The purpose of this thread is just some general discussion about moving out from your parents' house or college into a place of your own. One thing to keep in mind is that the best course of action is going to be different for every person (still, we should be able to offer each other tangible advice). Some places are much easier to move out on your own than others. Some people have good roommates to live with and share costs... and some don't. The possibilities are endless so I'm just seeking some general rules of thumb and suggestions that are almost universally useful. Let me separate this into a few different topics...
Note - For those of you who have some experience in this topic already, then please share your thoughts. For those of you who have no idea about this topic, then I offer for you to read what is said and feel free to ask questions.
Topic 1: Getting away from your parents:
There will probably be more disagreement here than in most other topics, and also... there is no right or wrong answer. It depends a lot. But generally, what are you thoughts on when you should get out of the house? Most people agree that you shoudldn't be a 40 year old still living with your parents unless you are a very special case. But some people feel that living with your parents during, and maybe a few years after college is okay. If you want to take a stance on this issue, please explain why. Also, if moving away from 'home' is going to be very difficult... how willing should you be to make sacrifices? I remember one tl staff member in particular telling me that he would do pretty much anything he could to ensure he was living away from his parents... even if that meant stretching money extremely thin. Personally, I don't share his mindset but I'd love to better understand it.
Topic 2: Options for moving out:
Obviously, you aren't moving out of your parents' house right after college with no job and purchasing a four bedroom house (unless you are really rich... and you probably don't have much to offer to this discussion). What are some more realistic options? This will of course vary according to region, and I want to point out that I'm looking at this from a USA perspective (there is also much variation depending on state and town). Of course, the story in Canada and many other countries isn't that different. Are there any purchasing options that are reasonable, or is it pretty much 100% renting? The renting options I've personally begun to explore are 1 bedroom apartments (many types of course), studio apartments (generally cheaper), and larger apartments shared by multiple people (most cost effective, but risky). We also need to consider that apartments come in more than one variety, such as houses with apartments built into the basement/upstairs, or owned by private companies. There are garden apartments, townhouses, etc. Many places have large apartment buildings. Which are the best ones to explore for the area you are looking into? Why? Some other things to consider: parking availability (lots of parking ticket threads on tl lol), pets (big issue in many places), smoking (big issue in many places), which ammenities are included (heat, water, electricity, tv, phone, internet, etc).
Topic 3: Who to live with:
For those of us who don't have a significant other, we are faced with the choice of either moving into a new place alone, or rooming with others (if you have a gf then the two of you will probably both work and have more options available). Lets rule out accomodations where residents don't have their own bedroom (like third roommate crashing on the living room couch). What are your thoughts about the need to have a/several roommate(s) early in your life/career? How nice is it to live alone? How important is it not to be by yourself? Is it usually too hard to move out without a roommate?
Topic 4: Short term vs Long term plans:
Is some housing good if you only plan to live somewhere for a short period of time (1 year, 2 years, etc), while other housing is better if there's a good chance you won't want to move for many years? (Obvious example is buying a house, but most of us can't do that). I've also met people who purchase, and then rent rooms out to college students, friends, etc, which I suppose is another option. What are some important long-term plans you should think about before you take any action with moving out? Or, should you do something which works in the short term and worry about the long term later?
Topic 5: Rules of thumb:
I've heard some rules of thumb... and I also think this might be the place to respond to what could be considered an FAQ. Some items:
a) How should you figure out what rent you will be able to afford? One thing I've heard is that your rent plus ammenities should be about 1/3 of your income. Is that fair? What else do you need to consider?
b) How important is it to have a landline? (I'm sure I'll be more interested in this than most of tl since I don't use my cell phone that much) Television? (Internet makes tv much less important for many people) What should you do about internet since you aren't going to be piggy backing on your parents or college internet anymore (this varies a lot by region I'm sure)?
c) How do you research housing in your area? For me, I've so far found the newspaper Newsday has a solid housing classified section every Friday. Craig's List has one as well, however I'm finding it annoying to browse since the towns are not organized in any reasonable way. Other ideas?
d) Other Ideas/Questions?
edit: Feel free to share stories/descriptions/pictures of your history.
On September 13 2009 05:09 mahnini wrote: i cant believe you made a thread for this
A topic that is very important in everyone's life? Where people who have been through the ordeal can offer a lot of advice to those who haven't? If you really feel that way then just don't post in the thread.
On September 13 2009 05:14 Eatme wrote: It's really easy. Cant believe it has ben 8years already. On the other hand I lived alone every summer since I was ~15 or so, dont really remember.
In Switzerland? If you don't mind, could you share what type of place you were living in.... what % of your income was going to rent... stuff like that? Most people I've spoken to haven't found it easy where I live.
What were you doing that you were alone summers when you were 15?
I became much happier as soon as I moved out of the house at the age of 19. Even though I go to college in the same town that I grew up in, and therefore could still live with my parents, I much prefer living with other students. My parents understand that and we still see each other pretty often. I live in a house with 5 awesome guys, we're all third- and fourth-years, and we all get along really well. It's a great atmosphere. Because there are 6 of us, rent is not too bad (for Berkeley, that is), and living in a real house beats the hell out of living in an apartment or a dorm (we lucked out). We're on the opposite side of campus from all the football/fraternity nonsense, so the only time it's noisy is when we throw our own parties
Best way to live at college IMO is to plan ahead with 3-5 people you like a lot and find a nice flat. Keep it tidy and it can be a really great place to live during your college years!
[brag] Every time people come over they comment on how nice our place is =D [/brag]
On September 13 2009 05:19 Djabanete wrote: I became much happier as soon as I moved out of the house at the age of 19. Even though I go to college in the same town that I grew up in, and therefore could still live with my parents, I much prefer living with other students. My parents understand that and we still see each other pretty often. I live in a house with 5 awesome guys, we're all third- and fourth-years, and we all get along really well. It's a great atmosphere. Because there are 6 of us, rent is not too bad (for Berkeley, that is), and living in a real house beats the hell out of living in an apartment or a dorm (we lucked out). We're on the opposite side of campus from all the football/fraternity nonsense, so the only time it's noisy is when we throw our own parties
Best way to live at college IMO is to plan ahead with 3-5 people you like a lot and find a nice flat. Keep it tidy and it can be a really great place to live during your college years!
[brag] Every time people come over they comment on how nice our place is =D [/brag]
In my opinion, I think it's best to move out when you can afford to live as comfortable as you would be able to while living at home. By this, I mean on top of rent/utilities, you can still afford your cell phone bill, car insurance, gas money, and food/other necessities. You can't make enough for all that while working part-time as a college student on top of tuition and rent for your parents(in my case anyway).
However, if your family is wealthy and they are paying your tuition, on top of letting you stay at home and feeding you for free, then it may be possible depending on how much you are willing to work and how much you get paid.
Also, if you have a couple friends or someone else to be roommates with, you might be able to live comfortably if you are able to split the rent.
For me, I don't think I'm going to be able to move out until I'm done my BCIS, or if I'm lucky, if I manage to get some kind of job in the field which pays better than working in a crappy grocery store. I already have at least one person who I'm moving out with, so if the income is right, then hopefully I can move out then.
Basically, if you can move out and live somewhat comfortably, then go for it. I'm not as desperate as the one TL staff member that you mentioned in the OP. Personally, I don't think this is possible unless you have wealthy family providing you with good circumstances until you are done schooling.
Heh.. Interesting topic.. and a tough decision and thing to do I think. It's a tough world out there, and I don't think it's quite "easy" to do something liek living alone, by yourself, unless you have a masters in some critical field like medical or tech etc.. to where u could obviously handle it alone..
I still live @ home, after trying various situations.. like living w/ my sister for awhile, to get away from the parents for awhile and be able to do what I wanna do.. That worked for awhile, until she wanted to be a bitch and screw me over for 400$.. so I left that behind and I shacked up w/ a GF I was w/ for like 2 years.. that went well for awhile, had a nice apartment and was renting some furniture etc.. and it kinda sucked when we separated, cause it was a bad break-up and the fact that I was making the payments on all the stuff we were renting.. weekly, and when I left I had to leave all that stuff behind and she finished payments on it..
So when I came back home and got more work and was able to do what I wanted to, catch up on things and really get a lot accomplished, like getting my self a car, some cosmetic stuff etc. and really have a good time again..
I think living alone is particularly difficult in today's enviroment.. w/ prices the way they are etc.. Needless to say, I highly doubt anyone could survive alone on "minimum wage".. that's the stupidest thing I ever heard.. It's defined to a point to where someone could successfully manage a life alone w/ the minimum amount to be paid - well, here its liek 7$/hr which would be like 250$/week if u get payed weekly.. which would be about 8-900$ a month.. take into consideration that most apartments, rennovated, are like 1K-1200 a month, or u can try to get lower or cheaper accomodations to be about 6-700 a month, which doesnt leave much for other nice luxuries like cable, much food, insurance (car), phone (home or cell), gas to and from.. etc.. not to mention water, power, etc..
So ya, I think the best way to live comfortable, away from home would be to room w/ ppl - which is a "touchy" situation.. if u're friends, u could prolly make it work a lot easier and be able to negotiate and get along w/ each other. Or theres just public room-mates, that u meet or whatever.. which tends to small differences in terms of cleanliness or mannerisms.. like playing music loud when u're trying to sleep, or having a lot of their friends over, partying when u're trying to relax w/ a friend or GF etc. Mostly, I find a lot of young ppl irresponsible and reckless, and un-sanitary.. They don't mind if the house looks liek shit, w/ clothes and trash all over the place, like the day after a party and no one wants to clean up.. I'm a very organized person (some say OCD) and I can't stand shit just to be laying around, looking un-organized O.o if dishes are need to be washed, I try to wash them asap, etc..
but ya, it's tricky and its about what u want to get done and what u're able to get done w/ what u have.. GL
On September 13 2009 05:30 Grobyc wrote: In my opinion, I think it's best to move out when you can afford to live as comfortable as you would be able to while living at home. By this, I mean on top of rent/utilities, you can still afford your cell phone bill, car insurance, gas money, and food/other necessities. You can't make enough for all that while working part-time as a college student on top of tuition and rent for your parents(in my case anyway).
