Your roommate is always bringing home the latest fashion trends, vacationing in the coolest tropical locales and generally has $20 bills falling out of her wallet. You, on the other hand, paid for your lunch out of your spare change jar, spend breaks at home and generally scrimp to get by. (Or, maybe it is the other way around.) You are the Blair and Jo of your apartment.

Wealth disparities among roommates can cause multiple issues. Right off the bat, you need to choose an apartment. Roommate Blair can, of course, afford the super-sleek, up-to-date luxury apartment with all the amenities. Roommate Jo is just looking for a closet and a bed.

This initial decision is the perfect time to sort things out. If you are the Jo, you need to realize that Blair knows that she is generally able to afford more - it’s probably no big surprise. So, have a conversation about the elephant in the room (or, in this case, apartment). If you are planning on living together, you are probably pretty good friends that won’t judge the other. Let Blair know how much you can afford and that you’d prefer to live with her, but your budget is tight. Then, make sure you stay within your limit - don’t ratchet the rent up - you’ll regret it later.

If you are the Blair, you have a different set of issues. You need to feel comfortable where you live - twelve months is a long time. Decide whether you can scale down your requirements and still be happy.

There are a couple ideas that may help you bridge the gap when it comes to finding an apartment. Maybe you can find a place that has one larger bedroom or a private bathroom that the Richie Rich roommate can have - and pay more for. This might provide both of you with what you want. Or, can you bring in a third roommate to share one of the rooms? That may even things out.

Assuming that you end up living together, the issue isn’t over. Now, it’s everything from furnishings to groceries. Again, it is best just to hash out these issues from day one. It might be best if you both buy your own groceries. If Jo can’t afford to chip in for the types of furnishings that Blair wants, maybe Blair can buy them - and own them. (You might want to consider having a Roommate Agreement - that will help you work through any issues in advance.

For Jo, there are probably other things you can do to “even things out” - make dinner, clean up more frequently, walk the dog. Think of ways you can contribute to the communal apartment and feel good about it. These can go a long way toward the take-out that your roommate keeps paying for.

In the end, it is all about mutual respect - accepting the person for who they are - wallet included - and not pushing their limits or taking advantage of someone’s generosity.

Happy renting.