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  #1  
Old 18th November 2014, 00:06
scarlettgirl scarlettgirl is offline
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Default living alone

i'm finally looking into getting my own place, but to be honest i'm not sure if i'll cope. i find shopping alone very stressful (although i'm ok with friends), and some days i struggle to leave the house with anxiety still. has anyone living alone got any tips, or things i need to prepare for in general when it comes to renting? also this is weird i know, but i feel anxious about meeting neighbours...will i have to introduce myself to them? will they think i'm rude if i don't??! arrgggh. i would like to keep myself to myself and not feel the pressure of trying to be social with neighbours all the time because i can't deal with it every day.
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  #2  
Old 18th November 2014, 00:33
scarlettgirl scarlettgirl is offline
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Default Re: living alone

Thanks for the words, Sean C. I did think about a shop online but then worry about the cost and if it works out more expensive. I'll be having to budget things for a while. Saying that i don't eat much lol.
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  #3  
Old 18th November 2014, 00:37
MrDan MrDan is offline
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Default Re: living alone

I highly doubt you will need to go meet your neighbours and give them an introduction about yourself. Unless of course you're moving out to a rural village where everyone knows one another and dislike them city folk... those sort of people meet up at the pub every night to discuss such outsiders, and plan on doing bad things to them...

Jokes aside you should be fine.
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  #4  
Old 18th November 2014, 00:40
scarlettgirl scarlettgirl is offline
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Default Re: living alone

Quote:
Originally Posted by MrDan
I highly doubt you will need to go meet your neighbours and give them an introduction about yourself. Unless of course you're moving out to a rural village where everyone knows one another and dislike them city folk... those sort of people meet up at the pub every night to discuss such outsiders, and plan on doing bad things to them...

Jokes aside you should be fine.
haha yeah i'm not going into the land of hot fuzz or anything like that. You're right i'm probably worrying about nothing. just being in a new neighbourhood makes me anxious because its new and a change i guess.
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  #5  
Old 18th November 2014, 00:52
umm umm is offline
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Default Re: living alone

Quote:
Originally Posted by scarlettgirl
i'm finally looking into getting my own place, but to be honest i'm not sure if i'll cope. i find shopping alone very stressful (although i'm ok with friends), and some days i struggle to leave the house with anxiety still. has anyone living alone got any tips, or things i need to prepare for in general when it comes to renting? also this is weird i know, but i feel anxious about meeting neighbours...will i have to introduce myself to them? will they think i'm rude if i don't??! arrgggh. i would like to keep myself to myself and not feel the pressure of trying to be social with neighbours all the time because i can't deal with it every day.
Fortunately modern Britain is not the most uber-neighbourly place in the world - though it does vary somewhat according to where you are. People move about so much that in pretty much any town or city not everyone would speak to everyone else, but generally a smile and a good morning is sufficient if you see a neighbour. They won't mind if you don't invite them all over for tea and nibbles right off the bat, so - ghastly silence averted
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  #6  
Old 18th November 2014, 08:45
Mr. Yippeeeeeee Mr. Yippeeeeeee is offline
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Default Re: living alone

When approaching a new situation you're bound to think of all the "pit falls" - which generally never happen.
Some of the supermarkets offer about £10 off your first order and some delivery slots are only a £1.
Hope all goes well for you in your new home.
Best wishes
Peter
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  #7  
Old 18th November 2014, 12:05
TTSP TTSP is offline
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Default Re: living alone

Hi Scarlett,

have you thought about the positives of living on your own? Weigh up the positives with the possible negatives
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  #8  
Old 31st January 2015, 01:57
scarlettgirl scarlettgirl is offline
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Default Re: living alone

sorry to bump the thread back up again but i've finally gotten my house! I don't get the keys for a couple of weeks but it's 99 percent certain. I don't mind saying i alternate between wanting to be sick and just complete excitment (which in turn makes me feel sick again hah), but i guess am still anxious about the shopping aspect and basically the entire cost of living. i wonder if anyone can give a rough guess how much it'd cost me in terms of utility bills etc per month for a single person living in a two bed terrace. and do you have any good tips for cheap food/bulk buying. it would really help. thanks so much in advance
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  #9  
Old 31st January 2015, 02:25
scarlettgirl scarlettgirl is offline
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Default Re: living alone

thanks for the tips AuroraSky! I'm definitely taking some bits and bobs from my old bedroom which should help make it more familiar and less bare, just to put my own stamp on the place as soon as possible. i do hope i'll settle sooner rather than later, though i am prone to thinking on the possible negatives, i take some comfort in knowing that if it doesn't work out my parents will actually have me back so i won't be completely homeless! I guess nothing ventured nothing gained
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  #10  
Old 31st January 2015, 09:19
Indigo_ Indigo_ is offline
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Default Re: living alone

Quote:
Originally Posted by scarlettgirl
sorry to bump the thread back up again but i've finally gotten my house! I don't get the keys for a couple of weeks but it's 99 percent certain. I don't mind saying i alternate between wanting to be sick and just complete excitment (which in turn makes me feel sick again hah), but i guess am still anxious about the shopping aspect and basically the entire cost of living. i wonder if anyone can give a rough guess how much it'd cost me in terms of utility bills etc per month for a single person living in a two bed terrace. and do you have any good tips for cheap food/bulk buying. it would really help. thanks so much in advance
Congratulations

In terms of cost/bills, I guess it depends on the area in which you're living? You can get a discount on council tax if it's just you living at the property.

I struggle to keep food costs down but I freeze a lot of the meat that I buy and then just de-frost it when I want to cook.

