Moving Out on my own- Tips,Hints,suggestions?

[cadoxangelus]

To start off, Im a 21 year old student who works full time for Home Depot, and goes to a local Community college for a BA in Criminal Justice. Since i was about 10 years old I moved in with my dad when he gained custody for me. Ever since i've lived at home. As of now, I feel strongly that I need to go out on my own, like he and my mom did around this time. Im looking to be out by the end of july, begining of august. I do have two roommates lined up, both with a stable income, and we have discussed throughly what we all want. So, we're looking for a 2-3 bedroom House or Apartment. Anywhere between 8-1200 dollars a month. Financially i think it is possible, but thing im posting this for, is Tips, or Hints to a sucessful move, and not go broke or insane with the responsibility. Also what do you think is the primary items, needed going into this? I know i may be rambling and i do apologize. Thanks in advance.

[Kailea]

Re: Moving Out on my own- Tips,Hints,suggestions?

Tip #1 place this in the right area ;p

[cadoxangelus]

Re: Moving Out on my own- Tips,Hints,suggestions?

oh shi- >< i saw general disccusion and went with it.. im tired and its early >.< can a moderator fix it please?

[Ellipses]

Re: Moving Out on my own- Tips,Hints,suggestions?

Learn to budget ahead of time. Know when your bills are coming, how much they are, and how much you need to put toward them, and adjust accordingly. Budget a certain amount for groceries, gas, etc., and don't spend anything that eats into that. Set some percentage of your income aside for savings.

Agree ahead of time on a method of paying the bills. It's not enough that you and your roommates know that you make enough to cover everything, you need to decide how you cover everything, and stick to it. (i.e., does everyone pay one person, who then pays the rent? Or can you each pay your portion separately? When do you pay each other? A certain amount of time before each given bill is due?)

Don't go crazy buying crap. Get the bare essentials covered (beds, dishes, etc.), and accumulate the rest as you can.

Wherever you end up, stay there at least a year, longer if you can. It helps build your credit, and makes it easier to get in at nicer places.

Read the entire lease carefully and ask questions about it. Know the laws for your area about what they can and can't charge you for, what they can and can't count against your security deposit. (We had one place eat our entire security deposit over something we found out later they aren't allowed to charge for in Indiana.)

[LadyKiKi]

Re: Moving Out on my own- Tips,Hints,suggestions?

Evaluate what/how they can piss you off. If you haven't lived with anyone before the concept of doing so may seem good initially, but after a while shit builds up (literally) including:

1. Toilet
2. Cleaning in general
3. Kitchen
4. Noise
5. Sharing/(stealing) of food/drink/items/
6. Bills

No matter how good friends you are with these people once you move in together it becomes a whole different thing.

If no car, live near a supermarket.

There's not a lot more responsibility, just how sensible you are to approaching things.

[ShepardG]

Re: Moving Out on my own- Tips,Hints,suggestions?

phew, aight, some tips....

1. budget, budget, budget.

2. If you can, save up some cash to cover your rent for 2 months, incase home depot goes bankrupt, or you get fired because of number 6.

3. try and get a place with 3 bathrooms, atleast 2, and the person that dosen't share should be the bathroom that's most likely to be used by guests.

4. get a mini fridge if space/cash permits.

5. If one person smokes, balcony onry.

6. If one person does drugs, don't move in with them, unless you do those same drugs.

7. Keep in touch with your dad and mom.

8. play FFXI alot, 16 bucks a month could potentially save you a 100.

9. The goodwill for real!

10. Don't be to cool, for school. You have the potential to rock the vote! it is your number one priority, above all else!

11. If your comunity college has a gym, start attending it 2-3 times a week. It may seem silly now, but getting done at the gym and coming home to study/ffxi feels so good. If it dosen't and you can afford it, join one.

12. partying is fun, but not with a 5 minute notice. your almost to the point,age wise, where party's don't always happen on friday and saturday nights, they get planned on mondays and tuesdays, the week prior. This is a good thing.

Enjoy life, it's like a good RPG. It's about the journey, not about the ending.

[meSchnitzel]

Re: Moving Out on my own- Tips,Hints,suggestions?

Everyone has already posted a lot of very important things. I have a few things to emphasize and also add.

1: Friends that live together eventually become room-mates and not friends. I say this from personal opinion, the only friend I have ever lived with without our relationship getting destroyed is my fiance. And even that was rocky to start.

2: Buy a plunger the moment you move in, even if you have never had to use one, you will.... oh you will.... I doesn't have to be a huge crap that clogs the toilet, some residences have bad plumming and its nice to not have to run to (work in your case) Home depot just for a plunger last minute.

3: Create a cleaning schedule and have the reposibilities shared. I don't think anyone likes cleaning... and even if you do enjoy it once in awhile, if all the chores get done by one person eventually they will not want to do it.

