Living on your own is a big life-changing decision and it can become the most exciting time of your life if you can make the right decisions and execute them properly. Regardless of whether you are moving into your own house or settling into a college dorm room. This will be your first real taste of adulthood. When you start living alone you will have all the freedoms but with new freedoms comes fresh responsibilities. So, in the article below, our experts have shared some practical tips that will help you start the new chapter of your life smoothly.
If you want to live alone then the first thing you have to do is find shelter, and food, and water to live. You must have a job to financially support your all expenses while living alone. If your income is limited then you have to learn how to budget your income for gas, electricity, water, food, rent, etc. Moreover, you have to save money for future uses like buying a home, a car, etc.
12 Practical Tips On How To Live On Your Own
1. Know Thyself
When you live alone you have spare time to know yourself and identify your skills and weakness. This is the time when you can develop new skills and focus on your most important relationship which is with yourself. Until you live alone, usually you spend most of your time with your family members, friends, etc. So, you might not have enough time to make a good relationship with yourself. If you just started to live alone then you can explore your future goals and personal values to gain some insight into your identity and the path you want your life to take. So, this is the best time to discover yourself.
2. Create A Budget And Stick To It
If you want to live on your own then the first thing you should analyze is your financial condition. In this type of situation, the most important principle is to spend your money wisely. Therefore, you should identify your expenses and create a budget according to your income and expenses. You should add all your regular expenses like rent, utilities, and car insurance, etc., and then subtract the total from your monthly income. You can use the left of the money for common expenses like food, clothing, transportation, etc. After all these expenses, if there is any money left then you can try to save some money each month.
3. Pay Bills Every Month
While living alone, you should try to stay on top of your financial obligations. For example, you should pay all your bills on time including rent and credit card bills. This is the best way to avoid all the costly late fees. Moreover, paying all your bills in time will help you to build a good credit score and we know the importance of having a good credit score. If you have good credit then you can easily get a loan with a low-interest rate. You should maintain a system to pay your entire bill accordingly. You can maintain a calendar to pay all your bills in time. This way you can easily avoid the late fees.
4. Save Money
If you have started to live on your own then you should try to save some money each month. If you have made a budget and maintained it sticky then you might be able to save some money no matter how small the budget is. If you save money regularly then you will be able to build a foundation for financial stability. It is very important to have savings that cover up to six months of living expenses because in the future if you lost your job then you will have time to regroup yourself.
5. Get Comfortable Being Alone
If you are living alone for the first time then you might find it very uncomfortable. So, to make yourself comfortable, you should find something to fill the quiet time. While living alone you might have lots of spare time and you might become boring sitting alone or watching movies. In this type of situation, you can find a new hobby like gardening or if you already have a hobby then you can continue it. Moreover, you can spend your leisure time developing new skills to boost your professional life.
6. Accept Responsibility
Living by yourself means you have to rely on your own. Therefore, you should start accepting your responsibilities like paying bills, rents, making your own dinner, etc. This is the time when you have to step up and accept all the responsibility. However, living on your own doesn’t mean you are alone. You should know your neighbors and make friends because an observant neighbor is a great asset while you are living alone.
7. Feel Safe
Fear is very common among people who have just started to live by themselves. Usually, we live with our families so when we live on our own, it can create a sense of fear. There are many ways available to ease the anxiety of being alone. For example, if you are moving into your own apartment, make sure it’s located in a safe neighborhood and a well-lit area. Moreover, you can change the previous door lock and it will give you mental satisfaction that the previous owners won’t be able to use their spare keys to get into the apartment.
8. Become Self-Reliant
Living on your own increase the responsibility, so you have to try to become self-reliant and become more independent. When you are living alone, there are various things that you have to learn how to do, for example how to keep the place clean, how the dishwasher works, how a washing machine works, how to cook your meal, etc.
9. Make Friends With New People
This is a very important thing you should keep in your mind when you are moving out. You will be living on your own in a new place so making some new friends can become very handy in case of emergencies. Moreover, you won’t feel alone and spend your free time with them. Living alone can cause depression and heighten the feeling of being alone. So, making new friends will keep your mantle health ok.
10. Bring A Pet
If you have decided to live on your own then you can get a dog, cat, or any other pet animal for yourself. This is a great way to give you’re self a companion so that you won’t find it boring to live alone. Moreover, pets also offer physical comfort, entertainment, and mental satisfaction. Besides, pets like a dog will give you reasons to go out and walk around the neighborhood and meet with new people.
11. Try New Things
This is a very important part of self-discovery and if you are living on your own then it is the best time to do it. While living alone you will have plenty of time to try new things and discover your new passion or skill. You can experiment with new things that you might not do in front of an audience. You might become successful or might fail but that’s the beauty of life. Moreover, doing new things can expand your perspective.
12. Prioritize Wellness
This is a very important factor to consider while you are living alone. When there is no one around you to keep you on track then you might slip away from your habits like regular bedtime, skip nutritious meals over fast foods, wear the same clothes for 2/3 days, drinking too much alcohol, etc. Therefore, you should maintain good self-care practices to improve your mental and physical health. For example, you can keep some time for making a healthy meal, find a workout buddy, and try meditation.
Final Thoughts
Living alone is not easy. You might want personal space but there will be moments when you might want/need human interaction. Moreover, time of crisis can make you vulnerable but if you can make yourself prepare for the crisis then you will be able to handle the situation quite easily. Finally, you might be living on your own but you are not truly alone. There are people who love you and they are only a call or text away when you require help.
References:
1. https://www.afton-oaks.com/blog/2020/12/01/10-tips-to-help-you-live-on-your-own-for-the-first-time/
2. https://www.wikihow.com/Survive-on-Your-Own-in-the-Real-World
Last Updated on February 6, 2022 by
Magalie D. is a Diploma holder in Public Administration & Management from McGill University of Canada. She shares management tips here in MGTBlog when she has nothing to do and gets some free time after working in a multinational company at Toronto.
