What does it mean to be an adult? Is it when you turn 18, or when you legally have to vote? How about when you buy your first car, sign up for your first credit card, or move out of home? It could be a combination of, none of, or some of those. I suppose it's different from person to person. 

Personally, I saw myself as an adult when I moved out of my parent's house to live with my partner - that was in October of 2015, and I was 19 years old. "Wow, what an adult!" I first thought, signing the lease at the real estate agent's office.

I had been planning this for a while. As a kid I remember drawing up crazy tree-house plans on butchers paper, and as I began to think about life after graduating high school, I never saw myself living with my family for too much longer.

I planned to finish up my job at the local bakery and find a job closer to my new home. Somehow I accomplished both within a month without really putting much effort into it (I think I gave out 4 resumes, and had 3 group interviews). Then, by chance, I was offered a second job 6 months later at one of the places where I had a group interview. I was pretty pleased with myself to say the least. 

In light of the past year and a bit of my life living out of home, I would like to hand some of my limited wisdom onto you, and hopefully aid your adulting (or at least give a few hints and tips).

Thus, I present...

Eric's Helpful Guide to Living Independently 

Research and plan your expenses before you move out. 

Ask your parents, or whomever pays the bills, about what they pay for electricity, gas, and water (generally you don't pay for water if you rent, but factor it in just in case).

Shop around for deals with your mobile phone, electricity, gas and internet. Find the best deals - some companies have online or in-store only deals. Ask for student discounts if you're studying. 

I jumped between two different gas and electricity companies until one offered me 10+% off each bill for a year; I researched many different internet providers for the best deal; and shopped around for my mobile phone plan, with which I get a 10% student discount on because I applied online. It doesn't hurt to be stingy with your money. 

Take a hard look at your spending habits.

Do you really need to be paying $80 a month for that new phone and 8GB of data? If you compare that to a $50 a month plan (or even cheaper if you go with a SIM only plan), over 2 years you can save at least $720. You could be living in a $10-a-week better apartment, or just saving an extra $720. 

How many times do you eat out a week? If you're living by yourself, make bulk dinners and freeze the leftovers for those nights you don't feel like cooking, and for quick lunches. If you can coordinate bulk-cooking if you house-share, then that's even better. 

How much money do you spend on junk food and snacks that don't really fill you up? I carry around a few handfuls of almonds in my bag (and I take my bag pretty much everywhere).On a per calorie basis, almonds are pretty cheap, but it won't constitute a meal, only a filling snack. 

If you find yourself cooking the same non-perishables (and food you can freeze), like tinned tomatoes, find the best unit price for them and stock up when they're on sale. 

There are so many ways you can cut your spending and save some cash. 

If you're having trouble with it, there's this fantastic app (TrackMySpend) that can helps you to easily track your expenses, budget, and show where you're spending too much of your hard-earned money. 

Don't feel terrible about asking for free or heavily discounted things.

Seriously, when I was planning on moving out, I asked around for everything. 

For birthdays and Christmas I asked for cooking utensils, dining sets, pots and pans, cutlery, and glasses. 

When I had signed the lease, I got a second-hand fridge, mattress, sheets and towels for free. We got really a cheap toaster, kettle, microwave, 2 study desks, dining table and chairs because we asked everyone we knew. Don't feel bad; just ask. There are so many things that people accumulate over the years and are glad to see gone. 

Centrelink is a nightmare - all the time - but I seriously urge you to apply for Youth Allowance, rental assistance, energy supplement, health care card, and anything else you qualify for, and if you're studying, apply for any scholarships (internal and external) your uni offers. 

Don't forget: it doesn't hurt to ask.

Change your address everywhere.

Don't forget to change your address with everything you've signed up for, and on official government documents - unless you want to use the excuse of "just picking up my mail" to see your parents, or who you were living with.

I made a list of about 30 places I needed to change my details - here were the most important ones for me.

Speaking of lists...

I hope you like lists.

Lists have helped me organise my life a lot. I may not have followed it, but at least there was some reassurance that everything was sorted.

When I was looking for places to move into, I had a clear-cut list of things that I did and did not want in a home. The biggest thing for me was location; it had to be close to public transport that didn't stop running at 6pm, and I had to be able to get to uni without much effort. That, and having gas cooking were pretty much the only limiting factors. 

Finally...

Don't be afraid to ask for help.

Please, if you're struggling, don't be afraid to reach out to the people who love you and who you trust. 

Yes, I've only had a bit over a year of experience living out of home, but so far I haven't needed to move back in to my parent's house, and I really really enjoy having 100% autonomy. 

I hope this has given you a few things to think about, and possibly even help you in moving out, or becoming more independent.