I don't agree with this at all, living on your own in your first place is never going to be "as comfortable as living at home" and that is why it is a valuable experience. If you wait until you can afford a place that is the same as your parents you are going to be living with them until you're 35, and the experience you gain by being away from them more than pays for itself in an incredibly short period of time. Obviously this isn't true for all people and situations, but I suspect its true for nearly everyone here including those who think it isn't.
I didn't move out until I was 20 and I wish I had done it far earlier. For what its worth as well, I became much much closer to both my parents as soon as I moved out of the state, I'm not entirely sure why but I think it was because spending less time with them meant the conversations and things we did meant more.
I live in an area that has places that are very rich and it has places that are very poor. I make a pretty decent salary for a 21 year old AND I decided I wanted to live with a roommate so pretty much the sky was the limit right?
Well pretty much. There were some things to think about but it'll be explained.
a) How should you figure out what rent you will be able to afford? One thing I've heard is that your rent plus ammenities should be about 1/3 of your income. Is that fair? What else do you need to consider?
I found that 1/3 of your income is actually a pretty reasonable borderline for top end of your rent+ ammenities payment. You would also be surprised by just how much getting a roommate will reduce your over all costs. If at all possible you REALLY want to live with a roommate you can trust to keep their end of the deal. I currently live in fairly high end apartments with my roommate. I currently pay roughly 2/3rds of the rent and she pays 1/3rd and I find that fair because frankly I just make more and really liked the apartments.
This frees up roughly 400-500 dollars of my paycheck a month and it's absolutely astounding how much more freedom just that amount of money gives you when considering "comfort". 400-500 dollars of just extra money to pad your account will simply make your life easier. When you're talking lower rent places (like 600 a month) numbers like 200 extra dollars a month are amounts of money you will be glad you have extra.
I also don't suggest moving until you have at least 4 months worth of rent in your account just in case anything untoward happens.
b) How important is it to have a landline? (I'm sure I'll be more interested in this than most of tl since I don't use my cell phone that much) Television? (Internet makes tv much less important for many people) What should you do about internet since you aren't going to be piggy backing on your parents or college internet anymore (this varies a lot by region I'm sure)?
We don't have a landline and I don't understand why you would ever need one. The only reason I can think of is if you live in a place that has over all pretty bad cell phone connections. A cell phone is just about better in every possible way than a landline because it's simply portable. Every important part of my life is tied into my cellphone and this is doable because once you have that number a company will gladly allow you to keep it when you change phones as long as you keep paying your bills. Landline is just extra money neither my roommate or I saw the need to pay for.
The television/internet debate? I find that life without the internet to be almost impossible now a days if you want to stay current with everything. I don't mean in terms of gaming... I mean in terms of everything now. Most places will allow you to manage and pay all your bills through some online accounts and it simply makes it so much easier to manage all of it and keep track of your money. A television is purely up to preference. My roommate wanted cable so we have cable... if it were just me I probably wouldn't have cable. I find internet kind of mandatory though. Even if you can only afford 56k you should really consider having it.
c) How do you research housing in your area? For me, I've so far found the newspaper Newsday has a solid housing classified section every Friday. Craig's List has one as well, however I'm finding it annoying to browse since the towns are not organized in any reasonable way. Other ideas?
The housing market tanked... with this knowledge I went to the area I wanted to live in (in this case Alamo Heights) and just literally browsed around with my GPS system for the apartment complexes that were in the range of income I was looking for. Almost every single apartment complex I saw was having some amazing move in special... and this was in the richer part of the city even. I can't imagine it being that hard to find a place you want to live in with the current economy in the United States. With that being said I'd just look around in the general area you want to live in first. If that doesn't work there are a few real estate stores around the town for sure... they usually have brochures on apartments. d) Other Ideas/Questions? Yes living on your own is an amazing amount of freedom but don't rush into it. This will be one of the decisions that has consequences for the rest of your life. If you give a shit about your credit history (and you damn well should) you don't want to have to cancel a lease because your job just decided to cut your pay or you lost your job entirely and you have no emergency money to fall back on.
So far I haven't heard any horror stories of people moving out and then regretting it.... are there any of those!? I guess those people would be less inclined to share, understandably.
One other thing I'm thinking about is this:
Most people seem to avoid the issue of describing when it is 'obviously' okay to live on your own. When is it obvious? Certainly, without a decent job you can't swing it. But someone said a masters in a niche field will most likely make it easy to at least live on your own. Where is the line drawn? How do I know which side of it I am on? (In general, not just me)
Heh, moving out was awesome for me. It gave me a chance to see what its like living on your own and to compare the pros/cons of living with family. I'm moving back in with my parents to finish up college at a campus thats much closer to where I used to live and I'm really looking forward to it.
They both have their ups and downs... I think the only people who would have a really hard time with it is someone who's on bad terms with their parents and leave on a sour note while being completely unprepared.
Other than that you either a) are going off to college or b) moving out after you have a decent job. Its good that you wrote this though, a lot of people are intimidated by it
On September 13 2009 06:02 micronesia wrote: So far I haven't heard any horror stories of people moving out and then regretting it.... are there any of those!? I guess those people would be less inclined to share, understandably.
One other thing I'm thinking about is this:
Most people seem to avoid the issue of describing when it is 'obviously' okay to live on your own. When is it obvious? Certainly, without a decent job you can't swing it. But someone said a masters in a niche field will most likely make it easy to at least live on your own. Where is the line drawn? How do I know which side of it I am on? (In general, not just me)
That depends on how much you're willing to give up in terms of creature comforts.
There are places you can live at with absurdly low rent... I'm talking like 350-400 dollars a month npnpnp. A slightly above minimum wage job could support something like that and be "ok." The problem of course is that those places attract drug lords, prostitution rings, and just generally shady people.
I'm not saying you're going to get murdered or anything but if you were used to living in the quiet suburbs then you'll be in for the shock of your life if you make a move that early.
I guess the obvious moment would be when you look at your bank account and it's just not dropping from the expenses you're putting out living with your parents. This line also shifts for different people. I was content enough living at home when I was 18 and probably would have even if I was making the money I do now. Now? I would move out if I was making three quarters of what I do now. It really depends.
How much are you willing to sacrifice? How much do you just want to get away?
If the answer to both of those questions is "A SHIT TON" then your obvious line is going to be completely different from someone that is content living at home for a bit longer.
The true horror stories are generally going to revolve around people that have a bad relationship with their parents so they have no fall back plans to save their ass when things go south. If you have a fall back plan then you should generally come out of the experience relatively ok.
great topic...i was thinking about writing a "how to find a place to live" on the collage forum.
The first time i moved away was two years ago from my place to the city where my collage is and it has been the best move in my life. my parents are so old fashioned and it was really getting on my nerves...things like drinking problems, smoking, constant insulting and shit like that was the stuff I've been looking to get away from.
the first room I found was a small room 100m from the collage, in a house of an granny. the rent money was some 200 USD, i got to use the bathroom, toilet and was suppose to use the kitchen but the owner (granny) was like always there. as for the utilities i internet and heating. usually I would steal wireless signal from the TV station near my room. in the house next door the guy was a piano fixer, so i would sometimes play it, that made my day.
that was the good part, the bad part was that the granny was a religious freak. when my girl slept over and left, she said how bad that was and how big of a sinner i was and all of that crap. as she seen it all before. i got really pissed. i left after six months (when my semester ended and then moved back to my parents house for the summer holidays)
the next place i got was an apartment in a 6 level building, with two roommates and me living in the living room. i had to pay 150USD rent + utilities (sometimes 50 USD, sometimes 150 when the gas crysis emerged in Russia and we we're effected). I got to use the bathroom, kitchen and a terse. as for utilities i got heating and internet.
the landlord was a really great guy, he came over and asked if everything was okay, the prices was solid for an apartment of that quality. the problem came from a single roommate, he was 10 years older and such an asshole. His hi gene level was 0 and he came hopping into my room. i was having sex w/ my gf, he came in an started to eat a sandwich in my room. fuck that asshole.
so i found a new room now in the center of the city, with 5 min walk of the collage. I have all i need, two solid roommates and less money to pay. The landlord is a strict guy, but at least we singed a contract so he can't fuck me over. i like that. I'm moving there in two weeks, when the current user will move back home.
I am currently making only $20/hr at my job, working roughly 120 hours every 2 weeks, and I don't have a single problem financially. However this is in Canada. My rent is $625 and I have to pay for power (regulated in my apartment - low fee). At first, I had wayy too much money just sitting around, so I went out and got new furniture at rentacenter (tv / computer etc) .
