Living in a sharehouse has so many perks. Since you aren’t living alone, you’re shouldering less of the financial responsibility of utilities and a house payment. You also might get to live in a more spacious and quality home than you would if you were on your own because everyone’s pitching in.
That being said, it can be difficult to get all of your mates on the same page when it comes to chores and payment. If you prefer to keep the drama to a minimum and live in a harmonious environment, technology really can be everyone’s best friend. Here are some of the best apps you can get to make your sharehouse run smoothly.
Making it equal and fair financially.
Let’s face it, not everyone’s room is the same square footage. Also, not everyone uses the same amount of electricity. Sometimes there are special circumstances that need to be considered closely. Bills should be looked at on a case-by-case basis to make the living situation fair for everyone.
Splitwise is an app that allows you to take those kinds of factors into consideration because an even split isn’t always the right answer. That’s why this app has “fairness calculators.” These conversations can be difficult even amongst the closest friends. Splitwise offers mediation services, so everyone can come to an agreement where they feel confident and comfortable.
It’s time to clean up!
When you’re living with multiple people it’s so easy for your place to quickly fall into disarray, especially the common areas, like the kitchen. Since everyone contributes to the messiness of the house, it’s only fair that everyone also pitches in and cleans up.
Chorma helps everyone out in the cleanliness department. This app allows you to create tasks and allocate them to your mates, as long as they have an iOS device. You schedule a time when you want each chore done, and the app sends reminders, so there’s no excuse if it doesn’t get done. Also, if everyone hates cleaning the bathroom—who doesn’t—you can rotate that chore between everyone, so no one gets stuck with the dirty work.
Keep everything under lock and key.
Sometimes you’re running late and you can’t help but wonder if you remembered to lock the door. Either that or you completely forget your keys in the house and are stuck outside until your housemates can come and rescue you. With a smart lock app, you never have to worry again. You can lock and unlock your door using your smartphone. Just check with your landlord that it’s okay to install this device. Once you have the go-ahead, you’ll never have to worry about losing your keys again.
Technology that ensures you’re not overpaying.
Okay, so this isn’t technically an app, but it’s a bit of technology that can end up making your life a lot easier. Have you ever wondered if you’re all paying too much money for your Internet service? Did one of your flatmates “take care of it” without really doing any research? Call a house meeting and to make sure you’re not paying more than you should be on the Internet, compare at iSelect.
You might know iSelect from your parents as a place where you can find a home loan. However, you can also use it for lots of other services, like comparing Internet providers, travel insurance, and pet insurance. You should be able to easily weigh the pros and cons of different providers, without spending your whole day digging on different websites and trying to keep an excel sheet straight.
Using iSelect, you can get all your answers in one easy place. You and your flatmates can have an in-depth discussion about what each person needs from the Internet plan and make an educated decision that will hopefully benefit everyone involved.
