Living alone for the first time

Blairweech

whoknowskt wrote: »

Haha I'm currently sat around in slob clothes and ate riveta for dinner as I couldn't be bothered to cook after a long day at work

Agree that this is a perk of living alone but do make sure you look after yourself - it is very easy to just start eating toast or cereal every night for dinner

McKneff

Like someone said further up, Stardrops is the all round cleaner for anything and everything, around 99p that's it.


I have to admit though, I do use Domestos in my loo overnight

fatpiggy

McKneff wrote: »

Like someone said further up, Stardrops is the all round cleaner for anything and everything, around 99p that's it.


I have to admit though, I do use Domestos in my loo overnight

I lived alone since I left home to go to University. Welcome to the world of huge expense! It is very rare that you can take advantage of bog-offs unless its not-perishable, singles holidays cost about 2/3 of what a couple would pay and you can't take advantage of short breaks etc with Wowcher or Groupon because they are for 2 people every time The biggest rip-off is probably Council Tax, ooh a whole 25% discount, how generous.

Since you won't upset anyone if you waltz out of the house at funny times, get used to shopping after 9pm to bag yourself reduced price bargains. Use your local market too if you can, again after 4pm when they are starting to pack up and don't want to be taking stuff home. You can get tons of lovely fresh fruit and veg for very low cost. Cook double portions for the same price as singles, and freeze. Get out into the countryside for nice walks which incorporate a blackberry picking session in the autumn.

Only heat rooms in your house or flat that you are spending any time in and don't bother in the mornings - it makes you dash in and out of the bathroom double quick! I only use my shower at weekends as I go to the gym every morning before work so shower and wash my hair there. Deffo get a water meter.

I can't praise Stardrops enough either, like other posters. My mum can't get it in her part of the UK so whenever I visit I have to take supplies in the boot of the car for her, my sister and mum's neighbours! Mum likes the version with ammonia too for cleaning ovens so that is always a special request.

Socializing can be tricky as you don't automatically have someone to talk to. If you are musical though, your problems are solved. I play in 3 orchestras and sing in 2 choirs so am out almost every night (using someone elses' heating and lighting too of course!) plus the social things that go on within them. Music is the greatest equalizer there is. It doesn't matter what social background you are from, or if you are gay, or even foreign - we have had a German and a French girl in one of my orchestras, over here as au pairs and as music is an international language they were able to join in straight away. Both cried their eyes out when their year here was up.

barrovian

My recommendation is to invest in a slow cooker easy on the fuel bill can be cooking while you're at college/work, take out enough for your meal, then refrigerated he rest to use in a couple of days or freeze for future. If you are unsure about using one, you only need a small amount of water in it add everything together & switch on, job done!

moneyistooshorttomention

I'll echo if you have a musical talent of any description then I feel sure it will be very useful socially.

I only wish I had, but I cant play a single instrument and you do NOT want to hear me trying to sing (which I cant understand - as I would have thought a nice speaking voice would translate into a nice singing voice. Newsflash is - it doesn't:().

If I did have musical talents then I would certainly try out playing an instrument in a local pubs music night and investigate joining a local choir I like the look of.

monnagran

redglass wrote: »

. Roasts are just too much faff for one person and I never do them, but I do put lamb chops or oxtail in the slow-cooker - yum.

What's all this about roast dinners beimg too much faff?
There are two of us and we love our Sunday Roast. This could be difficult as one of us is a Rev and Sunday mornings tend to be manic to put it mildly.
I cook a joint of meat and when it is cold slice it (thinly, because I'm mean) and wrap the slices in foil in portions enough for two and freeze. I cook a large roasting dish of roast potatoes, open freeze, tip in to a bag and there they stay. I do the same with yorkshires - make a tray full and freeze. Then Every Sunday after church I take a pack of meat slices, a few roasties, a couple of yorkshires and put them on a tray in the oven. By the time I have boiled or steamed a few veg and made the gravy the oven things are more or less done. A roast dinner in 20/30 minutes flat. I've done this for years. If I do beef one month I'll get pork the next and so on. This means that after a few weeks you have a choice of meat to have.

Works for us.

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