Moving into your first apartment is pretty exciting! When you move out of your home or flat share, it’s not just the housing market that poses a challenge. Looking for a new place to live is difficult almost everywhere in Germany – especially in the popular university towns. In addition: Especially if you recently moved out from your parents’ house, you have to get used to the fact that from now on you have to do the planning and housework on your own. When your musty laundry is piling up in the room and dirty plates are piling up in the sink, or your cell phone bill is taking a negative toll on your account at the end of the month, it’s high time to organize yourself better. We have 4 tips to help you if it’s your first time living alone.
Living Alone For The First Time: 4 Tips
Start Budgeting Early
Living alone means that you have to bear all the costs yourself. You should start budgeting early – before your account runs out. Monthly charges such as electricity and internet costs are added to the rent. Your mobile phone contract, gym or insurance also affect your budget. It is best to create a list of all your expenses to get an overview of your monthly fixed costs. You can do this, for example, in the form of a household book. This way you know exactly how much money you have available for food and other activities each month. A schedule helps you think about regular tasks and transfers. For example, place it on a pin board in the kitchen that you keep an eye on every day.
Gather Your Gear
You still have to furnish your new apartment. To save money here, you can ask your family and friends if you can get cool or practical mucked-out furniture, electrical appliances and cooking utensils from them. But don’t let yourself be talked into something that you don’t need. Otherwise you just fill your apartment with unnecessary clutter. If you are missing something, you will probably find it on Ebay classifieds or at the flea market.
Don’t Forget To Register
If you want to live alone, you will have to deal with a lot of paperwork at the beginning. You must register with the registration office of your new place of residence within the first two weeks after your move. To do this, you need what is known as a landlord’s certificate from your landlord. Don’t forget to ask for it when you move in. After you have completed the re-registration, you are obliged to inform various offices, authorities and institutions about your new address. This applies in particular to your insurance, your bank and your health insurance company.
Introduce Yourself To Your Neighbors!
A good relationship between the neighbors is great and brings you many advantages. You might find yourself watering each other’s flowers soon when someone is on vacation. Or your nice neighbor takes care of letting the handyman into your apartment when the smoke detectors need to be serviced and you are in an important seminar at the university. So introduce yourself to your neighbors after you move in – maybe this will even result in a friendship.
