Housing options: Costs vs. benefits

The essentials are the things a person cannot live without: food and water.
And then there’s shelter.

When deciding on a place to call home there are options that allow students to prioritize their savings.

Living off-campus might be a great way to save money for one person, while living on campus might save someone else time.

Sophomore Logan Fox said he estimates that he saves about $200 a month by living off-campus. Fox said he also likes that he doesn’t have many neighbors.

“It’s quiet and I don’t have to deal with loud neighbors out here,” Fox said. “It’s easier to concentrate and study out here.”

But with benefits come hassles for some off-campus residents.

“I spend more gas money,” Fox said.

Sophomore Samantha Stillions lives at home, and said she has some of the same issues as Fox.

“It takes me 20 minutes to get to campus on a good day,” Stillions said. “I have to leave my house an hour before my class starts to get there on time.”

But Stillions can’t complain about the home-cooked meals and the money she saves in rent. Stillions said she saves about $600 a month by living at home.

“I put the money into my savings account because I know that I will need it one day,” Stillions said.

Senior Elise Rivas said she opted for a more expensive apartment on campus.

Although Rivas estimates her rent and utilities to be about $750 per month, she likes the fact that it is located in a central place in Bloomington.

“It was really convenient and close to classes,” she said. “I can walk to all of my classes in 10 to 12 minutes. It’s also close to the bars, and I don’t have to worry about driving.”

Rivas said she also likes that her friends enjoy hanging out at her apartment.

“It’s a place where a lot of my friends want to come,” she said. “It’s a good meeting place before we go out.”

On-campus housing like Willkie Quad is another option.

Junior Erin Morton has lived in Willkie for three semesters and said she finds little to complain about. Like Rivas, Morton said convenience was a big factor.

"I’m not a morning person, so I can sleep in 'til the last minute and get up and go,” she said.

Greek houses are also an option for on-campus living.

Junior Madisen Lehr estimates that she spends $8000 per year living in her sorority and finds it to be cheaper than some of the other on-campus apartments.

“Some of the on-campus apartments can cost $900 to $1000 a month,” she said. “If you want to live on campus in an equivalent location, a sorority can be cheaper.”