Students living on their own can save themselves much of the problems that come with having roommates, but the bills can add up, according to apartment representatives.

“A lot of people who have had a bad room mate experience prefer to live alone,” said Chris Atkinson, property manager of Rivercrest Village Apartments near campus.Atkinson has seen several roommate feuds and conflicts in her time at Rivercrest, she said.

“You never know someone until you live with them,” Atkinson said.

Increased privacy and not having to share with another room mate is also advantageous, according to Monica Fuller, assistant manager at Rivercrest.

Residents living alone can also control electricity and telephone usage, Fuller said. One person in control of usage can make it easier to keep bills down. Handling the bills alone also avoids the problem of dividing them fairly.

“Moving in with a roommate can be a better way to meet other people,” according to Fuller. Always having a friend around can give something to do on boring nights.

Also, living alone can make paying the bills difficult, Atkinson said. In most cases, rent for a single bedroom apartment is more expensive than two-bedroom rent shared by two roommates. Having to pay all the bills by yourself can stretch the budget of the average college student.

“If you are in a roommate situation, a lot of people are sharing the cost,” Atkinson said.Robert Snellings, a Sacramento State Sophomore had his own apartment for three months, but moved out early.

“I wanted to move out on my own so I could bring the ladies home,” Snellings said.Snellings liked the proximity of his apartment to campus but became board with the Sacramento area. He now commutes from Rancho Murieta, a small community east of Sacramento.

Paying the bills became difficult, according to Snellings, who works and carries a full load of classes.

“Sometimes you’re rolling in cash, sometimes you’re not, Snellings said. “Including utilities, I was paying about $800 a month. My refrigerator took the biggest hit. I never had any food.”

Avoiding the trappings of a roommate was worth it, Snellings. He would live on his own again if he had the money, he said.