any advice for first-timer living outside of family?

[atraceofblood]

Hey, this fall I am moving away to another school, and this will be the first time I will be living outside of my family (I feel so spoiled Anyways, I was wondering if anyone could please offer my advice about living with roommates, paying for a room, paying for other expensives, etc.

 

I've never done this before and I am afraid because I'm not sure how I can get all the money to go to school and pay for my living.

 

I do have the option of choosing a loan, but I'm not sure if that will be enough, and although I will be working, getting a job is really hard for some reason.

 

any advice?

[Haven]

Have you looked into getting financial aid from your school? You should call the financial aid office and ask them about this. They can probably give you better advice on how to pay for school, etc.

[Imperceptible]

Make sure you know how to balance your checkbook especially after you pay for rent, bills, and tuition.

 

Have you decided if you want one roommate or several? Are you looking at dorm rooms or apartments or houses? Different locations come with different types of responsibilities.

 

Are you searching for jobs that require a lot of experience or entry level jobs or fastfood? I can try to offer advice depending on the part of the job hunting process that you have trouble with.

[atraceofblood]

well I already filed a FAFSA before the March deadline, and all I got was loan offers. I went to the college and asked the Financial department for help, but they told me all their details and help are online on their website, and I will get to that sometime soon, to activate my loans.

 

I did however glance over how much loans I can take out and calculated that I might be short while paying for both tuition/books, and housing, and am afraid I might have to take out regular loans that might screw me over in debt.

 

I am planning on living off-campus, in a house with a few roommates at least. I'm looking at rooms that cost around $400-700/month. I'm just not sure when I should start talking to the owners and start the process of moving in. I'm also not sure how to handle loans and pay my bills yet since I'm a complete rookie a this. I just don't want to mess up as I start to do things on my own.

 

As for job, I can only get part-time work as a student, so most likely entry-level work. I want to avoid fast food, EXCEPT a local private burger chain here called In-n-out. I want to avoid telemarketing and sales. I am ok with popular restaurants and retail stores. I would prefer to work in an environment where I am always communicating with people (preferrably my age), and where the place is always busy, and that pays at least $9/hr (min wage is $6.75 here; and a min wage job might really bug me if I have to work lots of hours/week and do lots of school work, that's why I want a higher paying job, too work less).

 

I just don't know what tricks there are to be honest and get a job. For the past 3 years, I've mostly worked at school and got paid well. Now I have to move on and I'm unsure where to work and how to get the job that I want. I've really sucked at getting jobs over the summer breaks for some reason, and have had to settle for temp jobs (at least last year).

[sir sirloin]

get your mom to teach you how to do laundry....I didn't and I messed up a bunch of clothes my first time away from home

[atraceofblood]

get your mom to teach you how to do laundry....I didn't and I messed up a bunch of clothes my first time away from home

 

I already do my own laundry. It's mainly the money situation that I'm afraid of.

[Imperceptible]

The sooner you look for housing the better. It's never to early. Once it gets closer to the start of school, available housing gets scarce. Move in at least 2 weeks before school starts. You need to time settle in, bond with the roomies, learn house rules, and figure out where you go to pay billls.

Loans are common. But make sure you plan to major in something that will allow you to pay your loans after you graduate. Art majors shouldn't get many loans. Science majors are ok. Pre-med majors shouldn't get many loans because they usually become Political Science majors by the second yr.

Have you looked at scholarships from private sources? Check out grant books from your public library. Check the local newspaper for scholarships offered by local organizations.

 

Bills- Ask your roomies who usually pays and how are the bills paid if they already live at the house. If you're all new roomies go online to the major utilities companies and look at their websites. They should have the addresses for local locations where you can pay your bills. If they don't have a location in your area, then you have to mail your payment to them. You can also call the on the phone. If you have to get stuff turned on it's easier to call. They'll check your credit and make you pay a deposit if you don't have a credit history or if you have bad credit. Utilities you need to check out include electricity, gas if you have gas heat, water, and check with the town for water, sewer, and trash pickup. Check with the landlord before you do this because some landlords pay for water or heat or both.

 

House maintenance- May need to mow the lawn and general upkeep of the house. talk it over with you landlord.

 

Housemates- Make sure you can get along with them. Nothing is worse than roommates who have personalities opposite from your own. Check them out before you move. Go to lunch, hang out if you can. If they are party people and you need to study a lot don't move in together. If they have friends who come and go at all times of the night and you think your stuff is valuable. Don't move in with them.