I never introduced myself to my neighbours. We just say hello if we pass each other
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  #11  
Old 31st January 2015, 09:28
les les is offline
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Default Re: living alone

Congratulations on your new home, I live alone and I have moved around quite a bit with my work. All of my furniture apart from my bed is from charity shops or Ikea I have two 2 seater settees, a large chest of draws in my bedroom and a large coffee table that came from a charity shop and will go back when I move It keeps my removal cost down, the storage shelves from Ikea and my bed frame can be disassembled so when I move I can get it all in on transit van. I have a portable washing machine and spin dryer as it is cheaper to run for my few bits of laundry rather than using the washing machine in the kitchen that takes a long time to do a wash cycle and I use a halogen oven for cooking as it is quicker and easy clean rather than the large built in oven that is unused and I won't have to have it cleaned when I move. I also use halogen heaters rather than run the central heating as it is all or nothing and costly to run for one person.
As for your shopping, I have my milk, bread delivered by the milkman and this would be the only indentation that I am alive as the milk gets taken in.
I also use Sainsbury's and have no problems with on line shopping and deliveries plus I use my Necter card to the max, and I have purchased a toaster, slow cooker, bedside lamp, and a mop and bucket from Argos all with my loyalty points.
As for the neighbours this is a task that is best not put off, as it won't get any easier by delaying, introduce yourself to them in the first few days, even if you have to look out for them to catch them, it is better for you to speak to them outside on your terms rather than them come round to you and invade your space as this happened to me by the neighbourhood watch who barged their way in to my home and invaded my space it still makes my skin crawl thinking about it, keep it short and sweet and make a note of their names as you may need them in future, even if it just checking that it's not just you with the power cut.
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  #12  
Old 31st January 2015, 09:42
Mo34 Mo34 is offline
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Default Re: living alone

I don't spend too much on utilities I have to say, though I live in a flat not a house.
I pay a lot by direct debit. My TV licence is about £12 a month, water is £16.
Electric and gas I still pay quarterly and it varies. I'm probably quite low considering I'm in the house a lot (though I have nothing to measure against) but I spend no more than £250 a year on electric and £250 on gas, usually a bit less (I think).

Food is my struggle as I undoubtedly buy to much for 1 person and waste a lot If I'm being good though I tend to buy in bulk and like DG freeze a lot. I've taken to freezing my bread as well these days and just defrosting/toasting as and when I need it as it was going over to quickly. I mostly order my shopping online with Sainsbury's which has the added bonus of preventing me picking up random items that grab my attention in the store which I simply don't need! I used to make homemade soups and froze them which is a good instant, cheap and tasty meal.
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  #13  
Old 31st January 2015, 12:41
Indigo_ Indigo_ is offline
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Default Re: living alone

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mo34
I don't spend too much on utilities I have to say, though I live in a flat not a house.
I pay a lot by direct debit. My TV licence is about £12 a month, water is £16.
Electric and gas I still pay quarterly and it varies. I'm probably quite low considering I'm in the house a lot (though I have nothing to measure against) but I spend no more than £250 a year on electric and £250 on gas, usually a bit less (I think).

Food is my struggle as I undoubtedly buy to much for 1 person and waste a lot If I'm being good though I tend to buy in bulk and like DG freeze a lot. I've taken to freezing my bread as well these days and just defrosting/toasting as and when I need it as it was going over to quickly. I mostly order my shopping online with Sainsbury's which has the added bonus of preventing me picking up random items that grab my attention in the store which I simply don't need! I used to make homemade soups and froze them which is a good instant, cheap and tasty meal.
My bills are pretty similar. My water bill is about £17 a month (I have a water meter). Sky is pretty expensive plus I also pay contents insurance on a monthly basis too.
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  #14  
Old 31st January 2015, 14:06
Progress Progress is offline
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Default Re: living alone

Congrats on getting the house!
Re the neighbours thing, I just waited till I happened to see people and introduced myself. But there was a guy who lived diagonally opposite who was often outside having a ciggy. He always waved as I went out in the car but I was too shy to go over and talk for some reason. It was only after I'd been there a year I plucked up courage to go over and chat! He was fine.
I don't speak to most of my neighbours much.
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  #15  
Old 31st January 2015, 22:59
Page Page is offline
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Default Re: living alone

Congratulations.

I lived on my own for 15 years and although I don't remember being particularly happy or at ease with life, I do look back on it with fond memories - which I admit doesn't make much sense.

Loved the independence and being able to do whatever I wanted and watch whatever I wanted on TV.

I loved going to the supermarket to do my weekly shop. Perhaps a bit sad but enjoyed buying food that I knew I liked.

I did find the neighbour thing very difficult - my huge inferiority complex made small talk very difficult and never sure whether to make eye contact or when the exact time was appropriate to smile or say hi. Also on a couple of occasions I encountered noisy/ anti-social neighbours and I was virtually bullied. On one occasion it was a major factor in my decision to move - although I did move up the property ladder so it was not entirely a cowardly escape exercise.

Hope all goes well.
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  #16  
Old 2nd February 2015, 22:41
scarlettgirl scarlettgirl is offline
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Default Re: living alone

thank you for all the nice comments!! I am a bit more reassured when it comes to bill payments, although i'm still a bit confused by it all too. I guess the only way to know is to do it I'm trying not to think too much about my shopping trips...i honestly have a hard time in busy supermarkets, so maybe going during a quiet hour will be best. I am looking forward to lots of independence despite all the fears.
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