If you’ve recently moved out of home, you can safely say you’re an adult now! However many people can fall into the trap of overspending without realising. The truth is living with your folks leaves you with an expendable income to do with what you please, which doesn’t work well once you’ve moved out on your own.
Being an adult doesn’t take too much work, it’s simply a matter of getting your priorities in order. Whether it be budgeting, cooking, cleaning or even looking after your car, learning these five useful skills will help you save money in unexpected ways.
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Budgeting
Budgeting is crucial to stay on top of your financial situation and to avoid any stress or unfavourable credit reports in the future — reports that could prevent you from accessing a loan, for example. Budgeting helps you understand what can you afford, how to pay your bills and how much to save for future goals, such as a house deposit.
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Planning your events/time
If you feel like you need more hours in the day, then planning your day out will help you master time management. With smartphones, keeping track of your daily tasks is easier than ever. The trick is not just to list the things that have to get done, but also to prioritise them — realising which tasks are more urgent than the others will allow you to use your time effectively and avoid exuding your energy fruitlessly.
Planning your time means you can reduce your risk of making impulse purchases. You’re less likely to spend a week eating fast food every night if you’re saving up for a holiday or have your eye on a new outfit for a friend’s wedding. By being mindful of when you need to use your money, you can make smarter choices in the moment.
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Regular car maintenance
Like all machines, periodic car servicing is crucial for your car to run safely and smoothly. Additionally, servicing your car when it’s due can also help you save money on unexpected costs and issues that may arise if your car runs faulty due to lack of servicing. Neglecting your car services can result in damages regarding oil leaks, brake fluid, air filters, and more.
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Cooking
How do you survive going from mum’s warm and hearty meals to an empty fridge? Well, you don’t! You simply learn how to cook. Don’t worry too much — you’ve been having food your whole life, the process will be quite intuitive, really. Just make sure you master a few key things (like what a balanced meal should include, how to bake, or how to slow-cook) and the rest will come naturally, eventually.
While the likes of Uber Eats makes ordering in ridiculously easy, it does add up over time. $25 spent on a gourmet pizza and garlic bread can easily be spent on ingredients for several meals. Set yourself a weekly grocery budget which allows for one or two meals out with friends in order to keep your food costs under control.
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Cleaning and home maintenance
While there are professionals out there who do home repairs for a living, some things can be done by yourself — especially if you’re on a budget and can allocate some time to the task (with the exclusion of electrical work). Some home maintenance tasks you can do yourself include fixing the toilet flush, a leaky pipe, patch a hole in the wall or loosen up a stuck window. There are dozens of online tutorials and articles you can study to master these simple renovations.
The truth is a home left unattended to can accumulate some nasty surprises, like mold, leaking pipes or faulty wiring. Be mindful of what’s happening in your home and do your best to maintain it. If you can fix simple things do so. Some things, like electrical issues, are better left to the professionals. But investing in keeping your home in order can save you hundreds in repair costs down the line.
Moving out of your parents’ home is an important and exciting milestone in your life. However, it comes with certain responsibilities that you can’t allow to slide. Don’t let this intimidate you. Getting into the habit of basic adulting tasks will help you to stay on top of your life admin and give you time for the more exciting parts of your life.
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