In these times of economic hardship, paying your rent can be a difficult task. Especially if you’re Mischa Barton and have owe three months of back-rent on your $7,000 a month TriBeCa one-bedroom. Sure it looked gorgeous: A shiny bit of housing you purchased prematurely, not realizing that your crappy soap about the perils of being beautiful could only hold a very limited appeal. But whether it’s $70 a month plus indentured servitude in Flushing, $700 a month in the Bronx, or $7,000 a month in TriBeCa, the inability to pay rent on-time is a universal tragedy. So instead of judging Barton for failing to follow through on a contract she signed willingly, here are some tips and tricks she can consult in trying to overcome the hurdles of Manhattan housing.

(‘’)1. Sigh. If only this suggestion were optional. But alas, short of skipping over to that island from Lost, Barton has no way to avoid the lawsuit and get out of paying her back-rent apart from handing over a check. 2. She could get roommates. I know of a certain other starlet who is always in between apartments. Then again, she’s not the best for money, so expecting $3,500 plus utilities from Lindsay Lohan wouldn’t be the wisest decision in the world. I’m sure there are NYU or New School “interns” who Barton could hire. Her compensation for their willingness to run her errands? School credit plus the privilege of living with the one and only Mischa Barton. 3. Move to one of the outer boroughs. Many celebrities now live in Brooklyn. Although for Barton’s price range, it may make more sense for her to shop for a studio in Ozone Park or Jamaica, commuting by towncar to work, than in Park Slope, where many A-listers have made their home. 4. Hold down a steady job. Alas, this is quite the obstacle for Barton. So perhaps Barton has a bigger problem than being unable to pay rent. A 12-step program may help to that end. 5. Any combination of 1-4 would also yield effective results for Barton.