How to Prepare for Living on Your Own

Matt | February 3, 2015 | 0 Comments

As a young adult, you’re probably ready to leave your parents’ home and move out to live on your own to enjoy all of the freedoms that come with being fully independent. But there are a lot of challenges that you’ll face when living on your own, so you should think about these before you venture out.

Photo by Mat Simpson

Continue reading for a few tips that will help you prepare for living your own. These tips will hopefully make the transition easier and help you avoid unnecessary stress.

Be Aware of Expenses and Set a Budget

One of the biggest changes that you’ll encounter when living on your own is the financial burden that you’ll incur. You’ll be responsible for everything from rent and utilities, to food and entertainment. If you were living with your parents who provided everything for you, it can be really hard to make this transition, so it’s best to prepare yourself before you even find your own place and hire movers like Wynnes.

It’s a good idea to start estimating what your expenses will be while you’re still living with your parents. Start making some purchases on your own, such as groceries, so you can get a feel for how much you’ll be spending on your own. Then factor in costs like tuition, rent, etc. so you can come up with a budget that works with your income.

Find Steady Employment

If you’re currently unemployed or switching from one job to another, it’s time to start looking for steady employment. And if you’re still in school, it’s a good idea to find a part-time job that will help you pay back student loans, cover the costs of books, and buy everything else you need to survive on your own.

Remember that you’ll have a steady flow of bills once you move out, and you’ll need steady income to make ends meet. If you realise that you can’t afford your own place alone, finding a roommate or two to split the costs of rent and utilities could be the best solution.

Believe It or Not, You May Get Homesick

As much as you want to move out and start life on your own, you may end up getting homesick. So, in addition to preparing yourself financially, you should also prepare yourself emotionally before moving out.

You’ll need to get used to fending for yourself completely, so you’ll need to know how to handle emergencies, how to prepare meals and do your laundry, and more. If you grew up in a home with really supportive parents who did a lot of these things for you, it could be a rough transition at first, and you may—as surprising as it may be to you—miss the company of your family at the beginning.

By properly preparing to move out and live on your own, you’ll be able to enjoy all of the benefits that come from being autonomous. Before you know it, you’ll be a secure, confident, and successful adult, so enjoy the experience along the way!

Tags: living on your own