Any advice or tips for someone just starting to live on their own?
So it looks like I'm going to be moving into a one bedroom efficiency this weekend, after 23 years of living at home. I still have to pack everything up and decide on what furniture I think I'll need, there's a full kitchen (stove, dishwasher, fridge/freezer cabinets), a bathroom with a small shower, a walk-in closet, and a large room that serves as bedroom/office/library/den. This is pretty daunting for me, so I'd love any and all suggestions from people with a little more experience on this. Better for me to learn from your mistakes than having to make them myself!
by
tossthedice
asked 4 months ago
My advice is to stay at home and save a ton of money
You will need more money than you think. That pretty much sums up everything about living on your own.
upvote for "freedom" tag. Only buy the things you will actually use. I have boxes of kitchen stuff that never has seen the light of day that i wasted $100s on.
@atd15: That was my plan for a long long time, but there are a number of reasons I think it's time to make the leap, such as the fact that now that I'm done with college and in a secure job, I need to learn how to take care of myself without depending on others.
@90mcg112: I've done extensive budgeting, with $150/month dedicated to "Misc.", so hopefully I won't be TOO surprised lol. Paying for my own internet is gonna hurt though... =/
@davidschronic Yeah, I'm trying to start with the bare necessities (insert Jungle Book song that will never leave our heads) and pick up more things as I feel they're needed. A clothes hamper, a decent tv, and a computer desk are at the top of my list right now >.>
An efficiency with a walk-in closet? Nice. I had one for my first year on my own, and it was great. Since there's not a lot of room, you definitely need to figure out what you need, not what you want. Anything that can save space is good. Wall mount the TV, get a futon (if you can sleep on one), that kind of thing. The more open space, the better. It won't seem quite so claustrophobic that way.
Buy ramen in bulk.
Remember that you have neighbors, and they like to sleep on occasion. Keep the parties/music/movies at a reasonable level.
There are some variables to consider. 1) How much free time will you be spending at the place? 2) Are you going to be having friends crash at your place? 3) Are you going to entertaining a significant other? If if a significant amount of time will be spent at the apartment then spend some money on the things that will entertain you TV, DVD, Game system, if not so much then spend money elsewhere. If possible try to get a screen or partition to block out a bedroom area. If friends are going to crash at your place a futon type piece of furniture will double as spare bedding and a couch.
If you don't have money for it, don't buy it. Live within your means. For the first couple months track your bare necessities expenses. Once you are sure you can afford everything you need then you can start to relax and budget for some fun. Still keeping rule #1 of not spending money on things that you don't have money for. It doesn't matter if you will have the money "tomorrow or someday."
Be wise, what can I say more? :) Good luck.
Oh, and set aside money in a savings account. There will be times you will be grateful you had it. Plus the peace of mind is completely worth it.
Don't buy anything you don't need until you get a feeling of what you can fit into your budget. Then, when you have some cash, spend it on woot.
The hardest thing to do is remember to buy toilet paper. Yes, it actually costs (rather expensive for somthing that goes in the toilet, imo), and it doesn't just appear when the last one is empty. Everything else seems to be a well... I'll get it next time. That is not.
Furniture and kitchen stuff can wait a little. Your parents will probably unload all the things they don't want. So will other family and friends. Internet can be gotten wirelessly via the dumb guy acrossed the way who didn't set up security on his router. Great for downloading those torrents for the CD's you can no longer afford ;).
Oh, and no one is going to remind you to pay the electricity/phone/car/insurance bill, so use your phone or google calendar to set up reminders.
Good luck!!
@dw1771: 1) I'll be there for most of my free time, after work and on the weekends.
2) Not planning on having friend crashing there, though I could allow one on my massive beanbag (it's 6 feet long and weighs 70 pounds lol)
3) Significant other along with her munchkin
Thankfully my computer and kindle will keep me entertained until I have internet up and running, but definitely going to need a decent tv for my 360/Wii.
I like the idea of the screen! Hadn't even thought about that...
Others have covered a lot of good topics, so I'll discuss food & the kitchen. Can't emphasize the budget part enough.
If you don't get someone's extra pots/pans/plates etc, thrift stores are a great place to start. A crock-pot with auto-shutoff is a good investment.
Plan menus for a week. Shop sales at the supermarket. Cook two or three entrees on the weekend, package them into meal-sized containers, & freeze.
Suggested kitchen stuff (startup):
* Plates, bowls, mugs, glasses, silverware for four
* Dish Drainer with pad (if no dishwasher) - can get by with a towel
* Dishtowels, sponge/dishrag, detergent
* Paper towels
* At least one frying pan, one pot, and a dutch oven (large pot)
* Spatula, mixing spoon, whisk
* Mixing bowl(s) (Glass/ceramic can also go in mircowave)
* Plastic wrap, tin foil
* Cookie Sheets, baking pan(s)
Food: Anything that is prepackaged is probably less healthy than you think. You can save $$$ cooking, and be healthier. My $.02.
