The Biggest Expenses Of Your 20s
You never really thought about it while you were in college, but being an adult is expensive. While you may have learnt the importance of paying your rent on time while you were living in a rented house with your college buddies, and you always knew that you’d have to worry about paying off your student debt once you graduated, nothing quite prepared you for the extent to which daily life would drain your bank balance. As a young adult in your 20s, here are the biggest expenses you can look forward to, but don’t think it gets any better in your 30s.
Car
When you first passed your driving test, your first car was probably second hand and bought with some help from your parents. Now you and your car are a little older, but one of you can’t go on for much longer. Not you, the car. You might have an idea of what you need to spend on gas, insurance, and general maintenance, so all you need is some helping buying a new set of wheels. Most dealerships will offer a range of finance packages, to make sure that you can keep it all affordable. You can keep the monthly payments even smaller by keeping it simple; if you don’t need alloy wheels, heated seats or coloured brake pads, then don’t buy them.
House
Ever since you graduated, your circumstances might have forced you to move back into your parents’ house in order to save money for your own place. Unfortunately, years have passed and you’re starting to lose hope that you’ll ever experience the freedom of living on your own again. Don’t worry, it can still happen. The steps listed in the How to Move Out of Your Parents House | FAQ | Guide to Moving Out form the perfect basis of a plan to get you out on your own once more. Start by getting a job, setting out a budget, and go from there.
Credit Cards
Credits cards are the easiest road to increased debt, yet they are also essential for building good credit. If you managed to figure out the best repayment plan to clear off most of your debt, then you need to take out a new secured credit card and learn how to use it responsibly. Keep your utilization rate below 10 percent, and pay back what you owe in full every month. You should also never take out more than one card because it reflects poorly on your credit report.
Engagement rings
Back in the 1980, luxury jewelry giant De Beers started the “two months salary” rule to encourage potential customers to give their prospective wives a glimpse of the kind of future their husbands could afford. Nowaday we all have better things to spend two months salary on, like two months rent for instance. If “tradition” is too expensive, just ask your special someone what they’d like, or go based on what you can afford. The ring means more than the price tag.
