You no longer rely on your parents to do your washing, you’d rather order a takeaway for one than go to a night club and you’re suddenly researching house prices in your area. What does all of this mean? Yes. It means that you are now officially adulting. Whether you have recently hosted your first dinner party, or you’re starting to think seriously about your career, adulting can kick in at anytime from your early twenties. Adulting is something a lot of us come to terms with after we have been going through it for a couple of years. All of a sudden you will realize that you are doing a lot more for yourself and your focuses have shifted. This doesn’t mean that you have to stop having fun; it simply means that your life has taken a turn in the right direction. If you’re still unsure whether you have reached this stage, then you might want to consider some of the following surefire signs that you are now officially adulting.

1. You’re Car Shopping Alone

Gone are the days when you can take your parents out to a car dealer and get them to negotiate a good deal for you. Why is it that parents seem to know so much more about what you need from a car? You need a new vehicle sooner rather than later, but you would have no idea about Questions To Ask A Used Car Dealer. Once you have ventured out on your own to make a big purchase such as a car, you know you have stepped into the world of adulting! Don’t panic if this sort of shopping trip is on the horizon for you soon, since it’s gotten much easier. Be prepared with your questions and know what you need from your next car. If you need to get some advice from your parents before you go, then this is a perfectly adult thing to do too.

2. You’re Worrying About Money

If you find yourself counting down the minutes until your next pay day, then welcome to the wonderful world of adulthood! You are constantly refreshing your online banking app and wondering where your money seems to be going. When you have groceries to buy each week, bills to pay and rent to fork out for, it’s no wonder you have money worries. This is a natural part of stepping into the adult world, even though it isn’t the most fun part. Can’t we just go back to weekly pocket money and spend it all on sweets? The financial side of growing up isn’t enthralling, but it’s great to get into the swing of things sooner rather than later.

3. You’re Making Career Plans

When you start to think seriously about your career, it means that you’re well and truly growing up. Worrying about where you’re going to be working in the next five, ten or fifteen years is a sensible way to approach your future. This is a time where you will start to figure out what you really enjoy doing. Although it might sound scary making solid career plans, it is actually a very healthy turning point in your life. Think about it, the sooner you can get onto a career ladder you love, the sooner you will achieve your goals. Don’t shy away from being an adult with job prospects; this is a great part of adulting.

4. You’re Thinking About Starting a Family

If you think you want to start a family then, it’s official; you’re a grown up. Even if you aren’t in a stable relationship yet, just the thought of starting a family is enough to give you the official adult label. This is a very exciting time for a lot of young people who are starting to figure out what they want from life. Even if you don’t want children, you might love the idea of settling down with somebody special to you. When you start to take the next step in your relationship it is a very telling moment; it shows that you’re ready to commit and adult life is officially upon you.

5. You’re Gaining Independence

When you stop asking for advice on every little situation in your life, you know you are officially adulting. Gaining independence can take shape in many ways. You might be moving out of your parents house, looking for a job or even tackling a pile of laundry on your own. There is no shame in taking things slowly and steadily, but gaining more independence over time is very important for your future. If you find yourself relying heavily on other people all the time, then you might not have reached the fully fledged ‘adulting’ stage just yet. Over time you will start to grow in confidence and every day life will become second nature to you. Everyone gains full independence at different stages in their life, so take your time and enjoy the ride.

6. You Prefer a Night In

When your friends text you about a potential night out, you start to roll your eyes at the thought of leaving the house. You would much rather chill out at home than head to a noisy bar full of people who look about ten years younger than you. The moment these thoughts start to run through your mind, is a serious turning point in your adult life. Going out and socialising suddenly feels like a chore that you don’t want to commit yourself to. Staying in is definitely the new going out when you’re in the adult club!

7. You Feel More Mature

When you are faced with slightly more serious decisions, you suddenly find yourself being a lot more level headed than before. Whether you used to splash all your cash on meaningless clobber or you would make silly choices as a teenager, you might notice your maturity levels rising in the near future. This could be a slow and steady process that you might not notice at first, but it’s definitely a surefire sign that adulting is nigh.

8. You’re Looking to Buy a House

When you find yourself Googling house prices and logging into online mortgage calculators you know you have reached the peak of adulthood. Owning a house is a huge step that most of us want to achieve one day, but it is becoming much harder nowadays. You might not feel ready to buy a house, but you would be surprised at what you can do with a little bit of saving and research. Look into help to buy schemes and find good deals for first time buyers. You will soon be able to create a workable plan that works for you. Owning a house isn’t as far-fetched as you might think, so get on the ladder as soon as you get the chance!

9. You’re Trying to Figure Out Taxes

Every new ‘adulter’ is familiar with this scene. You are sitting at your dining room table surrounded by receipts, paperwork and a calculator. You can’t figure out how to pay your taxes; why weren’t we taught this at school? Welcome to the glorious world of growing up. Unfortunately, nobody is going to tell you how to do these things, so you will need to seek advice for yourself. Like many young adults, you might want to hire an accountant or follow an online guide for paying your taxes. You will soon figure it out and it’ll be a lot easier than you think.

10. You’re Finding Yourself

Now is the time when you really start discovering what makes you happy. Finding yourself as a person can happy in the early or late stages of adulthood. As you start to experience more and more things and open up your mind to different opportunities you will realise what really makes you tick. Finding yourself is an exciting time so embrace it to the fullest. When you’re an adult you can actually start saying ‘no’ to things you don’t enjoy doing! This is one of the best parts of growing up as you don’t have to answer to anyone.

Adulting sounds like such a grown up concept, but it’s highly likely that you’re already there. You might not have hit all of the marks mentioned above just yet, but if you can cross a couple of them off your list, you are well on your way! Being an adult is a daunting, scary and exciting part of your life, so embrace it as much as possible. Go out shopping for a car on your own and feel confident in your adult instincts. Growing up is inevitable for all of us; many will try to put it off for as long as possible. If you think you have cracked the start of adulthood, then it’s time to celebrate and enjoy this stage of your life. Being a grown up isn’t so bad after all!