The biggest problem i've had has just been looking towards the future. You gotta constantly be thinking about next months bills, and food, and how you are going to budget your money so you don't run into unexpected circumstances.
also Jayme is right, it's important to have at the very least 1 extra months rent in your account. Life throws curveballs , and you gotta be prepared no matter what. Just as an example, I decided to save 2 months rent in advance, and sure enough 1 week later someone frauded my debit card and stole $1000. If I didnt decide to save extra rent money, I probably would of been evicted as it took the bank a few weeks to get that money back to me. Always be prepared for something to happen, and you should never be in trouble.
a) How should you figure out what rent you will be able to afford? One thing I've heard is that your rent plus ammenities should be about 1/3 of your income. Is that fair? What else do you need to consider?
b) How important is it to have a landline? (I'm sure I'll be more interested in this than most of tl since I don't use my cell phone that much) Television? (Internet makes tv much less important for many people) What should you do about internet since you aren't going to be piggy backing on your parents or college internet anymore (this varies a lot by region I'm sure)?
c) How do you research housing in your area? For me, I've so far found the newspaper Newsday has a solid housing classified section every Friday. Craig's List has one as well, however I'm finding it annoying to browse since the towns are not organized in any reasonable way. Other ideas?
d) Other Ideas/Questions? .
a) yeah, 1/3 of the paycheck is a good measure. even less here, about 1/4. as the state pays the scholarship for the better students here, i don't have to play anything. my parent's pay for the rent but i cover it partially from the money i get from the country (fellowship).
b) it's very important to have internet access. if you wanna play SC, wireless will not cut it :D i require a table, chair, bed and a closet in my room. fuck TV.
c) two internet portals and a local newspaper which come out once a week (monday's)
working 60 hour weeks exigent? Yeah I imagine you wouldn't have any financial problems making 50-60k a year its quite a respectable salary
as to when someone should move out.. I dunno. I'm 21, I still live with my parents. Well granted, I live alone when I'm in school, and I've lived alone for a year before (although I'd visit my parents very often, once a month or so), but it's just impossible for me to afford my ridiculous tuition and rent, so I'm waiting until I graduate to 'fully' move out. As soon as I graduate though, the very first thing I'm doing is moving out :p
Good timing on the thread though, I'm packing right now for the fall semester.. moving tomorrow ^_^
Question on that 1/3 paycheque rule.. are we talking the biweekly paycheque? So 1/6th of your monthly salary overall? Seems a tad on the low side here if you are planning to live alone
I moved out since I went to college at age 20, I pay 214 euros a month for a bedroom and share the rest of the house with 3 housemates. This stuff is kind of the norm here when you go to university, don't live with your parents during college lol, that blows.
On September 13 2009 06:34 JeeJee wrote: Question on that 1/3 paycheque rule.. are we talking the biweekly paycheque? So 1/6th of your monthly salary overall? Seems a tad on the low side here if you are planning to live alone
What I mean is 1/3 of your entire income after taxes going to rent + utilities.
On September 13 2009 06:35 Frits wrote: don't live with their parents during college lol, that blows.
So true haha. I chose the furthest university I was accepted to!
Question on that 1/3 paycheque rule.. are we talking the biweekly paycheque? So 1/6th of your monthly salary overall? Seems a tad on the low side here if you are planning to live alone
1/3 of every pay period would be 1/3 of your total salary
I moved away to uni with my current gf at the time so we shared the burden i guess. Then after uni i moved back for a year with my parent. They supported me while i was looking for a serious job which i was qualifyed for. Also appartments are hard to find here, so if i was gonna rent a room from someone else i could just aswell live at home for free and save up some money for my appartment. After 6 months i got the job i wanted and another 6 months i got a perfect appartment for me. I had no troubles living at home for that period. (age 23-24)
I think it's perfectly okay to live with your parents until at least you can afford your own house.
I see dumb ass liberal kids all getting hyped about moving out as soon as they turn 18 and getting broke at the same time then fail what ever it is that they trying to do because they are broke.
The society has changed. It's just not practical to expect a kid to support himself and pursuing what ever it is he is pursuing at the same time.
Move out when you can at least put down a deposit on a house or you have 9 months of rent in your bank.
On September 13 2009 06:34 JeeJee wrote: working 60 hour weeks exigent? Yeah I imagine you wouldn't have any financial problems making 50-60k a year its quite a respectable salary
as to when someone should move out.. I dunno. I'm 21, I still live with my parents. Well granted, I live alone when I'm in school, and I've lived alone for a year before (although I'd visit my parents very often, once a month or so), but it's just impossible for me to afford my ridiculous tuition and rent, so I'm waiting until I graduate to 'fully' move out. As soon as I graduate though, the very first thing I'm doing is moving out :p
Good timing on the thread though, I'm packing right now for the fall semester.. moving tomorrow ^_^
Question on that 1/3 paycheque rule.. are we talking the biweekly paycheque? So 1/6th of your monthly salary overall? Seems a tad on the low side here if you are planning to live alone
yeah 12hrs a day 5 days a week out of town on whatever jobsite im at. Dunno if all the hard labour and hours away from home are worth it tho
Join the military. I actually just went down the Military Entrance Processing Station yesterday and got everything done. I got a 94 A.S.V.A.B. score but the Navy isn't offering anyone any jobs at the moment so I'm QNJ. I'm itching to get out of here, but its gonna be a 6-8 month wait I'm told.
Like the beach? Like sand? Come to the army or marines! Play in the sandbox!
Like living in close corridors with men? Like fucking cheap floosies when you're hammered? Were you ever in a frat? Join the navy!
On September 13 2009 08:06 SingletonWilliam wrote: Join the military. I actually just went down the Military Entrance Processing Station yesterday and got everything done. I got a 94 A.S.V.A.B. score but the Navy isn't offering anyone any jobs at the moment so I'm QNJ. I'm itching to get out of here, but its gonna be a 6-8 month wait I'm told.
Like the beach? Like sand? Come to the army or marines! Play in the sandbox!
Like living in close corridors with men? Like fucking cheap floosies when you're hammered? Were you ever in a frat? Join the navy!
This seems more like an ad for the military than advice relevant to this thread. And... a ridiculous one at that.
I might move out next year depending on how things go. I'm trying to plan ahead and explore my options but it's difficult when I don't know what my pay will be (or if by some chance I don't have pay!? D: ). I think it would be unwise for me to move out for the current year for a few reasons.
I guess I should estimate my paycheck for next year, subtract non-rent expenses and see if I have at least 1/3 of my pay plus a nice cushion. But, I've been at home for the past 2 full years since college (working and doing well) and still money is so easy come, easy go. Car loan/insurance, undergrad loans (not too bad since parents got a good chunk of it, but I've been helping them), grad school (paying out of pocket and it's 875/credit now D: ), and other expenses are REALLY adding up!
At least I'm saving some money on grad school by buying discounted credits from colleagues when available, and transferring in a few cheap credits from other institutions.
My advice: if you're sharing utility bills in a house or apartment, and you're the one who's actually paying them (and then collecting money from everyone else), ALWAYS get a deposit for the last month's utilities from ALL of your housemates.
Currently three people owe me a total of $200+ after they left and then refused to pay me for the last month's utilities. All three of them were normal, kind people. They would never cheat anyone out of money. Except that they did. That's why you should get the deposit from everyone.
On September 13 2009 12:18 Bill307 wrote: My advice: if you're sharing utility bills in a house or apartment, and you're the one who's actually paying them (and then collecting money from everyone else), ALWAYS get a deposit for the last month's utilities from ALL of your housemates.
Currently three people owe me a total of $200+ after they left and then refused to pay me for the last month's utilities. All three of them were normal, kind people. They would never cheat anyone out of money. Except that they did. That's why you should get the deposit from everyone.
Wow very good point. Exactly the type of information this thread is intended for!
EE-HAN-TIMING. I'm looking to move out for the very first time in the next three months. This thread has a lot of golden nuggets in it. Realistically, I'm going to have to get a roommate.
If you rent through a letting agency rather than direct from the landlord be a complete hardass with them from day 1. Hold them to the contract by the letter, insist on written warning etc before visits. I had a lot of trouble with an awful letting agency over the last year because they were really bad at their jobs. They phoned up one of my housemates and asked "if we did building works on the house when would be the best time?" and he said "I guess Easter because there would be less people here.". Easter comes round and builders arrive and start smashing shit up in my house while I'm still there and they start lying about how they consulted us and got our permission. Was shit like that over and over for a year. Don't let them get away with anything that's not in the contract and remember you can legally shut the door on your landlord or tell them to gtfo or you'll call the police if they're in breach of contract. I had a shitty year learning this lesson.
Rule #1: Never move in with your so-called "friends". That 3 week late payment on bills isn't helpful when you know within a week you have a new bill coming in and in all seriousness we should know that friend is not going to pay you the new bills current charges that same week.
Rule #2: Fuck roommates in general. Do you really want them hogging up your net? Do you really want them eating up your share of the food(last pizza slice anyone)? Do you really want them around when you been banging your girl down the whole weekend, or in some cases you having to hear them bang down some girl they picked up at a club, but still dont have no cash for utilities/rent.
Rule #3: Dont move in with a g/f unless your planning on getting married, and even in that situation who's planning on getting married when your young and still have lots of time in front of you with you and your new home.
On September 13 2009 14:35 Kwark wrote: If you rent through a letting agency rather than direct from the landlord be a complete hardass with them from day 1. Hold them to the contract by the letter, insist on written warning etc before visits. I had a lot of trouble with an awful letting agency over the last year because they were really bad at their jobs. They phoned up one of my housemates and asked "if we did building works on the house when would be the best time?" and he said "I guess Easter because there would be less people here.". Easter comes round and builders arrive and start smashing shit up in my house while I'm still there and they start lying about how they consulted us and got our permission. Was shit like that over and over for a year. Don't let them get away with anything that's not in the contract and remember you can legally shut the door on your landlord or tell them to gtfo or you'll call the police if they're in breach of contract. I had a shitty year learning this lesson.
Good point, but could you explain what a letting agency is exactly?
On September 13 2009 14:36 Kennelie wrote: Rule #2: Fuck roommates in general. Do you really want them hogging up your net? Do you really want them eating up your share of the food(last pizza slice anyone)? Do you really want them around when you been banging your girl down the whole weekend, or in some cases you having to hear them bang down some girl they picked up at a club, but still dont have no cash for utilities/rent.
Good point, but you do realize that this can be a big problem sometimes, right? Roommates are sometimes necessary. I found for the most part it wasn't hard to 'train' your roommates not to do stupid shit like eat your leftover pizza.... that is except for the one roommate I had who was on the wrestling team and would literally eat my leftover food in his sleep.
On September 13 2009 15:00 Nylan wrote: I moved out when I started college, and I'm paying for school myself. There's really no reason to stick around past a bachelor's degree.
Also, separate contracts are a beautiful, wonderful thing. Leap at such a chance, should one ever come your way.
This seems a little unfair (about not sticking around past the bachelors). Many people have college loans, have to pay for grad school (if they start it), and don't get a good job right away. How can they move out?
