View topic - Moving out, any advice!?
Soooooo my parents are being thier usual unhelpful greedy selves and I've sort of had enought of it. My sister and I have decided to move out of the nest. Right now we are looking at some apartments near our college, but we also have a co-worker who can rent us a house, we are going to check it out tomorrow and he said he can work with us on the rent price!
My budget is going to be really really tight, I only work part-time plus I've got student loans I'm paying off, amoung other bills. I think more than anything I'm scared about running out of money and sacraficing things I enjoy because I just won't be able to afford them anymore. Now it isn't like I have tons of money to throw around, I do pay my parents rent and take care of myself, so it is just a rent increase really. The idea of moving out of the home I've lived in for so long is terrifying, and exciting!
My friend has some tables and a dresser for us, but I'm pretty sure my parents aren't going to help out at all. I'm hoping they'll let me take my bed, but I'm trying to prepare myself for getting nothing from them. So I need to think about things I'll need, like pots and pans, toilet paper, dishes, cleaners, ect. So any advice out there would be great! What was it like when you moved out?
My budget is going to be really really tight, I only work part-time plus I've got student loans I'm paying off, amoung other bills. I think more than anything I'm scared about running out of money and sacraficing things I enjoy because I just won't be able to afford them anymore. Now it isn't like I have tons of money to throw around, I do pay my parents rent and take care of myself, so it is just a rent increase really. The idea of moving out of the home I've lived in for so long is terrifying, and exciting!
My friend has some tables and a dresser for us, but I'm pretty sure my parents aren't going to help out at all. I'm hoping they'll let me take my bed, but I'm trying to prepare myself for getting nothing from them. So I need to think about things I'll need, like pots and pans, toilet paper, dishes, cleaners, ect. So any advice out there would be great! What was it like when you moved out?
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Well, I know if you don't make enough money from your job you can go to the Welfare office to help you with food. Food is always important. As for Pots/pans/ect. Check out your local dollar stores (or family dollar) and see if they have anything. Sometimes they do. Also thrift stores and 99 cents stores. Some people might think its trashy/cheap, but you know what. its the SAME things you can get at walmart. or even the mall xD
Easter Event
Garage sales are helpful. Also ask co-workers, fellow students, etc. if they might have any extra stuff they're willing to part with. And don't ever buy pots or pans from the Dollar store, I've made that mistake before. >_< They have this awful coating on them that comes off in your food and makes it taste metallic.
When choosing an apartment or house to rent, don't make the mistake of spending as much as you can afford currently. Life ALWAYS has ways of throwing unexpected expenses at you, make sure with your rent you at least have some breathing room in case of an emergency.
Budget, budget, budget. It'll save you life knowing how much you actually have before you go spend happy at the store and then realize you don't have enough to cover the light bill that comes in the next day. Be thrifty about buying food. I personally recommend shopping at a farmer's market and learning to cook your own meals based on seasonal fruits, veggies, etc. but if that's not an option, store brands are your best friend.
Use electricity sparingly. Don't let your friends come over and get drunk all the time. (Yeeeah...did that one too.)
All in all, it's about planning ahead and using common sense. : )
When choosing an apartment or house to rent, don't make the mistake of spending as much as you can afford currently. Life ALWAYS has ways of throwing unexpected expenses at you, make sure with your rent you at least have some breathing room in case of an emergency.
Budget, budget, budget. It'll save you life knowing how much you actually have before you go spend happy at the store and then realize you don't have enough to cover the light bill that comes in the next day. Be thrifty about buying food. I personally recommend shopping at a farmer's market and learning to cook your own meals based on seasonal fruits, veggies, etc. but if that's not an option, store brands are your best friend.
Use electricity sparingly. Don't let your friends come over and get drunk all the time. (Yeeeah...did that one too.)
All in all, it's about planning ahead and using common sense. : )
Words exist because of meaning. Once you've gotten the meaning, you can forget the words. Where can I find a man who has forgotten words so I can talk with him? ~Chuang Tzu
I got a lot of stuff handed down to me, and I got a lot of stuff from thrift stores and garage sales. I even grabbed a couch off the side of the road once.
