I suddenly remembered: I have been out of my parents' abode and living independently for a year (and a couple of days) now! I officially moved out of my parents' house in Fairview to my condo in Eastwood in August 2017. It's been a smooth-sailing journey of self-discovery and character-building so far, and I am extremely proud of myself for having accomplished a feat that I know a lot of people my age dream of.
In the past year of next-level adulting in the form of acquiring my own property, I have nothing but a grateful heart, not only because of the privilege to afford the life and lifestyle I want, but also to have been able to establish strength and courage to confidently live independently.
PS. I have been extremely busy lately, so I am writing this blog entry as I'm on queue in a Korean bbq restaurant. I am finally having good dinner after a week of unintentional intermittent fasting -- I haven't had time to eat properly because of all work commitments. :)
1. Furniture prices range from really, really cheap to really, really expensive. It’s rare to find a middle ground, good luck on finding a piece of furniture that’s affordable and of good quality! I remember scoring a couple of pieces from Mandaue Foam, but that’s about it.
Moving out is expensive, but fun! I get to choose the furniture I want, I get to decorate my own place, I have complete control over every single thing that goes in and out of my precious haven! The thing is, if I want good quality, I really have to spend a fortune for it. I never knew beds can cost 25,000 pesos for the frame only, and mattresses are 5,000 for just the basic kind (mattresses even go as high as 15,000 pesos!). Cheap furniture look cheap and won’t probably last long.
A lot of time and money went to finding pieces that will go together, good thing I have my very good friend (and amazing interior designer) Kenneth Surat, helping me every step of the way.
2. You have to know the contact numbers of the basic things - police, fire station, hotline to call an ambulance, the admin office of your condo building, and a water refilling station that delivers to your place. Also, have a good and reliable internet connection!
I live alone and so there’s no one to rely on if an emergency arises, so girl’s gotta gear up with contact numbers of people who can help and a good internet connection to make sure I can reach people all the time!
3. Food delivery is life and promo codes are your best friends. I cannot cook for my life (I know how to cook rice, eggs, and hotdogs — does that count?) so food delivery really became my best friend.
The problem with most food delivery options is that these are all fatty, oily foods which are bad for your health, that’s why I’m super thankful for food delivery services like Foodpanda and Honestbee, at least I get to have healthier options of food delivered to my doorstep! Also, the occasional promo codes are heaven sent, because I get to order meals for myself for 1-2 days.
4. Adulting is no joke: you have to bear in mind to keep things documented, updated, and always in order! The photocopier is going to be your friend because you have to make duplicate copies of everything for file keeping.
Having a real estate property of your own means taxes, contracts, arrangements with the developer, association dues, etc. — all have to be paid on time, or else! So it’s important also to be mindful of monthly commitments; i.e., know when you need to pay association dues, when your water and electricity bills usually get in your pigeonhole, and all other monthly financial commitments you have to fulfil
5. You really get to know yourself and how you approach life when you have no one else to rely on but yourself. It’s like baptism by fire, but it’s always good to take a leap and learn things along the way.
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If you've reached this point, I'd like to thank you for the time and attention! So here's a bonus lesson that I learned: Trust your instinct. It usually knows when you are ready.
I didn't rush the moving-out-of-my-parents'-house process even if it had been tempting to do so. I had every opportunity to move out and get my own place when I was 24-25 years old, because I remember back then I was already capable of doing so. But I waited until I was 27 and already had safety net that's more than enough (say, liquid money that can support a family of 5, even if I don't have a family of my own just yet) before I took a leap and finally did it.
So yup, happy moving out anniversary to me! I am now planning a renovation of my small condo unit, hoping to make it more tita-friendly. I guess this whole adulting thing really changed me. :P
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