Questions about moving out

Just moved out a few weeks ago. My girl and I got our place together. I can say, that first week or two, it's nothing but doing things around the apartment after work. Picking up small things every day (rugs, mats, can never have too many towels, etc). I'm with a dog like you OP, but small one less than 5 pounds. He's usually only home in the crate by himself for a few hours at most. Yes there is an extra fee for a pet. I think ours was 250 up front, extra 10 a month which is nothing really. I know one thing, being out on your own is so much better than living at home it isn't even funny. Plus yambs living right there with you with an time access is

For groceries and stuff, wouldn't hurt to get a Sam's Club or Costco membership. Or shop at Aldi's if you have one near you.

EDIT: Save money on cable and get a firestick

I moved out when I was 25 (needed to pay down some student loans first). My first tip of advice is to make sure your income allows for rent, utilities, and any other things you took for granted while living at home (i.e. food, laundry, etc.) while also affording you the quality of living you seek. You'll need to allocate a decent chunk of change for the security deposit, along with first and last month's rent up front (i.e. expect to pay at least 3 times your monthly rent up front). Also account for furniture purchases, as others have said. A decent bed can be purchased for $500-600 with a basic frame, a couch can run over $1K, and a table with some chairs can be had for a couple hundred dollars. Then you need to decorate to make the place seem welcoming, particularly if you plan on bringing ladies home or have friends visit.

I have lived in my current apartment for 3 years now, with 2 roommates. Living with roommates is nice at times (and cheaper), but can also be aggravating at times. It's nice to have people to socialize with when you get home from work, but some personalities just don't jive. One of my current roommates has a drinking problem, but is otherwise alright to deal with. I'm looking to get my own place within a year or so, as my income has increased and should allow me to do so.

In terms of finding a suitable apartment, I'd suggest narrowing your search to one neighborhood (or possibly a radius around a neighborhood). From that starting point, obviously cost should be the next factor to consider. I wouldn't rush into anything - take your time. I looked at 16 apartments in the town I'm currently living in before I found the one I wanted. It also wound up being more money that I originally intended to spend on rent, but we have washer/dryer in the unit, as well as a garage for storage and a driveway (I'm in suburbia). If you're looking at apartment buildings, maybe try and catch one of the existing tenants as they're walking into or out of the building and ask them how their experience has been. I still have yet to meet my landlord after 3 years, but if anything goes wrong, we can call or text him and he usually has it corrected within a day or two. That's the type of responsiveness you should be looking for.

Obviously check to make sure the place allows pets. Additionally, check that there isn't a weight limit on pets that are allowed (some places only allow up to 20 lbs.). Rent may be a little higher in places that allow pets because they account for having to replace carpets, etc after you move out.

Costco for household goods is a good move. Local grocery stores and farmer's markets for food.

Best of Luck!

To those advising against roommates, mind sharing your experiences? Are these people you knew prior or randoms?

"You don't know someone until you live with them" is very true. But if you are dealing with people you've known for a while then the surprises should be minimal. I also believe that you shouldn't move out unless you can afford to live on your own. The roommate route should only be an option, not a necessity.

I lived with 3 of my closest friends in an apartment for 2 years in college. The worst argument we had was about putting dishes away after air drying . Otherwise it was cool.

OP, like capital sb said, do some math and really assess your situation. Map out your financial goals (paying down debt, saving for investments like property, contingency funds) and find out how much of your check you have to allocate to achieve them and for how long.

To you and others looking to move out, you don't want to rent forever. Home buying is expensive. The financial decisions you make today will have a huge impact on what you can afford and when you can afford it. Having roommates for a couple years can literally save you THOUSANDS. The thousands you will need for your downpayment and closing costs.

i live in atlanta too, and the one thing i wished i did was buy instead of rent for the past 6+ years.

im now back at my parents saving up to buy a place of my own.

mortgage payments are equal to or less than the price of decent studios/one bedrooms in the city right now.

Take advantage of the first time home buyers programs in your area.

Its weird 2 random people are working out better than my girls god brother who was living with us at first.

They are pretty much never here, feels like we live alone.