Idle Waters: Quaint Cottage Countryside Retreat
Why Solo Travel & Why Now? What Solo Trips Mean To *Us*
Unplugged Retreat: A ‘No Phones’ Countryside Break
New Home Tour
finished uni and moved back home to pursue my full time job in marketing, I
made a plan. That plan was a budgeted, financial savings plan to ensure that I
had enough money saved to move out by the end of January. If you know me well,
then yes, I will repeat that for your benefit – I am saving.
up, I thought. I’ve accounted for agency fees, deposit, rent up front – I’m
transitioning into full adult and I’m doing it very neatly in a Kate Spade
notebook (which, may I add, is filthy from always being in the bottom of my
bag). I even went on to make a month by month breakdown of what pieces of
furniture I needed to buy and when. Kettle, toaster, and coffee machine are
already ticked off – with the obligatory coasters for decoration – and big bits
like bed frames and coffee tables have been saved for bargain hunting in the
Christmas sales.
doesn’t even feel like a big step for me, because I’ve lived away from home for
four years whilst studying at uni. In fact, moving back home was more of a big step because I had to let go of some of my
independence. And Jesus Christ am I desperate to have it back. If I could move out
now, I would, just so I could have a space of my own to call home.
“What? You’re renting? No, you don’t want to do that. Stay at home and
save.” “Well that would take me years. Two, three, even four years maybe if I
want to enjoy my life still. I want to move out so I’m-“ “No, really, renting is throwing money away. It’s stupid. How are you
going to save when you’re paying rent at the same time?” “I’m hoping I’ll earn more, so I can save more. A lot of young people
rent before buying, you know. I’m only 22 and-“ “I think you’re making a mistake. My cousin Lisa is the same age and
just bought a house – I mean, her parents did give her that money that they have
been saving for her her whole life, but you get what I mean. Don’t rent,
definitely buy.”
Lisa. I don’t have my parents’ savings to fall back on. I live in a shoebox at my
grandparent’s house (who are my heroes), squeezing my 6ft boyfriend into a double
bed most night’s alongside me. I’m 22, I want to move out with him and of
course I have no fucking idea what I’m doing. Of course I’m making it up as I go along.
frustrated at having this conversation, and even more frustrated at the
surprised/bewildered expression people seem to have when you tell them you want
to rent. Who wouldn’t love to buy a house? But it’s not something that’s easily
accessible to me, and since I have no
idea what I’m doing with my life, do I really want a mortgage as well?
plea from me, the clueless, short, 22 year old not a girl not yet a woman, to
stop telling me what I should be doing. I’m burdened enough by youthful anxiety
as it is, without your two pence about where I’m going wrong. Just let me enjoy
making my lists, buying fluffy pillows for the home I won’t own and spending
extortionate amounts on café smoothies. I’m sure I’ll figure out where I’m
going wrong on my own.
