If you're setting up house from scratch, you'll need to take care of most things mentioned on this page. If you're moving into a sharehouse, you may only need to think about your own room and anything else you want to bring to the household that may not already be there.
Get the lights and heating on
The first thing to consider is gas, electricity and water, then the telephone, though you may choose to just use a mobile phone. All these items are going to incur regular bills, so plan for them in your budget.
Furniture and appliances
Bare essentials are a bed, couch, table and chairs and the kitchen stuff - fridge, cutlery, plates and cups, cooking utensils, and pots and pans etc. If you're studying, you may consider a desk to be another essential item.
You'll also need a washing machine, unless you can and want to:
- use a laundromat or laundry service
- use shared laundry facilities in your flats or apartment block
- do your washing at your family home or at a friend's every week.
Once the basics are covered and your budget sorted, only then think about luxuries like streaming services and fancy appliances.
No Interest Loans (NILs)
If you need to make a large purchase like a new bed or a fridge but can’t afford the upfront payment, a No Interest Loan (NIL) may be a good option for you.
A NIL allows you to pay no interest, fees or charges and only repay what you borrow. For more information, visit Money Smart's No Interest Loan page.
No Interest Loans offered by Good Shepherd allow you to borrow money for essential goods and services, bond and rent in advance (for a new property), council rates, and costs from a natural disaster. Check out the Good Shepherd’s NILs page for more information on what you can use the loan for, how much you may be eligible to borrow and your closest NILs provider.
Cheap and second-hand stuff
To save money, consider buying second-hand items for your first place and gradually replace it over time.
Op-shops and second-hand shops are a good place to look for furniture, and even cutlery and crockery. You can also check out online marketplaces, auction websites and 'buy, swap, sell' groups.
