Red Wine-braised Osso Bucco with Citrus Gremolata

Braised Veal Shanks
2 cross-cut veal shanks, at least 1 1/2 inches thick
3 Tablespoons canola oil
Salt and Pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped onions
1/2 chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1 Tablespoon chopped garlic
2 Teaspoons tomato paste
1 bay leaf
2 springs of fresh thyme
3 parsley stems
1/2 large orange, segments only
1 cup red wine
1 quart rich veal or beef stock

Gremolata (optional)
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon finely chopped parsley
Combine all ingredients and let flavors mingle at room temperature for 1 hour.

Polenta
1 cup coarse-ground yellow corn meal
6.5 cups low-sodium chicken stock, hot
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
Salt and pepper

Arugula Salad
4 cups loosely packed baby arugula
Salt and Pepper
3 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Instructions
-Heat oil in a oven-proof pot with a lid, just big enough to fit the veal shanks
-Season the shanks well with salt and pepper.
-Lightly dust with flour on all sides, patting off the excess
-Place shanks in hot pan, allowing to brown, avoiding moving them for several minutes. Brown all sides in this manner.
-Remove browned meat from pot and place on a plate, saving the juices.
-Add onions, celery, and carrots. Cook over moderate heat until lightly browned. Add garlic and tomato paste. Cooking, stirring frequently, until tomato paste turns “brick” red.
-Add red wine, scrapping the bottom of the pot. Simmer until reduced by 1/3.
-Return the shanks and collected juices to the pot.
-Add beef or veal stock, just enough to come about 1/2 to 2/3 of the way up the pieces of meat.
-Add thyme, parsley stems, bay leaf, and orange segments, bring to a simmer, cover pot, and place in oven at 300F for 2.5-3 hours.

You can prepare the dish a day or two in advance up to this point. Cool and refrigerate until the big day.  Then reheat and finish.

-Once tender, move meat to a warm place and strain the braising liquid through a fine mesh strainer into a small sauce pot. Simmer until the sauce coats the back of a metal spoon. Keep warm until ready to serve.
-Spoon 1/2 cup sauce over each veal shank. Top with a pinch of gremolata

Polenta
-While the Osso Bucco is in the oven, bring 5 cups of chicken stock to a simmer saving the other 1.5 cups to adjust the thickness of the final product.
-Once simmering, “rain in” the corn meal gradually, stirring continuously to avoid sticking, lumps, and scorching.
-Once all the corn meal has been added to the stock, turn heat to low and allow to cook, stirring occasionally for 45 minutes to an hour. If the polenta becomes too thick or looks dry, add some of the remaining stock.
-You can tell when the polenta is done when the texture turns from grainy to creamy, the corn meal having absorbed the cooking liquid and softened.
-Remove polenta from heat and stir in the butter and parmesan.
-Taste and add salt and pepper as desired.

Arugula Salad
-Place 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in a stainless steel or glass bowl. Add a pinch of salt and pepper.
-Gradually whisk in the 3 tablespoons of olive oil
-Place arugula in separate bowl, seasoning the dry greens lightly with salt and pepper
-Drizzle just enough dressing over the greens to lightly coat them (no soggy salad!)
-Toss gently.
-Plate immediately to avoid wilting

Some food for thought
Osso Bucco, literally “bone hole” in Italian, is a name for a veal shank, essentially the shin bone of a veal calf. Traditionally, for Osso Bucco, the shank is cut into a cross section, exposing the inside of the shank bone and the hole the hides the delicious marrow, hence the name. This recipe yield a rich, soul-warming winter meat that, paired with a glass of red wine, candle light, and a lover’s company will surely make for an unforgettable romantic evening. This is a delicious dinner that is full of flavor but is relatively easy to execute, with the braised meat and long-cooked polenta being more or less forgiving of the down falls of an easily distracted cook.

It is a general rule that “low activity muscles” (or muscles that are not used very much by the animal) are the most tender, but are often lacking in flavor and complexity. A beef tenderloin, for example, is a muscle that is barely ever used by the cow and is therefore very tender. However, the filet doesn’t have a huge amount of flavor in of itself.  It is one of the most expensive cuts of meat on a menu, one because the name recognition of “filet mignon”, and second because there is a limited amount of tenderloin per animal, making the cost higher.

