Moving out on your own – it’s a day that teens and young adults dream about, and it’s finally here. You’re ready to spread your wings and fly, but not so fast. Are you prepared for the financial reality that entering the world of independent adults will bring? Before you blindly take flight, settle back into the nest for a moment and make sure you are adequately prepared so that you don’t have to immediately fly back home.
Don’t Get Caught Off Guard
As you get ready to move out you’ve already prepared yourself for the expenses you’ll incur, such as rent and utilities, but there are some miscellaneous expenses too, such as furniture, groceries, and even garbage. Shop consignment and yard sales to furnish your new home, and cut down on the weekly grocery bill by clipping coupons, shopping sales, and meal planning. That weekly/monthly garbage fee isn’t great either unless you’re in an apartment where it’s included. Find a friendly neighbor to share the cost with, or haul it off yourself to the dump.
Being on your own brings other not-so-fun expenses too like insurance. If you’re age 26 or older, you can’t stay on your parent’s insurance, so shop around for plans that meet your coverage needs and set up a health savings account (HSA). Now might be a good time to think about life insurance too should the unexpected happen and your family needs help with medical bills or funeral costs. Sure, it’s a little morbid, but you can easily purchase it online and even use an online calculator to determine how much coverage you truly need. Being young means you’re likely to have very low premiums, more so if you’re in excellent health.
Establish a Sound Credit History
With popular cash apps like Venmo and Paypal, it’s easy to become financially invisible. Maybe your parents instilled fear in you about credit cards, or perhaps you never signed up for one, but a credit card is one of the many ways you can build up credit history to make life easier when you’re applying for loans. Get a credit card and/or store credit card, and make those payments on time. Have a parent or guardian serve as a co-signer for a loan and make timely payments, or ask them to list you as an authorized user on their account so that you build credit when they do. While you’re at it, check your credit score. You’ll need to know it to apply for a loan, and it’s a fast way to know if you’ve become a victim of identity theft.
Identity Theft Is Common
Budgeting Is Important
Moving out on your own is exciting, no doubt. However, once the excitement dies down you’ll see how expensive being an adult really is. Take the tips above to heart, get ready, get set, go!