Out of Pod Experience

errrm errr .... buy your own place ....renting is just throwing money down the drain tbh

Only if you enjoy having a huge debt hanging over you for 20-30 years, or until you sell, and evne that is a gamble. More so in this "unstable economy".

Milk crates, cinder blocks and 1x6 boards make great shelving.

Have a separate area for eating...crumbs on the couch add up and attract vermin.

Get a bed frame...don't just do the mattress on the floor thing (see note above regarding vermin)

Brush your teeth every day.

If you see furniture on the side of the road...it's not totally awful to take it home if it's clean...but if it has rained...leave it. It will mold and smell.

Craigslist is a great resource for used furniture.

Mirrors (on the walls) make a room look bigger.

If your parents offer to buy you something to get started, make it a bed. Or take your old one with you. IMO, there's something about used mattresses that make my skin crawl.

Good luck. Cheap & clean > expensive & dirty.

Already got a bed! So that's sorted. I like the kegerator idea, but Sweden is ******** because you can't buy kegs.

Don't listen to the guy that said to get furniture from the curb, that's how I ended up with bedbugs a few years ago. Found a perfectly decent couch, brought it home, suddenly BEDBUGS ! And they are incredibly difficult and expensive to kill.

I use a lot of milk crates, because I like the look, and they are free! I've also made a couch out of pallets, carpeting, and some plushy throw pillows. It sounds a lot trashier then it really is, if you do a good job. People have asked me where I bought my couch before, I just laugh and show them how it's done.

My dining set actually came from craigslist, I saw a post for an estate sale, went out, saw a BEAUTIFUL walnut table with chairs, picked it up for $100 and dinner and beer for my friend with a truck. Just keep an eye out, take your time, the deals/steals will eventually come.

As for the whole renting vs. owning thing..... I rent. At least where I live, I'd be paying as much on house payment/insurance/taxes/bills as I spend on rent, and a house is only worth owning (to me) if it's the one I really want. Besides, how many people are in the position to buy a house right after they move out of their parents? I wasn't, and I don't think that many people are. I've been saving money for a long time, so I can find a cheaper fix'r up'r, and put myself into as little debt as possible when I go to buy it. Save your money, live frugally, and then when you find that incredible "thing", you'll have the resources to take advantage.

Hang a few tapestries over large open areas of the walls. They're super cheap and make the atmosphere a lot warmer.

Check multiple second hand stores. One visit a week, going to different stores each time, will give you access to interesting furnishings that fit your personal style. I personally am a fan of kerosene lanterns, so I have about ten of them scattered around my place that were all purchased from second hand stores. If you're consistent about what you like, you will end up with a consistent decorating style.

Also, if you're going the second hand store route, don't feel pressured to buy all your stuff in one go. You have to keep checking to get good stuff.

found this whilst browsing,

http://www.wimp.com/householddesign/

Learn how to budget weekly/monthly.
Learn how to cook*.
Learn how to shop economically for groceries.
Learn how to do your own laundry.

The first three will save you oodles.

*real cooking with real food, not the insta-quick stuffs TV dinner like frozen lasagne etc etc.

I fixed my own plumbing. did just fine. it was just a matter of finding out exactly what I was dealing with beforehand.

as to saving money, if you can, go with minimalist decoration and furnishings. in my case, my furnishings are my decoration.

For the holes in the walls, you can use silicone.
Or get some glue and use bits of similar wallpaper and put bits over the holes.