So you're 20 years old and the room you share with your little brother has become a bit cramped? Maybe your parents are tired of you being a slob and have given you an ultimatum-shape up or ship out? Is it that you now feel that the only way you can be treated as an adult is if you start "turning your own key" or paying your own bills? After all, hearing the words "my house, my rules" can get a bit stifling, can't it? So what do you do? Well, you have options: Stay at home and accept that your freedom is curtailed by the limitations set by your parents; or move out. If you choose to move out on your own, the situation becomes significantly more expensive as your options are now either buy a home or rent an apartment. Renting can range from affordable to really expensive-it all depends on the location and the amenities you desire. A quick browse in the Guardian classifieds will show a one-bedroom, semi-furnished apartment in Morvant for $1,400 and a one-bedroom unfurnished apartment in Diego Martin for $3,500.
Apartment wish list
In apartment hunting, as in life, compromise is key. Figure out what you need and what you can live comfortably with and make decisions from there. It might come in handy to make a list of what you want your apartment to consist of and a list of what you can't live without. There are lots of things we may want, like tiled floors, granite countertops and a jacuzzi tub for only $1,000 a month. That's about as likely as pigs flying. People searching for a furnished apartment should consider that getting an apartment already furnished is more expensive in the long term than buying the furniture yourself. In the long run, the furniture you buy will belong to you when you eventually leave. If air-conditioned rooms are a must, consider how that is going to affect your electricity bill if you have to pay your own utilities. As much as you need to consider all these factors when choosing a place to rent, it is also very important that you feel comfortable in the space that you'll be living in. Some people find it hard to function in negative spaces, and after a long day your home should feel welcoming.
Consider this...
According to 24-year-old Tracy-Ann Celestine, her first apartment was a nightmare. It was expensive, came unfurnished and her only possession was a bed and she had to pay all of the utility bills. "But it was in a good location, and getting to work wasn't very difficult at all, plus I have four sisters and sharing a house with them was driving me crazy," Celestine said. Celestine eventually had to move back in with her parents because she admits she didn't think things through with her first move. Another young woman, Patrice Williams, 24, said she moved out of her home and into an apartment with her boyfriend because of her parents' strict rules. Williams returned home eight months later knowing she had made a bad decision. "My boyfriend lost his job and so all the bills fell on me, including the monthly rent so I sometimes ended up spending more than I earned. I felt isolated from my family because they felt I had chosen a boy over them," Williams said. "And it is the truth what they say, rent money is 'dead money.' It just goes into somebody else's pocket and there are no long-term benefits." Not all apartment rentals turn out badly. For most people renting is just the step to take before attempting to purchase or build their own home. It is still a very important step that affects every aspect of your life so consider it carefully and if all else fails, you can always go back home to mummy and daddy.
