Finding your very first apartment is a milestone moment. It feels like freedom, independence, and adulthood all wrapped into one. When I first stumbled upon mine, I thought I had hit the jackpot. Sure, it wasn’t perfect in fact, it had a few unwanted “roommates.” And by roommates, I don’t mean the human kind. My very first expense wasn’t new furniture or a stylish rug, but an exterminator. Some people celebrate moving in with champagne; I celebrated with bug spray. Was it worth the cost? Probably. After all, it’s cheaper to hire help once than to shell out hundreds more every month for a fancier place. At least, that was the logic I tried to convince myself with while holding a can of Raid in one hand and my lease in the other.
The Logistics of Moving
Of course, moving in meant I needed a way to actually get my belongings across town. My first thought was simple: Daddy, can I borrow your truck? Turns out, he didn’t own one. I helpfully suggested we go truck shopping together, but for some reason, he didn’t share my enthusiasm. So I turned to the next option: rental companies. Big mistake. When the clerk casually quoted me $200 plus mileage and gas, I nearly dropped the phone. Who knew that hauling a few boxes could cost as much as a weekend getaway?
Utilities: The Hidden Surprise
Still reeling from the rental truck sticker shock, I figured setting up utilities would be straightforward. Spoiler: it wasn’t. “Yes, this is my first apartment. No, I don’t have a credit card. Yes, I’d like to have electricity before winter.” Their reply? That’ll be a $100 deposit. Each. Phone, water, power three little words, three big charges. Suddenly, adulthood started to look a lot like legalized extortion.
That’s when I realized the truth: the rent is just the down payment on moving out. Everything else is the fine print you never read.
Calling in Reinforcements
By this point, I had burned through every penny I owned on the first month’s rent, the last month’s rent, and the dreaded damage deposit. So naturally, I called my financial lifeline. “Daddy, I need $500 for moving expenses.” His answer? Sell something. But sell what? I couldn’t possibly part with my TV. A bed and a box might pass for furniture, but without TV, how would I survive?
Furniture? Who Needs Furniture?
When I finally settled in, the apartment looked more like a storage unit than a home. Empty space everywhere. I briefly entertained the thought of buying a couch or a dining table. Then practicality kicked in. Why bother when I already had my bed? A bed doubles as a couch, a table, and in desperate times, even a desk. As for dining, an old cardboard box worked just fine. Who needs IKEA when you have Amazon Prime shipping boxes?
Renters insurance? Please. What did I own worth insuring? A couple of boxes, a bed, and an unshakable sense of denial.
The Next Chapter: Transportation
Just as I was getting comfortable, my new life threw another curveball. I got my first phone call from a friend: an invite to a party. Of course, it was miles away. Walking wasn’t an option, so naturally I turned back to Dad: “Daddy, I need a car.” His silence was deafening. But the logic was airtight it was too far to walk to work and too far to walk to fun. A car was no longer a luxury; it was survival. Then came the kicker: car insurance. And gas. My independence was beginning to feel a lot like dependence just with bigger bills.
The Harsh Reality of Dinner Time
At the end of that exhausting day, I decided I’d cook a simple meal to celebrate my independence. That plan ended the moment I opened the boxes. No dishes. No pans. No food. I had managed to secure shelter, spray away the bugs, and negotiate with utilities but I had forgotten dinner. With a sigh, I picked up the phone.
“Uhhh, Mom?”
And that’s the reality of a first apartment. Independence is exciting, but it comes with an endless list of expenses, surprises, and phone calls home. The truth is, moving out doesn’t mean moving away from your parents it just means adding “exterminator, furniture, utilities, and groceries” to the list of reasons you still need them.