A small microwave or toaster oven.
A small crockpot (great for small meals).
@90mcg112: Truer words could not be spoke.
Pay as much as you possibly can towards your mortgage every month. There are few investments as solid as properties are right now. You have the benefit in this market to make a few bucks from your house when you are ready to sell down the road. The less you owe on it the more you can put down on your next one.
Oh, and don't live out of your means!! You will have more then enough time to buy furniture and down the road. Do not start loading charges on your credit cards to furnish rooms (even in a 1BR) you aren't going to use that much yet.
Congrats & GOOD LUCK!!
As a follow up to @90mcg112's good advice...since it is so expensive, you will probably consider getting a roommate or two, or subletting if you have a two floor house.
From experience, I'd say choose your roommates/tenants wisely! Yes, I wanted my college experience to be fun, but not destroyed-house-drunken-rager-state-cops-show-up-even-though-he-said-it-would-be-a-small-party, fun. Didn't get my deposit back on that place....
make list! lots of list: exactly to the penny what you spent on what, what you need to get the next time you are at the grocery store, when which bills are due (insurance, rent, power, carpayment, phone, etc), when you need to be where (doc appts, family gatherings)
go ahead and buy the coffee table sized pack of toilet tissue. you will use it. basic hygene stuff (soap, deoderant, toothpaste, comb, razorblades)-stock up before you move out. get a decent set of towels for the bathroom, and an extra set of potholders for the kitchen. papertowels and napkins are interchangable in the kitchen but wasteful you can use a kitchen towel for the same purposes. buy an extra set or two of sheets in the right size.
ASK MOM AND DAD. if you have an "i'm not sure" moment, they would love to know that you think enough of them that their opinion means something to you, and will give you the best advise they can.
@coondogg97: Thanks! =D
It's just a rental, so no mortgage, but that would be GREAT advice if it was truly a place of my own.
And don't worry, I'm responsible with my credit cards, Dad taught me to start using them since I was 15. I've never spent more than I had, and I've never had a bill come in that I couldn't pay. =)
@dmaz: It's an efficiency, so far too small for more than one person. The landlord (who I know personally) specifically said that it's for one person only, and including utilities (though not internet) it's gonna run me 330 a month. Can't beat that!!!
@75grandville: "Food: Anything that is prepackaged is probably less healthy than you think. You can save $$$ cooking, and be healthier."
This is where most that move out on their own blow a ton of cash. If you don't know how to cook, buy a better homes and gardens annual cookbook. Not only will you want to know how to cook later, you will save a crazy amount of money cooking rather than hitting any restaurant. And, best of all, a partner (male or female) that knows their way around the kitchen is wonderful.
Good luck!
Keep it clean. You don't want to get in a cycle of "This place is messy, and it depresses me, but now I'm too depressed to clean."
@tossthedice: That's a great deal! After too much debating and hours of searching for two roommates, I was only able bring my base rent down to 400 a month for two years of my college life.
Despite all of the headaches, moving out and getting your own place is SO fun and exciting! Soak up that feeling of freedom and revel in your luminous liberties! :)
Have a specific place for bills and other items that you need to deal with. Set aside a set time each week to deal with all of these things. Write youself a note if you need to remember pay rent or other things that don't generally have a physical reminder.
Get renter's insurance. It's cheap and protects your stuff in case something happens to your place (fire, theft, etc).
Always have at least one backup meal in the cupboard. This could be as simple as a can of soup our peanut butter and crackers. There will save you from running out for fast food when you haven't had time to grocery shopping (it's also healthier).
If you live in an area with frequent power outages or the threat of natural disasters, start to build an emergency kit. Start simple, a case of bottled water, some cans of tuna and crackers (food that doesn't require refrigeration or heating), flashlight and batteries, sleeping bag. Enough to help you survive a couple of days.
@lisaviolet: A crockpot is an amazing piece of kitchen hardware. Tons of recipes on the web. Just put dinner in before you head out the door and it's ready when you get home.
Try meeting your neighbors before you spring for cable and internet -- I split the internet cost with the kid upstairs and use wireless to stream Netflix through my Wii, laptop, etc :)
@gt0163c: Renter's insurance! I KNEW there was something I was missing! XD
Know that whatever you do to screw up your credit will follow you for life. While some of it drops off your credit report, you're more likely to build habits that will stay with you.
Ramen noodles by the CASE!
I suggest one of those Asian style partitions, the give you privacy, but you can fold them up and get them out of the way.
Just enjoy yourself. You're entering a wonderful period in your life where you'll neither be dependent on anyone else nor have anyone else depending on you. That kind of freedom is rare and easily taken for granted.
Ikea.
Lots of sweaters and comfy slippers. Heat is an expense that will creep up on you, use it as sparingly as possible. Unless power is included in rent, then crank it up and enjoy.