 

Jobs- Apply to a lot of jobs at places you like. You have a good chance of getting a job at one of the many places where you filled out applications. Make sure you let the jobs know you need time to study. I've had jobs where I didn't mention my need to study much and I was stuck working 10 hr a day the entire weekend.

[Imperceptible]

Have you asked the school about work study? Work study jobs give you time to study, pays decent, and is on-campus so you don't have to rush to work after class. Some large univerisities have restaurants, libraries, and stores on campus that post helpwanted signs before school opens or at the beginning of school. Check out your college campus.

 

Some retail stores pay on commission. If you like communicating then you can use your talking skills to earn big pay by convincing people to buy.

 

What is your major? Some large universities have students and teachers who hire student staff to help out with projects in the sciences. These jobs pay well. Look around campus for signs. Ask students and teachers about it.

 

Car salesman

Grocery store cashier. It pays and you get to talk to everyone including good-looking ladies. Everyone needs to buy food to eat right?

 

If you want to stay busy look for a job at a restaurant in a popular part of town where everyone likes to hang out and socialize. If it's in a busy suit and tie district avoid it because business slows down after 6 pm when everyone leaves work. If you look for jobs as a waitor in restaurants in busy areas you have a better chance of getting more tips because you can wait on more people.

[Imperceptible]

I hope I helped you out a little.

[atraceofblood]

thanks for the help, I think you've given me a lot of advice to think over!

 

So if I don't have a credit history, I would have to pay a deposit?

[monkey1]

thanks for the help, I think you've given me a lot of advice to think over!

 

So if I don't have a credit history, I would have to pay a deposit?

 

Depends. Some people require it and some don't. I didn't have to do a credit history when I moved off campus. It's good though to have good credit history. If you don't have a credit card, get one so you can start building on it. A majority of places require, first, last months deposits. Ha, though I didn't. I have a great landlord/roommate. We've been going well.

 

As for budgeting ... hmm, are your parents able to help you figure this out? My mom did when I moved away from home and again when I graduated and moved off campus. I can manage my money pretty well after my mom helped me figure out my monthly costs. Though people here have given some good advice.

 

Are your folks going to help out at all or are you totally on your own?

[Imperceptible]

For some electric companies, telephone companies, and gas companies they check your credit. In other words they look at credit cards, available line of credit, how much debt you're in, whether or not you pay your bills on time, and sometimes your checking, and savings account. If it looks like you don't have established credit they'll make you pay a deposit. My former roommate who didn't have a credit history tried to get the gas turned on in our place before we moved in and customer service told her she had to pay a deposit. I told her to cancel the service activation and I would call and see if we needed to pay a deposit. When I called they checked my credit while I was on the phone and said I didn't have to pay a deposit.

The deposit can go up to $100 per company. Do you have one credit card? Having one credit card for a few years can help establish your credit. Just make sure you don't use it if you don't want to be in debt!!!!If you use it pay off the entire balance ASAP to keep your credit in good standing. If you decide to get a credit card make sure the interest rates is low (a max of 12%). But if you don't have established credit, then it's not likely your first card will have a low interest rate. But there's a trick to getting your rates lowered if you're interested in knowing.

You can also work on building a credit history by getting some utilities turned on in your name and pay these bills on time.

[atraceofblood]

are credit cards really required? I mean I don't want one because I know how may dad got into debt with them, and it turns me off from them.

 

I have a checking account and I've saved up enough to at least pay a months worth of rent and deposit. I am probably gonna work a little bit this summer before I move out so I will have enough for rent. I also am looking at loans, but I'm not sure how much I can get...

 

Ok so what if there is a house that charges 500/month plus 500 deposit, and then say I have to share the pay for utilities per month? Would I have to talk to the landlord about the utilities or do I have to talk to the individual companies (electric, cable, etc...)?

 

oh and I am pretty much on my own after I move out. My family has it's own financial problems to deal with, so it doesn't look like they can help me at all.

[Imperceptible]

As for budgeting ... hmm, are your parents able to help you figure this out? My mom did when I moved away from home and again when I graduated and moved off campus. I can manage my money pretty well after my mom helped me figure out my monthly costs. Though people here have given some good advice.

 

Are your folks going to help out at all or are you totally on your own?

 

Monkey 1 is right about budgeting! It's good to have your parents help you out when you first learn to budget. I've known people to spend all of their money on useless garbage and then when they run out of money they're in 7/11 charging a 50 cent can of Pepsi to their credit cards.

 

Make sure you know the difference between what you need to buy and what you would like to buy when you're a struggling college student on a tight budget. Learn how to be cost effective when you're shopping.