Can you explain what separate contracts are? You mean separate for each roommate?
I'm just about to move out, 20 years old and starting uni in my home town. I don't really have a main reason for moving out, my parents are great and I'm saving alot of money living here. But still it feels like you should try it and it's probably alot of fun living with other students and/or a roommate.
I'm going to try to get a place in the centre of the student-district downtown through the student organizations here. They basically own half the studentflats and dorms in town and are often cheap so it's a good deal if you can get it, but they cue you up after how long you've been a member so it could be tough. I'll know by tuesday so I'll let you know how it goes (if someone cares). If someone has any questions about this kind of thing (might be a bit of a unique thing for my town, Uppsala, not sure) I have alot of info about it.
Just to add to what has been said already about getting a deposit for the last months utility bills: I would recommend that if your lease is up or people are moving out (school year is over, people are finding new place next year, etc) that you do not be the last one out of the place.
My girlfriend was going to school out of town and she came back home once school was done. She had packed up all her stuff already but just required a truck to actually bring it back home. Sooo, when we went back to her apartment to get the stuff we found that many of her things had been "misplaced" by her roommates, who had already both moved out.
I understand that if something important was stolen you could take action but it was more the stuff that wasnt locked in her room that was taken, like: a cell phone charger that they all used for their phones (all had the same kind) ..perhaps they forgot who originally owned it?
Anyways, a few other really minor things were gone but the point is: if there are things that all roommates share, make sure you claim what is yours before everyone moves out!
On September 13 2009 14:36 Kennelie wrote: Rule #1: Never move in with your so-called "friends". That 3 week late payment on bills isn't helpful when you know within a week you have a new bill coming in and in all seriousness we should know that friend is not going to pay you the new bills current charges that same week.
Rule #2: Fuck roommates in general. Do you really want them hogging up your net? Do you really want them eating up your share of the food(last pizza slice anyone)? Do you really want them around when you been banging your girl down the whole weekend, or in some cases you having to hear them bang down some girl they picked up at a club, but still dont have no cash for utilities/rent.
Rule #3: Dont move in with a g/f unless your planning on getting married, and even in that situation who's planning on getting married when your young and still have lots of time in front of you with you and your new home.
No offense but you really really need better friends if this was really a problem.
I've been planning on moving out for a year now but it's kind of hard to even get a rental house (even though I have enough money) because I don't have an official income. Being a poker player it's hard to figure this shit out. I think once I get a nice place though I won't have problems financing it nor managing it, i.e. household tasks etc. I think I would do fine. Granted I turn 25 tomorrow so it's about time too.
On September 13 2009 14:36 Kennelie wrote: Rule #1: Never move in with your so-called "friends". That 3 week late payment on bills isn't helpful when you know within a week you have a new bill coming in and in all seriousness we should know that friend is not going to pay you the new bills current charges that same week.
Rule #2: Fuck roommates in general. Do you really want them hogging up your net? Do you really want them eating up your share of the food(last pizza slice anyone)? Do you really want them around when you been banging your girl down the whole weekend, or in some cases you having to hear them bang down some girl they picked up at a club, but still dont have no cash for utilities/rent.
Rule #3: Dont move in with a g/f unless your planning on getting married, and even in that situation who's planning on getting married when your young and still have lots of time in front of you with you and your new home.
No offense but you really really need better friends if this was really a problem.
My better minded friends moved in with their g/f's. Gradually throughout the time living with their g/f's they turned into miserable people and either separated and went back to living at home or either was mind fucked into having a family(heaven knows if that made their miserable life any better). The few friends I can count on living with have discussed in the passed about living together and it will never happen, we seem to get irritated very easily with each other after a few days of being around each other. It doesn't mean we hadn't lived together in the passed but it's in better terms if we didn't to not lead the relationship in a sour direction.
Good point, but you do realize that this can be a big problem sometimes, right? Roommates are sometimes necessary. I found for the most part it wasn't hard to 'train' your roommates not to do stupid shit like eat your leftover pizza.... that is except for the one roommate I had who was on the wrestling team and would literally eat my leftover food in his sleep.
I'm a lazy person and don't think I need to train another human being on doing what's right or wrong, as they shoulda been taught this while growing up. Plus I don't wanna feel as if I am better than the other person either as whenever I teach I seem to come off as I am on a high horse, and I know good and well I am nobody to be teaching anybody on how to live.
Adding to the laziness, I've came to realize I would rather just live in some broken down shack that I can afford to pay and cutting out having the roommate part to reduce in drama and worries. I keep it simple I guess and this works for me.
Happy B-day Twisted, and I am sure you can probably find a place without showing proof of income somewhere.
can anyone explain what deposit is, someone mentioned it regarding roommates not paying bills
Collecting a deposit beforehand is a good idea as this usually covers last month's bills along with next month's bills(depending on the amount of deposit collected) if the person isn't able to fully cover the costs of bills for the month they are moving in on. I might be wrong though lol.
On September 13 2009 22:48 micronesia wrote: This seems a little unfair (about not sticking around past the bachelors). Many people have college loans, have to pay for grad school (if they start it), and don't get a good job right away. How can they move out?
Can you explain what separate contracts are? You mean separate for each roommate?
You don't need a cushy job to move out. I know my job wasn't "good"...my day started at 3AM. By the time you have a degree, you are by all definitions an adult. If you are still hanging around your parents' place, then you are refusing to grow up. Just because it isn't easy doesn't mean you shouldn't be doing it.
Yeah, separate contracts means separate for each roommate. It eliminates the majority of roommate financial issues...but they're hard to come by.
I'm a student right now and I only make about 500-600 dollars a month working part time and going to classes, If someone would like to tell me how to move out of my parents house with just that I would like to see it.
On September 13 2009 05:19 Djabanete wrote: I became much happier as soon as I moved out of the house at the age of 19. Even though I go to college in the same town that I grew up in, and therefore could still live with my parents, I much prefer living with other students. My parents understand that and we still see each other pretty often. I live in a house with 5 awesome guys, we're all third- and fourth-years, and we all get along really well. It's a great atmosphere. Because there are 6 of us, rent is not too bad (for Berkeley, that is), and living in a real house beats the hell out of living in an apartment or a dorm (we lucked out). We're on the opposite side of campus from all the football/fraternity nonsense, so the only time it's noisy is when we throw our own parties
Best way to live at college IMO is to plan ahead with 3-5 people you like a lot and find a nice flat. Keep it tidy and it can be a really great place to live during your college years!
[brag] Every time people come over they comment on how nice our place is =D [/brag]
This is pretty much my scenario except I live with 2 other guys instead of 5 and it's in an apartment. Apartments aren't too bad. Mostly everyone in the complex will be really cool and laid back and sometimes you can throw floor parties(everyone on your floor buys kegs and there's music in the halls, ect) which are hella fun. We are definitely on the tamer side of town but we still know a good amount of houses that will still throw parties on weekends and the walk to the other side of campus is only 20 minutes max (usually more like 15). I still think you should wait to move out until you are sure you're ready. I've seen many people move out when the only thing that was holding them back from going completely apeshit and doing stupid stuff that gets them into a lot of trouble was living at home with their parents. Just remember to keep your life in order and keep the partying moderated. (this is mostly referring to college kids)
On September 14 2009 01:02 heyoka wrote: living with other people is the best thing ever wtf is wrong with you people
Clearly you've been lucky in the past. It isn't always good. Sometimes it's absolutely horrible. Don't be silly and say it is the best thing ever.
On September 14 2009 01:01 Code wrote: Just to add to what has been said already about getting a deposit for the last months utility bills: I would recommend that if your lease is up or people are moving out (school year is over, people are finding new place next year, etc) that you do not be the last one out of the place.
My girlfriend was going to school out of town and she came back home once school was done. She had packed up all her stuff already but just required a truck to actually bring it back home. Sooo, when we went back to her apartment to get the stuff we found that many of her things had been "misplaced" by her roommates, who had already both moved out.
I understand that if something important was stolen you could take action but it was more the stuff that wasnt locked in her room that was taken, like: a cell phone charger that they all used for their phones (all had the same kind) ..perhaps they forgot who originally owned it?
Anyways, a few other really minor things were gone but the point is: if there are things that all roommates share, make sure you claim what is yours before everyone moves out!
Good point, but you do realize that this can be a big problem sometimes, right? Roommates are sometimes necessary. I found for the most part it wasn't hard to 'train' your roommates not to do stupid shit like eat your leftover pizza.... that is except for the one roommate I had who was on the wrestling team and would literally eat my leftover food in his sleep.
I'm a lazy person and don't think I need to train another human being on doing what's right or wrong, as they shoulda been taught this while growing up. Plus I don't wanna feel as if I am better than the other person either as whenever I teach I seem to come off as I am on a high horse, and I know good and well I am nobody to be teaching anybody on how to live.
Adding to the laziness, I've came to realize I would rather just live in some broken down shack that I can afford to pay and cutting out having the roommate part to reduce in drama and worries. I keep it simple I guess and this works for me.
I don't mean training them on what's right or wrong. I mean training them to coexist with you. Two very different things... although usually the things they are doing wrong would be considered by many to be 'bad.' I totally understand if you don't want roommates and you want to avoid all this, etc, but you can't always do it.
On September 14 2009 01:41 Art.FeeL wrote: can anyone explain what deposit is, someone mentioned it regarding roommates not paying bills
Suppose I am going to rent you an apartment for a few years. Before you move in you will pay me your first month's rent. However, I will probably require a 'deposit' also which means you pay me another month's worth of rent. Let's say you live there for one year. At the end of the last month, after you've moved out without breaking anything I'll give you back the deposit and we'll be even money again.
On September 13 2009 22:48 micronesia wrote: This seems a little unfair (about not sticking around past the bachelors). Many people have college loans, have to pay for grad school (if they start it), and don't get a good job right away. How can they move out?
