The rental market can seem like a confusing and stressful place at the best of times. When you’re on a budget, that could be much worse. Quite a few apartments could be out of the question, simply because they’ll be too expensive.

Once you know how to find a rental apartment on a budget, however, things get much easier. You don’t need to spend a lot of time stressing out about this, especially when you use a few apartment-hunting tips.

Three specific options stand out, as they can be helpful even when you have the tightest of budgets. Whether you’re looking for a loft for rent or something similar, they can be more than worth it.

How to Find a Rental Apartment on a Budget: 3 Top Tips

1. Use a Referral Service

Looking for an apartment for rent takes a lot of time and effort when you’re doing it yourself. You don’t have to do it alone, however, as a referral service could be quite helpful. These take a look at what you want and need in an apartment and find the best options for you, while also helping with setting up viewings.

They take most of the time and effort out of the apartment hunt, saving you a lot of stress. They’ll also keep your budget in mind, only giving you the most appropriate options.

2. Know Your Budget

Before you can figure out how to find a rental apartment on a budget, you’ll need to know what your budget actually is. You’ll not only have the monthly rent to worry about, but also any move-in costs, such as moving your belongings and paying a security deposit. All of these come into play when you’re looking for an apartment.

Before you start looking, take a deep dive into your finances and figure out what the most you can afford is. While you should aim to spend less than this, it’s always worth knowing what your maximum limit is.

3. Network

Taking advantage of your social circle and existing network can be a great place to start when you’re looking for an affordable apartment. You could be surprised by how many leads you can get with this. A few friends or family members could point you in the right direction for an affordable apartment.

While you’ll still need to view the apartments and go through the application process, asking your friends and family for some help can be a great place to start. They could have a landlord who hasn’t put an apartment in their building up for rent yet, which could let you get there early, for example.

How to Find a Rental Apartment on a Budget: Wrapping Up

Figuring out how to find a rental apartment on a budget seems like a stressful and almost anxiety-inducing process. With the wealth of expensive and unaffordable options out there, combined with the natural stress involved in looking for an apartment, it’s easy to see why.

With a few apartment-hunting tips, however, you can make this much easier. Networking, knowing your budget, and even using a referral service can all be effective options for this. While there’ll still be some work involved, there shouldn’t be anything stopping you from finding an affordable apartment.