Adulting advice needed.

[DragonClaw]

Quick note: I'm 22, still in the nest. Never been on my own.

I'll be moving after I get my certification (I imagine within 2-3 months, sooner if everything lines up) and I guess I don't really know if I have all my ducks in the pond.

I guess I'm not really sure I'm thinking of everything?

Things like finding a new apartment, wifi, etc.

Considerations for living alone, cost of living?


Any life hacks, advice for moving out, sage wisdom etc.

Edit: I don't want to have a roommate if at all possible.

 

[Jn1232th]

I’m 24 and recently just moved out with my girlfriend. Depending on we’re you are located I guess determines if you can alone. I’m in LA and no way I was able to afford an apartment by myself.
Adulting is a pain in the *** though haha.
I don’t have cable and went with jut WiFi and watch Netflix and all that.
If you have an apartment, most utilities are paid by landlord so that’s good. I only pay electric which is about $60 every two months.

Grocery shopping is the hardest haha at first I had no idea. I still don’t haha. Luckily my gf is good at it.

I definitely recommend saving up at leastttt 2-3 months or rent possibly prior to moving out in case you have unexpected expenses pop up.

Also I moved out while in medic school, horrible choice haha so if you are currently in middle of a program maybe wait a tad. I’m still doing good but gave me no study time for awhile.

As for apartments, I used Zillow.com. Again I’m not sure where you are located but make sure to check it out before paying haha. There is a lot of scams. If it looks to good to be true it prob is. Also if it’s in a city, check the are out late at night as well to see if there is any difference. My area during the day is nice, but at night turned into a homeless and drug addict walking ground.

 

[DesertMedic66]

My area during the day is nice, but at night turned into a homeless and drug addict walking ground.

Ahhh, so you moved next door to an AMR operation I see...

 

[DragonClaw]

I’m 24 and recently just moved out with my girlfriend. Depending on we’re you are located I guess determines if you can alone. I’m in LA and no way I was able to afford an apartment by myself.
Adulting is a pain in the *** though haha.
I don’t have cable and went with jut WiFi and watch Netflix and all that.
If you have an apartment, most utilities are paid by landlord so that’s good. I only pay electric which is about $60 every two months.

Grocery shopping is the hardest haha at first I had no idea. I still don’t haha. Luckily my gf is good at it.

I definitely recommend saving up at leastttt 2-3 months or rent possibly prior to moving out in case you have unexpected expenses pop up.

Also I moved out while in medic school, horrible choice haha so if you are currently in middle of a program maybe wait a tad. I’m still doing good but gave me no study time for awhile.

As for apartments, I used Zillow.com. Again I’m not sure where you are located but make sure to check it out before paying haha. There is a lot of scams. If it looks to good to be true it prob is. Also if it’s in a city, check the are out late at night as well to see if there is any difference. My area during the day is nice, but at night turned into a homeless and drug addict walking ground.

I was using Zillow and Trulia, the latter for the crime maps.

 

[Jn1232th]

Ahhh, so you moved next door to an AMR operation I see...

it was until care took it over

 

[mgr22]

Get a job before you decide where to live. Make a budget. Don't let your planned expenses exceed your planned income. Don't buy stuff you can do without. Don't take exotic vacations. Don't buy the car of your dreams. Borrow furniture from home, friends or relatives. Save at least a little if you can, perhaps through your employer's 401K. If you have any self-employed or investment income, remember to withhold extra money from your paycheck or pay estimated taxes. Conversely, don't give the government an interest-free loan by over-withholding.

There's so much more...

 

[DragonClaw]

Get a job before you decide where to live. Make a budget. Don't let your planned expenses exceed your planned income. Don't buy stuff you can do without. Don't take exotic vacations. Don't buy the car of your dreams. Borrow furniture from home, friends or relatives. Save at least a little if you can, perhaps through your employer's 401K. If you have any self-employed or investment income, remember to withhold extra money from your paycheck or pay estimated taxes. Conversely, don't give the government an interest-free loan by over-withholding.

There's so much more...

Yes, job first. I'm set on that.

I won't lie, I found a motorcycle (Whole nother argument for being in EMS, I know)... I haven't done anything financial yet... but dang it if I haven't really been wanting one.

I have a 401K already, so that's budgeted.

I haven't done my taxes yet, but I get a little back every year. Not enough to buy new tires out anything fancy, though.

 

[mgr22]

Yes, job first. I'm set on that.

I won't lie, I found a motorcycle (Whole nother argument for being in EMS, I know)... I haven't done anything financial yet... but dang it if I haven't really been wanting one.

I have a 401K already, so that's budgeted.

I haven't done my taxes yet, but I get a little back every year. Not enough to buy new tires out anything fancy, though.