Can you explain what separate contracts are? You mean separate for each roommate?
You don't need a cushy job to move out. I know my job wasn't "good"...my day started at 3AM. By the time you have a degree, you are by all definitions an adult. If you are still hanging around your parents' place, then you are refusing to grow up. Just because it isn't easy doesn't mean you shouldn't be doing it.
This is the mindset I still don't totally understand. How do you make this work? If you can't get a job in your field which pays decently, and let's say you bite the bullet and get some retail or other job that is not that much above minimum wage, then how are you going to pay for rent, plus student loans, plus car insurance and other expenses? It just won't work unless you get a great deal with several other roommates or something like that (and even still is questionable).... is that what you mean? Also, living at home a few years may make it much easier for you to build up your credit and gain long-term financial independence/power, so there is more to staying home than just refusing to grow up...
On September 14 2009 02:37 ProdT wrote: I'm a student right now and I only make about 500-600 dollars a month working part time and going to classes, If someone would like to tell me how to move out of my parents house with just that I would like to see it.
I think most people are referring to 'after college' rather than during college. If you can live away from home during college it's awesome, especially if your parents help you out with the expenses. You can also possibly include the cost into your college loans. Of course it all depends.
4 of my friends, ages 18 to 19, live in a doublewide trailer together. When I was up in NY still, I used to be over at that place like 24/7, slept there more than I did at my own house. They all (living there more than a year so far) fucking love it, not too expensive, just big enough to throw parties and out in the nowhere so you can't really get in trouble for much.
It's actually the house Bill (one of them) used to live in with his parents, then they moved to Florida and he stayed behind (Bill graduates, parents move out, what a baller). They are all pretty much like the nerdy-gamer-socially-awkward people, which is great because I am too (socially awkward especially). I was going to stay up there until we all decided that 5 people in a doublewide isn't going to work, lol. TJ is sleeping in the kitchen as it is.
Fuck I miss that place so much = [
Relevant to the thread: I will be moving back to NY a little after I turn 18, going to be moving in with two of my friends in an apartment. Due to the G.I. bill, I pretty much don't even have to work for the first two years of college, all of it is payed for (as well as room and board, books, etc). After that, I'll be moving to Canada, hopefully to further my education and live there permenantly. Of course, for my first 2 years, I will probably still have a job anyway. As much as I like not having to work (aside from school work and studying, of course), I still do want to not waste my time around the house while everyone is at work, I might as well get money in the bank. I know I'll need it down the line ' -'a
Figure out whether you are the anal housekeeping type, or the relaxed housekeeping type, then only take roommates that are the same type, otherwise you will be at eachothers throats within 6 months. Just because someone is your friend doesn't mean they wont drive you absolutely insane or respect your space. Personally I'm the kind of person who doesn't mind a mess, but will clean it when its there and I have time. I can't stand living with people who are anal about shit like doing dishes.
Everything else seems pretty obvious to me here. Weigh the cost/benefits of each scenario and make a decision. I decided to live at home for college simply because the cost of living where I am from is so high that you would have to work at least 30-40 hours a week to pay for everything yourself (add homework and class and you officially have no downtime and lack of sleep). Residence is somewhat affordable, however I would rather drive 15 minutes and get free food and a queen size bed as well as silence and workspace if I need it. I also can only tolerate living with relaxed people, and my family happens to be ridiculously relaxed. (I have brought girlfriends home, slept with them, and then eaten breakfast with her & my family doesn't have a problem with it). I guess if you are one for promiscuous behaviors then you probably should get your own place. Personally I only fuck people I'm dating, and I have no problem introducing them to my parents. I know alot of people out there have parents that make them crazy, and after meeting some of them I can definitely say that I am grateful for my family being so chill.
On September 14 2009 05:03 Wr3k wrote: Figure out whether you are the anal housekeeping type, or the relaxed housekeeping type, then only take roommates that are the same type, otherwise you will be at eachothers throats within 6 months. Just because someone is your friend doesn't mean they wont drive you absolutely insane or respect your space. Personally I'm the kind of person who doesn't mind a mess, but will clean it when its there and I have time. I can't stand living with people who are anal about shit like doing dishes.
What about if you are somewhere in the middle? Also, it's often difficult to judge what roommates will be like in this regard. No matter how hard you try it always seems like a bit of a crapshoot with roommates sharing a kitchen and other common areas.
I absolutely hated living with other people. I am a neat person, but I am not anal about it. I don't mind doing chores and tidy up after myself. I also always pay my bills and don't nick food. However, I went through a succession of housemates during University who thought that it was fine to come in at 4am and yell at *me* when I asked them to turn down their music and stop running up and down the stairs/slamming doors when I had work the next day. Sadly the only girl I got on with aside from my lovely coursemate who lived upstairs and whose room we could just chill in watching TV and playing Nintendogs, failed her course and moved away ;_; There was one other guy who also never caused any problems and a girl who was always at her boyfriend's house. I think my last arrangement living with those three just before moving to Korea was the best. The first three housemates were nightmares - one of them even tried to force his way into my room during an argument. He was scary as hell.
I am so, so glad to live in a goshiwon now - I have everything I need in my own little room. The place is really nice and peaceful/quiet and it's cheap. I do miss my Mum (because she is after all thousands of miles away.) but at the same time having lived away from home for the past six years I do love my freedom.
On September 14 2009 01:01 Code wrote: I would recommend that if your lease is up or people are moving out (school year is over, people are finding new place next year, etc) that you do not be the last one out of the place.
To add to this: the last person to move out is also at risk of being left to clean everything.
On the up side, you get to take home all the little things people leave behind: soap, paper towels, garbage bags, cleaners, toilet paper, even lightbulbs.
(Yes, I actually know a guy who brought like 8 fluorescent bulbs with him when he moved in, then took them all back when he moved out. Fucker owes me $120 in utilities and he never cleaned anything before he left, either.)
On September 14 2009 04:28 micronesia wrote: This is the mindset I still don't totally understand. How do you make this work? If you can't get a job in your field which pays decently, and let's say you bite the bullet and get some retail or other job that is not that much above minimum wage, then how are you going to pay for rent, plus student loans, plus car insurance and other expenses? It just won't work unless you get a great deal with several other roommates or something like that (and even still is questionable).... is that what you mean? Also, living at home a few years may make it much easier for you to build up your credit and gain long-term financial independence/power, so there is more to staying home than just refusing to grow up...
To be honest, you should have been working on all this while earning your undergraduate degree (not to mention all the summers you could have been working). You're behind if you haven't reached any sort of financial independence by the time grad school rolls around. Admittedly, yeah, there's a lot more to it than that, and no it isn't easy. There are just too many people who ride on their parents' coattails for far longer than they should.
When you have an undergraduate degree you simply no longer have any sort of moral justification for sucking off of your parents' resources. If that means a cheaper car, or a worse place to live, or some midnight shifts in the mean time, then it's only fair. They've been paying for you for their whole lives, and you've got a freaking college degree. People support families off of less.
Overall, I think I've been lucky with the random people I've been stuck living with over the last 6 years. I've lived with some characters and have a number of stories, though.
I once lived at a place where the refridgerator was so old, it was literally raining inside the fridge! Moisture would enter through gaps in the door, condense on the top of the fridge, and rain down onto the food below. When we asked the landlord (who lived there the month before) about it, she said she and the other tenants simply covered all their food with plastic bags.
At that same place, the washing machine was so old that it wouldn't run unless you stood beside it and manually pressed-in the progress knob. For the entire 30-minute cycle. We did get both the fridge and washing machine replaced, though.
You know the out-pipe from the washing machine? You know how it has to be kept above the level of the washing machine, because there is no valve or anything to separate it from the water inside the machine (so the water would just pour out if it wasn't high enough)? Well, when the aforementioned new washing machine arrived, the landlord used a single strip of duct tape to "secure" the out-pipe. Tape got wet. Tape fell off during a wash cycle while I was upstairs. Washing machine proceeded to flood the basement for the next ~20 minutes before I came down to take my clothes out. Literally: there was about 2 inches / 5 cm of water on the ground, and the basement drain was clogged from all the dryer lint that people kept leaving on the ground. The landlord then tried to make me pay for the water damage even though her negligence caused it, whereas there was nothing I could've realistically done to stop it. -_-
I was actually renting this place with a couple of my friends. It was great for about 1 week. Then my friends discovered mould growing all over the walls in their basement rooms. As it turned out, the previous landlord had painted over the mould just before selling the place to the current, newbie landlord, and the mould didn't grow through until now. It was so bad my friends would wake up each morning feeling like they were ill, so they cancelled the lease and moved out. And the newbie landlord got stuck with having to pay for the walls to be torn down and replaced to make those rooms inhabitable again.
Moving on, there was a guy I lived with who once said to me, "Bill, I'm going to die tonight." He was driving to Toronto that evening to see his girlfriend, and it was snow and freezing rain outside. I told him he just had to drive slowly and he'd be fine. He comes home the next day in a different car. Apparently he hit black ice on the highway. While travelling at 140 km/s. Smart guy.
This guy also used to think that the thermostat worked by pushing the needle all the way to the right to turn it to "full power". Of course, this really meant turning the heat and AC up to 40 Celsius. He did this repeatedly, and we explained it to him repeatedly. He lived with us for 8 months and never figured it out.
This guy had a tendancy to buy bags of apples, eat like 2 apples from them, then put the rest in the fridge. When he moved out, another housemate and I decided to clean out the fridge. We discovered that literally 1/3 of the fridge was filled with bags of rotting apples. This explained the odour, which was so bad that anything not-airtight would literally taste like rotting food after spending a day in the fridge.
I lived with a girl who got SUPER PISSED at me once for moving her clothes out of the dryer so I could put mine in. Even though she would move my clothes out all the time. By the way, this girl moved in after the previous tenant moved out with a $94 debt to me in utiliites. She was sympathetic and thought it was terrible that someone would cheat me out of money like that. She even spoke to the previous tenant and told her she should pay me. She later disappeared while owing me $33 in utilities.