Conversely, muscles that get a lot of exercise (think legs, shins, shoulders, and tongues) are relatively cheap cuts of meat and are packed with flavor; all you need to know is how to render those tough pieces of meat in melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness. The name of the game with these tough cuts is “low and slow”. Either BBQ, slow roasting, or most commonly braising will yield a moist, tender final product.

Braising is what we call at school a “combination cooking method”. It is so named because it is a combination of both dry and moist heat applications. First, one must season (salt and pepper) and sear the pieces of meat over high heat with minimal amount of fat (canola oil, etc.). Note: High heat is required to sear the meat properly, so don’t use butter or olive oil, as it may burn.

After browning the meat on all sides, thus caramelizing the proteins to add essential flavor and color to the final product, flavorful liquid (stock, wine, etc.) is added to the pan to release the bits of caramelized proteins stuck to the bottom of the cooking vessel. The meat is cooked until completion in this flavorful liquid at barely a simmer until it is moist and fork tender (generally several hours. Once the liquid reaches a simmer, the cooking pot and be covered and placed in an oven, anywhere from 275F to 325F).

With several hours to kill while the meat is braising, you are able to take you time and complete the rest of the meal. The meat could even be braised a day ahead of time, since it is commonly said that Osso Bucco only improves, the flavor becoming more developed, the longer ahead of time it is made. If braising the meat ahead of time, once the meat is fork tender, remove the pot from the heat and allow the meat to cool completely, remaining submerged in the cooking liquid to avoid moisture loss. When ready to serve, reheat the liquid and the meat, then remove the meat and keep in a warm place (the lowest temperature at which you can set your oven), strain the cooking liquid, reduce it to a sauce consistency (a rapid simmer), and serve. General guidelines call for at least 1/2 cup of sauce per portion, so don’t over reduce! ENJOY!

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Photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A MOVING COMPANY by Katherine

Hiring a moving company for your move is usually a good idea, unless you happen to be friends with the wolf pack in Twilight.  Alas, chances are that you don’t have a harem of super strong shape-shifters at your disposal so it is to your benefit to hire professionals.  Even though your strongest man friends and/or fraternity bros might volunteer to help you out, they probably won’t take as much care with your valuables (ahem, flat screen? chandelier?) nor will they have the materials a moving company will have to safely move your stuff.

The problem is that movers don’t have the best reputation and moving companies can vary wildly. Here are some good things to know when you are doing a local move:

1. Movers generally charge anywhere from $65-95/hour. Anything more than that is too expensive and anything less might be questionable.

2. Moving companies should ask you to list all of your items to be moved and should give you an estimate before you book the job. A lot of them will offer to come look at your apartment to get a better idea of what you have.

3. There shouldn’t be a fee to “hold your reservation.”

4. It seems like everything is reviewed on Yelp these days and moving companies are no exception.  Search for the highest rated movers in your area. AND READ THE COMMENTS.

5. You will likely be responsible for arranging parking for the moving truck at both your old place and your new place.

6. Tip isn’t included and if you think they did a good job, you should follow the 15-20% rule. They did help protect your grandmother’s antique teacups after all.

7. A moving company should have insurance coverage, and you should ask exactly what it covers. If they don’t have it, don’t use them.

8. If you have a your own little Amazon rainforest, check to see if they move plants. Frequently mirrors and plants won’t be included and might cost extra.

9. Try to pick a company based on hourly rates and not on weight. If their estimates are based on weight it will be difficult for you to guesstimate how much your items weigh.

10. Don’t forget to ask if materials cost extra. Things like wrap for the TV, a case for your mattress etc.

I moved recently, and had a wonderful experience with Real Rock n’ Roll movers, a local company in the LA area. If you’re here on the West Coast and need some guys to move your stuff-these dudes are fast and professional. And funny too! (And no, I did not get paid to say this!)

Related posts:

1. Lessons Learned from Moving from Chicago to NYC
2. Moving and a Shaking( U-haul or I-haul?)
3. Renting A Moving Truck – And Moving Cross-Country!