If you have to pay for utilities, you can ask your co-worker how much they usually are if he knows how much they were for the last tenant.
You can often get dishes at garage sales or thrift stores.
You can check your local craigslist for free to inexpensive furniture.
If the floor is clean, you can always sleep in a sleeping bag at first until you can find or afford a bed.
You can put a notice up on a billboard at school listing what you need and maybe even the prices that you're willing to pay.
You can see if there are any food giveaways near you. For example, a grocery store near me gives away all the food that is about to go bad. You don't have to sign up, or get approved, or be low income, or anything like that either. You just show up with a couple of bags to fill up.
If you have to pay for utilities, you can ask your co-worker how much they usually are if he knows how much they were for the last tenant.
You can often get dishes at garage sales or thrift stores.
You can check your local craigslist for free to inexpensive furniture.
If the floor is clean, you can always sleep in a sleeping bag at first until you can find or afford a bed.
You can put a notice up on a billboard at school listing what you need and maybe even the prices that you're willing to pay.
You can see if there are any food giveaways near you. For example, a grocery store near me gives away all the food that is about to go bad. You don't have to sign up, or get approved, or be low income, or anything like that either. You just show up with a couple of bags to fill up.
Absolutely ANYTHING you feel you need to buy in a store, can be got for cheaper. Like people before me have said, garage sales, dollar stores, secondhand stores. Also, kijiji (or craigslist) will get you some darn good deals on furniture.
You can always barter down your monthly cable/internet/phone bill, if you bundle it and get a package you can usually negotiate the flat rate. A lot of people don't know that.
You can always barter down your monthly cable/internet/phone bill, if you bundle it and get a package you can usually negotiate the flat rate. A lot of people don't know that.
Not all dollar stores have bad pots and pans. I got mine from family dollar a year ago and they work great xD
Easter Event
Thank you guys, I've got some great ideas. I found out a friend of mine can give me a kitchen table, so that is off my list!
I always shop thrift stores, and have a few things saved up from there already!
I didn't think about checking Graiglist for furnature either, so I'll look there too!
We actually hit up the dollar store for some kitchen utensils, they were cute and all matched in this bright cherry red.
And wow, I didn't even think about a sleeping bag, great suggestion. Also, the school listing is a great one too. I didn't know that about grocery stores either, so i'll look into that too. Also, I can get a few things that are close to expiring from work too now that I think about it. It is mostly junk stuff, but it still helps!
Luckily I've been taking a little out of my paychecks to stick in savings, so I have some emergency money that I don't touch at all unless, duh there is an emergency, so for health or car issues. I've got done with some big expenses this month, like fixing my car and getting new glasses, so I don't have to worry about those.
Again, thanks guys, I'm making a list of all suggestions!
I always shop thrift stores, and have a few things saved up from there already!
I didn't think about checking Graiglist for furnature either, so I'll look there too!
We actually hit up the dollar store for some kitchen utensils, they were cute and all matched in this bright cherry red.
And wow, I didn't even think about a sleeping bag, great suggestion. Also, the school listing is a great one too. I didn't know that about grocery stores either, so i'll look into that too. Also, I can get a few things that are close to expiring from work too now that I think about it. It is mostly junk stuff, but it still helps!
Luckily I've been taking a little out of my paychecks to stick in savings, so I have some emergency money that I don't touch at all unless, duh there is an emergency, so for health or car issues. I've got done with some big expenses this month, like fixing my car and getting new glasses, so I don't have to worry about those.
Again, thanks guys, I'm making a list of all suggestions!
(didn't read other posts...so sorry to be a repeat)
I moved out at 18...or was it 19....anyway. I noticed that having a budget helped me out a lot. I figured how much my life cost me a month:
Rent
Car Insurance
Gas
Cell phone/land line
Electricity
Water/garbage (mine was included in rent)
Food
Girl needs
Once you have an amount established...meaning how much you need a month...you make sure you have that much put aside every month.