Speaking of living with your gf, I once shared a house with a random guy, his girlfriend, and another random. The guy and girl broke up during the first week of the year-long lease. They actually managed to live together through make-ups and break-ups for the next 6 months before the girl just stopped coming home one day. It didn't help that the guy was paying for ALL the girl's rent and utilities, and he had to continue paying her share even after she left.
I once lived in a house where, in order to lock the front door, you had to hold it shut as you turned the lock. 6 other people lived there at various times, but only 2 of them ever figured out how to lock the door.
I lived at a place where the 8-year-old boys across the street once asked my 20-year-old female housemate to have sex with them. And they were serious. I'm pretty sure they were from the white trash families living across the street. Every few days, the ~8-year-old kids would be off playing somewhere, and this fat ugly mother would waddle outside and yell at them: "IF YOU KIDS DON'T GET THE FUCK OVER HERE RIGHT NOW, I'M GOING TO BREAK YOUR FUCKING NECKS!!" Repeatedly, until she got tired and went back inside. Those families scared me.
Omg, Bill307, much repect to you for dealing with all that crap.
I would like to hear some stories of living in dorms from people with experience. Is it fun, annoying etc? I realize that it depends on the standard of the place and the people you live with but what is the general feeling about it here?
Moved to my own place 2 weeks ago. It´s okay really, has it´s upsides and downsides. Don´t have any friends here though, not that I really had them before.
At 23, I really wanna move out of home. I see it as a step towards true independance. When I tell someone I'm living it home, it makes me look immature and unable to look after myself. Most of my friends have already moved out of home as well.
The problem is that as a med student, I dont exactly have a reasonable income and my free time for working is almost non-existant. Whats worse is that I wont have finished my degree until im 27 years old.
At the end of the year, im hoping to grab a few friends and move out. However I have no idea how i'm going to manage financially.
On September 14 2009 18:07 emucxg wrote: damn I wanna move out too, in Finland government support young student to move away from their parents and basically they will pay for your rent...
On September 14 2009 02:37 ProdT wrote: I'm a student right now and I only make about 500-600 dollars a month working part time and going to classes, If someone would like to tell me how to move out of my parents house with just that I would like to see it.
I live on my own and go to school making about 600~ ish a month.
I pay my own rent which is 400~ a month and have 3 roommats. We all have different leases so if one person misses rent it doesn't effect everyone. We have basic cable, good internet, and a washer and drier in the apartment itself. (I find this last thing to be super important, going to a laundromat would suck)
I realize that my rent is a bunch more than 1/3 my income, but it's still not that bad.
As for roommate trouble I don't have much really. No one eats anyone's food. We each have our own area of the cabinets and cupboard where you keep your food and stuff. There's some things we all pitch in for like dishwasher soap, paper towels and condiments.
I find that living on my own is 100% better than living with my parents and would do almost anything to not go back.
Since my rent is pretty high compared to my income, starting this week I am 'donating' plasma for some extra cash (3x a week)!
Also, if you wanted to spend less money on rent some of my friends down here are only paying 300~ a month in rent. (With 3 roommates)
So basically, grab some good roommates that you can get along with and make sure you all have different leases.
On September 13 2009 05:02 micronesia wrote: Topic 1: Getting away from your parents:
But generally, what are you thoughts on when you should get out of the house? Also, if moving away from 'home' is going to be very difficult... how willing should you be to make sacrifices?
If you have a comfortable home life, meaning your family is accommodating of your schedules and habits, then moving out isn't a big priority. When I moved out the first time, it was a few months after I had finished college. The job market in California was tanking, and my best friend who was going to university in Michigan assured me that I'd be able to find work there as a graphic designer since that job market was virtually untapped in that state (hint: it wasn't). I moved out there and he became my roommate (tip: never ever make your best friend your roommate, people even told me not to but I did anyway). There were several things that we agreed upon outright: 1) high-speed internet access, this was a necessity. 2) affordable rent (ours was about 500/month in total) 3) no unnecessary costs -- this meant no landlines among other things. 4) no stealing food. Anyway, that arrangement didn't last long and I moved back to California after about 6 months.
All I knew when I moved out was that I didn't want to live by myself, but I also didn't want to live with a random person. Solution: meet a girl on the internet, make her your girlfriend, and have her move in. It's what I did and that's been the case for like 4 years running haha.
Topic 2: Options for moving out:
What are some more realistic options? Are there any purchasing options that are reasonable, or is it pretty much 100% renting? The renting options I've personally begun to explore are 1 bedroom apartments (many types of course), studio apartments (generally cheaper), and larger apartments shared by multiple people (most cost effective, but risky). Which are the best ones to explore for the area you are looking into? Why? Some other things to consider: parking availability (lots of parking ticket threads on tl lol), pets (big issue in many places), smoking (big issue in many places), which ammenities are included (heat, water, electricity, tv, phone, internet, etc).
When I moved out the second time, with my girlfriend, neither of us were very picky about any of that. We got a Jr 1-bedroom (about 550 sq.ft., so pretty small, it was 1bdrm/0.5bath + one living room and a tiny kitchen) for $960/mo. She had to look for work in the area and ended up getting a pretty crappy job that stressed her out, while I still had my job in the game industry. Because of my earlier principles for moving, it was already predetermined that we'd be getting a place to ourselves, so it was just a matter of what we could afford. The one stipulation was again high speed internet, but everything beyond that was up in the air. We had to go to the laundry room for laundry (though that's better than going to a laundromat), and no amenities were covered.
I would never live in a house or large apartment with multiple roommates, though I know a lot of coworkers who do that and they say it's convenient enough for them. There are privacy concerns, social tensions, relationship woes, fights over resources like the washer or kitchen, just so many potential problems. Talking to this guy about how his girlfriend dumped him, hearing about that guy getting drunk at a party, fighting with this other guy about using the oven. I could never handle that.
When we moved into our current place, location was a much bigger factor. It had to be somewhere close to where I work (so no more 30 min commutes), somewhere close to stores and food, and close to potential areas where my girlfriend could get a job (and she found one only a mile away). We were more demanding with amenities as well: this one has a washer/dryer, a dishwasher which we didn't have before, a stove and oven that cook much better, and a much larger fridge/freezer. It's also a lot bigger in general by comparison (900 sq.ft.). They also allow one pet, so we domesticated a stray cat. This place also has private individual garages for each apartment, so I'm never fighting for parking, and that in itself has proven to be pretty excellent.
Topic 3: Who to live with:
For those of us who don't have a significant other, we are faced with the choice of either moving into a new place alone, or rooming with others (if you have a gf then the two of you will probably both work and have more options available). Lets rule out accomodations where residents don't have their own bedroom (like third roommate crashing on the living room couch). What are your thoughts about the need to have a/several roommate(s) early in your life/career? How nice is it to live alone? How important is it not to be by yourself? Is it usually too hard to move out without a roommate?
If you are a very private person who isn't lonely, then maybe living alone is for you. Otherwise I'm quite happy with my situation.
Topic 4: Short term vs Long term plans:
Is some housing good if you only plan to live somewhere for a short period of time (1 year, 2 years, etc), while other housing is better if there's a good chance you won't want to move for many years? (Obvious example is buying a house, but most of us can't do that). I've also met people who purchase, and then rent rooms out to college students, friends, etc, which I suppose is another option. What are some important long-term plans you should think about before you take any action with moving out? Or, should you do something which works in the short term and worry about the long term later?
I'd say get what you can afford in the first couple of years while still being able to save up some money, then upgrade to somewhere you'll be more comfortable. The place I have now is pretty nice, but the woman is already suggesting a house which is completely unaffordable...
Topic 5: Rules of thumb:
I've heard some rules of thumb... and I also think this might be the place to respond to what could be considered an FAQ. Some items:
a) How should you figure out what rent you will be able to afford? One thing I've heard is that your rent plus ammenities should be about 1/3 of your income. Is that fair? What else do you need to consider?
In most of the country, yes this is fair. However, in California this is completely unreasonable, especially for young renters/lessees who aren't making $70-80k a year. Fortunately, a lot of apartment offices understand this and don't make it a requirement. Just be smart with your money and save as much as you can in case something dire happens like losing your job or becoming hospitalized.
b) How important is it to have a landline? (I'm sure I'll be more interested in this than most of tl since I don't use my cell phone that much) Television? (Internet makes tv much less important for many people) What should you do about internet since you aren't going to be piggy backing on your parents or college internet anymore (this varies a lot by region I'm sure)?
I never had a landline in any of my places. It's just not important at all anymore. I pretty much hate cell phones but that's my primary medium of communication. It's cheaper than a landline and quite obviously more mobile.
c) How do you research housing in your area? For me, I've so far found the newspaper Newsday has a solid housing classified section every Friday. Craig's List has one as well, however I'm finding it annoying to browse since the towns are not organized in any reasonable way. Other ideas?
Craigslist, rent.com, apartments.com, yelp, classifieds, there are lots of options. I think we found this one on Craigslist, and the others I just went driving around looking for renting signs.
On September 14 2009 21:40 Makhno wrote: Omg, Bill307, much repect to you for dealing with all that crap.
I would like to hear some stories of living in dorms from people with experience. Is it fun, annoying etc? I realize that it depends on the standard of the place and the people you live with but what is the general feeling about it here?
Meh, I had it easy. One of my friends told me a story from when he shared an apartment with a few random students. One night his suitemates decided to host a party while he was out. However, they needed to make more room. My friend came home at 4 am, ready to fall asleep, only to discover his bedroom door torn off and ALL of the furniture and other stuff in the apartment tossed on his bed.
Dorms are hit-and-miss, in my experience. For my freshman year, I was in a dorm with about 20 other guys and girls. It was a great and memorable experience. Everyone was friendly and we'd often play console games, watch movies, or have mini-parties in our shared lounge. A couple of the guys were taking the same classes as me, so we'd help each other out with our difficult homework, as well. The only downside was this one trouble-making girl on the top floor, and that was it.
