Live Independently in Your 20’s?

What should people consider before moving out of their parents’ house? How much savings do they need to have before doing it? In this episode, Joyce Pring had a chat with Financial Coach Yani Moya to help set one’s mind and figure things out before the big leap.

What Does Independent Living Truly Mean?

Aside from mental and physical stability, being financially stable is an important thing to have if we want to live independently. Thus, living independently means that we can stand on our own. And despite what most people know, it is not only financial stability that needs to be taken into account but should tap all aspects of one’s being and prepare all of it before taking off. (YM)

Meanwhile, living independently in the sense of moving out, there are many things that need to be considered. It is not an emotional decision, because most of the time it backfires due to the thought that it is the emotion that takes over our decision. **Without thinking it through, we have to be logical about these big changes and decisions we make. (JP)**

“Living independently does not necessarily mean you have to move out of your parents’ house, it actually means that you can now take care of yourself. ”

— Joyce Pring

Factors to be Considered in Living Independently

**○ Be honest with your reasons for moving out** – Is it a goal or is it just an impulsive thought? With all of the glorification we see in social media concerning being independent, the decision must not result from ego in order to show off to people that we can.
**○ Do it according to your values** – If the determination to move out comes from life lessons and goals, it will flow naturally such when we desire to be more courageous or resilient, instead of forcing ourselves to be where we want to be and merely parade it to people who are not relevant in our lives.
**○ Who are you going to live with?** – Known as co-living nowadays, people tend to live with their workmates, so one must be ready to share their space with others, the expenses, and the day-to-day flow.
**○ Think what will your life look like 3 to 5 years from now** – Being stable also means thinking of the long-term effect of living independently. In this way, staying home with your family until you have enough savings is the finest choice to make.

“Fixing the mindset where we challenge ourselves to be better rather than showing off, we will be willing to take whatever it is to live independently and be able to live within our means. ”

— Yani Moya

Figuring the Basic Concepts in Living Independently

Upon deciding who to listen to, Joyce shares that if it is your parents who pay for your schooling, you have to listen to them. But if you aspire to do some things, negotiating with your parents is what you can do. An example is to tell them that you will pay half of your tuition or it can be that allowance will be nonexistent anymore. (JP)