Then you need to think about furniture. People are ALWAYS putting stuff up on Craigslist that they are giving away. And you can get some good stuff on there for pretty cheap.
Hope that helps...a bit.
I moved out at 18...or was it 19....anyway. I noticed that having a budget helped me out a lot. I figured how much my life cost me a month:
Rent
Car Insurance
Gas
Cell phone/land line
Electricity
Water/garbage (mine was included in rent)
Food
Girl needs
Once you have an amount established...meaning how much you need a month...you make sure you have that much put aside every month.
Then you need to think about furniture. People are ALWAYS putting stuff up on Craigslist that they are giving away. And you can get some good stuff on there for pretty cheap.
Hope that helps...a bit.
Shelving for cheap can be done with some boards and bricks. It might just be me, but if you don't think you'll actually need chairs in the living room, go with cushions. Plastic cartons and cardboard boxes have also served me as a table, as stackable storage, and as packing. You can pick up cardboard boxes for free at any fast food place, liquor store,a ton of places..you may want to call food markets up a day in advance however.
*currently in silentgrace 7's possession. There were cookies. Good cookies. And a valentine.*
Took on last year pork pie..so scary. @.@
Jeepstripes wrote:
Oooooh, I love the cushion idea!
I work at a warehouse, so I've got boxes covered lolz!
Also, here's a lesson I learned when I moved out:
Cheaper food isn't always cheaper.
We would buy those huge boxes of chicken nuggests on sale, TV dinners for $1 a pop, frozen pizzas, pizza pockets, that sort of thing, because they were quick and easy (essential for students) and seemed like they cost less. In all actuality, you might save money, but you'll feel like crap eating all that MSG and chemical preservatives. And one thing you'll notice is that the more often you buy something, the more you get a good idea of what a decent price is for that thing. Since I was always buying premade chemical crap, I didn't have a clue what fresh produce actually went for- which meant I overpaid when I bought it, so I wasn't actually saving any money in the long run.
Eat as healthy as you can possibly afford, and get a feeling for the prices of meats, fruits and veggies, eggs, and milk. You can smell out deals and get things on sale (my local store always overorders on bread and then marks them down 50% a couple days before their Best Before runs out, I haven't paid full price for a loaf of bread in over a year). When you see a huge sale on something you might not need a lot of, buy a lot anyway. Just about every vegetable (or fruit) can be cooked and fozen, and then when you're ready to eat it just microwave and it's done. Bread, too, when you see it on sale grab four or five loaves, and throw them in the freezer.
TL;DR: Eating healthy foods and shopping sales will cost you about the same amount as always buying cheap junk that never goes on sale, and you'll feel better and live better for it.
Cheaper food isn't always cheaper.
We would buy those huge boxes of chicken nuggests on sale, TV dinners for $1 a pop, frozen pizzas, pizza pockets, that sort of thing, because they were quick and easy (essential for students) and seemed like they cost less. In all actuality, you might save money, but you'll feel like crap eating all that MSG and chemical preservatives. And one thing you'll notice is that the more often you buy something, the more you get a good idea of what a decent price is for that thing. Since I was always buying premade chemical crap, I didn't have a clue what fresh produce actually went for- which meant I overpaid when I bought it, so I wasn't actually saving any money in the long run.
Eat as healthy as you can possibly afford, and get a feeling for the prices of meats, fruits and veggies, eggs, and milk. You can smell out deals and get things on sale (my local store always overorders on bread and then marks them down 50% a couple days before their Best Before runs out, I haven't paid full price for a loaf of bread in over a year). When you see a huge sale on something you might not need a lot of, buy a lot anyway. Just about every vegetable (or fruit) can be cooked and fozen, and then when you're ready to eat it just microwave and it's done. Bread, too, when you see it on sale grab four or five loaves, and throw them in the freezer.
TL;DR: Eating healthy foods and shopping sales will cost you about the same amount as always buying cheap junk that never goes on sale, and you'll feel better and live better for it.