It was so great that in my 2nd year, I decided to reapply for a dorm room. I ended up sharing the dorm with 1 friend and ~20 random upper-year students. That group of students was the complete opposite of the first years I'd lived with before.
In general, no one in the dorm talked to anyone else. The common lounge was always empty. Aside from my friend, I think I talked to just 1-2 other good people.
My friend, who lived on the 1st floor, definitely had a worse experience than me. In addition to living below a couple of students who would party every night (more on them later), he lived beside a guy who would often forget to turn off his alarm before leaving in the morning. So my friend, who had his first class around 11 am, would be forced to wake up around 8 am by this guy's alarm. It would ring non-stop for the next 2 hours, precluding any chance of going back to sleep. After a couple of weeks he finally caught up with the guy and asked him to please stop leaving his alarm on. Instead, the guy started leaving his alarm on almost every day.
As for myself, I lived on the 2nd floor. My neighbours were fine, but the aforementioned party-ers were a problem. Every day they would get drunk and smoke pot in their dormroom (which was forbidden). They would also puke in or on the toilets and leave without flushing or cleaning them, respectively. The air flow in the building ran from inside the dormrooms, into the halls, and into some intake vents in the bathroom. This meant that all the odours from their room would spread throughout the halls. At some hours, the smell was so bad you literally couldn't inhale it without puking yourself. Finally, after receiving numerous complaints, some residence dons went to check on them. They entered their room, but the guys weren't home. It looked like a disaster. They described the smell inside the room as "urine mixed with vomit". But it was the end of the term already, so those guys never got kicked out.
As for who to live with, here's how I'd rank your choices:
long term, serious girlfriend > alone > random grad students (personally, my best experiences were living with grad students, but it only works out if you're not planning on hosting parties or coming home drunk, etc.) > friends > random undergrad students > short term girlfriend (never move in with this)
(This isn't based on much, though, so don't take it too seriously. )
Personally, I think living with your friends can be one of your best options, as long as they are friends you met in college/university and know well. This is because, like girlfriends, when you enter college or university, your friend options become 10x better. Not to mention, many people change after they leave high school.
Even if you have a bad experience with your friends -- which is still pretty likely -- at least you can ensure you won't be living with people who flat-out don't respect you or are idiots.
Another option is a 2-person apartment, where one tenant owns the apartment and rents the other room out to you. However, I've heard only bad stories from my friends who've lived in this kind of arrangement. (Actually, the owner was always a woman in these stories...)
One woman gave my friend a 10:00 pm curfew for coming home, since she went to bed early and didn't want to be woken up by someone coming home. One woman kicked my friend out (forcing him to live for 2 weeks in a US hotel) because her cat kept pissing him off and one day he shouted at it once. One woman, a student, wouldn't allow my friend to have ANYONE come over. (As my friend put it: "Just because she doesn't have any friends, I'm not allowed to have any over?")
Okay, thanks alot for sharing your experiences. I'm mainly interested in renting a 2-person apartment with a close friend (doesn't study and has steady income which I feel is a big plus). How it's going to work I'm not really sure of yet, if someone is going to be like the main tenant and the other rent from him or if we're going to co-sign it in some way. It's from a student organization so it's kind of special.
If we dont get that I'm probably going to get a dorm room. What you wrote about parties and stuff seem very random depending on the other people living there so I'll guess I'm going to do some research about what people live there first (like what year they're at, what they're studying, stuff like that). Feels like it's a big difference between living with med-students and people who study more random stuff. Thing is I'm not really sure if I want to live with people who party or study (to take it to extremes), I haven't really figured out how demanding my own program is
Btw your stories are crazy, haha. The dorm of doom!
On September 13 2009 05:02 micronesia wrote: Topic 1: Getting away from your parents:
Depends on you. I personally can't imagine still living with my parents for more than a year or two after I graduate college. Partially because my old room is now my little brother's room and I'm kicking him out every time I visit home.
Topic 2: Options for moving out:
Don't buy a home right out of college. Even if you can afford it, all it'll do is tie you down to where you bought it. Probably high on the list of bad ideas. As for the apartments themselves, you'll get a feel of what's important to you as you move around. Just go around and visit places that sound promising.
Topic 3: Who to live with:
For those of us who don't have a significant other, we are faced with the choice of either moving into a new place alone, or rooming with others (if you have a gf then the two of you will probably both work and have more options available). Lets rule out accomodations where residents don't have their own bedroom (like third roommate crashing on the living room couch). What are your thoughts about the need to have a/several roommate(s) early in your life/career? How nice is it to live alone? How important is it not to be by yourself? Is it usually too hard to move out without a roommate?
Having roommates makes life much easier. Exactly who to room with is a question for you to answer yourself, since everyone's different. I've never had problems living with my friends. After living in doubles all my college life I'm pretty sure I'll be looking for a single if the money allows it - gotta love not worrying about getting sexiled or staying up late or a sick roommate that you can't get away from.
Topic 4: Short term vs Long term plans:
You're young, you can worry about long term plans after you get married. If I were you I'd find a place with nice sound isolation and get plastered every night. Or just play starcraft on max volume. Honestly I don't know where i'll be in five years either, so I just choose not to lock myself into a decision I might later regret.
Topic 5: Rules of thumb:
I've heard some rules of thumb... and I also think this might be the place to respond to what could be considered an FAQ. Some items:
a) How should you figure out what rent you will be able to afford? One thing I've heard is that your rent plus ammenities should be about 1/3 of your income. Is that fair? What else do you need to consider?
b) How important is it to have a landline? (I'm sure I'll be more interested in this than most of tl since I don't use my cell phone that much) Television? (Internet makes tv much less important for many people) What should you do about internet since you aren't going to be piggy backing on your parents or college internet anymore (this varies a lot by region I'm sure)?
c) How do you research housing in your area? For me, I've so far found the newspaper Newsday has a solid housing classified section every Friday. Craig's List has one as well, however I'm finding it annoying to browse since the towns are not organized in any reasonable way. Other ideas?
a. Sounds about right. b. I don't have a landline. comcast and att are everywhere. c. craigslist, classifieds, all good. If you have friends in the area you want to move to it'd help to ask them too.
I've been living in different places pretty much my whole life, I've got so many stories and experiences to share. It's hard just keeping track of the order of all this:
Lived with immediate family in Oregon in a small house in Bend for first 3 years of my life In Redding CA for a short time with relatives i believe for a year or less larger house in Medford / for about 5 years. some parents' friends lived with us for a short time Parents separated and lived with mom and sisters in small duplex in Medford (dad moved to seattle for a year or something) for 2 years parents back together in a large house in Medford for a year or less Large house in Grants Pass OR for a year or less parents separated again and moved to so cal with relatives in a townhouse/condo Huntington Beach CA for a half a year moved into a larger house with them in Cypress CA for a year Parents back together again in the old townhouse neighborhood in HB CA lived here for 6 years parents split final time and moved to big grandparents house nearby, elder sister moved out on her own with random college peoples for 1-2 years stayed with aunt/uncle for about a month in Sunset Beach CA in apt Next moved up to Sacramento CA (north highlands area) in apt with my dad and lil sis, she was homesick and moved back after a while. a year maybe? Moved with dad to small back/side house in Rocklin CA (where he worked) for a year or two Came back to grandparents house with mom and sis for a year I think Moved in with friends to small apt Westminster/Santa Ana CA in very dangerous mexican neighborhood. about a year here got lost on foot one day and ended up at my sister's and dad's condo in Costa Mesa CA, ended up staying there. 6 months i think Later we moved to a larger condo in the same complex. 2 years maybe? older sister moved out again and dad moved to Lake Forest CA I stayed with friend again who moved into nice condo this time. back and forth a bit from there and g-parents house. Then now I live in Long Beach CA with a friend.
I've probably got enough stories already to fill a book, which zulu suggested that I write on IRC once. lol
So I'll just start with some advice. Keep your shit organized, don't fucking eat other people's food, don't fuck with people's things (this includes borrowing scissors or pens or whatever), always let your roomates know that people are coming over to play poker/drink or whatever in advance, never expect other people to clean anything (I think its been proven that publicly owned things tend to get trashed and not taken care of as opposed to privately owned), pay your dues on time/make sure others do as well. And lastly there will be disagreements and conflicts no matter what. Even with friends they will have habits that piss you off and vise versa, I think the key is to just be amiable about it. Don't waste your time beating around the bush or having huge arguments about leaving shavings on the sink, or dirty dishes that mold over. Just handle the problem yourself and let the person know they should put in some work every once in a while. My current roomie is a lazy slob and has taken the trash out maybe 5 times and done the dishes maybe twice for the almost year that i've lived with him. He's even hired maids a few times and payed my gf to clean his room LOL. He told me that he does laundry like once every 2 months.
On September 14 2009 18:07 emucxg wrote: damn I wanna move out too, in Finland government support young student to move away from their parents and basically they will pay for your rent...
BUT my parents don't allowed me to move =(((
maybe because I'm Asian =(
I WANNA FREEDOM...!!!
Come to Singapore. When you turn 18 you move out of your parents' house and move in with 10 other guys 5 days a week for 2 years. At the end of that time, either you'll be desperate to move back with your parents or your parents will be desperate to get rid of you.
On September 14 2009 18:07 emucxg wrote: damn I wanna move out too, in Finland government support young student to move away from their parents and basically they will pay for your rent...
BUT my parents don't allowed me to move =(((
maybe because I'm Asian =(
I WANNA FREEDOM...!!!
if you are doing University of Applied Sciences or just University studies your parents can't deny moving (because you are close to 20 years). Support from government is good.
But if you are below 18 (lukio or amis student) most parents wont let you move out because government support is bad. Don't whine just wait and after school go to army.
On September 18 2009 10:07 rugmonkey wrote: Moving out to uni tomorrow althougth I don't think that this technically qualifies as moving into my own place.
