Short messages on Lifestyle from Respect Yourself, the guidance site for young people to help make good decisions in life.
Work out a budget to see how much money you need each month to pay the rent and buy what you need – including food and utilities like electricity, gas and water. It also good to think about saving some extra money for emergencies.
If you are leaving home because of family conflict or abuse, you might be able to stay at a shelter, if you cannot resolve the conflict. Leaving home is easier if your family will assist and support you in making the move. If your immediate family will not support you, you might have friends or relatives who will.
If you are under 18 and moving out, you may find it difficult to rent a house or sign a lease because of your age. You may need an adult (relative or friend) to cosign a lease with you, so they share the responsibility for ensuring the property is taken care of and you are paying your rent on time.
If you are 18 or older, have a stable income and are planning to leave home, you can probably either move into shared housing with friends or look into renting your own place. If you’re going to university, you may also have the option of going into halls of residence with other students.
Your natural human fears of failure and embarrassment will sometimes stop you from trying new things. Rising above these fears enables you to make unique experiences part of your life.
When you invest in yourself, you can never lose, and over time you will change the path of your life. The more time, energy and money you spend learning things important to you, the more control you have over your life.
Wash your body every day to clean off oils, grease and grime, and to make you smell nice for other people. If you are allergic to soap or have a skin condition, speak to your pharmacist for alternatives.
If you set up automatic bill payments and savings, you’ve got time and energy to focus on other good money habits.
When you can’t decide between buying two things, you can use indecision as a trigger to not buy anything.
“2 items out for every 1 in” rule: is the new possession you’re considering buying valuable enough for you to get rid of two of your possessions?