4 Ways To Save Money When Living In The City
September 27, 2023
Living on your own is an exciting time. You get to enjoy a lot more independence and make your own decisions about where to live, what to eat, and who to hang out with, but then you’re also responsible for your own bills, for keeping your living space in good condition, and for getting a job that can earn you a decent living. It can be hard to balance all those responsibilities, especially when you’re just starting out in a city with a high cost of living. Fortunately, there are several practical ways to keep your expenses down.
1. Make A Budget
Creating a budget can be a very helpful way of looking at how you’re living and where all your expenses are coming from. Start out by doing what you always do, but every time you make a purchase or pay a bill, no matter how small it is, you should add it to your budget sheet. Once the month is over, you can divide the costs into categories, add them all up, and then compare them to your monthly income. You may be shocked when you see where all your money is going.
2. Learn To Cook
A lot of newly independent people won’t bother cooking their own food. After all, eating out or eating pre-made meals is much faster and easier than cooking for yourself. However, the time you save becomes the money you spend, because packaged food and restaurant food is almost always more expensive than eating at home. On top of that, eating your own food is usually healthier than eating out, and poor health can cost you even more money later down the road.
3. Walk More
Transportation costs have a way of adding up, even if you have your own vehicle and don’t rely on public transportation. However, one kind of transportation is always free: walking. If you live in a city then there’s a good chance you can find convenience stores, bars, groceries, and other useful locations within a 15-minute walk. You can save a lot of money by walking there regularly instead of driving around town or taking the bus, plus regular walks are also good for your health.
4. Share Living Costs
Another important way to save money is to find one or more roommates you can comfortably live with. Living with friends will let you split basic costs like rent and utilities, and with their help you can each afford better living conditions than what you could get as a single occupant. Just be careful who you choose to live with because not every great friend is an equally great roommate.
Living independently means living responsibly, and sometimes that means spending your time rather than your money or sharing your responsibilities with others. It also helps to find a great place to live, like LivingQ. LivingQ is a community that offers shared living spaces, and although we’re in a big city we offer very competitive rates for individuals willing to live with roommates.