Let's start with the motorcycle: Can you afford it? Whether the answer is yes or no, how do you know? I'm asking so I can learn more about what budgeting means to you.

 

[MMiz]

Congrats!

Now that you're adulting it's time to budget.

I've always found a job first and then moved nearby.

Find an apartment you can afford, Uhaul your worldly possessions into the place, and then be patient. It's tempting to go out and buy new stuff. Instead I would make sure I had the basics: mattress, shower curtain, toilet plunger, laundry basket, cooking utensils, and toiletries.

My first and second apartments were filled with mostly hand-me-downs or stuff I received from family. A 30 year old kitchen table, the couch that wasn't wanted, my old bed. As I could afford it I replaced what I needed.

Good luck!

 

[DragonClaw]

Let's start with the motorcycle: Can you afford it? Whether the answer is yes or no, how do you know? I'm asking so I can learn more about what budgeting means to you.

Can I afford it. Well. It would have yo be my first loan.

So basically, probably not.

 

[DragonClaw]

Congrats!

Now that you're adulting it's time to budget.

I've always found a job first and then moved nearby.

Find an apartment you can afford, Uhaul your worldly possessions into the place, and then be patient. It's tempting to go out and buy new stuff. Instead I would make sure I had the basics: mattress, shower curtain, toilet plunger, laundry basket, cooking utensils, and toiletries.

My first and second apartments were filled with mostly hand-me-downs or stuff I received from family. A 30 year old kitchen table, the couch that wasn't wanted, my old bed. As I could afford it I replaced what I needed.

Good luck!

I'm planning on taking my childhood bed that I still sleep in, lol. I'm not one to throw things out, in actually a hoarder...

I'll work on a budget.

Basics. Basics. Basically I saw a new gun....

 

[Jim37F]

Oh man, moving can be expensive...

Found an apartment on Zillow. 1st months, last months, security deposit, thankfully my auto insurance price dropped I was able to actually add coverage AND add renters insurance and have a cheaper insurance monthly payment than before.

Problem was that for ... reasons? It took my new municipal job 2 months to start paying us. I had not expected that. And I moved a month before we started, that was essentially 4 months rent (1st+last and those two) that I had to cover with no pay...

2 months is probably extreme, be def be prepared for at least a pay period or two before pay actually starts getting deposited.

Also I miscalculated taxes. I knew how much my gross income was gonna be, but I had underestimated my tax rate(s), so instead of my rent being 30% of my income (which is what I had planned for), it turned into more like 50%.

Your mileage will probably vary, based on where exactly you move to (different state rates, different 401k deductions, etc), but I found if I take my gross income and multiply it by .63, that is fairly close to my actual spendable income that gets direct deposited.
So just remember taxes are a thing and say $15/hour times your weekly hours isn't your weekly take home pay...

I paid for one of those PODs containers, and didn't end up emptying it right away, yeah their storage fees are pretty expensive monthly, much more than a simple you-store-it place. Shoulda/coulda/woulda just unloaded everything all in one weekend, or at least unloaded into a self storage if I wanted to unload in stages to control clutter. I ended up paying way too much for PODs monthly storage and eventually decided to just unload all at once anyway creating the clutter I was trying to avoid in the first place.

(Sounds like Dragon Claw isnt moving near as much stuff as I did, so if you can just load up a pickup, or even a U-haul and be one and done, that'd be a lot cheaper than what I did lol)

I ended up taking out a loan to help cover some of those moving expenses... I'm still paying that off, 2 years later. Looking back, I think I'd have been better off avoiding the loan in the first place. It would have been slower getting furnishings, but I think I'd have better off now financially.

Obviously everyone's situation is gonna be different, but just some of my thoughts from when I moved.

 

[mgr22]

Can I afford it. Well. It would have yo be my first loan.

So basically, probably not.

But how do you know? If I asked you to estimate all of your expenses for, say, a year, would you be able to? Have you thought about the timing of your income and your bills? Have you borrowed money before -- through a bank, I mean? Are you starting with any money in the bank? If not, does that concern you?

The budget thing -- it's important. I'm not sure you get it, but you can learn. Maybe give it a try before your parents rent your room.

 

[GMCmedic]

Live with your parents as long as theyll let you. Save money.

 

[DragonClaw]

Live with your parents as long as theyll let you. Save money.

They've been getting close to just booting me out. My dad says if I buy anything nice, he's not charging me enough for rent. He says he's going to charge me more and more until I can't afford it and I've been out priced to live with them.

I'm their kid who never did drugs , crime, etc. But for the kids that do, it doesn't matter and anything goes. But I digress.

