- Are all ancillary costs listed?
- Is the amount of the deposit noted?
- Are the names of all tenants entered?
- Is there a written handover protocol?
- How long is the notice period?
5.1 Ancillary costs
In most cases, the rental price quoted is the so-called basic rent. This means that the ancillary costs are not yet included in this sum.
Service charges include electricity, heating and hot water. However, there are often additional costs for cleaning the building or for waste disposal. A parking space that is "co-rented" with the apartment can also mean additional monthly costs. 2 euros per square meter should be added to the rent as a guideline.
5.2 Deposit
A deposit is security for the landlord - it may not exceed three months' rent. He can use it to repair any damage caused by you. If everything goes well, you will get it back in full when you move out.
5.3 Handover protocol
All defects found during the inspection (e.g. crack in the sink, damaged parquet flooring) should be recorded in writing. This way, the landlord cannot blame the tenant for these defects when they move out.
5.4 Period of notice
It is important here that a so-called notice period of three months is observed - for both tenants and landlords.
6. after the move: off to the residents' registration office!
As soon as you have moved, you must re-register at the residents' registration office - within a period of two weeks. In some municipalities, you only have one week.
So don't forget this under any circumstances, otherwise you may have to pay a hefty fine. The amount of the fine is entirely at the discretion of the residents' registration office, but can be up to 1,000 euros.
