[dropcap]A[/dropcap]re you planning on living alone for the very first time? Maybe you’re fresh out of college and planning on renting your own place instead of moving back in with parents. Maybe you’ve been saving up and want to buy your first place, or perhaps a family or relationship breakdown has left you in a position where you have no choice but to live by yourself. Whatever the circumstances, living alone can be really beneficial to you as a person. It can be a fantastic way to gain independence, learn new skills and prove to yourself that you can do it. Here’s what you need to know before taking the plunge.
Living alone is expensive, without family, a partner or housemates to share the bills, you have to pay for everything yourself. So first things first, make sure you can afford it. Along with the rent or mortgage you’ll need to consider bills, groceries, your car if you have one along with things like extras and socialising. Sit and work out exactly what you have coming in and what sort of outgoings you’re likely to have. Make sure you can afford it, the last thing you’d want is to move out and then realise you cant meet your financial commitments. You’ll quickly rack up arrears and debt and end up in a whole lot of stress. Don’t forget to factor in things like your commute if you;re living further away from work than you did previously, and your moving costs.
While moving your stuff yourself might seem like a good way to keep costs down it can be really time-consuming and tiring. Working with this local moving company can make the whole process much easier and more cost-effective. It will also give you peace of mind to know your possessions are in safe hands.
Check out companies like https://www.mybekins.com/offices/pasadena-ca-movers to get an idea of prices.
If you want to cut down on little things like your TV bill, do check out this article on 13 ways to watch tv for free, as it could save you hundreds of pounds on what you’re currently paying.
Can you afford it?
Is it safe?
All of us want to live in homes that are safe, but it can be a particular concern when you’re going to be living alone. Do your research, area checks offer lots of information about any post code such as crime rates, and even the types of crimes that are committed there. Consider safety features like CCTV and an alarm to give you peace of mind.
Finally, most skills you’ll learn as you go when you move out, its why its such a good learning curve. However, it is useful to have a number of skills perfected before you set out by yourself if you can. Being able to cook some healthy, tasty yet inexpensive recipes. Being able to manage your finances, being able to do laundry. They sound like simple things, but if you’ve never lived alone and never had full responsibility of your life then they’re things that might leave you stumped. Thankfully, there’s a tutorial for everything these days so consult Google if you need to!
