Also known as Putting my apartment out there and finding a Craigslist roommate Part 2 (Boy was I wrong)
Maybe this entry should be called, putting myself out there and admitting I was wrong, because for those of you who know me admitting I'm wrong is something I do not do!
But I digress...where was I going with this?
Oh yes, for the first week or so everything was working swimmingly with the new roommate. She was nice, respectful, clean and her dog was super cute. I still had a few weeks of work left so I was rarely home, and I was busy and things were looking up. She had moved in the last week of May and I didn't really feel the need for her to pay for a week of rent, because at that point I was using move in now for only your security deposit and pay rent June 1, as a selling point. So on June 1, I asked for rent, thinking I would get it.
Here's the first time I was wrong.
"Oh! I don't have checks, but I'll run to the bank tomorrow and get you cash"
I was fine with this, because, we've all been new to LA, and if it was going to be cash on June 2nd, then really the money was going to clear right away so, okay.
June 2nd, she gives me 400 in cash, because her bank doesn't let her take out more than that at 1 time because she is a new customer. Well that sounded strange, but banks have strange policy's so fine.
June 3rd, we go to the bank so she can take out the other 250 she owes me. She "can't for some reason"
June 4th, still trying to get cash out
June 5th, two of bills hit the bank and because I had just paid my rent and a third of hers and forgot to move money from savings into my account and I hadn't gotten my last paycheck yet, I overdraft...GRRRR!
June 6th, I finally get the rest of the money she owes me. She had promised to pay my overdraft fees, but that didn't happen.
Okay, so I figured, alright just the first time, this shit happens, she does have a new bank and banks have weird policy's, I'm going to let it go because it was still cheaper than having to pay the whole rent only split by 2.
June 28th, to avoid the issue from the last time rent was due I text her to ask for a check early so it will clear in time to pay. We had been in and out all week so I hadn't seen her a whole lot
June 29th, I text her again to tell her I need rent that day, no response.
June 30th, I get a letter (a letter!) telling me she can't pay rent because she didn't her check from school yet and she had already spent all the money she had gotten from school in the months previous!
Um, okay don't panic yet, because I too was almost screwed that month by Unemployment check coming late, and figured we could just get an extension for July 1.
B had returned at this point and after some creative math, and some money lending, between he and I we manage to come up with both our rents and A's. Assuming we'd both get paid back in the next week or so.
Wrong... because she then told us she wouldn't get her finaide check till July 21 or later!
Okay, at this point we couldn't kick her out because rent was paid and we knew we didn't want to pay Aug 1 rent only 2 ways. (though since we had already split July 1 rent 2 ways bc of our unreliable roommate I don't know why we just didn't)
July went by with me being broke and my UE checks coming not every 2 weeks like they were supposed to be because I am bad at paperwork, and the mail in LA blows! BLOOOOOOOOOWS. So I really needed the money she still owed me for July rent etc. Loooooong story short, we finally got paid back August 1 for both July and August rent. ARGH.
So here's what we learned from putting my apartment out there and getting a 22 y/o new to LA Craigslist Roommate.
DON'T DO IT! they will mooch not only rent, but food, grocery money off of you. They will let the dog shit everywhere and blame the kitties, she will get money from her family and rather than give it to those she owes it too or chip in for house food she will spend it on clothing and then get upset when you ask her for it. She will chatter endlessly, make our with your friends and get wasted like a child and embarass the fuck out of you when are nice enough to invite her out with you and your friends.
Once again, I put myself out there, I was NICE, and it managed to backfire on me.
Le sigh, I put myself out there and I got screwed, it's a good thing I'm resilient , because between this, and the OkCupid disaster, and bunch of bad job interviews, I might have just holed up in cave (with cable! and the kitties) and never put myself out there again!
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