Living on your own is part of life and part of the journey of growing up. At one point you will have to grow out of living with your parents.
While at college you may live with your friends or college mates.
A time will come nonetheless when you will have to strongly consider living on your own for various reasons.
Contents
- 1 Advantages of Living on Your own
- 2 You have more time to yourself.
- 3 Living On Your Own Can Be Cost Friendly
- 4 You’re free from the responsibilities of family life.
- 5 You Can Make your Own Decisions
- 6 You can spend more time with friends and loved ones.
- 7 Disadvantages Of Living With Roommates
- 8 Benefits of Living with a Roommate
- 9 Safety
- 10 Freedom To Socialize
- 11 Final Thoughts
Advantages of Living on Your own
You are able to focus on your work and interests and take responsibility for your life.
The advantages of living on your own include being able to control your schedule, set your own hours, and choose where you live.
It also gives you greater freedom to pursue your passions and interests.
You have more time to yourself.
Living alone allows you to spend more time with friends and family, as well as pursuing hobbies and other activities.
This is especially true when you have children.
If you have young kids, you will probably need to hire help at some point, so having more free time means you can do things like go out with friends or volunteer.
You don’t need to worry about other people’s opinions or feelings.
It’s easy to feel lonely living alone. However, there are many reasons why people choose to live alone.
They might enjoy being independent, or they might not want to share their home with others.
There are also practical reasons for choosing to live alone.
Living On Your Own Can Be Cost Friendly
For instance, if you have pets, you won’t have to pay for pet care. Also, you can save money by cooking meals for yourself instead of eating out.
You’re free from the responsibilities of family life.
Living alone has its benefits. If you prefer to spend more time doing what you love rather than spending time at home taking care of others, then living alone might be right for you.
On the other hand, if you need to be close to friends and family, living alone might not be ideal.
You Can Make your Own Decisions
You can make your own decisions without worrying about what others think.
There are many reasons why people choose to live alone. It can be because they enjoy being independent, they feel safer living alone, they want to save money, or they just prefer to live alone.
Whatever the reason, living alone has many benefits particularly if it is well planned and implemented at a well calculated time.
You can spend more time with friends and loved ones.
Living alone also gives you the opportunity to make new friends and develop relationships with others who share similar interests.
This can help you find new hobbies and activities that you might not otherwise discover.
Choosing to live alone will free you from the responsibilities and restrictions that living with roommates can present.
Moreover, you’ll have much more freedom to decide the kind of lifestyle that suits you best.
Disadvantages Of Living With Roommates
While living with a roommate can be great, there are also a number of disadvantages.
Blurred Lines of Ownership
While you’ll get less privacy, sharing a space with another person can blur the lines of ownership. You may find your favorite toothpaste and cereal disappearing, and your new black cardigan ends up on the floor.
If you’re not fond of having roommates with different tastes, or who don’t share your hobbies or interests, you’ll have to compromise on some aspects of your life.
For example, if you’re a retiree, you may have to live with an elderly roommate who feels like a new parent.
Similarly, if you’re a single person, you’ll have to put up with the younger roommate who may not be able to stand on his own two feet.
You Sacrifice Your Privacy
Another disadvantage of sharing space is that you’ll have to share almost everything. This means you’ll have to sacrifice privacy. It can be annoying to have to wait for the cable guy.
You’ll also have to compromise on your sleep schedule. You might have to share your bathroom.
Your Standards of Cleanliness May Not Be The Same
Then again, you might end up with a messy roommate. If you’re a clean person, you may find it hard to get rid of a messy roommate.
Benefits of Living with a Roommate
On the plus side, you don’t have to share your laundry, and you won’t have to worry about a roommate running the dishwasher or running the air conditioning all the time.
You can also save money by saving energy and water by not having to share the household expenses with another person.
Another benefit of sharing a space with a roommate is that you have someone to ask for favors, which is useful if you’re a loner and don’t want to share your space.
Likewise, your roommate will be able to take care of plants or pets if you’re away from home.
Moreover, you’ll be able to send each other important mail or tell them about something you need to do around the house.
Safety
When buying a new home or planning to live on your own rented apartment, safety should be a top priority.
Certain groups of people should take extra precautions when living alone. In order to ensure your safety, you should check your home for these common safety problems.
Below, you can find tips for living alone. These tips will help you feel safer in your own home. You can use this guide as a checklist to check all the important safety issues in your new home.
One of the biggest safety advantages of living alone is the security that comes with it.
Not only will you be able to lock your doors and windows, but you can also install security apps that notify you if something goes wrong.
These apps often come with GPS tracking facilities and alarm functions that can alert you to potential problems before they happen. Make sure your phone is fully charged and keeps a watchful eye out for suspicious activity.
Another important safety advantage of living on your own is the security of your belongings.
When you live alone, you are more prone to fires and carbon monoxide poisoning.
This is because there is no one around to raise the alarm. Make sure your home has an adequate carbon monoxide alarm that monitors all areas of the house.
Most carbon monoxide alarms are combined with fire alarms, so you’ll have a double layer of protection.
Lastly, living alone can be very stressful. If you’re someone who doesn’t like sharing space or don’t like crowds, living alone can be a great option.
One of the disadvantages of living alone is the potential risk of being mugged or attacked.
Living with roommates can reduce your stress levels, however, they will also make it harder to get the best night’s sleep.
If you can live with roommates, there’s a chance that your rent will be lower. Also, you can enjoy special benefits that come with living alone.
Freedom To Socialize
Living on your own gives you freedom to make more meaningful choices.
By allowing you to socialize without the influence of your family and friends, you’ll have more time for more meaningful choices.
You’ll have the space to make more personal choices and more complex decisions.
For instance, when you’re living alone, you’ll have less pressure to impress others or make decisions that will offend people.
But you’ll still have a large circle of friends who’ve helped you get where you are.
Final Thoughts
Living alone is very different from living with your family or sharing an apartment with other people.. If you’re a recent college graduate who’s moved out on your own, you’ll have to be more resourceful than you’ve ever been.
There are several things to consider when moving out on your own, including cost of living, security systems, budgeting, and finding a job. Hopefully, these tips will make the transition easier for you.
Rent is a big expense when you plan to move out and live alone. Therefore, you should consider the cost of rent before deciding on your budget. If you have roommates, then you can divide the rent, but make certain to pick the right people!
Renter’s insurance is the least expensive thing you can do to protect your belongings from damages. If you’re living with roommates, think about whether they can share the expenses and make the move easier.
You might not need a car, however, public transport may make the commute easier for you. All the best! Moving out on your own doesn’t mean you have to give up on having someone around to help you out.
In fact, you can hire a house cleaner to come in once a week to clean your home. Or, you can ask your neighbors to watch your place while you’re gone.
Finally, you can get a pet sitter to take care of your dog or cat while you’re away.