What advice would you give someone about to move out?

I am getting ready to move out with my boyfriend (we are both 19 and we've been together for 8 months and known each other for a year) with two other people, who are also a couple. We're moving to a town about an hour and a half from where I live. What sort of expenses can I expect to pay? What advice would you give us?What advice would you give someone about to move out?
Advice: Set up house rules immediately that you all four agree on. This includes such things as who cleans what and how often (specifically for common/shared areas and places that get dirty often like dishes in the kitchen, stovetops, countertops, etc); whether or not you will allow a pet (e.g., cat, dog, etc); should there be ';quiet times'; (do you all work the same hours and sleep at the same time)?; who pays for what and who handles the bills to make sure they get paid; where do you put the mail so everyone will see what is theirs to see; how often will you have ';house meetings'; to discuss any ';issues'; or clear the air if there are disagreements. Do you share food or keep food separately? Who will do the shopping and the cooking? Will you share things like glasses and dishes that can get broken? Or a TV? Do you have your individual TVs if you don't want to watch the same things or likewise for stereo systems if you listen to different music? Also, since you are both couples...what if one of you gets pregnant? Are you willing to stay together if a baby joins you and if not, do you have a lease that makes you all four legally responsible for the rent; likewise if one of the couples breaks up?





It's never easy to live with someone else and I don't want to put a ';downer'; on this excitingly new experience for you but you need to approach this realistically. You haven't even learned yet what it's like to live with your boyfriend and you're going to have to learn to live with another couple as well. DO set up rules. You THINK everything will just ';work out';...but, believe me...people have such different habits and expectations so work on making it work by starting out with open communication lines.





Good luck!