4: Prepare for your bills. As stated above it is important to plan for how and when to pay your bills. Just having the money isn't enough.

5: Buy a Plunger Ok I know I said it once before... but for me this is the best thing I can offer above anything that anyone else has said already haha

Good luck!

[ShepardG]

Re: Moving Out on my own- Tips,Hints,suggestions?

Buy a Plunger

Fucking genius.

[Potemken]

Re: Moving Out on my own- Tips,Hints,suggestions?

Everyone has already posted a lot of very important things. I have a few things to emphasize and also add.

1: Friends that live together eventually become room-mates and not friends. I say this from personal opinion, the only friend I have ever lived with without our relationship getting destroyed is my fiance. And even that was rocky to start.



Good luck!

Seriously.

I moved out at 16. I'm now 21. I've had 4 roomates. They were all my best friends, one was my best friend from childhood, like 10 years of close friendship. All shattered. Now I don't even as much as speak to any of them anymore. Don't move in with good friends. As much fun as it could be, it usually turns out very bad. This is just my personal opinion tho, however I have heard the same thing from everyone I know. Move into a studio apt, if you can't afford a 1 bedroom. Its for the better.

Anyone can lose a job at any time. Save up money, incase this shit happens to you, or you need to pick up slack for you roomies. Trust me you will. If they don't pay, and you don't pick up their slack, YOU LOSE YOUR HOME. So you WILL HAVE TO if it happens.

Don't waste money. Toiletries are usually taken for granted, but actually cost a pretty penny. Tp, toothpaste, new toothburshes (cuz you never know what your silly friends will do with it), mouthwash, shampoo, conditioner, soap, body wash, shower gel, baby wipes, baby powder, shaving cream, after shave, cologne, dude there is just so much, and you want some nice stuff too, for when the ladies come over and need to shower cuz

1) they feel dirty cuz she can't beleive what she did the night previous
or
2) the smell bad and you tell her to take a shower

Don't eat fast food all the time. Go buy some food, and cook often. Leftovers are great, home cooking is healthier, and fast food is expensive.

Also, a bit of advice, live with you future wife first aswell, to make sure things will go smoothly. Friends and lovers can apply the same way. When you LIVE with someone you see diffrent habits and parts of their personality then you would otherwise see. Generally I think you should date atleast a year and live together atleast a year, but atleast live together some amount of time, beause its really really stupid not to.


Good luck my man, and welcome to the world of independance!
It's surely a fun ride.

[Ellipses]

Re: Moving Out on my own- Tips,Hints,suggestions?

Just to offer a little encouragement, roommate-ism does not by definition destroy friendships. I moved in with my best friend and his fiancée fresh out of high school, and lived with them for several years. We're still good friends, and there was never really any rocky patch.

Not that that's going to happen every time, either. You never know what kind of issues are going to crop up with people, and young adults asserting their independence for the first time can be very territorial about it. Just don't want you being terrified or anything, since that can ruin things just as easily as wide-eyed optimism. Moderation, just like everything else.

[Potemken]

Re: Moving Out on my own- Tips,Hints,suggestions?

What I find is the problem is speaking your mind.

If you have a problem, or them likewise, LET THEM KNOW. Keeping it up inside lets it build up, until it blows up into a fight. If your like me, or most other young adult hot blooded males, this very well could esclate from words into fists, and depending on the winner, could very well destroy the relationship or decides who moves out. Try to keep yourself above violence, but its not always easy. sometimes a good fight can make you both feel better too tho, on the flipside. Its really just something you will need to experience yourself, and learn from your mistakes.

I still wish you the best of luck tho.
______________________________

phew, aight, some tips....

1. budget, budget, budget.

2. If you can, save up some cash to cover your rent for 2 months, incase home depot goes bankrupt, or you get fired because of number 6.

3. try and get a place with 3 bathrooms, atleast 2, and the person that dosen't share should be the bathroom that's most likely to be used by guests.

4. get a mini fridge if space/cash permits.

5. If one person smokes, balcony onry.

6. If one person does drugs, don't move in with them, unless you do those same drugs.

7. Keep in touch with your dad and mom.

8. play FFXI alot, 16 bucks a month could potentially save you a 100.

9. The goodwill for real!

10. Don't be to cool, for school. You have the potential to rock the vote! it is your number one priority, above all else!

11. If your comunity college has a gym, start attending it 2-3 times a week. It may seem silly now, but getting done at the gym and coming home to study/ffxi feels so good. If it dosen't and you can afford it, join one.

12. partying is fun, but not with a 5 minute notice. your almost to the point,age wise, where party's don't always happen on friday and saturday nights, they get planned on mondays and tuesdays, the week prior. This is a good thing.

Enjoy life, it's like a good RPG. It's about the journey, not about the ending.

