I’m moving out!
Most young people dream about living independently, being able to do what they want and standing on their own two feet, but moving out of home is a big step and you need to be prepared. Here are a few tips:
When to move out
In Europe, the age at which young people move out varies greatly. A 2017 European study revealed that young people in Scandinavia move out earliest, with young men on average being 19.7 years old and women 19.6 years old when they leave home. Croatians take longest to flee the nest, with men being 33 and women 29.6. According to the Swiss Federal Statistical Office, Swiss youngsters tend to move to their own flat or shared accommodation between the ages of 24 and 25.
Budget for your rent
Do you know how much money you have available to pay your rent? This is the first thing you should think about when flat hunting. Decide on a fixed maximum amount and make it realistic. At the end of the day, you don’t want to be running back to mummy and daddy after a month with your tail between your legs because you’ve run out of money. Budgetberatung Schweiz (budget advice Switzerland) suggests rent shouldn’t exceed 1/4 of your net income.
You’ll find helpful information and budget templates on the websites Hesch no Cash or firstbudget.ch. The Caritas, Budgetberatung Schweiz and K-Tipp budget apps will help you keep track of your spending.
Flat hunting
Obviously you’re looking for a suitable flat or a room in shared accommodation. Flat hunting can be incredibly time-consuming, depending on where you’re basing your search. Let the internet do the hard work for you! For example, set up a search subscription at comparis.ch. You’ll receive suitable suggestions by email.
Organise helpers
Moving involves heavy lifting and requires a big car. You can of course ask your parents, siblings and all your friends. But why not simply book a removal company and spare your family and friends the trouble?
MOVU will get 5 quotes for comparison for you. And you get to decide who gets the job. Like the idea of moving house for next to nothing? Then check this money-saving offer from Sanitas and MOVU out. You’ll have to change your insurance contract anyway, but we’ll get to that in a minute.
Insurance: what’s the deal?
Not a particularly popular topic, but nowhere near as complicated as people think. When you move out, you need to take out your own liability and contents insurance. Liability insurance covers potential damages and contents insurance covers damage to your possessions. Comparis comes in handy here too with an insurance comparison check.
It’s likely you were insured under your parents’ health insurance up until now. When you move out, you no longer live in the same household as your parents and are therefore no longer insured under them. This generally means higher costs for you. Depending on your budget, you might not have very much money to finance your health insurance. We’ll be glad to advise you. By making the right changes, we’ll be sure to find a way to optimise your health insurance costs.