Living in London is expensive and lots of people find they struggle to even afford a visit to enjoy a long weekend, let alone live and work there. But living in London needn’t be super expensive, here’s how:
Share your space
If you’re going to move to London and you’re not absolutely flush with funds, you’re going to have to start getting used to sharing your space. Flat shares are by far the cheapest way to live in London and you’d be surprised at how small a space people are actually willing to rent out to you. Expect flatmate interviews (yes really!) and flat sharing meet up parties where people looking for flat shares or offering flat shares are looking to hook up with potential living buddies. You might have to sacrifice some of your belongings in order to make the most of your new living scenario, but there are plenty of cheap self storage units in London that you can use in order to fit in to your spatially challenged new home. Just remember it’s not forever and by putting your beloved items in self storage rather than selling them, you’ll be able to use them again someday in your forever home.
Downsize with your flatmate and share self storage
Some people can feel a little daunted committing to regular storage payments when money is tight. Why not reduce your rent and consider a self storage share with your flatmate? You might think it’s like cutting off your nose to spite your face – living somewhere smaller and paying out storage costs for the privilege – but it isn’t that clear cut. For example; you and your flatmate could live with other people at a much higher rent reduction (than just sharing together) living in a much bigger house with better facilities. You’ll simply be downsizing your stuff, not necessarily your living space. If you’ve got a third room where you currently live that you use for something else, you’ll want to get that filled and the extra rent saved will more than likely be more than self storage costs, so you should benefit financially. You should also consider downsizing and placing your belongings together in self storage if it seems financially viable, as there are savings to be made if you use the right storage company and select your new flat or house carefully.
Don’t be precious
Remember life isn’t about ‘stuff’ and the more you can get rid of the less cost you’ll have to pay out either through space to live or storing it somewhere. There will always be items you love that you simply can’t let go of, but the more minimal that pile of precious items, the cheaper your storage. Think about selling off some of your items to make a bit of extra cash so that you know you’re down to your absolute most favourite and sentimental items. That way you’ll know when you do have the capability to upsize again or move out of the city, you’ll have no clutter to retrieve, only a neat and tidy treasure trove of the things you absolutely adore.
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