Wow so much of this post is too true. Exercise releases TONS of stress, it is the best way to relieve it other then sex. If your sex life isn't plentiful, exercise. It releases indophines in the brain that literally lower depression and stress, same thing as an orgasm. So seriously. Take that advice. Plus it keeps you fit.

Also regardless if you don't think its awesome, all the cool kids shop at the goodwill. Great place to find vintage ninja turtle shirts for the early 80's or get cheap furniture. And it goes to a good cause.

[meSchnitzel]

Re: Moving Out on my own- Tips,Hints,suggestions?

Also regardless if you don't think its awesome, all the cool kids shop at the goodwill. Great place to find vintage ninja turtle shirts for the early 80's or get cheap furniture. And it goes to a good cause.

Lets not forget you can find some cheap vintage games. I usually go to the local Goodwill when I go on vacation. My last trip was to Seattle and I picked up a nearly mint copy of Chrono Trigger on SNES and Dragon Warrior on NES... 5 bucks each!

You can't beat that!

[Potemken]

Re: Moving Out on my own- Tips,Hints,suggestions?

Holy shit, near mint snes trigger? Thats a steal man. {Congratulations}

[Durahansolo]

Re: Moving Out on my own- Tips,Hints,suggestions?

2. If you can, save up some cash to cover your rent for 2 months, incase home depot goes bankrupt, or you get fired because of number 6.

6. If one person does drugs, don't move in with them, unless you do those same drugs.

7. Keep in touch with your dad and mom.

I LOL'd so hard at #6 for some reason.

#2 and #7 are QFT

I still live at home and I plan to move out within the next few years, but my dad has always told me that if when I move out: if life is too rough or something goes wrong, that I always have a home that I can come back to. So, make sure you stay in touch with your parents, besides they probably still have extra knowledge they can pass on to you.

SAVE SAVE SAVE BEFORE YOU MOVE!!! Especially now that the economy is the way it is and peeps are being laid off/fired left and right. You need a nest egg to lay back on just in case something goes wrong with your job situation. You never know when you'll have a flat tire or need to do a quick fix on something until you can come back later and really fix it.

Another thing, get some Credit because you never know when you'll need it in life. I'm pretty sure everybody knows how to get credit, but I'm gonna say how I did it anyways. When I got my first job, I waited almost a year and then decided to buy a laptop. I went to the credit union and applied for a loan, but they wouldn't give it to me since I had no credit and they told me I'd need a co-signer. I ended up saving saving up half of the money $500 and a little extra $150. I had my mom co-sign for me a $700 loan. I added $400 of my own money and paid 1100 total for the computer. I paid off the loan within 6 months (Was a 12 Month Loan) and by that time, I had gone to Macys, got a charge card, bought 2-3 things, and paid them all off. A few months after I paid off the computer, I applied for a credit card through my credit union and my credit was already 700+. Last I checked it was 742, and it should be higher than that now.

[Potemken]

Re: Moving Out on my own- Tips,Hints,suggestions?

I LOL'd so hard at #6 for some reason.

#2 and #7 are QFT

I still live at home and I plan to move out within the next few years, but my dad has always told me that if when I move out: if life is too rough or something goes wrong, that I always have a home that I can come back to. So, make sure you stay in touch with your parents, besides they probably still have extra knowledge they can pass on to you.

SAVE SAVE SAVE BEFORE YOU MOVE!!! Especially now that the economy is the way it is and peeps are being laid off/fired left and right. You need a nest egg to lay back on just in case something goes wrong with your job situation. You never know when you'll have a flat tire or need to do a quick fix on something until you can come back later and really fix it.

Another thing, get some Credit because you never know when you'll need it in life. I'm pretty sure everybody knows how to get credit, but I'm gonna say how I did it anyways. When I got my first job, I waited almost a year and then decided to buy a laptop. I went to the credit union and applied for a loan, but they wouldn't give it to me since I had no credit and they told me I'd need a co-signer. I ended up saving saving up half of the money $500 and a little extra $150. I had my mom co-sign for me a $700 loan. I added $400 of my own money and paid 1100 total for the computer. I paid off the loan within 6 months (Was a 12 Month Loan) and by that time, I had gone to Macys, got a charge card, bought 2-3 things, and paid them all off. A few months after I paid off the computer, I applied for a credit card through my credit union and my credit was already 700+. Last I checked it was 742, and it should be higher than that now.

Thats awesome. The best way to do it, is do things like that, but keep it cheap. Small loans, small purchases that you can pay off fast.

With credit cards the secret is 30%. Thats the secret number. Get a card, and never go over 30% of your allowance, and always pay it off. It will increase. You know to increase your credit you can use the money from the credit card to pay off the credit card, to increase your credit limit, then eventually your limit is so large, 30% is 3000 dollars. Which is alot. Then 30,000 dollars. Things get sweet.