1. Re-Appropriate some of your tchotchkes. We all have little doodads that we like, but that serve no useful function. Most of us keep them on our dresser, or in a box in the closet, collecting dust. Instead, think of ways you can use one or two for something practical. Then, visitors will see your favorite tchotchkes regularly, and you’ll interact with them enough to like them, and to prevent them from getting dusty. An example: when I moved to Chicago, my mother gave me a small replica of “The Chicago Picasso” (see picture), which I like a lot – she had gotten it in the late ‘60s, when the Chicago Picasso had just gone up, and now was giving it to me. But what was I going to do with it? Put it in my junk drawer? Seemed that way … until I realized I didn’t have a napkin holder. And now, it sits on my kitchen table and I lift it up and down nearly every day! Brilliant, and just a little bit of pizzazz for the apartment. Other ideas for tchotchkes include bookends, doorstops and keyholders, but really, it’s up to you and how you use your apartment.

2. Buy a throw pillow or two. If you have a plain couch, and you want to gussy up your living room, buy a throw pillow or two. A colorful one. It’s far cheaper (and more practical) than buying a new couch, and can make a world of difference. It can also make sitting on your couch far more comfortable. If you keep your eye out, you can find last season’s models at deep, deep discounts. We’re talking a fancy pillow or two for $25.

3. Use the postcards and letters you get in the mail. This is advice for your bedroom, where, presumably, you’ll not have too many people hanging out, so you can be less concerned with appearances. When I lay in bed, I always like to be able to see a few things that remind me of people I know or places I’ve been. So I take postcards I’ve been sent, or tickets from shows I’ve been to and tape them up on my dresser, my nightstand or wall. It may sound corny or jejune, but it’s a free way to decorate and personalize your space. Some people even have corkboards that they use for this.

4. If you have a crazy idea, go for it. It’s your space after all. One of my friends loves rotary phones. (Remember those?) So he has a very small end table, upon which he has a red rotary phone. Sort of like the phone the mayor uses to call Batman. The phone is not plugged in, so one might say that the set up is “a useless waste of space.” I say, “What a conversation piece!” It’s quite lovely and mod. If you have some idea yourself, why not go for it!? You’re only young once…

Well, those are some ideas I have. Feel free to comment below with your own apartment decorating tips. Talk to you next time!

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2. Furnishing your new apartment is easy as pie…maybe less tasty though.
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FOUND YOUR DREAM APARTMENT? NOW MAKE SURE YOU GET IT! by Katherine
So, finally after logging a lot of man-hours, I’ve finally found an apartment in the city of angels. I have my own room, there are hardwood floors you could eat off of and it’s close to work, which as any Angelino knows is priority numero uno when finding your perfect pad. Upon discovering it, my roommate and I wanted it like a fat kid wants candy. I wanted it so badly I even had dreams about it (yeah, it went that far). Little did we know there is a whole mess of things that need to be sorted before you can move in.

After you find the apartment, that doesn’t mean you have it. Far from it. There could be other applicants competing with you. There could be mold in the ceiling. There could be lead based paint in the kitchen. There could be a crazy next-door neighbor who pickles cat feet (true urban legend). You can see the finish line, but there are numerous hurdles to jump before signing that lease.

Here are some items that you need to be aware of as well as some things the landlord will be looking for from you:

Step 1: You find the apartment, you love it, you ask for an application.

You: make sure you really do like it and it’s in your price range because applications cost money, usually anywhere from $10-25.

Landlord: they will probably tell you that someone else is applying in hopes of speeding up your application process. Just something to keep in mind before you panic.

Step 2: Filling out the application.

You: there will be quite a few suspicious looking items on the application, especially if you’ve never filled one out before. These are totally normal and necessary for the credit check, which is the information landlords care most about. Trust me, I’m paranoid about privacy and even I gave them my social. If you aren’t working, don’t have a credit card, or don’t have good credit mention that you’ll have a guarantor on the application (note: this will usually be your parents, but could be anyone who says that they will cover the rent should you be unable to).

Here is a helpful list of what to have handy for your application:

• -Your social security number
• -Your checking and savings account numbers (calm down, these are on every check you write)
• -Your credit cards
• -Any loans you might have

Landlord: the landlord is hoping that you have good credit and a source of income. That’s really all he cares about. You can check your credit score on creditkarma.com for free so that you are aware of your score going in. Anything about 650 is considered to be good. Bonus points for above 750.

