moving out on my own.

xmrsvindieselx

Well-known member
Hey everyone! I just recently moved with my parents to Jacksonville FL from Long Island NY. This was a GREAT move for them since they could afford a house down here now.. for me, not so much. I understand housing is cheaper down here..so they wanted to move, but I am not buying a house..I'm 19. I still want to live my life to the fullest, and I feel like I cant down here.

I've decided to move back to new york April 5th. I'm scared, but I need to do something for myself. I can worry about what other people think, and its going to be hard but I know I can do it..

I am renting a room for like 250-300 a month..which is AWESOME.It is with a friend.. but we basically do our own thing.. and we both work crazy hours, so its not like we will be home all day wanting to kill each other lol.

I deff am nervous, but so excited too. I know I can do this, and I know I NEED to. for myself.

Have any of you gone through this.. I know a lot of people do, but I'd love for you all to share your storys!
 

bekins

Well-known member
Oh yes I know what you are going through. When I was 18 I went away to college, oh boohoo, college dorms, parents give you money and pay your way through school, tough right! Umm no this was so not my life story, when I came back to the states I left my parents half way around the world in the fiji island!! I worked my way through school, and got loans, and grants and scholorships!! My parents would help on occasion send me a little money here or there but they didn't have much to spare. They moved back to the states, a few years later and I was having trouple making ends meet so I moved back in with them to get out of debt and help with my father who got ill. There is nothing wrong with having to move back home, its better to do it then get yourself so far into debt that you have no hope to get out.

So a few tips on moving out on your own, make sure you watch your
checking account very closely. You don't want to start bouncing things, and debit cards while convienent can be dangerous cause you use them forget to write stuff down and end up in the negative in your account and then get fees up the ass, so if possible keep the debit card to a minimum and deal in cash and checks(for rent and bills and stuff.) If you get a roommate, make sure you trust them, I almost got royally screwed by my roommate! At some point you may have to decide whats more important paying the phone bill or getting that new awesome mac makeup collection, I hate to say it but the phone bill should win out!! So this is just a few things I have learned going it on my own, its tough but if you are disciplined watch your money, and use your common sense you should be fine! And I live in New York and my brother lives in Flordia and cost of living in Flordia is higher then New York but I guess that depends on where in NY you live. Sorry for the book, hope it helps.
 

Babylard

Well-known member
i moved away from my parents for school in the summer. its really tough living alone. just trying to survive takes away so much of my time. Maintaining the house and just trying to live kills me!

ditto to bekins, you have to prepare yourself to say no to the next MAC collection so that you can pay for bills. Keep a tight eye on your money. I try so hard not to splurge. Sometimes I get sooo sad, because I can't eat out or something.

I moved from Vancouver to Winnipeg. I have a roomate and we have our disagreements. In case things head for the worse like you need to move out from your friend's place, be prepared for that as well. It also helps to have a little parental support to get you started and in case something happens, you have back up. Try to move out on good terms with them and discuss what to do in case of emergencies.
 

TUPRNUT

Well-known member
Moving out for me was a great experience. I got a townhouse with a couple good friends from college. We had great communication which really helped with dividing responsbilities and getting through the transition together. My best piece of advice, if you want it - living on your own is going to cost you more than you probably think. Unexpected expenses are always going to come up so it's best to live as simply as possible in the beginning until you have a really good idea how to budget each month. Always give yourself a buffer in checking just in case you come across a bad month.

Budgeting and money management have both given me so much freedom and life without stress!
 

redambition

Well-known member
the biggest one that is going to come out of this: budget your money. if you can - separate the rent and bills money from your spending money so you don't accidentally spend it.

try to hold a savings account and use it - even putting in a few dollars a week will mean that you get used to saving even when money is a little tight. you'll then have money put by in case of emergency (note, a new MAC collection is not an emergency
smiles.gif
)

now for some of the weird ones:

if you are going to cook at home and grocery shop - try to plan the week's meals before shopping. i still have issues with this and as a result i end up wasting foods because i bought them without a plan to use them! this is especially important when you're on a budget.

dealing with housemates can be interesting, especially when their idea of clean does not match your idea of clean, or they are messy and you are neat. it can be extremely frustrating, but try to approach things diplomatically rather than exploding at someone. you will have to be easygoing and ready to accept that not everything will be your way or done to your standard (unless you are the person with the low standards
lol.gif
) i know this one sounds obvious, but it is often a lot easier said than done.
 

