So This Is Adulting: Paying My Own Bills

I used to think “adulting” was about the big things, like getting promoted, moving out, or buying your first appliance that isn’t secondhand. The word always sounded too serious, too far away from the version of me who still googled how to do basic things in life and hoped I was doing them right.

But lately, I’m learning that it’s not always that dramatic. Sometimes, adulthood shows up quietly, through smaller responsibilities that sneak into your routine before you even notice.

Like paying bills.

Back in our old place, our landlady used to handle it all. She would send the total, and we would transfer the money to her: rent, water, electricity, all in one go. No numbers to check, no due dates to track. It was convenient, detached, and honestly, it kept me from ever really thinking about it.

Now, it’s different. In our new apartment, I’m the one in charge of paying the electric and water bills. It sounds simple, but that first month, I was nervous. What if I missed something? What if I accidentally paid the wrong amount?

So, I made accounts with Meralco and Manila Water, learned how to navigate their apps, and even figured out how to read our consumption. I started noticing patterns: how higher usage crept in on long work-from-home days, how weekends with extra laundry added up.

It’s funny how something so ordinary can make you feel strangely accomplished. I guess that’s what they mean when they say growth hides in the little things.

There’s still a bit of mess in the process: the trial and error, the overthinking, the quiet pressure to get it right. But it also feels grounding. It’s proof that I’m learning to manage, to take care, to show up even when no one else will notice.

Because maybe that’s what adulting really is. Not about being fully figured out, but about trying — showing up for responsibilities, for routines, for yourself.

Paying bills may not be a grand story, but it’s part of this ongoing one: of learning, adjusting, and living through the quiet messes that come with growing up. - MESSY E.

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