 TITLE: How to Get Approved for an Apartment CONTENT: Look for Apartments That Fit in Your Budget\n-------------------------------------------\nApartment hunting begins with understanding how much you can afford. The general rule of thumb is to spend no more than 30% of your gross (pretax) monthly income on rent. If, for example, you earn $6,000 per month before taxes, you should aim to keep your rent at or below $1,800.\nYour landlord may use a similar calculation to determine what's called your rent-to-income ratio. The industry-standard calculation works like this: Divide your gross annual income by 12, then multiply that number by 0.3. The total represents your maximum monthly rent. By these standards, someone who earns $60,000 per year may not get approved on their own for a monthly rent payment that exceeds $1,500. Of course, your debts come into play too. If you've got large monthly payments in the way of student loans, credit cards or auto loans, you may have less wiggle room in your budget for rent. (More on this shortly.)\nOnce you've landed on a number that feels right, you can start searching for rental properties that fit in your budget. Many apartment-hunting sites allow you to filter by rent amount, which can help prevent you from applying for apartments you can't afford. END