Living Alone For The First Time? Here's What You Need to Know!

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If you get the chance to live alone at some point in your life, it’s always worth taking it. Running a home by yourself can teach you a lot, it can give you independence like you’ve never known it, and can also give your self confidence a boost too. Knowing that you’re able to completely sustain yourself and stand on your own too feet really is a great feeling. Whether it’s your first place after moving out of your parents or it’s after a breakup, instead of instantly considering shared homes and roommates- why not go it alone? Here are a few things to bear in mind if you decide to do so. 

Think about safety

Safety is something that everyone should be thinking about when it comes to their home, but it can be a particular concern when you’re by yourself. If you work full time it can mean that your property is unoccupied for long stretches, whereas when you live with others there’s a chance that people will be at home more often. When you live by yourself, you also want that peace of mind that you’re as safe and secure as possible. Choosing a good neighborhood is the first step. Of course, most of us don’t have the budget to live in these William Pitt vistas, gated communities or huge mansions! But you can do some research into different areas and find one with a lower crime rate. Once you have found the safest neighborhood you can afford, get serious about home security. Have a burglar alarm professionally fitted, and CCTV installed. These days you can link this with your smartphone, and it can send you alerts if the cameras are activated while you’re away. Other smart home technology that can make your home safer is lighting. When you can turn lights and lamps on and off while you’re away from home, it can give the impression that someone is in. Which is enough to put off most opportunistic burglars. 

Get your money in order

One of the biggest challenges when it comes to living alone is managing a budget. When you live with a partner or roommates the bills are split which can make everything much more affordable. Before signing on the dotted line for your tenancy or mortgage, you need to make sure you can afford all of the running costs. Set a budget and stick to it, there are lots of apps and softwares that can help. While living alone is undoubtedly expensive, it’s also incredibly satisfying knowing that you’re paying for everything yourself and really standing on your own two feet. 

Don’t be afraid to ask for help

Living alone is a great way to gain independence, but that’s not to say you need to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders. If you’re struggling, reach out for help. Lean on your support network when needed, whether it’s rallying round for unused furniture and appliances when you first move in, to speaking with a financial advisor when it comes to your bills. Especially in the early days there will be a number of kinks you’ll need to work out, reaching out and asking the right people will help everything run as smoothly as possible. 

Living alone can be a lot of fun. Since you don’t have to answer to anyone else, you really get to learn a lot about yourself and what you’re about. And since you don’t have anyone else living with you for company, it can actually encourage you to get yourself out there and be more social.