For a year? Probably not. I say I probably can't because I haven't proven I can afford it. I have never borrowed money before, I have credit cards I use, but keep a 0 balance on them.

I have like 1100 in the bank, parents says they'd pay for my first months rent, but they never follow through on their promises, so I shouldn't count on it.

 

[hometownmedic5]

The best advice my father gave me when I moved out was buy a plunger before you need one.

 

[DrParasite]

Get a job, and based on where you will be working find a place you can afford. live as cheaply as possible. I know you said you didn't want a roommate, but I would look at finding on, at least to start. great if you know someone already, but when I first moved out of my parents house, I went on craigslist and stayed in rooms for rent. pretty cheap, some roommates were better than others, and some apartments were more questionable than others..... but when you don't know anyone in a new town, and you don't know the good or bad areas, and you are still trying to get your self settled..... live miserly and explore the areas.

As for everything else, make and stick to a budget. Don't plan on working a ton of OT, since that OT won't always be available. Don't forget to get renters insurance. save up as much $$$ as you can. learn to cook, it's cheaper than eating out. Take with you only what you need, on all of your possessions; leave the bulk of your stuff with your parents, until you get all settled. Moving can be expensive. like $1000+ when you consider cost of a vehicle, travel time, storage expenses, etc. make sure you have enough $$$ to survive if you lose your job after 2 months of working there. if your employer offers a 401k with a match, max it out as much as you can.... it will pay off greatly later on in life (too many of my former coworkers failed to do this, because they were young, and didn't need to worry about stuff like that).

Wherever you end up working, ask those people for housing recommendations. they will know good spots and areas to avoid. if you work in EMS, they will really know the areas to avoid. but definitely rent as cheap as possible, without compromising safety.

 

[DragonClaw]

Get a job, and based on where you will be working find a place you can afford. live as cheaply as possible. I know you said you didn't want a roommate, but I would look at finding on, at least to start. great if you know someone already, but when I first moved out of my parents house, I went on craigslist and stayed in rooms for rent. pretty cheap, some roommates were better than others, and some apartments were more questionable than others..... but when you don't know anyone in a new town, and you don't know the good or bad areas, and you are still trying to get your self settled..... live miserly and explore the areas.

As for everything else, make and stick to a budget. Don't plan on working a ton of OT, since that OT won't always be available. Don't forget to get renters insurance. save up as much $$$ as you can. learn to cook, it's cheaper than eating out. Take with you only what you need, on all of your possessions; leave the bulk of your stuff with your parents, until you get all settled. Moving can be expensive. like $1000+ when you consider cost of a vehicle, travel time, storage expenses, etc. make sure you have enough $$$ to survive if you lose your job after 2 months of working there. if your employer offers a 401k with a match, max it out as much as you can.... it will pay off greatly later on in life (too many of my former coworkers failed to do this, because they were young, and didn't need to worry about stuff like that).

Wherever you end up working, ask those people for housing recommendations. they will know good spots and areas to avoid. if you work in EMS, they will really know the areas to avoid. but definitely rent as cheap as possible, without compromising safety.

I wasn't planning on taking my dog (he guards the livestock), but my parents might make me and get a new, untrained puppy... RIP kids.

I know nobody anywhere. I hardly know me.

Cook. I can do ramen, spaghetti, PB&J, boil eggs, etc.

I don't know how to do laundry. Do I need to know how to use an iron (and not as a weapon)?

I'm trying to leave my non-neccesary stuff at home, but they're like "Oh, you're moving out? Take it ALL or sell/get rid of it. If you can't take it all, then you have too much stuff"

I live in a less than about 20×20 ft area, including closet and bathroom. I can put everything I own into a single uhaul, I'm sure. I just don't really want to move it /all/. A decent amount is equipment like my microscope, centrifuge, etc.

I'm leaving the long guns, because I don't have a safe to secure them in. I'll come back for you, beautiful babies!

 

[DrParasite]

I wasn't planning on taking my dog (he guards the livestock), but my parents might make me and get a new, untrained puppy... RIP kids.

don't take pets with you: not every apartment will allow you to have pets, and those that do, can often charge a pet fee. Wait until your settled, and then when you have a place, have found a nice place that allows bets, then bring the dog.

I know nobody anywhere. I hardly know me.

welcome to relocating. been there, done that. it's hard to move to a new city, where you know no one, and not end up spending night after night home along because you don't know anyone.... side note, meetup groups can be a fun way to get out of the house, and meet people (although I used it more as an excuse to get out of the house, and didn't meet anyone super memorable).