Step 3: The rental agreement.

You: this is a binding contract, so make sure you read it carefully because once your name is on that dotted line, all the problems with the apartment become your responsibility. Any improvements or issues you and the landlord discussed previously should be written on the agreement prior to signing. Otherwise he can tell you that he’ll install a new refrigerator or fix that fan, but he isn’t obligated to do it. So before you sign, make sure you do these things:

• -Flush all toilets
• -Turn on all lights
• -Turn on the stove and the oven
• -Use the garbage disposal
• -Turn on all faucets
• -Open all drawers and windows
• -Check for mold
• -Plug something in all outlets
• -Note the condition of any scratched floors, sinks, tubs, windows etc
• -Write down any improvements the landlord agreed to make with a specific deadline for said improvements

You will feel like a douchebag when you do all these things, but it’s worth it.  A little imposition up front can go a long way. And it’s your life and your living space, so get over it!

Landlord: He will want you to sign the lease as quickly as possible and probably pressures you to do so, but stand firm. He will already have your security deposit so his “fears” aren’t really valid.

Doing all of these things upfront should put you in a good position going forward; now you can focus on finding that perfect kitchen table or giant flat screen TV. If anybody has any nightmare experiences in this apartment and things they learned from those experiences please share!

Related posts:

1. Haven’t found your dream apt for Sept? Wait for October!
2. Credit Scores and How I Lost My Dream Apartment
3. Make Yourself a Renter Every Landlord Will Love: 7 Tips to Get Approved for the Perfect Apartment

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR GIVEAWAY WINNER GINA M MADDOX. THANKS TO ALL PARTICIPANTS FOR GREAT COMMENTS AND POST IDEAS!

We’re always searching for great new products to help make apartment living just a touch easier, what with all the walkups and tiny spaces where we dwell.

Recently, we came across the Jet Sodastream – a rad machine that essentially makes carbonating water a cinch.  All you need to do is fill your Jet Sodastream bottle with regular H2O, screw it into the machine, press the fizz button three times and. . .voila! You’re got a glass of sparkling water, aka seltzer.  Or add flavoring and you’ve got soda.

Does it live up to the hype? Let’s see:

PROS

1. It’s super quick. Between the time you decide you want a glass of fizzy water, until the time you have it, it’s about a minute and a half – TOPS. (The promotional video on the bottom right of their website gives an accurate depiction of how to use it.) This is a lot faster that running to the corner bodega for your Diet Whatever fix and you don’t need to change out of your PJs!

2. Their advertisements are right: you save money by not having to repeatedly buy bottles of fizzy water or soda. I’ve probably had twenty glasses this past week and paid exactly zero dollars. (DISCLAIMER: Sodastream gave MyFirstApartment a free review product)

3. Their advertisements are right, part two: you don’t have to lug bottles of water from the grocery store to your apartment, nor do you have to lug the empties down to the recycling bin.  Very nice.

4. You can control the carbonation, which means that if you love it super fizzy, you can have it that way. Or, barely fizzy. Totally owner’s preference.

5. The various syrups (Pink Lemonade, Root Beer, Soda, etc) are, by and large, tasty. It depends, of course, which you like. Personally, I enjoy just a hint of flavor (think LaCroix), so my favorites are the “essences”, particularly raspberry. Delish!

CONS

1. In order to create the carbonated water, you need to click the bottle into the machine, and it’s surprisingly difficult – you almost need three hands for this, one to hold the carbonator at 45 degree angle, one to line up the bottle, and then one to fine-tune the lineup and start screwing the bottle in. Last I checked, I don’t have three hands though I was able to, with some jiggering and attention, do it with two. The difference between doing this easily and doing it the way they have it now is only about ten seconds max, but it still could be easier.

2. If you love a particular type of soda (like say, Dr. Pepper), this won’t replace it. The flavors are good, and the fizz is great, but if you have a deep need for DP, that’s likely not going to disappear. (Although, I might say that’s your problem, not Sodastream’s. JK.)

