Moving out of your parent’s home to live independently is never easy. There are many things to cover before you can even begin your move. Additionally, getting yourself a place of your own is one of the most significant steps in your life. That is why you should not take things lightly when planning on getting yourself a new place to live, especially if you are on a low budget. Trying to move out with no money is going to be difficult but not impossible. To help make your task a bit easier, here are 6 tips for moving out of your parent’s home with no money.
1. Make a List of Your Monthly Expenses
That is one of the most important steps you will have to take. You need to understand how much you are spending every month. The list should include necessities like groceries, bills, public travel costs, etc. However, you also need to consider the money you spend on leisure activities, such as sports or going out with friends.
If you don’t know how much you are spending monthly, make an approximate idea based on your lifestyle. Consult with your friends, family, or acquaintances who live independently. Ask them how much they pay for their monthly expenses.
Finally, look for a way to reduce your living costs (at least for the first 3-5 months). Take out any things you could do without from the list. For example, instead of ordering, you could prepare your food. Shifting to homemade food is one of the easiest money-saving methods. That is one of the first steps towards preparing to move out of your parent’s home with no money.
2. Couch-surf at a Friend’s House
A good and cheap start until you find a place of your own is to stay at the house of someone you know. Ask your friends and family if they would let you crash at their place for a few days or weeks until you get things sorted. However, that is advised only if moving out of your parent’s home with no money needs to happen fast.
Staying at your parent’s house for a bit longer will reduce the pressure you feel when staying at someone’s place. You might think you are intruding or overstaying your welcome if you couch-surf. That would put additional stress and pressure on you, thus making hasty decisions and mistakes.
3. Find a Job That Offers a Place to Stay
You may not be able to find a job that pays well enough right away. Many jobs today will require you to do double shifts or even two jobs to be able to pay for the rent. However, some jobs can provide you with a place to sleep on top of paying you. Such is the case with house-sitting jobs. That is a great way to earn money and have a place to stay. You will also be saving money on rent if you are house-sitting someone’s home for a more extended period.
You could also find a job as a senior caregiver. This job involves taking care of elderly folks in their homes. A caregiver’s job consists of buying groceries, keeping the house clean, cooking, managing medications, etc. Such jobs require you to spend a lot of time at the home of the person you are caring for. That is why caregivers often live with the person they care for, so they are always available. It is a great way to earn money and have a place to stay.
If you are handy with tools, you could get a job as a maintenance person or caretaker. Often these jobs require you to live on-site and be available 24/7.
4. Research Moving Costs
Every moving company will give you a different estimate of your moving costs. These costs are known as moving quotes. You can save money by comparing moving quotes. It would be best to look into different options by contacting as many moving companies as possible and choosing the most affordable moving quote. But if you only have a few things, you might be able just to throw them into the back of your car, enlist the help of friends, or rent a small U-haul and save on moving expenses.
5. Save Money on the Move Itself
It would be best to try to be realistic with your moving day expectations vs. reality. Moving all of your furniture right at the start will cost you. That is not something you can afford just yet with your low budget.
Some items, like heavy furniture, you may not be able to afford to move just yet. It is better to leave it out of the initial move. Make an inventory of your furniture and then omit the non-essential items. You can come back for it in a few months when you’ve gathered some funds.
If you are unable to leave anything at your parent’s house safely, you might be able to store some stuff with a friend. If that isn’t an option, you might need a moving company’s storage services. But this is going to be an added expense. Depending on how much stuff you have, how valuable it is, and how long you need to store it, it could actually be cheaper to get rid of it and then buy new stuff later. But if the numbers work out, using a storage service will allow you to keep your items safe while house hunting.
Some temporarily homeless people have even used storage services, combined with a gym membership (for personal hygiene), while living out of their car.
6. Start saving as soon as possible
Moving out of your parent’s home with no money can be extremely difficult. You will have to have at least some emergency budget that would let you pay for your rent and basic needs for the first several months. Even if you have just begun considering moving out, start gathering as big of a budget as you can. And good luck with this new phase of your life.
You might also like:
- Fun Money: 5 Hobbies You Can Turn into Extra Income
- How to Start Your Own Summer Lawn Care Business
- Have an End-of-Summer Yard Sale
- Harboring Some Junk? Useful Items You Can Sell for Quick Cash
- Unique Ways to Find Extra Cash
- 5 Easy Ways to Pick Up Some Quick Cash
- 4 More Ways to Pick Up Some Quick Cash
- Tricks to Raise Cash (After Checking the Couch Cushions)
- Frugal Finance: 5 Thrifty Tips to Lower Your Family’s Expenses
- Finding Creative Ways to Save
- 4 Tips For Building Financially Stability
- 4 Side Hustles to Pocket Some Coin