On September 18 2009 10:07 rugmonkey wrote: Moving out to uni tomorrow althougth I don't think that this technically qualifies as moving into my own place.
same here same here. haahhhh FREEDOM ALAS!
Cool where you going? Going to london so is well daunting but freshers weeks should be immense.
On September 14 2009 17:04 Bill307 wrote: While travelling at 140 km/s. Smart guy.
And more than 400 times faster than the speed of sound :D!? Funny typo .
I'm actually in the process of moving out. Simply because I'm able to support myself and I want more privacy than I currently have. Also, it's kind of pathetic when your mother is telling you to bring down your dirty laundry and, without realising it herself, treats you like you're 14 even though you're 22. Hope I'm not alone in that situation...
I don't want to live with others, at all. I think the best thing is to just live in proximity of other people you know. But not too close. Just so you know that you can go there (or they can come to you) and have fun but you don't have to see them everyday and give random excuses when you want to be alone etc.
I left my parents and my home country to study, it wasnt hard thing to do because my brother already was in Germany. I picked up Deutschland because I finished a high school in Bulgaria with german as a profile, so I didnt had to make any further exams, I just could go wherever I want like if I finished a german school.
When I got in Freiburg, was stuck for good or for bad with my brother and we shared a small apartment for more than a year. After he finished his studies here, he moved out and I had to find a new place. I ended up in a campus surrounded by ppl from around the world and I like it very much. To think about it, it wasnt much of a problem to move my stuff from bulgaria to germany, but for the year I was here I bought many things, so it was a pain in the ass to organize and move everything alone, but still its not a big deal.
Usually I travel to Bulgaria twice a year - the plane ticket is not that expansive, its just that I dont really need to be there much longer. My parents are very supportive although I'm sort of struggling with my studies. Its hard to say what I'm going to do once I'm done here, but I have 2 good years to think about it. I'm ok with traveling and living in different places, but coming back to Bulgaria is always an option - I do want to pay my taxes there some day
On September 18 2009 23:58 Chill wrote: Living alone is glorious and I regret nothing.
It's also very expensive. I think a lot of us would want to go down this same route as you if we could afford it, especially during these bad economic times.
On September 18 2009 10:07 rugmonkey wrote: Moving out to uni tomorrow althougth I don't think that this technically qualifies as moving into my own place.
same here same here. haahhhh FREEDOM ALAS!
Cool where you going? Going to london so is well daunting but freshers weeks should be immense.
I was at Royal Holloway in London for the last 3 years. Going up to Liverpool this Sept. Where are you going?
On September 18 2009 23:58 Chill wrote: Living alone is glorious and I regret nothing.
Completely agree. I found my place on craigslist (great for finding places, not as great if you're looking for roommates) and have lived here for almost 2 years now.
On September 13 2009 06:02 micronesia wrote: So far I haven't heard any horror stories of people moving out and then regretting it.... are there any of those!? I guess those people would be less inclined to share, understandably.
One other thing I'm thinking about is this:
Most people seem to avoid the issue of describing when it is 'obviously' okay to live on your own. When is it obvious? Certainly, without a decent job you can't swing it. But someone said a masters in a niche field will most likely make it easy to at least live on your own. Where is the line drawn? How do I know which side of it I am on? (In general, not just me)
I Moved out when i just turned 17 into the dorms at my college and now (I turned 18 in May) I live by myself in a decent (for my age) one bedroom apartment about 15 minutes from the school. The rent is 525/month which is a really good deal considering its not that shitty of a place, although there are too many Indians here. The hardest part of living on your own is that you have to be really organized about your bills, when to buy food and you have to cook every damn meal. Not spending alot is also a major concern. I am already in credit card debt without even thinking about it... I would say I am pretty comfortable though because my parents pay my rent and tuition. I still work 22 hours per weekend however. I dont reccommend living alone if you are just working and trying to pay the rent by yourself. You either need a higher level job (15/hr or more) or a supplemental income i.e. parents to afford even the cheapest places comfortably. Living with a roommate is a much better idea overall.
On September 14 2009 18:07 emucxg wrote: damn I wanna move out too, in Finland government support young student to move away from their parents and basically they will pay for your rent...
BUT my parents don't allowed me to move =(((
maybe because I'm Asian =(
I WANNA FREEDOM...!!!
if you are doing University of Applied Sciences or just University studies your parents can't deny moving (because you are close to 20 years). Support from government is good.
But if you are below 18 (lukio or amis student) most parents wont let you move out because government support is bad. Don't whine just wait and after school go to army.
I'm studying at univeristy... asian culture is just so diffrent sometimes u know...
the problem is my parents, they told me like:" why would u move out? if you live alone, u cant focus on your study...why dont just live with us, you dont have pay for the rent, and cook the food. do you feel uncomfortable to live with us?"
Never move into a building/condo with central air, and even a few Indian residents. Curry, heavy spices... google landlord complaints about cleaning tenants after they leave. Nothing removes the smell short of breaking the walls. I'm quite pissed that my building is like that, and I sealed off my vents and door, but the elevators and hallways... the smell will stick to your clothes and damp hair.
My coworker thinks I'm being ridiculous, being racist, but after he sniffed the vents, he gets the point.
When they say location location location, that's just being polite. Consider the smell, too, not just the price. Damn hell.
On September 14 2009 18:07 emucxg wrote: damn I wanna move out too, in Finland government support young student to move away from their parents and basically they will pay for your rent...
BUT my parents don't allowed me to move =(((
maybe because I'm Asian =(
I WANNA FREEDOM...!!!
if you are doing University of Applied Sciences or just University studies your parents can't deny moving (because you are close to 20 years). Support from government is good.
But if you are below 18 (lukio or amis student) most parents wont let you move out because government support is bad. Don't whine just wait and after school go to army.
I'm studying at univeristy... asian culture is just so diffrent sometimes u know...
the problem is my parents, they told me like:" why would u move out? if you live alone, u cant focus on your study...why dont just live with us, you dont have pay for the rent, and cook the food. do you feel uncomfortable to live with us?"
I felt like I'm speechless lol =.=
Say you want to bring back girls. If they say you can do that there say you want to bring back girls and have noisy sex. If they say you can do that there say you want to have noisy sex in every room.
On September 18 2009 10:07 rugmonkey wrote: Moving out to uni tomorrow althougth I don't think that this technically qualifies as moving into my own place.
same here same here. haahhhh FREEDOM ALAS!
Cool where you going? Going to london so is well daunting but freshers weeks should be immense.
I was at Royal Holloway in London for the last 3 years. Going up to Liverpool this Sept. Where are you going?
Going to KCL lol live in liverpool atm it is an awesome city you will love it. What are you doing in Liverpool?
On September 18 2009 10:07 rugmonkey wrote: Moving out to uni tomorrow althougth I don't think that this technically qualifies as moving into my own place.
same here same here. haahhhh FREEDOM ALAS!
Cool where you going? Going to london so is well daunting but freshers weeks should be immense.
I was at Royal Holloway in London for the last 3 years. Going up to Liverpool this Sept. Where are you going?
Going to KCL lol live in liverpool atm it is an awesome city you will love it. What are you doing in Liverpool?
Nice. I applied there the first time round a long time ago. Congrats on getting in, what are you studying? Doing an Ancient History degree in Liverpool. Going up on Sunday. Really looking forward to it. Plus, lostprophets playing the student union in a month or so. Ship that shit.
On September 18 2009 23:58 Chill wrote: Living alone is glorious and I regret nothing.
Yes.
If you're over 20 and living with your parents.. should really take a good look at yourself.
Why? What about the practical concerns?
And living with your parents isn't "free", they're paying for it you leech.
It's obviously more financially efficient, even though the cost of your sustenance isn't negligible. A reasonable rent paid to parents would be much less than the cost of living when on your own.
On September 18 2009 10:07 rugmonkey wrote: Moving out to uni tomorrow althougth I don't think that this technically qualifies as moving into my own place.
same here same here. haahhhh FREEDOM ALAS!
Cool where you going? Going to london so is well daunting but freshers weeks should be immense.
I was at Royal Holloway in London for the last 3 years. Going up to Liverpool this Sept. Where are you going?
Going to KCL lol live in liverpool atm it is an awesome city you will love it. What are you doing in Liverpool?
Nice. I applied there the first time round a long time ago. Congrats on getting in, what are you studying? Doing an Ancient History degree in Liverpool. Going up on Sunday. Really looking forward to it. Plus, lostprophets playing the student union in a month or so. Ship that shit.
Studying medicine so pretty hard course. The students union is class in liverpool as are the numerous nights out. Is london really expensive or does everyone just say that?
The thing that sucks about living at home or with strangers is your lack of freedoms. You generally can't play music loudly, you can't come and go as you please, you can't bring sex home whenever you want, and other countless adult rules. The downside of the freedoms is that you now have to pay for toilet paper and all the other free shit you've always had.
On September 18 2009 10:07 rugmonkey wrote: Moving out to uni tomorrow althougth I don't think that this technically qualifies as moving into my own place.
same here same here. haahhhh FREEDOM ALAS!
Cool where you going? Going to london so is well daunting but freshers weeks should be immense.
I was at Royal Holloway in London for the last 3 years. Going up to Liverpool this Sept. Where are you going?
Going to KCL lol live in liverpool atm it is an awesome city you will love it. What are you doing in Liverpool?
Nice. I applied there the first time round a long time ago. Congrats on getting in, what are you studying? Doing an Ancient History degree in Liverpool. Going up on Sunday. Really looking forward to it. Plus, lostprophets playing the student union in a month or so. Ship that shit.
Studying medicine so pretty hard course. The students union is class in liverpool as are the numerous nights out. Is london really expensive or does everyone just say that?
Royal Holloway is just outside London so to be honest I've not got direct experience of London living costs.
EPT
![[image loading]](http://pictureshare.org/images/c33e1dfb8b466419409d58df037d2ea9.jpg)
its quite a respectable salary