3. You can’t wash the re-useable bottle in anything but cold water. I wonder why that is. Is it because if it touches hot water, something bad happens? I don’t know, but it’s a little unsettling to drink from something that can’t touch hot water.

Summing Up

If you like carbonated water (aka seltzer) or soda, and find yourself always buying it at the grocery store, it’s probably time to buy a carbonator. In the long term, you’ll save money, and you can have a supply of your favorite beverage on a moment’s notice – plus, drinking plain ol’ water is good for you, so if this is a way to get you to do it, all the better.

Sodastream is a good carbonator that does its job, is relatively cheap, and is easy to use (point number 1 in CONS notwithstanding). So, seriously, look into it.

THE GIVEAWAY

In fact…ENTER OUR JET SODASTREAM giveaway! Yep, that’s right, we want to share the fizzy love!

Tell us either what’s your favorite apartment product OR what general topic you’d like My First Apartment to write about in the future — do this in the “comments” section below. Brownie points if you like us on Facebook and share your comment there!  The winner of a brand-new Sodastream will be picked at random from all the commenters.  Deadline is February 5.

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1. First, you’re not alone. A lot of people have this problem, this was, after all, part of what this nationwide financial mess was about. The key is to get it straightened out now, rather than later. Why? Well, credit reports (unless you file for bankruptcy), only go back seven years. So, if you overdid it in college, and you’re twenty-two right now, you can have a relatively clean credit score by the time you’re twenty-nine. And that’s about the time when you might start thinking about buying property or taking out large loans – which is when having good credit is most important.

2. Talk to a Credit Counselor. Most states and/or municipalities provide this service. There are also non-profits that provide free counseling. (For example, here is a list provided by the State of Illinois of some credit counselors.) Just be sure that you’ve vetted the counselor’s organization, so that you’re sure they’ll have your best interest at heart. The counselor will be able to go over your particular finances and come up with a plan.

3. Consolidate Your Debt. If you do some research and talk with a counselor, you may be able to find a company that will give you a loan to pay off your credit card bills. Usually, this is a good idea. Think of it this way: if you have six credit cards with outstanding balances, with interest rates ranging from 11% to 18%, you’re paying a lot of interest each month. If a company is willing to pay all the debts for you and offers you an opportunity to pay them back at a rate of 7%, you’re going to save a lot of money. That means you’ll get out from under this mountain sooner.

4. Cancel Your Credit Cards. As you pay each one off, cancel your credit cards. Not all of them, by try to get it down to two or so oldest ones.  (Why keep the oldest?  Because your credit score is better the longer you have managed credit.)  That way you have less clutter and less temptation. Also, as you’re paying them off, if you can’t consolidate your debt, focus on paying off the card with the highest interest first. This way, you’ll be charged that rate for the least amount of time possible.

5. Sacrifices Will Have to Be Made. If you have thousands of dollars of credit card debt, you’re not going to be able to pay it back quickly or easily. It will require sustained commitment, and lower spending. This will be particularly hard because (presumably) you’ve been used to springing for too many amenities (and hence your crippling debt now.) Some things that cost a lot of money that you could do without: cable television, vacations that involve hotel stays, fancy dinners out, new clothes (at least, not nearly as many), and that’s just a start. Really sit down and analyze where all your money goes, and figure out what your personal sinkhole is.  Also, if you live in a city with decent public transportation, you may consider selling your car. Between maintenance, gas and insurance, cars are a huge drain on the finances. Also, where you live is important. If you’re currently paying more than 35% of your gross income towards your apartment, you should probably downgrade. It stinks, I know, but think of it this way: if you can find an apartment that’s $150 a month cheaper, you’ll be saving $1,800 a year. That can go towards paying off your debt.

6. Work Evenings. If you can swing it, working at a restaurant or retail store as a second job for two or three nights a week can help immensely. If you do this, devote all of this take-home pay to paying off your debt. By adding to your income as well as decreasing your spending, you’re attacking the problem from both sides.

So, if you have debt problems, you can do it, but it won’t be easy. Hard work, sacrifice and patience are the ingredients. Good luck!