SparklingWaves

Well-known member
That is awesome. Yes, you can do it. I wasn't as young as you when I moved out and I was getting married. I totally admire your spirit.

I feel a bit awkward even replying, because I was with my hubby. (Not in the same category as moving on your own). I think the above posters gave some great advice. I just wanted to share that I was nervous and excited. I still do a lot of things that I did when I first moved out. I cook almost all my meals. I make lunches. Eating out at restaurants really ate up the money, so I hardly ever do that. I called home for any questions & I was even in the same town. I shop at thrift stores.

I really admire you. Good luck to you and keep us posted. Remember we are here for you 24/7.
 

itsJADEbiitch

Well-known member
redambition is so right!! it's all about:budget budget budget!!


i moved out on my own at your age.. it was very exciting & scary at the same time! i honestly didn't think i'd be able to do it on my own, i figured i'd be crawling back to my mama within a month since we are SOoO close, but it's been 3 years!! lol im not too far from her, but we still talk on the phone all the time.

the hardest thing for me was that i wasn't able to cash my check and buy make-up and clothes anymore.. i had BILLS =/

take everyones advice and learn how to manage! set money aside for the things you WANT not need.

for me, i got a notebook out and went over EVERYTHING in order to be responsible, but still have ME time =)


you'll be fine. best of luck x0
 

V15U4L_3RR0R

Well-known member
I moved out at 16 into shared accommodation And I would also agree with budgeting and planning your money. I always used to spend whatever money I had on what I needed first like food, bills etc. Whatever I had left over, I would save some and then spend the rest on me. Be prepared to not buy anything for yourself for a while. It can be a little depressing but at least you'll have a roof over your head and food.

You'll learn lots of new stuff and it can get pretty exciting and pretty crappy at times. However it's all worth it in the end.

Good luck!
 

Paramnesia

Well-known member
I moved out of home 2 years ago and definitely agree with budgeting. Money can easily disappear.

I personally have had a horrible time with shared houses, so I'm never going to do that again.

I think at the start you really need to figure out each other boundaries and what you both want from living together if that makes any sense. For example some people are really clean and others can be completely slobs who let milk filled bowls sit on the sink for over a week grrrrr.

250-300 a month seems pretty good. I'm renting a bungalow where I share a bathroom with another guy for $280 a fortnight and thats cheap for here and I'm not even near the CBD.
Also watch how much money you spend on food, a coffee here and there can really add up.
 

xmrsvindieselx

Well-known member
You are all simply amazing! I know I'm good with money and I do like to splurge sometimes, but I dont mind not being able to get myself stuff. I know I have more than enough stuff to live on and if I'm buying anything else its just shit I dont need lol! I'm really excited! I spoke to my parents yesterday, and they said GODFORBID anything ( which you never know what may happen) I am more than welcome to come home. I dont want this to happen, but I know I still have my parents there for me 100 %!

Quote:
Originally Posted by SparklingWaves
That is awesome. Yes, you can do it. I wasn't as young as you when I moved out and I was getting married. I totally admire your spirit.

I feel a bit awkward even replying, because I was with my hubby. (Not in the same category as moving on your own). I think the above posters gave some great advice. I just wanted to share that I was nervous and excited. I still do a lot of things that I did when I first moved out. I cook almost all my meals. I make lunches. Eating out at restaurants really ate up the money, so I hardly ever do that. I called home for any questions & I was even in the same town. I shop at thrift stores.

I really admire you. Good luck to you and keep us posted. Remember we are here for you 24/7.


You are amazing darling!!! I'm basically going to cut back on EVERYTHING except my needs. Thrift stores will be my best friend for furniture & stuff.. I'm also trying to see if a friend in NY has an extra bed/ know someone who is getting rid of a bed because it would save me SO much money!


I will keep you all posted !!!
winkiss.gif
winkiss.gif
winkiss.gif
 

_ohmygosh

Well-known member
I;m 18, thinking about moving interstate at the end of the year... maybe when I've turned 19 and finished all of my courses. The only thing taht would be the problem would be, finding a place/room mate, actually saving some money... maybe a lot of money, finding a job before I leave.. so there wouldn't be any more problems to be solved, and learning how to do chores properly/cook food for myself.... It should be interesting.

Maybe the best idea for me is to wait a couple more years LOL
 

Latest posts

Top