Hakuna Matata: 7 tips to live life king-size on your first job

So you’ve got your first job. After a night of partying with your friends and finding that you are locked out of your PG, you decide to rent your own place.

This has several obvious advantages: your parents can visit you whenever they want, your boyfriend or girlfriend can stay over, and your friends can crash at your place after a late-nighter.

But after the first euphoric flush, the costs start mounting. How do you manage the bills while still retaining your independence and enjoying your life to the hilt?

1. Less is more: A 1 BHK flat or a studio is enough

Don’t rent a large house thinking you’ll need need more space when guests come. Rent a cozy 1 BHK flat. After all, think about it! How many guests do you really expect? And when you do have guests, some tips below can help you manage the space constraint.

2. Don’t look for a gated community. Rather, settle for a safe locality

Gated communities have huge maintenance fees for pools, gym, playground and gardens which you will hardly use, no matter how desirable they seem initially. Instead, find an independent house with a security guard in a safe locality.

Try to live close to the main roads and market areas. That ensures security and an easy commute. And the best part? No maintenance!

3. Less furniture more space

That Edwardian sofa that looks majestic and the four poster bed that reminds you of the Gryffindor dormitory? Well, forget them! More furniture means less space and eventually, higher moving costs. Keep the woodwork to the minimum.

* You don’t need a huge bed. Buy a folding bed or some good mattresses that you can place on the floor.

* You don’t need a dining table or a center table. It’s far more convenient to eat seated on the floor/mat/bed.

* Ditch the sofa and settle for a bean bag.

* No need for a huge double door fridge. I bought a 50 liter fridge from Videocon, and used it without any trouble for three years.

* Buy some small detachable tables with wheels. These are life savers when it comes to placing objects, hot meals etc. You can dismantle them at will and stash them in a corner

4. Say no to LPG, and yes to electricity

Those costly LPG gas cylinders can sometimes become a headache. You have to book them in advance, and then stay back at home,to receive the cylinders.

Apart from being expensive, LPG is very inconvenient, and interferes with your plan of living a carefree life. So buy an induction cooktop.

I had one, and honestly, it was the best buy I ever made. Some companies even give you free utensils with the cooktop. It’s also a great space saver compared to those huge LPG cylinders.

5. Self help is the best help

Are you spending a bomb on the gym?

Are you paying a lot for your maid just to ensure she comes every day, and before you leave for office?

Bid adieu to all these problems. Do your own dishes, clean your own room, sweep your own loo, and wash your own clothes. (No,not in the machine.

Do this bending down; it’s worth several crunches). Exercise while saving! You’ll have a great body in six months! It’s not for nothing that boys are crazy about maids!

6. Invest in a hobby rather than an LCD/LED TV and Set top box

I lived in a rented house for three years without television, and it changed my life. I made loads of new friends, renewed contacts with old friends, started acting in plays, focused more on my dancing, read innumerable books, and… the list is endless.

And for all your favorite programs, the internet is here!

7. Choose your internet provider wisely

Pre-paid 3G/4G connections have excellent speed. So you can get rid of those tangled broadband wires. Also you can recharge as and when you wish according to your usage requirement.

Now you’ve practically got rid of all the recurring expenses. You’ll have enough and more to go partying over the weekend, take a short trip and otherwise indulge yourself.

Life will be an endless party without those pesky bills to take care of!