Like a lot of people have said, Ramen. Or easy cheap food you will actually eat; chili, pasta, mac and cheese, hot dogs, sandwich makings, burritos. Don't eat out, no matter how much you don't want to have to cook something. That will burn through your miscellaneous funds very quickly.
If possible, get a cheap two-drawer file cabinet and use it for a nightstand, table, whatever. You'll be amazed at the amount of paper that you need to keep but don't know where to put it. You'll probably only need one drawer and you can use the other one for a lot of stuff.
Couple things that I can suggest:
I recently moved into my own place 5 months ago and like you I don't have too many friends around since its a new area and I just started work.
1) the 99c store is your friend. Buy cleaning utensils, waste baskets, car supplies, and anything small that you only need one of can get you alot for a little
2) costco is your friend, if you dont have a membership just borrow a friend for a day... if you have the cash to buy TP, paper towels, and such things in bulk, id higly suggest it. It prevents you from finding urself out of toilet paper and it saves good money in the long run
3) if your jobs a 9-5, invest in a good tv... save up until you get enough money to buy that tv. after work i find myself so exhausted that all i do is sit and game or tv... so a tv is really important
4)frozen food helps alot. Esp if your lazy like me and hate doing dishes and prefer a quick bite, get frozen food, its easy to clean and simple to make, dont be too unhealthy tho
I work at a youth facility teaching life skills. If I can offer any advice, its this: learn to use spices. You can eat dirt cheap food if you learn how to season properly. Pairing the right herb in the right amount with your meal can make a 'meh' meal into a 'wow' meal. Also, its nice to be able to break out cooking skills to impress the ladies. :D
give you a suggestion,just look at the site about how to decorate room,then you will know other else you need in your room!
I moved from MD to MA this past fall. I've "lived on my own" before (I'm about your age), but it was only in college dorms and I was an hour away from home.
This was my first time going out completely. So I grabbed pretty much everything I could fit, but packed smart. Get some of those giant tubs from Home Depot that have lids, they make awesome storage boxes. Organize what you pack in such a way that falls with how you'll take it out.
For instance, my PS3, games, and all my movies were packed together, since that's all my media related stuff. I also took a little extra care to pack it in such a way that its easy to take out.
I know this might be counter-intuitive since you're moving your entire life with you, but don't overpack. If you do, it takes longer to get unpacked and then some stuff just doesnt get unpacked at all. Toiletries, food, plates...this is all stuff that can be purchased after you're settled in.
Make a big list of everything you might possibly need within reason
and have it include stuff that you'll need to buy when you move in. The point is to just get EVERYTHING on a piece of paper. Can help trigger a lot of things you'd otherwise forget. Play a lot of tetris, it'll help when it comes time to load the car.
Get to know your neighbors when you move in. Have a small chat, say you just moved in, try to exchange phone numbers. It's a good contact to have. Say you need someone to sign for a package, you've got someone. Something strange going down in your neighborhood? Dont have to call Ghostbusters, you have a neighbor!
Seriously though, even if you never talk to them again, its a good net to have. That's all I've got right now, I hope it's helpful! I'll post more if anything else comes to me
Oh, and good luck!
Garage sales are the way to go for alot of things to use around the house. I bought a box that had 12 glasses and 10 ceramic plates for like 5 bucks. i know its hard to find garage sales this time of year in most places but when the weather warms up its better. Probably half the kitchen stuff I own came from garage sales and the other things came from my parents or Ikea. You can't go wrong with any of those three.
Everyone else is mentioning food and cheap furniture, so I'll go and mention an important aspect of living alone: CLEANING.
Set aside some time every week to clean up. Two hours a week should be enough to keep things nice in a tiny apartment. Sunday afternoons work well. If you have to skip for a reason, either do it early or do it as soon as possible after.
Get some storage bins and use them. Ditto shelving. Keep everything off the floor
Make a point of not going to bed if there's anything that's not put away. Exceptions to be made where members of the appropriate sex are concerned.
Dishes should be done as soon as convenient. Don't leave things to 'soak'. There should never ever be the dishes from the previous meal still dirty.
Laundry is a fine thing, and not to be forgotten. Separate your darks and lights. Fold your clothes. Make sure to change your sheets. Basic stuff, but not sure what level of autonomy you've had until now.
Learn good cleaning habits, and you'll be fine.
Never say you can't go on,you'll never be a loser if you still try
Congrats and Goodluck! I made that scary move 5 years ago now and it was one of the best choices I made for myself. Financially I wish I had waited but you will never learn the value of money until you realize how much depends on just YOUR choices. If you are attentive you will also become good at knowing good deals for cleaning supplies and other necessities like TP. :)
My best advice when it comes to furnishing: Be patient and scout Craigslist for things like wall art, tables, desks, and chairs. I can't even begin to express how happy I am about all the money I've saved on some of the wonderful furnishing I own because of Craigslist. Don't forget to be safe!
Oh PS: Apartment insurance and start keeping all receipts for the important things you buy!
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