Hi All,

I have had this lease agreement since 4/2021. I moved to get out of a bad neighborhood and to be closer to my ex-husband's house b/c we have joint custody of our two teenage kids. After my previous job was completed (project coordinator of a 2-year project that I successfully completed), I took on a lower-paying teaching position that I thought would still cover my monthly expenses in August. It turns out that it has been stressful ever since. I have struggled to pay the rent and additional utilities and everything else going on in this economy. I look forward to the lease ending in April, but until then, I have paid my rent on time and have struggled through all of my other bills. I have relied on trying to make some side money in various ways, but this month was a failure with weird mishaps.

Now, I have found that I will be short on my rent this month, for the first time. This drives me nuts and I dread having to tell my landlord that I won't have the rest until the next time I'm paid on the 16th (I'm waiting on what my paycheck will be but I'm guessing I will be short about $100-$150). The rent is $2100/month.

I'd like to hear from landlords on what you think. It is a private landlord. How bad does this look for me? I don't want him to give my future landlord a bad reference. I have already posted this on the tenant sub as well. Just trying to get advice from everyone. Thanks.