This week in famous financial flubs, 19-year-old rapper Soulja Boy has been accused of being the tenant from hell.  A letter from his landlord stated:

We have received complaints of noise disturbances and guests wandering the hallway and Observation Deck. This is a direct violation of your Lease Agreement…Additionally, we were notified that you had over 10 cars parked in guest parking on the evening of September 25th. This is a violation of your lease … which states, “You may have no more than two overnight guests at a time unless we provide specific approval.”

He also owes his Los Angeles luxury apartment landlord almost $10,000 in unpaid rent and late fees.  Soulja maturely responded by posting a video on Twitter showcasing his jewelry and designer bag collection and the piles of cash he keeps in an unprotected shoe box in his apartment.

Flub #1: Unpaid rent and rental agreement violations.  A lot of young adults rent property either while in college or when they start their first job.  Rental agreements can come in many different forms from many different sources.  You might have a landlord, or maybe you’re subletting from a friend or renting through a lease in a big corporate run apartment building.  Whatever the case, make sure you read your rental agreement carefully.  Any violation of property rules, tenant guidelines, or deadlines can lead to expensive fees or even eviction.  There are certainly benefits to renting, especially when you’re young, but make sure you pay your rent on time and avoid violating your contract (cranking your music isn’t always a good idea).

Flub #2: Keeping cash and valuable items out in the open.  Protecting and insuring your valuables is a basic and important step especially when living on your own.  Keeping large amounts of cash is never a good idea.  Put your money in a savings account and important documents like birth certificates and savings bonds in a safe or safe deposit box.  Throwing around your valuables often leads to theft or misplacing things.

Take a few lessons from Soulja Boy:  Don’t crank your music. Pay your rent on time.  And keep your valuables safe – in a safe.