[Imperceptible]

Credit cards are a quick and easy way to help you establish credit history and boost your credit score. If you're not sure how scores are calculated check out the Aug 2005 issue of Consumer Reports magazine. There's a great article that tells you about establishing credit history and what that could mean for you in the future. If you're really worried about the card, you could get one, cut it up once you receive it, put it in a safe place so no one can get your account number. You won't be able to use the card and you'll still be building a credit history. I had a friend do that.

 

Talk directly to a loan counselor and they should be able to tell you the maximum loan amount you can receive.

 

Utilities: Talk to you landlord first. If your landlord says you and your roomies are responsible for all utilities, then you talk to the companies. If your landlord pays for some of the utilities then the cost may be included in the cost of your monthly rent.Both situations are fairly common.

 

Sometimes the bill will be sent to the landlord and the landlord will tell you how much the bill costs (it's good to ask for a copy of the bill if this happens) and then you and the roomies pool your money and give it to the landlord so the landlord can pay the bill since the bill is in his or her name. I'm not sure how common this situation is but I've known friends who do this.

[atraceofblood]

is having a credit history really required?

[Imperceptible]

is having a credit history really required?

 

It's not required if you don't mind paying deposits. Some companies don't require deposits so your credit history may not be used at all depending on the company you choose for service. But if you rent a house from a real estate agency instead of a private owner, then they'll check your credit history before leasing you a house.

 

If you plan to buy a house, car, or ask for a huge loan to start a business or something in the future then you need a good solid credit history. You can get a car with no credit history but yuo'll be considered a high risk and interest rates will be

But if you don't plan to buy these things now or later, you can still survive without a credit history.

[atraceofblood]

It's not required if you don't mind paying deposits. Some companies don't require deposits so your credit history may not be used at all depending on the company you choose for service. But if you rent a house from a real estate agency instead of a private owner, then they'll check your credit history before leasing you a house.

 

If you plan to buy a house, car, or ask for a huge loan to start a business or something in the future then you need a good solid credit history. You can get a car with no credit history but yuo'll be considered a high risk and interest rates will be

But if you don't plan to buy these things now or later, you can still survive without a credit history.

 

haha, I was thinking about trying to go without credit cards throughout my life. I just have a distrust in them because of debt.

 

Ok so if I don't have a credit history and certain companies require deposits, and my roommate has a credit history, would it be illegal if I just gave my share of the bill to my roommate with the credit history, to pay off the bills?

[serenity25]

If you can get on as a waiter at a super popular/busy or upscale restaurant, you will make more money doing that than anything else most likely.

[phantomwolff85]

I think if you got a credit card you'd be able to use it responsibly because of the lesson you learned from your dad. You don't have to fear it if you are good with budgeting.

[Imperceptible]

haha, I was thinking about trying to go without credit cards throughout my life. I just have a distrust in them because of debt.

 

Ok so if I don't have a credit history and certain companies require deposits, and my roommate has a credit history, would it be illegal if I just gave my share of the bill to my roommate with the credit history, to pay off the bills?

 

That's not illegal. If your roommate with the credit history gets the utilities turned on under his or her name then can give your share of the bill to him or her. Then he or she can pay the bill.

[atraceofblood]

do you think I should start talking to landlords right now or wait until I have the money/loans?

[Imperceptible]

do you think I should start talking to landlords right now or wait until I have the money/loans?

 

Start talking to landlords now and look around and check out some places. You need to spend some time looking around and touring the properties. Check out places during the day and at night to make sure the neighborhood looks safe at all times. If you have a little money saved up and you see a place you like you can talk to the landlord about signing a lease and giving them a deposit both of which will enable the landlord to save the property for you so it'll still be available when you move in.

[atraceofblood]

Start talking to landlords now and look around and check out some places. You need to spend some time looking around and touring the properties. Check out places during the day and at night to make sure the neighborhood looks safe at all times. If you have a little money saved up and you see a place you like you can talk to the landlord about signing a lease and giving them a deposit both of which will enable the landlord to save the property for you so it'll still be available when you move in.

 

I wouldn't mind checking the place out, but my problem is transportation because I live 4 hours away from the city I want to move to. LOL

 

What do you think I can do?

[Imperceptible]

I wouldn't mind checking the place out, but my problem is transportation because I live 4 hours away from the city I want to move to. LOL

 

What do you think I can do?

 

Can you rent a hotel room for at least 1 night in that city and check out all the places that seem interesting in one day?