Cook. I can do ramen, spaghetti, PB&J, boil eggs, etc.

well, it's better than nothing..... TBH, I can't boil eggs (never really liked them anyway), but I can make a mean omelette with spinach, sauted onions, and Gouda cheese.... maybe a cooking class is in your future, or you know, youtube? or at least purchase some pots and pans from walmart?

I don't know how to do laundry. Do I need to know how to use an iron (and not as a weapon)?

Laundry isn't rocket science, but like cooking and dating, when haven't done a lot of it, it can appear very intimidating. Here is a rough lesson: wash whites by themselves, and wash similar colors together. take clothes, put into machine. take soap, put into machine. turn on and read a book. when it finishes, put everything into the dryer, and go back to reading a book until it finishes. than fold it all and put away.

I've used an iron twice in my life..... but I did have workers who always ironed their shirts, so it's up to you. not something you need unless someone tells you that you need it.

I'm trying to leave my non-neccesary stuff at home, but they're like "Oh, you're moving out? Take it ALL or sell/get rid of it. If you can't take it all, then you have too much stuff"

I live in a less than about 20×20 ft area, including closet and bathroom. I can put everything I own into a single uhaul, I'm sure. I just don't really want to move it /all/. A decent amount is equipment like my microscope, centrifuge, etc.

well, I doubt you will need your microscope.... or centrifuge.... take only what you need to survived and work.... you can pick up the rest when you have more space to store stuff (or if you don't need it anymore, sell it on ebay or craigslist.

I'm leaving the long guns, because I don't have a safe to secure them in. I'll come back for you, beautiful babies!

good call.... also make sure you know the local laws regarding long and handguns.

and good luck.

 

[DragonClaw]

don't take pets with you: not every apartment will allow you to have pets, and those that do, can often charge a pet fee. Wait until your settled, and then when you have a place, have found a nice place that allows bets, then bring the dog.welcome to relocating. been there, done that. it's hard to move to a new city, where you know no one, and not end up spending night after night home along because you don't know anyone.... side note, meetup groups can be a fun way to get out of the house, and meet people (although I used it more as an excuse to get out of the house, and didn't meet anyone super memorable).
well, it's better than nothing..... TBH, I can't boil eggs (never really liked them anyway), but I can make a mean omelette with spinach, sauted onions, and Gouda cheese.... maybe a cooking class is in your future, or you know, youtube? or at least purchase some pots and pans from walmart?
Laundry isn't rocket science, but like cooking and dating, when haven't done a lot of it, it can appear very intimidating. Here is a rough lesson: wash whites by themselves, and wash similar colors together. take clothes, put into machine. take soap, put into machine. turn on and read a book. when it finishes, put everything into the dryer, and go back to reading a book until it finishes. than fold it all and put away.

I've used an iron twice in my life..... but I did have workers who always ironed their shirts, so it's up to you. not something you need unless someone tells you that you need it.
well, I doubt you will need your microscope.... or centrifuge.... take only what you need to survived and work.... you can pick up the rest when you have more space to store stuff (or if you don't need it anymore, sell it on ebay or craigslist.good call.... also make sure you know the local laws regarding long and handguns.

and good luck.

Yeah, I'd rather hold off taking him until I've got a yard and stuff. He's got 1.5 acres that backs up to a few hundred to run around on and the dogs have coyotes, hogs, opossums, raccoons, etc to keep at bay. He's in a much better spot right now.

I guess I kind of want to go somewhere that's all my myself though, don't have to get hovered over anymore. I was going to get a local job, but then I realized I want to be at least a few hundred miles away, further if it wasn't drier or not Texas. Gotta fly on my own wings sometime.


At my current job, before I got promoted, they would give us "monopoly money" for being a good performer, I bought Tupperware and pots and pans and stuff I can take with me. Pyrex glassware and cookware and measuring stuff. A mixer, food processor. I won a toaster oven. Most of the dang equipment at the house is mine, lol.

Laundry, turns out you can't use dawn dish soap for everything. I almost did that. I guess washing machines aren't airtight or something?

I own a desk, 2 bookshelves, a dresser, cheap wooden drawer thing, a bunk bed (I use the top to put extra stuff. I own a lot of books and then knick knacks. Hobby stuff, computer stuff, art stuff, etc. I own a rolley chair, but I'll need to get stuff for a dinner table and a chair and curtains and stuff like that. This is going to be harder than I thought...

I'm going to try and convince then to not make me take everything. I'll take my brother's guitar since my sisters will just leave it somewhere if they hold onto it. I'll get it fixed and learn to play, eventually. I don't plan on selling anything because if I have it, I have it for a reason . It has use or sentimental value. If it didn't, it would be long gone.


The guns, yeah, I'll need a safe first and be able to secure things. Wouldn't want to get shot with my own dang guns. That would suck. And that's dumb.