I am asking this question because the young adult in question, is me. I am to move out in a few years, and it feels impossible to move far away from my hometown (which I want). I have no idea how to juggle both finances, a job, and the move itself. With the global inflation going on, it feels impossible getting hold of a decent apartment to rent.

What advice would you give someone like me? What should I keep in mind and prepare* myself for? What are your experiences moving out, or moving away from your hometown? How long did the process take for you, and how did you manage keeping a job that paid all your taxes and rent? If you could look back and give younger you some advice, what would you tell them?

(If it provides any context, I am North European.)

  • @MomoTimeToDie
    link
    21 year ago

    Use it ONLY once a month and ALWAYS pay it off EVERY month. I was not that smart. Everyone told me that, and I didn’t listen. Now I’m still paying off debts over a decade later. If you don’t listen to anything else, please take this point to heart. $100 is not a lot to have, but it is a lot to owe. If you want something, save for it.

    While this isn’t bad advice, it isn’t exactly good advice either. Like yeah, you shouldn’t spend money you don’t have, but using a credit card comes with plenty of benefits such that using it for regular purchases is a good idea. First of all, there’s whatever perks come with the card, be it cash back, extended warranties, airline miles, whatever. Obviously you don’t get them if you don’t use the card. The other major benefit is increased security. If someone steals your card, or otherwise makes fraudulent purchases on it, that money isn’t coming directly out of your account. So instead of having to argue with the bank to get your money back, it’s the credit card company arguing with the vendor for their money back, and you’re excused of the charges. There’s also authorization holds for things like hotels and rental cars, which are no biggie on a credit card since the money isn’t taken from you, but can cause issues if you have to put them on a debit card where it holds money directly from your account.