What's up all you cool cats and kittens? I'm Athena.
Back in 2015, I moved into my beautiful cat lady bachelorette pad, a 600-square-foot apartment in a hip neighborhood. The rent was just right, and I was so excited to finally LIVE BY MYSELF for the first time.
The weekend before I moved in, I dragged my ex-boyfriend around to help me be an adult and buy all the things I needed for my apartment with the $1,100 I had saved over the last few months.
I hope everyone is laughing, 'cause you really should be. WTF did I think I was gonna buy for my place for $1,100?! I learned a valuable lesson that day. Stuff costs money, and I never really knew how much it actually cost until I moved out on my own. The stuff in question?
1. Sofa
I was obsessed with my friend Anne’s couch when I went to visit her in Boston the previous year. But Anne didn’t tell me how expensive it was, so how was I to know it was unrealistic to get my dream couch for $300?!
The closest one I found to it cost $550. I tried to haggle that $550 couch down to $300, and he didn’t laugh at me — what a kind old man he was.
How I Made It Work
2. Furniture in General
When I moved in, I had a bed from an ex’s parents, a desk from my childhood, and a bookshelf from Target. I also had a shoe bench. Since my bedroom was pretty much set, I had another $650 leftover. I figured I was in good standing.
Well, I couldn’t afford anything without completely gutting myself. I couldn’t get a table, and I couldn’t get the tons of bookcases to make a library like Belle's from Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. Ikea wasn’t much help either, and I couldn’t decide what I really needed or even wanted for furniture.
I bought one bookcase 'cause I couldn’t let my Belle dream go, and I was tired of looking at my books on the floor. Everything else got tossed in cabinets and storage bins for the time being.
How I Made It Work
I ended up stalking clearance items at Target and other stores like Ross and HomeGoods. If I had a little extra per paycheck, I’d stash it away for a cute little stand or something else on my wish list. I wish I had started my wish list a lot earlier in life, because I ended up with a lot of non-matching furniture that I bought 'cause it was cheap.
3. Laundry
My apartment didn’t have a washer or dryer, which made me sad after my cat started having a lot of issues that required frequent cleaning. I ended up living right over a washroom that was FREE, so I couldn’t complain too much.
Big appliances aren’t always included in an apartment, so always check that you read the description of the place you’re moving into, or ask about it when you tour the building.
How I Made It Work
My friends told me if I was using a paid-for laundromat, I should add at least $25 to my monthly budget. Since it ended up being free, I concentrated on ways I could cut costs, like buying highly concentrated laundry soap and not using the dryer for my clothes to cut back on dryer sheets. Air drying your clothes this way also makes them last longer!
4. Paper Products
Paper products were definitely another eye-opening purchase when I moved. You probably laughed again when I said paper, and you have every right, 'cause it certainly doesn’t sound expensive. But it is, especially when you're the one buying it every day for a household.
When I went to buy Angel Soft, the angels made me cry. Then I focused on the Dollar Store, which was the cheapest option — yet I could see right through it. How was that gonna wipe my booty?
How I Made It Work
I found that paper products are often the best price and quality at warehouse stores, like Costco. If you’re young, chances are you don’t own a membership, but someone close to you does. It might be a family member, a friend, or even a coworker. Ask them if they would mind if you tag along, bring cash, and stock up on paper products and samples when you go.
5. Pots and Pans
Y’all ever seen Bad Girls Club? I’m severely dating myself here, but one of the most memorable scenes is when the girls go party all night and get home trashed at like 5 a.m. and throw a rager at home. When one of the girls named Tanisha realizes there's syrup on the phone, she gets out all of the pots and pans from the kitchen and slams them all day. The situation has been immortalized in this clip:
How I Made It Work
When buying pots and pans, I stick to discount designer stores like HomeGoods and Ross. They have high-quality items for lower prices than you’ll see at even Target or Walmart. So you can grab the necessities there and stay under $100 easily. All other kitchen tools, I grab at Dollar Tree.
6. Stuff for the Bathroom
Unless you like showering in the cold with no towel or shower curtain, you’ll need to get bathroom supplies somewhere. And I’m not talking about the paper products you’re already trying to hoard from work.
Shower curtains, towels, rugs for the floor… It adds up. Quickly!
How I Made It Work
I stalk Target when there are deals for 20% off the bed and bathroom section. Honestly, it’s probably the only time to buy those items unless you are in a hurry. The dollar store now also carries a lot of bathroom supplies such as shower curtains and toothbrush holders and would be a cheaper option if you have time to go to more than one store!
7. Good Soap
Every time I went to someone else’s house in my early 20s, they had nice-smelling, fancy Bath and Body Works soap. I would always awkwardly try to sneak sniffs of my hands because they smelled that good.
One of the first things I wanted to do when I got my first place was run out and buy all the soap. Then I realized the soap was $6 a bottle.
How I Made It Work
I only shop Bath and Body Works when there are sales, and I make sure I find a coupon online. If you don’t care about fancy soap as much I do, you can easily find some nice soap at Dollar Tree. I’m not gonna lie — I do buy soap from Dollar Tree and will take turns using it and fancier soap at the sink. I love oatmeal and honey scents, and the dollar brand is great!
8. Utilities
I couldn’t believe it when I moved to Phoenix, Arizona, as an adult and heard about people’s electric bills. It’s not uncommon for people to have an electric bill anywhere between $300–$500 from May through September.
Temperatures range up to the 120s, which is apparently hot enough to pop the tires on an airplane hitting the tarmac (our airport always closes for a few random days in the summer, yikes). Utilities can be expensive and completely unexpected.
How I Make It Work
One of the ways I made it work when I first lived on my own was to find an apartment that included utilities. It meant my apartment was a little dated and had three different types of walls throughout, but having my utilities included in my rent is really why I did not stress while living on my own. I knew exactly what the monthly expense was, and I could plan for it.
9. Lights
When you move into your first place, I can’t wait for you to flick the light switch. Because chances are, it’s not gonna work. You see, whenever you take a tour of an apartment complex, they have those apartments nicely cleaned and decorated. Your apartment will be clean.
But the one thing missing? Lights in the form of lamps AND light bulbs. Are you having fun yet?
How I Made It Work
You can always get lights and light bulbs at any discount store. One place you can find good lamps for cheap is Ikea. And if you aren’t in a hurry for a lamp, you can always start visiting Goodwill and Offerup to shop for a lamp that will rock your budget and style.