Living Solo: 12 Useful Tips and Things to Do Before Moving In

Over the past few decades, the typical Philippine lifestyle has seen a noticeable shift in living arrangements, from multigenerational family homes to single-person households. Single-person households have always existed in the Philippines, but most often on a temporary basis. But as urbanization accelerates and opportunities for career growth in cities increase, many young professionals, especially within the upwardly mobile middle class, are opting to live on their own by choice. This trend has been accelerated by individuals choosing to start families later in life, further extending their solo living period.

Whether you’re exploring solo living as a lifestyle choice, to help your career ambitions, or because you value your privacy, you should know that living by yourself is a completely valid choice. Living solo does, however, bring responsibilities and considerations that first-timers may be unprepared for. If you’re preparing to leap into living on your own, go through this list before you do:

1) Create a Financial Plan for Your New Solo Lifestyle

Living on your own means taking full responsibility for your own finances. If you don’t have a bank account yet, shop around for a savings account that facilitates easy transfers to billers and dependents while also being easy to access. 

Next, you’ll want to develop a rough budget that covers rent, utilities, groceries, transportation, and any other recurring expenses. Learn how to open a bank account with a reputable bank like Maya and get started as soon as you find an account product that works for your projected future needs. For Maya in particular, it’s especially easy to open an account because you only need 1 valid ID and there’s no minimum deposit required. Once you start living by yourself, you’ll see if your budget and your way of managing your money through your account are workable, and you can adjust from there.

2) Get Insurance Coverage

If you have the financial bandwidth for it, consider getting personal insurance separate from what your relatives or job provides you. Having sufficient coverage will help you immensely in times of illness and during other untoward incidents. As we’ll further explore, being prepared for the unexpected is a recurring theme of living solo.

3) Start an Emergency Fund

It doesn’t matter if you already have insurance. There’s a plethora of unexpected situations that can only be fixed by having enough cash on hand. Since you’re going to be living alone, you can’t necessarily depend on others to spot you cash, particularly for an emergency that doesn’t involve them.

Whatever your budget, make it a point to build up an emergency fund. As a rule of thumb, you want to aim for three to six months’ worth of expenses so that you can still get by if you happen to lose your main source of income.

4) Streamline Your Debt Repayments

Moving and starting a life alone when you’re in debt is not ideal, but it can’t always be helped. If you can, try to keep outstanding debts, such as credit cards or personal loans, under control before you move. Ask your creditors for a reprieve or see if you can consolidate or refinance them to make repayments more manageable.

5) Choose a Location Wisely

If you have a choice, prioritize places with good proximity to your workplace, grocery stores, public transportation, and recreation. Safety and noise levels should also be evaluated, since these may require you to spend more to make your situation more livable.

6) Ensure That Your New Place Has Reliable Utilities

Confirm that utilities like water and electricity are properly set up and functioning well, since these can have a serious impact on your health and how much you can enjoy your home. Don’t forget to look at the area’s internet connectivity options, since internet access is just as important as other utilities for maintaining a good quality of life.

7) Downsize and Declutter

Moving into a smaller space? Donate, sell, or dispose of items you no longer need. Solo living tends to mean more limited storage, so learn to live within the space you do have. If you really do need the extra space, find a bigger place, rent a separate storage unit, or invest in smarter storage solutions that efficiently use up what space you have available.

8) Make a List of Essentials

Before moving in, make a list of essentials such as cleaning supplies, cookware, and basic furniture like a bed, table, and a couple of chairs. Don’t purchase everything at once, since this will just encourage you to get cheap disposable furniture that will have to be replaced sooner than expected. Prioritize what you need, then just gradually add on quality items as your budget allows.

9) Learn Basic Home Maintenance Skills

If you’re at an age when you can live solo, you should already know basic skills like how to unclog drains, how to change out light bulbs, and how to safely manage electrical outlets. However, you may need to learn more advanced things like how to install shelves and how to safely swap out LPG tanks. Thankfully, you can find solutions to most of these everyday issues online.

10) Set Up a Cleaning Routine

Living solo means you’ll need to take charge of housekeeping. It may be tough at first, but you’ll need to establish a routine to maintain cleanliness everywhere in your home. Assign tasks to specific days, such as vacuuming on weekends or washing clothes just before the stuff in your hamper spills out. With a clean space, you’ll find so much more to like about your living situation.

11) Invest in Security Measures

People who live alone are prime targets for thieves and other malicious actors. At the minimum, invest in a good-quality lock for your doors and install security cameras or alarms if possible. Knowing that your home is secure will give you peace of mind and make it possible to fully thrive in your new environment.

12) Develop a Support Network

Just because you’re living solo doesn’t mean you have to live the rest of your life alone. Having good relations with your neighbors, colleagues, and the family you left is going to be a massive boon to your mental health that will, counterintuitively, make your solo life more sustainable.

Preparing for the Solo Living Experience

You’ll find that living solo can teach you a lot about personal independence and smart financing. But, as with many other things in life, preparation is key to making it a better experience. With these tips, you’ll be much more ready to enjoy comfortable solo living in the Philippines or wherever else your life takes you.

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