Oh my gosh hun, I have no advice because I myself have never lived on my own either. If you'd like to just talk, I'm here for you. I'd like to stay updated if that's alright, I care ~

Thank you, will give you a poke on discord when I can

I am very sorry to hear this. :(
Let me see if I can give you some decent advice here.
Other than the fact that you're going to need to put down a security deposit first at most places, and then pay first month's rent in order to move in after that...
You will definitely want to stick to legitimate rental sites to find places, as Craigslist does tend to get clogged up with a lot of false listings. Generally it is fairly
easy to spot them but sometimes they can be deceptive too. If they use some line about how the money is not important, just finding the right tenant, or if
they give you some big convoluted story about not being able to give you a personal tour of the property or would have to have you do all the paperwork remotely
or have to provide you keys remotely, etc, then it's a scam/total bullshit.

Any rentals you come across, if they have a rental agency name listed, google them & do some research on them, look at their reviews from tenants, etc.
Make sure you know what you're getting into with a rental property. Also obviously get a tour of any place you are potentially interested in too, and if you need
to see the property again, don't hesitate to see about getting another tour of it. Make sure you find out what amenities you are allowed there & what utilities
they cover automatically and what you will have to cover on your own.

Also, just as a note, if you have bad credit, a lot of places will have you pay a double security deposit, or a couple month's rent in advance, because you
are considered a risk/liability to rent to. If you are in a situation with your credit being bad & cannot afford this, then definitely look for a roommate or a
place looking for a new roommate... but obviously make sure it will be a compatible living situation too as much as you can.

I wish you the best while going through this time & that you make it out of it fairly unscathed. (hugs)

Yeah, craigslist has been hell to look through, double posting and dead ends.
I think I found one place, while not up to date, does cover all utilities in the rent. I just finished paying off a loan so my credit should be good, good enough at least.
After thinking it over, I've chosen against the roommate bit. I don't trust random people in this city enough for that

I am glad that you found something already. Please keep me up to date on how things progress. Love you lots, my soul sister 🙂

Well when I had to shop around I tried googling apartments with the city/state I'm in and tried to search for something that was reasonable in terms of space and rent. In terms of pets... I think most apartments are more lenient on cats then dogs. More so if they are spay'ed or neutered so they are less likely to not piss all over the place being territorial (as far as I know).

Wish I could be more help. Maybe ask your landlord if they've got a one bedroom apartment available to you. if you've been good at making payments and stuff they may be helpful in that regard if they they have one.

My condolences, I hope you find a place in this current state we’re in

Aww i'm sorry for that...
I don't know what to say...
I can only give you a hug ♡

*hug*

^^

Oh wow I'm sorry!
I guess, short version is, look for places, pick one you want, pack your current things, and either have friends/family/movers help you move to your new spot.

Definitely best to start packing things in the meantime - it's good to box up what you can, but movers sometimes will have boxes and things too. (Yelp can help, you need to plan in advance.)
You can find apartments online all sorts of ways - or driving around, apartment buildings will have a phone number on the outside, and you can call those for pricing/availability.

Usually they will stressfully offer to sell you the place at a lower price the day you visit, the prices change often, so it can be hard to guarantee.

It might be a little easier for your first time to look for a roommate. Might as well do something small and temporary as you figure things out. (: Then you can spend a few months figuring out a better long-term goal.

Your apartment will help let you know about smaller things like renter's insurance, the electric bill, and your main rent. You'll likely need a deposit first, maybe between $500-1000.
Also beware of scams - a lot of websites with really great offers in your area that mention someone in another state owns it and will sell it to you is usually fake. Or paying anyone a fee to visit or apply. I've fallen for those before.

I wrote all that and was gonna do more but honestly it's probably best to find a roommate instead. (: Maybe a friend of someone local can recommend one!

Those deposits are no joke, that will leave me with practically nothing on my first day moving in. I had no chance to save while doing this. Actually hoping that stimulus check will come. That might be my saving grace should it come down to it.
And after looking at some roommate situations, this city is not the greatest for that it seems

Is there a problem?

In the journal?

I give it a read, and I'm sorry to hear that too.
*(Hugs)*
But no matter what, we all are here for you.

hugs tenderly
I'm here for you Lexi