An ideal way to save money when you're renting an apartment is to do so with a roommate. While finding a friend who is also seeking this type of dwelling is ideal, you may also wish to consider renting an apartment with a co-worker. Provided that you get along well with the person, this idea can be beneficial — for example, you can consider commuting together, which can save money for both of you. Before you jump right into this arrangement, however, there are likely a handful of topics that you'll want to discuss with the person you're considering. Here are some examples. 

Bringing Work Home

Some people love their work so much that they enjoy thinking about it and talking about it on their personal time. For others, a job is just that — and they prefer to enjoy other pursuits outside of work hours. It's beneficial to ensure that you and your prospective roommate are on the same page in this matter. For example, if one person wants to constantly talk about work each evening, and the other person doesn't want to think about work until arriving at the office the next morning, conflicts may arise. It's best to ensure that you're on the same page about this topic before you agree to rent an apartment together.

Upward Career Trajectory

Although you can't always predict the manner in which your respective careers will progress/evolve, you might wish to think a bit about the future. For example, are you or your prospective roommate keen on moving up in the company? Is the other comfortable at his or her current level? Think about how it might look if one of you ended up being the other person's boss in a year or two. This could mean that one of your will be making more money than the other. If so, will you want to change the breakdown of how you pay the rent?

Hours Of Employment

Many people work standard business hours, but this isn't the case in every industry. If you or your co-worker have the option to work different hours, try to assess whether one of you might eventually wish to change your shift. Having a roommate who works the night shift while you work the day shift can work, but it can also require some adjustment. Generally, it's easier if you're both at work and both at home at the same time, but if you think that changes might be in your futures, this is a detail to talk about before you rent the apartment.

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