Related posts:

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2. New Years Resolutions, Part 2: Get Your Credit Report Checked
3. How to Raise Your Credit Score

Check out our calendar of rental months below and the pro/cons to having your lease begin with each:

January – February:

Pro: Few people relish the thought of hoisting their sofa down icy apartment stars (though sliding a couch down an icy shoot sure is one way to move it!). Or, for that matter, being outside in sub-freezing weather moving all the little pieces of an apartment move. As a result, you’ll have much less competition and can likely score a better deal.

Con: Hi, January 1 is New Year’s Day. Yick.  Also, all the reasons why these months lead to better deals (hint: COLD). Plus, there will likely be a smaller overall selection than other months.

March – April:

Pro: Definitely one of the best times to apartment hunt! There is a larger selection of merchandise and the weather is warming up.

Con: You’ll be on a March/April lease, so may have fewer subletter options should you need to jet before the end of your lease.

May – September:

Pro: Huge selection of apartment openings – likely the largest number of openings all year as these are the most popular months to rent. You also will be on a fairly common schedule for renewal, so are guaranteed a good selection of apts in years to come.

Con: It can feel a bit like the Filene’s Basement Running of the Brides as SO MANY people are looking for an apartment during this time – and so many Craigslist listings to comb through. September 1 lease are especially bad, so try to avoid September if at all possible.  September is also when all the college kids will be looking, which can get frustrating fast when apartments which look nice in photos and seem so cheap are actually super dumpy.

October:

Pro: Similar to the March/April months, there is still plenty of apartments for rent, but a much less intense search period as the volume of apartments turned over in October is likely half that of September. Hello, deals!

Con: Hard-pressed to find!

November – December:

Pro: Very few people want to move this close to the holidays and all the inherent travel that accompanies the holidays.

Con: See above (Do YOU want to move while dealing with Xmas/Hannukah lists?).

Of course, there are exceptions to every rule and we often have little choice about when we have to move. However, if you do have some flexibility, try to shoot for March, April or October leases.

Related posts:

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1. Time. If you’re just moving into your first or second (or even third) apartment, you’re probably pretty young. And a portion of your score is calculated by how long you’ve had good credit. Which means that, if you didn’t have a credit card in high school (I didn’t get one until I graduated college, personally), you’re likely not to have much of a credit history. If you keep up your good habits a few more years, the credit-score-assessors will trust that you’re in this for the long haul and your score should go up. Plus, until you need a loan for a house or a car, the importance of having good v. great credit scores is minimal, so just be patient.  Even a prospective landlord or employer who’ll be checking your credit score will be more understanding if you are a recent graduate with a short credit history.

2. Increase Your Line of Credit. Part of your credit score is based on how much of your credit line you use each month. So say you have a credit card with a credit line of only $2000. And it’s one of those credit cards where you get points back for each dollar you spend, so you put everything you can on that card. And you’re lucky, because your landlord even allows you to pay rent with credit. So some months, you’re using $1,500 of your credit. It’s great because you’re getting $15 back on that, and you still pay your balance in full each month. Perfect, right? Unfortunately, the credit-score-assessors don’t think this is so great. Why? They see someone who is using 75% of their credit each month, which signals to them that you’re living at the very edge of your means. They can’t see your bank account, so matter how much money you may have in the bank, it appears to them that you’re one disaster away from financial ruin. How can you fix this? Two ways: first, request a larger line of credit from your credit card company. You can just call them up and ask. If you just moved out on your own and landed a job, they’ll likely give it to you – sometimes they’ll raise it as much as two or three thousand dollars. And carrying a balance of $1,500 on a $5,000 credit line looks far, far better. Such a small adjustment can make a significant difference in your score.  Ideally, you want to be so that you’re using 25% or less of your credit line.

3. Get Another Credit Card. This is the second way to increase your credit line, but I suggest it with a bit of caution. Having more than three credit cards could land you in trouble – it’s hard to keep track of them all, it looks like you sign up for every offer in the mail, etc… But, if you only have one credit card, applying for another could be helpful: first, you’d have additional opportunity to demonstrate your responsibility and you’d have a richer credit history – all of a sudden you’d be paying two balances a month, rather than one. Second, each credit card has its own credit line, so you’re automatically increasing your total line of credit. As mentioned in point number two, that’s just what you want.

