Alright, I just wanted some insight from those who have graduated from college and went on to live on their own. Been with my parents for four years after one year of living on-campus at UH. Here is my dilemma: I recently got on with an architecture/construction firm so I have the means to save some money. During my stay in college, I accumulated a bit of credit card debt which I intend to pay off, but won't do so completely until September-October. I had intended to move out in November-December with a roommate, but right now I'm heavily debating the decision as I don't think I'll have the sufficient funds to fully furnish said apartment with everything that I want. (I'd be moving out with bare bones everything and hand me down stuff) So the question is simple: Do I stay with my rents for another 4-6 months after Thanksgiving to save the necessary amount to fully furnish an apartment, or do I stop delaying and move out ASAP because my 20's are a wasting (I'm 22). I just need to hear some opinions of anyone who's gone through a similar ordeal, and what would be the smartest route to take.
Move out ASAP! Do your parents a favor. If you're worried about having to use "bare bones everything and hand me down stuff," here's something to consider... Big Deal! I lived with old furniture given to me from relatives, "hand me down" dishes and glassware. Some old rugs from someone's garage, and split the rent on a house in Montrose for the then astronomical sum of $135 a month, bills paid. No one cared that the stuff was old. I was deluged with friends delighted that they had a house to party in. I had a pad where I could bring chicks, instead of bugging a friend for the use of his place. I could play my music as loud as I wanted. (loud! Hendrix, the Doors... LOUD!) Geez, dude... go for it. I couldn't wait to get out on my own. Added years to the life of my parental units, I can tell you. Give them a break and make the move!
Never rush anything that effects your life like moving out does. I moved out way too early a couple years back and got myself into trouble. Luckily I had my parents to bail me out and I have lived with them since, saving money... paying off debts. Its worth it, believe me. As long as your parents are not kicking you out, then just settle and take advantage. There will be plenty of good opportunitys later as well. My friend just got out of the Navy and without any furnishings, just got approved for his 1st apartment. He might have a couple grand saved up but I keep telling him he should of waited. Just think of how much money he could of racked up living under the roof of his parents with free rent. I am happy for him but his place will be, literally, EMPTY. I know how parents can be, especially if your single and you can not necessarily bring a girl back to your parents. I just dont understand the rush... In your instance I would wait it out, even past the 4-6 months you mentioned. It is a great idea to get rid of your debt first before you make another big move in your life. Try to save up the amount it would take for 6 months (or more) rent and you will always be ahead of the curve and not have to worry about the payment for a while.... we all know that life always sends us down a bad road every once and a while. So BE PREPARED. Thats all I have to say. Better safe than sorry.
Get your own place. You can set yourself up cheap and upgrade as you go along. The benefits of having your own place are worth it. Buy yourself a good bed and mattress first (mattress first if you can only afford one). This is one place not to skimp. You can get nice dishes and furniture later on, but having a good place to sleep cannot be overestimated.
That's good advice. Man, I had a pretty lousy bed for a while. It bounced really good, which came in handy, but I ended up getting two good twin beds from a different relative, pushed them together, and had one big one. It worked until I could get my first halfway decent double bed. Do they even make double beds anymore?
I kicked my mom out of our apartment when I was 17 because she complained about the partying and I was the one paying all the rent. Move out and take responsibility for yourself. You are an adult.
They call them full now. I think the question you have to answer is this: Do you like living with your parents? If so, then say at home until your in a little better financial shape. If not, move out and live the cheap lifestyle for a while. My first post-college job was about an hour from my parents' house, so I didn't have the luxury of choice. I bought a table with some graduation money, my parents gave me my bed, dresser, and a few kitchen items from their camp, and I had nothing else. I lived without a television for 2 months, without any living room furniture for 4 months. It was interesting.
I would wait a few months so you can get everything you want for your apt. Having nice stuff will be better when you bring those lucky ladies back to your place. If it's bare bone hand me downs they will go, ewww! You're only 22, you have a lot of fun left!
Move out. You have a job. That means it's time to grow up and be a man and quit depending on mommy and daddy for everything. Hell, when I first moved out, you should have seen the crappy furniture I had. I had hand-me-down furniture, dishes, towels, bed, TV, stereo, etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. I had hand-me-down everything and that was good enough for me, a 20-something bachelor living on his own for the first time. I got my first job about 2 months after I graduated and I moved out a month later. I loved my parents, but it was time to grow up and be a MAN. Kids today. I can't believe people would suggest living with your parents because you don't have nice furniture... ima_oldfart2k
I saw go. I was 19 when I graduated from college (I went to college year round and only have an associates degree). I was out of my parents house <3 mths of graduation. It doesn't matter if you have hand me down furniture for a while but it's time to stand on your own. Make a budget and sitck by it and you won't find yourself moving back. Get the "stuff" gradually and only when you have the cash saved.
