Finally, the moment you've been waiting for...your first apartment. You feel nervous, excited, and totally independent as you make this giant step forward in your life. Whether you're in college, or just graduated here are some tips and tricks for totally knowing what you're doing!

1. Plan Your Bills

There's nothing worse than checking your bank account and finding out that you're short on rent, or any other bills. Plan out on a sheet of paper what you'll need each month (ex. rent, gas, food...etc.) and then by the end of the month you'll know exactly what you need to pay and how much you have for spending money for yourself! It's simple, but effective!

2. Dollar Store

This place is the best for buying cleaning supplies and tuperware for your apartment. No, don't go buying $1 burritos here (eat at your own risk), but buying $1 dish soap is better than $3.99 at Stop & Shop is smart. It might not save you much at first, but those dollars add up in the end, leaving you more money for yourself!

3. No Space? No Problem!

So your first apartment is not going to be the biggest or the most glamorous...and that's OK! Your first apartment is like your first car, a big step forward but it's not expected to be the best. Store stuff under your bed is a must! I also buy tension rods for my cleaning supplies, then hang them on the rod so I have more space under the sink for my trash and paper towels.

Another storage hack is to buy a door-hanging shoe holder. I put everything in those from cleaning supplies, so my jewelry so it doesn't get lost!

4. Stock Up On Freebies!

Now if you're a poor college student (like myself) I take every opportunity to stock up on free stuff. For example, I take extra toilet paper from my school when I visit my friends in the dorms. (They always have a huge supply!)

Another great hack is to use coupons from your local paper. Add 50 cents here and $1.50 there and you save around $5/per grocery trip! That adds up!

5. DIY Everything!

I love doing DIY's, but when you have a lack of income your creativity kicks in! For example, disinfectant wipes are pricey ($3.50/each) so make your own! I take an old coffee container and cut a role of paper towels in half. Then mix vinegar, dish soap and water and voila! Homemade disinfectant wipes!

I'm still trying to get a handle on this whole apartment thing (you're pretty much broke all of the time!). If you just find simple things that you can do to save money, it adds up in the long run and you can spend the money on what truly matters...shoes!