"The rents are getting so high." Do you wish you had a dollar for every time you heard that complaint? If you did, well ... you'd be able to afford that apartment right now.

Increasing rents are, indeed, a sign of the times. The national economy is doing fairly well, and renters are quite happy to spend upwards of $900, $1,000, $1,200 and more each month for the privilege of living in a prized apartment. Most often, high rents like these -- which rival mortgage payments -- are the price one pays for living in some of the hottest neighborhoods in many metropolitan areas (excluding New York City, San Francisco, and other major markets where $1,200 can be a drop in the bucket).

What many renters do not realize is that rents can and do go down seasonally, and that you can, with a little strategizing, save yourself some money in monthly rent.

To start, ask yourself where you really want to live. If you've got your eye in the city's hottest neighborhood, that's going to cost you. If you're willing to cough up the cash to live in that coveted ZIP code, you're going to have to be willing to live in tighter quarters with fewer amenities -- and for a higher monthly rent. Consider living near, but not in, the neighborhood you're longing for. And think about your distance to work. Would you have a shorter commute if you lived in a different (and less expensive neighborhood)? Once you've experienced the joy of a short commute, you'll never, ever want to make a long drive again.

The bottom line is that your city's most prestigious neighborhood is probably the one you want to avoid if you're a renter. Instead, ask a Realtor or an apartment-search company where the "best-kept secret" is -- the fantastic neighborhood that hasn't been let out of the bag yet. That neighborhood is your best bet. Move there, take out a long and secure lease, and before long, you'll be paying reasonable rent while newcomers are paying much, much more for the privilege of living in the same community. Of course, when your lease is up, you may be looking at a substantial increase, but more than a few landlords and leasing companies have been known to compromise when pressed by tenants threatening to vacate.

That leads us to another point: By all means, speak up. Ask the leasing agent or landlord if they'll offer you a price break -- the first month's rent, for example, or a $20 off your monthly rent, or even your application fee or credit-check fee waived. Don't walk into the leasing agent's office declaring that you're there to rent an apartment. Tell him or her that you're looking at your options. Negotiate a little. There's no law against it, and what's the worst that can happen? You'll be told "no" and then you can opt to leave if you wish.

Location isn't the only factor that drives high rents, and you'll want to keep this in mind during your apartment search. Rents are driven skyward by amenities, some of which you may not even need. That's why it's important to compile a list of your "must-have," "would be nice to have" and "don't need/won't use" amenities before your apartment search begins.

Let's say you're looking at an apartment that charges exorbitant rent. The community touts its attached garages, its spacious clubhouse with media room, its weekly Sunday brunch for residents and its "free" washers and dryers" for every resident.

While the garage would be nice, you recognize that you could live in another community with covered parking and pay much less in rent. You doubt that you'll ever be watching movies in the clubhouse or communing with your neighbors over brunch, and you already own a washer and dryer (and by the way, nothing is free). Should you move on at this point? In this case, probably. The community has a lot of extras of which you're not likely to take advantage. But if you come across a community that offers every "must-have" item on your list, and which has a couple of "don't need/won't use" items, don't walk away just yet.

Ask a few questions first: Would the leasing company be willing to chop off some of your monthly rent -- even $40 -- since you already have your own washer and dryer? Perhaps there's a required fee for using that media room or partaking in the Sunday brunch festivities. Maybe some units don't have a garage attached, and so their rents would be less expensive.

The timing of your search is extremely important because a significant percentage of apartment communities and landlords hike their rents upward during prime moving seasons, which are usually concurrent with school breaks and warmer weather (summertime, late spring when school is out for summer break, or during Christmas vacation before the spring semester begins). It's best to search for an apartment during the school year (mid-semester -- for example, in November) and/or during colder weather, when the last thing people want to do is move. This is when you're going to find better deals on apartments. Remember that the apartment market, just like any other market, is all about supply and demand. When everyone is moving, there's little incentive to offer price breaks. But when the season is slow, they want your business.

Applying these strategies during your search may not land you the apartment of your dreams for the steal of the century, but you can save considerable money by keeping your eyes open to all of your options, by paying only for what you will use, and by giving yourself plenty of time to search during the market's slow periods. Avoid falling victim to pressure during your apartment search. The more time you allow yourself, the more likely you are to land a home you can enjoy ... and, most important, that you can afford.