Moving out for the first time - Any advice? - Few Questions

SkScotchegg · 3 Jun 2011 at 20:55

Hey people, the title says it all really, but just wondering if you got any tips when looking for your first apartment, anything I should know.

Am actually looking forward to this, I know I'll have to pay bills but am still looking forward to it.

I guess am just looking for something nice in a nice area that I can afford and somewhere where I hopefully wont get robbed, but saying that, recently I've come to the realization that you can get robbed anywhere, I currently live with my parents and they live on quite a nice street, but loads of people have been robbed on our street in past few years so guess it doesn't matter where you live, to an extent.

God I hate thieves!! OFF WITH THEIR HANDS!!! \rant over lol

Also I'm writing down all the bills I'll need to pay so I'm trying to be organised

Here's what I've wrote down so far:

- Rent
- Food
- Council Tax (was told today this is also called poll tax, didn't know that lol)
- Gas and Electric
- Water
- Internet
- Gym
- Toiletries + Kitchen Items
- TV License
- Contents Insurance

Am I missing anything off this list?

Thanks in advance

Razor-BladE · 3 Jun 2011 at 21:01

Mobile phone?
Do you own a vehicle?

Enjoy moving out! I love being away from home (at uni atm)

Aero · 3 Jun 2011 at 21:02

Going out/ general spare cash

Beans on toast Dave · 3 Jun 2011 at 21:03

poll tax, lol maybe 20 years ago

SkScotchegg · 3 Jun 2011 at 21:04

challengedavid said:
poll tax, lol maybe 20 years ago

My Dad is downstairs, thats what he just told me, lol, but he is like 55 years old so, maybe hes losing it now!

Tikkabhuna · 3 Jun 2011 at 21:05

Contents insurance? Seeing as you mentioned thieves.

SkScotchegg · 3 Jun 2011 at 21:07

Aero said:
Going out/ general spare cash

I'm just working out the bills first for house and that.

SkScotchegg · 3 Jun 2011 at 21:08

Razor-BladE said:
Mobile phone?
Do you own a vehicle?

Enjoy moving out! I love being away from home (at uni atm)

Don't currently own a vehicle, am wanting to learn this year, I been thinking of getting motorbike but everyone is telling me to get a car instead, still trying to decide.

Also, you'll find this strange in this day and age, but I dont own a mobile phone! lol, I never want one again!!! too much stress with the women, if someone wants me, they know where I live haha.

SkScotchegg · 3 Jun 2011 at 21:10

Tikkabhuna said:
Contents insurance? Seeing as you mentioned thieves.

Oh yeah I did actually think about insurance earlier today and then I forgot to add it to the list, cheers for reminding me.

J.B · 3 Jun 2011 at 21:12

Line rent on top of internet costs

Things like food I dont think you can ever accurately predict how much food will cost until you start buying your own food

h00fzilla · 3 Jun 2011 at 21:13

Cleaning stuff (scourers, washing up liquid, bleach, cistern blocks, mop/bucket, cloths, dusters, polish, floor cleaner, bin bags, plunger possibly?). Not all are rolling 'bills' but something to remember!

timmy85 · 3 Jun 2011 at 21:19

good luck pal. think you got it all covered. give yourself plenty of headroom for stuff. i moved out about 2 months ago and cant believe how much some things cost?! always overestimate and round up figures. that way, fingers crossed, you wont get caught short.

SkScotchegg · 3 Jun 2011 at 21:25

J.B said:
Line rent on top of internet costs

Things like food I dont think you can ever accurately predict how much food will cost until you start buying your own food

Usually I reckon you'd be 100% right, but I've been doing my own shopping whilst living at home for a while now mate, and I know the cost down to the pound! Simply because I'm a pescaterian bodybuilder, eat 8 times a day, and all I eat is fish/egg whites/spinach/oats/vitamins at moment, currently cutting, lost 15 pounds in last 36 days.

They look at me weird at ASDA when I put 7x30 eggs in the trolly and 28 tins of sardines, 5 bags of spinach etc.

I spend £45 a week on food, and then £60 a month on whey/casein shakes so comes out as £240 a month for food...it's expensive being healthy!

SkScotchegg · 3 Jun 2011 at 21:27

J.B said:
Line rent on top of internet costs

Well I dont want a house phone, I dont think you have to have a line with virgin media, its not like ADSL so should just be my normal £30 a month unless I'm mistaken?

SkScotchegg · 3 Jun 2011 at 21:29

timmy85 said:
good luck pal. think you got it all covered. give yourself plenty of headroom for stuff. i moved out about 2 months ago and cant believe how much some things cost?! always overestimate and round up figures. that way, fingers crossed, you wont get caught short.

Yeah cheers mate, my mum just said same thing to me, she said, whatever number I come up with, it'll be more no matter what.

I've no idea how much electric/gas/water will be, she said my council tax will be around £70.

Don't really know how much toiletries or kitchen items will cost like bleach etc.

I dont even know how to use bleach, or how to clean, I think I'll be ringing her to come do it, lol.

Deleted member 77746 · 3 Jun 2011 at 21:31

This topic gets asked time and time again on this very forum. I know your excited but once you move in you will slowly find out what's what and what bills you need to pay.

You have mentioned the basic things but remember always leave room for emergancies as bills may wander slightly up and slighty down depends on usage.

The basics are;
Rent, Electric, Gas, Food + Other items, Water, Council Tax, Travel, TV Licence, Insurence

....anything else is a luxury and need to be spent wisely unless your going to be earning a bomb.

ubershell · 3 Jun 2011 at 21:49

J.B said:
Line rent on top of internet costs

Things like food I dont think you can ever accurately predict how much food will cost until you start buying your own food

Yeah my tip would be not to underestimate the cost of food! If you generally eat processed crap then It's probably not too bad but eating decent fresh food is well expensive.

Bit different for me as I have a family to feed (3 of us) but a weekly shop used to cost me around £90 its now costing me around £130. Bad times!

ubershell · 3 Jun 2011 at 21:53

Hmmmm. I find it interesting that people see the gym as a luxury. I don't. I think looking after your health is an absolute essential and as such a basic gym membership is essential. Its interesting that people will happily stop paying £35 a month for the gym because they can't afford it, but will gladly continue to spend at least that on a weekly night out down the pub :/

Deleted member 77746 · 3 Jun 2011 at 21:55

ubershell said:
Hmmmm. I find it interesting that people see the gym as a luxury. I don't. I think looking after your health is an absolute essential and as such a basic gym membership is essential. Its interesting that people will happily stop paying £35 a month for the gym because they can't afford it, but will gladly continue to spend at least that on a weekly night out down the pub :/

Sorry to say but having a gym membership is not the only way to stay healthy. Going to the gym most males do it to gain muscle. There is other ways to stay healthy without the cost.

ubershell · 3 Jun 2011 at 22:11

iDroid84 said:
Sorry to say but having a gym membership is not the only way to stay healthy. Going to the gym most males do it to gain muscle. There is other ways to stay healthy without the cost.

Agreed. My point is that people perceive the gym as a luxury and if money is tight, they will stop their gym based fitness regime in a heartbeat but happily maintain other luxuries, like going out drinking.

I don't think looking after your health, however you choose to do it, is a luxury