Living Alone: How To Save Money

There are many benefits to living alone. It’s an opportunity to grow, establish a sense of identity and have the space and time to live and be as you wish. It is an overall positive experience that, most probably, everyone should go through at some point in their lives.

One aspect that puts people off, however, is the same thing that puts many people off many things: cost.

You’ve got a good job and the rent isn’t too much of an issue, but what about all of the other expenses when living alone? Sure, you can cover them, but life is there for living. You don’t want to struggle all of the time. Is there any way to do this without emptying the bank account every month?

When it comes to how to afford living alone, there are some key points to pay attention to. Mostly these are issues of common sense, though it can also be down to simply being in the know.

So, before you give up on the idea altogether and condemn yourself to a continuously dissatisfying situation, let’s pause for a moment and have a look at what you can do to save money should you decide to bite the bullet and begin an exciting new adventure of independence and control.

Cut Council Tax: We all know this one can be a drain on your wage packet, so if there are any savings to be made you’d be wise to look into it. Fortunately, people living alone in a property are entitled to 25% off their council tax bill. 25%! Make sure you get this one sorted straight away. Get in touch with your local council and apply for the discount. It will make a whopping difference.

Switch Energy Supplier: Some people think that this is a whole heap of bother, but it really isn’t. It can be quick and easy to do and well worth it. You could save hundreds of pounds on your electricity and gas if you shop around and get yourself on the right energy tariff. So don’t be shy. If you find yourself on the wrong tariff, you could end up spending around the same amount as a family of four. And that’s just plain wrong.

Be Energy Efficient: So, you’ve got your new supplier and all is well. But that doesn’t mean you can’t continue to make savings on your electricity bills. Be smart about how you use your electricity. Turn appliances off if you’re not using them. Wash clothes on a lower temperature. In fact, we wrote about saving energy in our blog just last week. Take a look! You could save yourself a bundle.

Assess Your Packages: There are so many subscriptions to sign up to these days that it’s difficult to keep count on what we have, what we use and how much it all costs. Take a look at your out goings and think about whether you really need them all. And, whilst you’re at it, take a look at your overall broadband package. Do you really need a super-duper fast broadband fit for a full house? It’s just little old you. You could probably get by on an awful lot less without having any impact on your usability.

Plan Your Meals: Yes, this one sounds incredibly dreary, but hear us out. If you sit and think about what you’re going to eat in a week, you’ll be saving yourself money, time and stress. No wandering around at the last minute picking up convenient, overly priced, unhealthy food. No midweek takeaways. Plan ahead, shop smart and life, overall, will be an awful lot easier. And remember, it’s as much about where you shop as what you shop. Consider alternatives.

Living alone is a big step for all sorts of reasons. It’s scary, exciting and riddled with a multitude of potential pros and cons. As an individual, you have the power to acknowledge and command any drawbacks with thoughtful planning and decisive action. Look the future in the face. Pack your map. Plan your route. Everything is going to be just fine. In fact, it’s going to be amazing.

Good luck!