Lately, I've been thinking of getting a dog. Naturally, the biggest dilemma is figuring out whether it'd fit my lifestyle and whether I can find one that's suitable for an apartment. Contrary to what some people think, there are dogs that can adapt to apartments. Of course, all the websites warn, it means you must be more diligent about exercising your dog. TerrificPets.com is a good site for researching dog breeds. For each breed, there's a description, as well as a box on the right that says whether or not the breed is good for apartments. So, if you're interested in getting a canine friend and your apartment allows dogs, don't let living in a small space without a yard be a discouragement.

If you live in an apartment that doesn't come with a built-in air conditioner, then you must buy your own and avoid spending summer as a puddle of sweat. I bought a window-mounted air conditioner, which I had my super install today.

If you're not having it professionally installed, I recommend asking a neighbor, friend or your super to help you install the AC unit in your window securely—especially if you live on, say, the 10th floor. You wouldn't want that thing falling out the window. There are hundreds of air conditioners that fall out of the window each year, which is obviously a danger for pedestrians below.

For a sobering account of an incident that luckily wasn't worse (as in the woman didn't die), read this account of an AC that fell on some woman. But don't follow the photo accompanying the story (which shows an AC supported by two ceramic cups). To make sure your AC is secure, buy a support bracket. Photograph by Michelle Tribe.

After draining your bank account to pay your first month's rent, security deposit, and possibly a broker's fee, you probably have little left to buy furniture and decor to actually make your apartment feel like, you know, a home. But don't resign to living with cardboard furniture. You can use a credit card to buy furnishings, recommends Oh My Apartment. Just make sure you get one that has 0% financing for a year, so you won't be charged exorbitant interest as you pay back your balance. Another tip? Find a credit card that has some kind of reward system, like earning points or getting cash back. For more tips, check out the Oh My Apartment blog post.

If you're looking for an apartment this summer, be careful of scammers who pose as landlords, claiming to have an affordable apartment, and then taking your money and disappearing. The San Francisco Chronicle reported that these scam artists are taking advantage of the crumbling real estate market, increasing number of people who are turning to rentals, and thus rising rental rates. Though the article focuses specifically on San Francisco, it's a good cautionary tale for all renters to be on guard. The best advice:

Echoing Craigslist's own advice on avoiding Internet scammers, the police recommended that would-be tenants make sure to meet the property manager in person at the apartment.

Basically, never sign a lease and never hand over money until you've seen the apartment and met the property manager/landlord. Even further, never hand over money until you have a copy of the lease with both your's and the landlord's signatures. And make sure the lease includes all the pertinent information.

What do you do if you've left the apartment and your scummy roommate refuses to give you your share of the security deposit? Well, hopefully you had a roommate contract. And if you did, you can enforce it by taking said roommate to small claims court, advises the Washington Post.

Yes, that is the question many of us must answer every summer when the lease we started after graduation is near its end. If you like your apartment, the question is more difficult to answer. Staying means keeping a good apartment and avoiding the stress of moving. Finding a new apartment means a potentially better situation—better digs, cheaper rent, cooler neighborhood. How does one decide? How did you decide? What factors made you decide to stay or move? Please share with us by clicking on the Comments link below.

Apartment living means no mortgage or property to tie you down to one city. It means, within a year at most, you can pack up and move (easy enough when all your worldly possessions fit within the 300 sq. feet that is your apartment). But if you're sick of the current city you live in, and itching for adventure in a new town, choosing your new home can be quite daunting. After all, a key part to the move must be that it's an improvement over your current situation. Right?

Luckily, there are several lists out there that rank the top cities to live in, as described by About's Home Buying Guide, Elizabeth Weintraub.

If you are a renter who's lucky enough to have a bathroom sink with cabinets underneath, then please make use of the space—those renters with no storage will live vicariously through you. This video outlines pretty logically the best way to organize the space beneath the sink.

Of the many ways to find a roommate, there's the old-fashion way—asking friends and acquaintances—and the Web 2.0 way—websites, Facebook, and MySpace. I'm curious, how many of you have used the Internet to locate a roommate? And if so, how were your experiences?

For newbies, check out this Oh My Apartment review of different roommate sites. But I don't recommend relying solely on websites. They seemed to be flawed to me. For example, Oh My Apartment writes that Roommates.com, the largest roommate site, is also used as a dating site by some. And the others don't get nearly as much traffic. But I could be wrong. If you've got an experience with any of these sites, please share.