4. Always, always, always pay your credit card balance in full each month. If you don’t, it looks bad. Also, the interest rates are usurious. It’s obscene, don’t carry a balance on your credit card. Never, never, never, never, never, as King Lear says.

Next week, I’ll talk about what to do if you overdid it in college with your credit cards. Until then, adios…

Related posts:

1. What Kind of Credit Score do you Need to Rent an Apartment?
2. Credit Scores and How I Lost My Dream Apartment
3. New Years Resolutions, Part 2: Get Your Credit Report Checked

The lowdown:

Your Credit Score can range anywhere from 300 to 850. The higher the number, the better. Anything above 700 is excellent and anything above 620 is decent. Much lower than that and I’d start to get worried. Something in the 400s will cause you real problems.

What goes into your credit score?

Basically, it is an assessment of how well you pay people to whom you owe money, as well as the amount of debt and responsibility you are able to successfully take on. Things that will increase your credit score include: paying your credit card bills in full every month (which is a good idea anyway), having a low proportion of credit used to credit available (i.e., keeping a low credit balance on your credit card), having previously paid off (or making regular payments to) loans, such as student loans, car loans, home loans, etc.

Other factors in calculating your score are the length of time you’ve had successful credit – so for young people, it may be harder to have a stellar score – as well as the number of credit accounts you have. For example, if you owe money on seven credit cards, your score will be lower than if you only had three credit cards. Also, your score will be negatively effected by going bankrupt (duh!), missing payments on a regular basis, carrying high balances and owing more money than you seem able to pay. So, basically, if you pay all your bills and don’t have ridiculous credit card debt, you should be fine.

Why does this sort of thing matter?

Reason one: Loans. If you ever want to buy a house or a car, you’ll likely need a loan. Loans are based on risk, and if you have bad credit, you’re perceived as a risky person to lend to. Which means that you will have to pay a higher interest rate in order to secure a loan. Which means that, if you have bad credit, your cost for obtaining a loan is quite a lot higher – several percentage points higher, which can add up to thousands of dollars in extra payments.

Reason two: Apartments and Jobs. Many landlords screen their potential tenant’s credit score. If it’s too low, they won’t rent the place to you. Same with some employers: no matter how much they like you personally, if your credit score is too low, they won’t give you the job. It stinks, I know.

So how do you fix this?

First, get the report checked. It’s very easy. Each of the three main companies that tabulate your credit score is required by law to provide you with a report every twelve months. These companies are: Experian, TransUnion and Equifax. So, go to one of the three and get your report checked. Don’t check your score with all three – since each report should be roughly the same, you want to have an ace in the hole in case something comes up and you need to check your report twice in the same year – and if you’ve only gotten a report from one of the three companies, you can always go back to the other two. This website will get you started.

Mind, obtaining this report won’t include your actual credit score – it will only include all the information that goes into creating that score. You’re welcome to buy the score for a small fee, but – if all the information looks correct, it might not be worth it. If everything is on the up-and-up, and you have no red flags on your report, knowing the exact score isn’t nearly as important as knowing that there is no incorrect or bad information on the report.

What do you do if there is incorrect information in the report? Dispute it. It may be unpleasant, but it’s usually worth it – for example, I once had a friend whose name was on her father’s credit card when she was younger (in high school) and she had a copy of that card for emergencies, but never actually used it. After she moved out and lived on her own, the family never bothered to take her name off of the card, so, when she was twenty-four, she was all of a sudden denied a lease for an apartment based on her bad credit. What had happened was this: her dad had fallen on hard times, maxed out their shared card, was carrying absurd amounts of debt and she was given much of the blame despite having never once used the card. She was able to correct the inaccuracy and now has good credit once again. But it cost her an apartment.

One last thing – if adverse action is taken against you, the company or organization that took action against you is legally obligated to furnish the report they used in making the adverse decision. So, if you’re denied something because of bad credit, you should, for free, be able to see exactly why and (if the information is wrong) take corrective action. More information about credit scores is available here.

