The dishwasher in my apartment is a horrible piece of sh*t.

About 15 minutes into each cycle, it sounds like it’s dying.  It makes some sort of awful, loud grinding noise that I’m fairly certain it is not supposed to do.  It barely cleans our dishes, leaves soap scum residue all over the insides of the dishwasher, and produces soaking wet dishes even after the dry cycle.

So, I called our landlord.

Done and done.

With just a few more months of renting left in my life (since we’re planning to buy a house some time this spring), I’ve been trying to focus on just how awesome renting is.

Everyone can argue the pros of cons of BOTH renting and buying (since neither option is perfect).  Renting definitely has it’s downsides, but, for my last months as a renter, I plan to focus on the positives of renting.

Aside from our landlord coming to fix our dishwasher (and everything else in our 1,000 square foot apartment), my favorite perk is definitely the maintenance.  Specifically:

snow removal

At some point in the next few weeks (or days), Kansas City will get hit with the first snow storm of the season.  Last winter, I think it snowed maybe 8-10 times?  Maybe more?  And I think every American remembers the great blizzard of February 2011.

See that?  I don’t have to deal with that.  Our maintenance men do.  During the blizzard of February 2011, my husband and I watched Netflix and drank wine while our homeowner friends (and the maintenance guys) shoveled driveways and sidewalks.

I plan to enjoy that this winter, because, next winter, I’ll be outside shoveling with the rest of the homeowners!

Another perk of renting?

so cheap!

And not just the actual rent payment.  I’m talking maintenance, utilities, insurance and making it look all pretty.

Of course, this is allowing us to save a sick amount every month towards our future house.  I’ll never understand why people don’t just rent for a couple more years to save a huge chunk of money for their first house.

Buying is not an investment these days.  For my parents, it was.  But, it’s not for our generation and it may not ever reach investment-status again during our generation.  There’s no point in buying a home other for the very fact of owning a home.  And if you can’t afford it, why buy?

What do you think are the perks of renting?