Stay with your parents. For real - if you could save up money, why wouldn't you? In fact, you could probably cut down your debt and still save up enough money to move out in 6 months. I know I would if I could!
There's a real difference between living with your parents and being a mooch, and living with your parents while saving some cash to prepare yourself for being on your own. The first one is not OK, the second one is perfectly fine. Just make sure you help them out with food, expenses, etc since you now have a paycheck. It doesn't have to be much, IMO, but it shows you understand and appreciate that they are helping you out.
My brother is 28 and still technically lives at home to save money. In reality he spends more nights at his girlfriends than at my parents but he doesn't plan to move out until he buys a house/gets married. Not that this necessarily is the right thing for you, but I'm just saying as long as you aren't crowding out your parents or being crowded out by them there's no shame in living at home to save up money. Edit: I was the opposite, as soon as I finished college I was out and in an apartment within a couple months. I am also hella in debt and wishing I hadn't rushed. Unfortunately I didn't really have an option as my parents house was getting to small for me and the two of them. To save our relationship I got out. Edit2: I just realized nearly every other post in this thread says the same thing. One person says get out, the next says stay and save, the next move out, etc. Just thought it was interesting. Obviously it means that every person and situation is different so do what feels right.
In my opinion this has nothing to do about "being a man" and getting out on your own. Give me a break. I get the point that everyone needs to get out of the parents house at some point but the guy is only 22 years old... Someone give me a reason why he shouldnt save up money for the while he is at home. Its not saving money to throw it away on "nice furniture" either... having that little bit of security in a savings account will always be nice to fall back on when, and if, something should happen. Plus, he said he recently started a job so its not like he has full security of not being let go for whatever reason. Good jobs are hard to come by and when the cost of living keeps going up, the combination is not a good one.
Why would you want to mooch off of your parents any longer? As soon as I graduated college - that was it. I never accepted a dime from my parents again. In fact - I constantly try to buy them things (expensive gifts, dinners, etc) to make up for all the cash I spent of theirs for 22 years. Move out now. If you don't - you may feel guilty about it in the future. Plus - you'd be doing your parents a huge favor by getting off their payroll.
Even if bills are split with a roommate, you're probably looking at monthly payments of $350-450 in rent, $50-150 in utilities, $200-300 a month on groceries and toiletries, $30-60 a month for cable/internet, $10-$20 a month for laundry, and so on and so forth. Those are all expenses that should go away, or at least be significantly lower if you're staying at home. That's anywhere from $640 to $980 a month. Over 4 to 6 months, that comes out to between $2,560 and $5,880 extra you're going to save by staying at home for what really isn't a long time at all. That money will go a long way to furnishing an apartment, especially with a roommate helping out. So I look at this way... Move out at 22 barely in the black, with no money to furnish your apartment and even worse, no money for emergencies. or... Move out at 23 out of debt, with money to furnish your apartment and some left over for a little nest egg. It's an easy decision, in my opinion.
I can't believe all you giant mooches who lived with your parents through college. The day after high school graduation, I packed up the car and moved two hours away. I've not spent another night at my parents' house since.
It is interesting reading the responses here. I have a 17 year old son who, hopefully, will be going off to college in a year. While we would never tell him to move out, would never tell him we wished we had the extra space, and we love him dearly, as a parent, you like to see the kids leave the nest and go out on their own. As people living in a rather small house (when we bought it, we thought there would be three of us living there... our daughter had other ideas!), and as people who have spent many years sacrificing their own lifestyle, pre-kids, to hopefully improve the gene pool and would enjoy, someday, some privacy of their own, we'd like to see him take the first steps to being an adult. Some of you should consider that your parents think all sorts of things they never mention to you. They daydream of not having to worry about when, or if, the kids are going to be home for dinner, if they are going to be at home on a Friday or Saturday night, or go out, so they can plan some fun of their own. And, yes, they wonder if the kids will be out so they can plan a romantic evening and not have to worry about making too much noise in the sack. Parents have lives of their own, and their lives before children were far different than their lives with children. And yes, many of them look fondly upon those pre-kid years and wonder when they'll have at least some of their freedom back. Just something to ponder.
If there are not other kids at home would an extra six months or year really bother you? Especially if it meant once they left they would be more financial solvent and not as likely to end up having to come back? EdiT: Not that I am trying to be devil's advocate, I was actually curious. I don't have kids so I only can see it from my own perspective.
My mom is super cool and my gf stays over all the time. I'm staying at home til the end of the year to save up and by a house for myself and i just recently graduated. My advice, wait a couple months, get out of debt and then walk into the world. Be be prepared for the unexpected.