And, if you have a justifiably low credit score, it may be time to change your habits. It will take years to correct the score (seven to ten years, actually), and is too involved a subject to get into here – basically, it will likely require a lifestyle and attitude-about-money adjustment that is far outside the scope of this column. But, you can get help by speaking to a financial counselor or a trusted loved one who is good with money.

Well, so that concludes our New Year’s broccoli – and it wasn’t so unpleasant after all, was it? You’re still standing and now you know far more about your financial fitness…. Happy 2012!

Related posts:

1. New insurance plan makes it easier for first-timers to rent
2. How to Raise Your Credit Score
3. Credit Scores and How I Lost My Dream Apartment

Have a meeting. Talk about what each person’s eating habits are in order to determine what kinds of food could be considered “staples” and purchased jointly. Eggs, bread, milk, butter, coffee, sugar, bananas, onions, garlic, canned beans, and rice, for example, are all things that I have shared equally with housemates in the past. They are easily shared if housemates agree to promptly reimburse the person who purchased the items last. Also, this meeting is a good time to discuss cleanliness of the kitchen, since your idea of “timely clean-up” might not always meet other’s expectations.

Consider Community Supported Agriculture. If you live in area with local farmers, consider paying as a group for a share of a Community Supported Agriculture program. CSAs support farmers and feed large amounts of people. At the beginning of the season, or sometimes months beforehand, farmers collect money, maybe a couple hundred dollars per share, from groups of people who in turn will be entitled to a weekly produce pick-up for the entire duration of the harvest season. Among 4 or 5 housemates, paying a one-time payment of $40-$60 each for fresh, local produce every week for months works out to be a great deal!

Save your receipts. If you are purchasing food that is shared with your housemates, make sure to save the receipts. In my apartment we would put receipts for shared items on the refrigerator door with our name and the amount owed by each person. When a housemate pays their share they cross their name off the receipt. Often, receipts from multiple purchased would cancel each other out, complicating the tallying of who was owed what. With the addition of utilities and rent, keeping track of money changing hands can be tricky. Fortunately, there are sites online that help housemates calculate these very debts.
    
Or use the “karma” approach. If keeping track of receipts is not your strong suit, there is always the “karma” approach, where grocery bills, chores, and meals cooked are repaid in turn by each person in the house. Note: this only works in theory unless each person in the house is truly open about telling others what they feel is owed. Little gestures go a long way in a shared living situation; offer to share a meal with a hungry housemate or offer to do the shopping and it will come back to you twofold.

Make labeling your food an exception, not a rule. If you are able to decide with your housemates what food you will all share, then there is only a need to label food if it is a special or personal item and doesn’t fall into the “shared food” category. Keeping a roll of masking tape and a permanent marker hanging on the fridge makes it easy to label food that you want to save as your own.  Or, instead of writing your name, buy a multi-pack of colored stickers, like they use at yard sales, and have each person in the house have their own color with which they can “tag” their food.

Another approached in a house with only a few housemates is to designate one section of the refrigerator to each person in the house and a section for shared foods. And if you are dying to taste someone’s tagged item, ASK! You may be pleasantly surprised. Just remember, generosity can quickly run dry when not reciprocated.

Cook together. Cooking dinner with friends is fun, and if you don’t know your housemates well, eating together is a great way to become better acquainted. When cooking a Sunday night dinner, my housemates and I would sometimes go to the market together and buy what we wanted to cook and split the cost right there, allowing us to have a decidedly more lavish dinner for the price than if we were to cook alone or go out for a bite around the corner. Talk about how much you each are willing to spend, then budget your meal appropriately. Inviting other people over for dinner parties is also good fun, but make sure you okay it with your housemates. Generally, when I would cook for a dinner party, my housemates would contribute some money for the food, but since it was my idea I would feel more comfortable taking on a larger portion of the food cost. Again, hosting and funding a dinner party will hopefully lead to you being the one treated to a nice meal in the future.

We all (I assume) strive for a certain level of harmony in our home lives, and food can be a uniting factor among friends. Unfortunately, it can also be a source of major conflict, depending on how you as a group decide to handle it.  (I know from experience. Sorry I ate your soup, Phil.)

Related posts:

1. Living with Shared Kitchen
2. Roommate Agreement Checklist
3. No More Roommates! How to Know It’s Time to Go Solo