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Living alone

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skullncrossbones
skullncrossbones Posts: 167 Forumite
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in House buying, renting & selling
I've lived at home my entire life. I've always wanted to move out and got close a couple of times but things fell through. I think due to living at home for the past 20 odd years has made me reluctant to live alone. I now however, have been offered the chance to just that. For 6 months I'd have a one bedroom flat as a family member is going travelling for 6 months. So I'm already at the door I just wondered if anyone had any tips on living alone?
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  • Kim_kim
    Kim_kim Posts: 3,726 Forumite
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    Please yourself :-)
    That's the greatest bit.
    Eat what you want, when you want it.
    Too tired to cook, Cornflakes & toast for dinner - no problem.
    The TV remote is yours :-)

    The worst, waking up alone Christmas morning :-/
  • NeilCr
    NeilCr Posts: 4,430 Forumite
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    What Kim Kim says!

    Although Xmas is fine

    Find things to do - join things. Living on your own is great but we tend to need interaction. I now have a partner who I see a couple of days a week. The rest of the week I split between having me at home days and getting out and about doing stuff (gym volunteering) and seeing folks

    If you work much of this is taken care of but weekends and evenings by yourself can drag - especially as you are used to living with people

    Good luck!
  • Red-Squirrel_2
    Red-Squirrel_2 Posts: 4,341 Forumite
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    A 6 month trial is probably a good idea, if you don't like it you can look for somewhere with a flatmate, if you find it suits you can look for your own place.

    I've lived alone for a few years now, there's a lot that's good. The usual stuff about doing what you want when you want, not sharing the TV, the bed, the bathroom and only ever having your own mess to clear up! But there are some downsides!

    Cook! Don't fall into eating convenience food and ready meals for one, It seems like wasted effort at first to spend time cooking from fresh for one, but get in the habit or your health will start to suffer. I tend to make two portions of each meal and have the second half the next day. More economical but you won't get bored like you can with big batches that last days and days.

    Invite people round regularly, its very easy to let the place turn into your own private lair/man cave if you don't! Go out too of course, but don't let the fact that yours is the smallest place turn into an excuse for never having friends or family visit and always going to them instead.

    Get a pet if you're allowed, even a goldfish, but make sure you can properly care for whatever you get!

    You'll be paying the bills alone, so keep an eye on your usage of power and water and make sure you budget carefully.

    Good luck, I enjoy living alone, and whenever I've lived with other people the best times were when they were all out and I had the place to myself. Other people hate it, and need to have somebody to come home to, you can use this 6 months to find out which is right for you.
  • Hermia
    Hermia Posts: 4,473 Forumite
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    skullncrossbones wrote: »
    I've lived at home my entire life. I've always wanted to move out and got close a couple of times but things fell through. I think due to living at home for the past 20 odd years has made me reluctant to live alone. I now however, have been offered the chance to just that. For 6 months I'd have a one bedroom flat as a family member is going travelling for 6 months. So I'm already at the door I just wondered if anyone had any tips on living alone?

    It would help if you could say what aspect of living alone is worrying you otherwise it is hard to know what sort of tips you want. Are you worried about being in charge of the house? Crime/security? Loneliness? Will you have friends nearby?

    I would definitely take this opportunity even if you decide you want to go back to your family afterwards. Getting used to being on your own is a good idea as you never know what will happen in the future. Having a practice run might really help you one day. I am currently watching a 60 year old colleague pretty much have a mental breakdown at the fact she is now having to live alone for the first time. I am sure she could have adapted more if she had tried this 30 years ago.

    I love living on my own. I don't think it is better/worse than living with others. It just has different pros and cons.
  • TBagpuss
    TBagpuss Posts: 11,205 Forumite
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    I agree that a 6 month trial is a good way to decide how you feel about it.

    I agree that making sure you aren't surviving solely on ready meals and takeaways is a good tip. If you have a freezer then cooking in batches and freezing spare portions is a good way to ensure that you can eat properly without having to cook from scratch every day.

    Try not to go home every weekend - it makes it harder to start to think of your place as home.

    Do treat it as home - for instance, take personal stuff with you.

    Enjoy it! Living alone means that you don't have to fit around someone else's routine or habits.
    All posts are my personal opinion, not formal advice Always get proper, professional advice (particularly about anything legal!)
  • G_M
    G_M Posts: 51,977 Forumite
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    No one has asked: how old are you?

    Do you have a girl/boyfriend or are you single?
    Are you a self-sufficient person? Emotionally? Financially?
    Can you cook? Clean? Iron (if required)? Shop?
    Are you good with money?

    Where the answers are no, there may be challanges, but meeting those challanges can be a good thing.....
  • glasgowdan
    glasgowdan Posts: 2,967 Forumite
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    As above, how old are you? You've lived at home your entire life, and you mention the last 20 years, so are you 20? If so, that's not a bad age to get out and try living yourself.

    You won't look back.

    Best parts of living alone? You can actually say "Wanna come back to my place?" without trying to figure out how you're going to get anyone to date someone who lives with their parents!
  • TheGardener
    TheGardener Posts: 3,303 Forumite
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    edited 20 March 2017 at 10:29PM
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    Tip 1 Would be get off on the right footing and make sure you and the relatives have a clear understanding of what each of you expects and what you are and are not responsible for - a written agreement might be a good idea - that would get you used to some of the responsibilities and pitfalls of being a tenant in the future. Things like repairs and maintenance during the 6 months - who would deal with and pay for a burst pipe or a broken fridge?
    Tip 2. Clean up regularly and treat the flat with respect.
    Tip 3. Budget carefully and ask for help if you are a bit stumped with anything.

    Its a great opportunity to dip your toe in the water - most of us just get hurled in at the deep end so make the most of it and enjoy it :)
  • skullncrossbones
    skullncrossbones Posts: 167 Forumite
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    Thanks for all the replies and tips!!

    I'm old! I'm 28! (Old in the fact I've never moved out). But yea, like I said I've had a few near misses, and actually if this hadn't come up I think in a couple of months I'd have take the plunge and done it myself. My parents have always told me to stay at home and save money to buy something but a combination of living in London/I'll never afford a shed/I want a life has got in the way and I guess I never wanted it before.

    Haha at the bringing people home comment! I have a partner!! But he won't be around a lot as he's working away at the moment.
  • Marvel1
    Marvel1 Posts: 7,181 Forumite
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    edited 20 March 2017 at 11:32PM
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    No considering others, I love it, doing for the last 9 years.

    Chill day out doing nothing, box set of a tv program you want to watch.
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