Rent.

[MarkDoyle]

So. Here's the deal, I really want to go plant but I can't get out of my place in time to not pay rent when I'm gone. I mean, I did it last year (pay rent while planting). It feels like such a waste to do it again... I'm going to see if I can get a sublet going but has anyone else been in the same situation? You'd be helping me feel less like an idiot.

[Scooter]

I live in a university town - 12 month leases are very, very common.

[thatguy]

ive gotten a sublet for my place a few times and know quite a few planters who do it. its pretty easy and conveinient if you get a decent person.

[Mike]

Sublet twice in a row, had 8 month leases before that. Subletting is not that much a challenge.

[steel8909]

I always get 8 months rent, but it depends where you live. I'm in a University town and there's a housing surplus so rent is cheap and you never have to worry about not finding a good place. I didn't even start looking for a place to live until September, and I still managed to find a few places with 8 month leases.

Of course you can sublet too, but watch out for that international student scam thing.

[Mike]

but watch out for that international student scam thing.

What's this? Someone gives you a bunch of post-dated cheques that they default on? Couldn't that happen with anyone?

[jayBOT]

After a few bad sublets I just started paying rent all summer. Saves me having to move my stuff and trying to finding a decent place late August/September in Ottawa is hell. Plus its just awesome to come back home and it actually be... you know home. So your not alone with feeling like an idiot. I hope it helps :D

[Sebastian]

Also living in Ottawa, I've subletted a few times, and really liked having the whatever-many-thousand dollars it saved me. Putting your stuff in storage for the summer can usually be done for pretty cheap - I have a lot of stuff and get downtown lockers for about $80 a month.

Take note if you're subletting that it's not necessarily to your benefit to recuperate all your money: it might be better to offer a friend you can trust a good deal on your place than to sublet it to a random for full price.

[Scooter]

it might be better to offer a friend you can trust a good deal on your place than to sublet it to a random for full price.

Seconded.

[Mike]

I am even luckier: My room-mate is sticking around for the summer, and I've got friends to take random boxes of my junk. So recoup full cost, and no worries about damage. My august is up in the air, but I've got family to spend time with, so...easily done.

[jayBOT]

Take note if you're subletting that it's not necessarily to your benefit to recuperate all your money: it might be better to offer a friend you can trust a good deal on your place than to sublet it to a random for full price.

Indeed. I actually did get lucky last year and managed to sublet my apartment to someone I knew for 150$ less then i was actually paying, but I got to keep all my stuff there. So maybe I should have charged more for a fully furnished apartment with wardrobe.

[mel_eff]

Don't feel too stupid, it's a really nice feeling to come home to a home, where all your stuff is just where you left it. It's such a pain in the ass to get your stuff out of storage and move it into a new place every single August. This will be my first season paying rent all summer and to be quite honest I think it'll be worth it, just to have a solid landing pad after being in the stinkin' bush!!!

Have a good season :)