Tips to Save Money While Living On Your Own

>Moving out to begin adult life is a huge step made all the more scary when you realize just how many extra expenses you’ll be footing now that your family let’s you go. Suddenly, all kinds of things that just magically appeared in your cupboards and shelves are your responsibility to pay for. Which in turn means that you’ll have to cut back on other things that you used to buy willy-nilly. Here are a few tips and tricks to help save a little bit of cash until you work out a budget that is comfortable.    

Buy in bulk with a friend

Living by yourself gets hard when you realize that most food items come in large portions that will likely go to waste before you get a chance to use them. Find a friend in the same predicament and visit a grocery store to buy things you both want and can split evenly. You’ll be cutting your grocery bill in half and will have food in amounts that cater to your needs.

Organize a Clothing Swap

One of the joys you might have to miss out on for a little bit is clothes shopping. With rent, utilities, groceries and other expenses, you might not be able to rationalize a new dress. Organize a closet swap with friends and voila! You have bags and bags of new clothes to borrow until the next swap. Plus you’ll have extra closet space for all the new goodies.

Buy Generic Names

While it would be nice to have all the same brands that mom and dad stocked for you that you got used to, they’re probably a few dollars more than the no-name brands. Food like pasta taste the same no matter what brands you buy and the difference between paying $5 or $3 for a bag, will make a real dent in your bills if you do it consistently.

Freeze Food

Make bread, spices, fruit and more last way longer by freezing them. If you’re still buying your food alone and in bulk, freezing most of it will help prolong their shelf life and get you shopping for fresh items fewer times a month. You don’t even have to do it right away; if you notice that your bread will expire in one day, toss it in the freezer and use it up to 2 weeks longer.

Run Appliances at Night

Besides washing and drying all dishes and clothes by hand, you can save money by running the appliances at night when peak energy hours have subsided. Hopefully, you can snooze through the noise because it will save you a bundle in the long run. Alternatively, clothing that says ‘Dry Clean Only’ can usually be washed by hand if you use gentle methods.