Apartment Sized fire pit

I'm a bit of a pyro. But I promise I only burn responsibly, most of the time anyways. And being a pyro I love fires, there is something so relaxing and fascinating about some simple contained flames.
Before we moved I was planning on putting a fire pit in our back yard, we worked with youth and I thought it would be so fun to have a fire with them late a night. Something I could put our kid to bed grab the baby mounter and go out to hang out. Well plans changed, but my desire for a fire pit did not.
Sadly though we live in an apartment complex and have a small balcony, I think my land lords would frown upon me digging a pit in the grassy area near by. So I gave up my fire pit dream, and filed it away for "when I have a house."
But that was before I found a how to make your own grill, and it struck me, if you can make a grill- why not a fire pit? So I set out to do just that.
Bit, low and behold, another pit fall. Do you know how pricey ceramic pots are? It was another buzz kill. I had hope to make a fire pit for cheap, if I wanted to spend upwards of 30 bucks I would buy one.
So I waited.
And my waiting finally paid off, I was shopping and found a whole bunch of pots for cheap, I picked up a nice sized one in black, with vines across the sides, for get this 12 bucks. Yep that's right 12 bucks. Score!
So the rest of it is easy, you only need sand and of course the burning objects.
I placed a piece of cardboard on the bottom along with a piece of newspaper, to keep the sand in the pot. Then thanks to a local sand pit, filled it to about three inches from the top with sand, for frrrrrrreeeeeeeee!
Then I got newspaper from my parents place along with the kindling from the floor of their wood chopping area.
I'm thinking my landlords will still not be thrilled, but don't worry too much I'll always do as Smokey says "burn responsibly."