living away from home

[Jude]

I know I've seen many posts about things like this before, but I don't feel like resurrecting ancient posts, and I know you don't want me to either. Home isn't working for me anymore. I'm 17, and am thinking about getting out of the stuffy, uppity burbs and moving into the city (Buffalo, NY) I wouldn't just be running away, I've already let them know I'm leaving. Unfortunately, I can't live with any friends (a situation I don't feel like explaining the reasoning behind) so that's really the first problem. I don't feel I would have a problem getting a job in the city, as I have a good resume. Although come to think of it, that would only be about $8.00/hour max., and at 32 hours a week maximum, thats $256 gross, minus the generous amount the government steals for itself. $200 a week is hardly enough to live comfortably, however, it would be better than this. Does anyone have any practical advice?

[which doctor]

I know I've seen many posts about things like this before, but I don't feel like resurrecting ancient posts, and I know you don't want me to either. Home isn't working for me anymore. I'm 17, and am thinking about getting out of the stuffy, uppity burbs and moving into the city (Buffalo, NY) I wouldn't just be running away, I've already let them know I'm leaving. Unfortunately, I can't live with any friends (a situation I don't feel like explaining the reasoning behind) so that's really the first problem. I don't feel I would have a problem getting a job in the city, as I have a good resume. Although come to think of it, that would only be about $8.00/hour max., and at 32 hours a week maximum, thats $256 gross, minus the generous amount the government steals for itself. $200 a week is hardly enough to live comfortably, however, it would be better than this. Does anyone have any practical advice?

Make sure you have a lot of money saved up before you move out. You may not instantly find employment, but you will still need money for rent and food, use your savings for this. Also, don't go it alone. You need to at least have a roommate, or even several.

[Jude]

I've found a roommate with similar problems to mine. He's 17 and currently has $650 saved up, which is approximately $650 more than I have at the moment. :crying:

I've heard from several people that due to our ages we won't be able to find a landlord who'll rent us a room. What is your opinion on this?

[gla22]

go to college.

[Organic Revolution]

200 dollars not comfortable to live on a week? Are you fucking crazy or just really bourgeois? I live on 20 a week with food stamps.

[Jude]

go to college.

I plan on it.


200 dollars not comfortable to live on a week? Are you fucking crazy or just really bourgeois? I live on 20 a week with food stamps.


Well first, where do you live? What do you pay for rent? Do you live in an apartment? Please explain how you manage to live on $20 a week, and why it is that you only have that much. If you have a job, you should be getting well over that. If not, where does your income come from?

[Dr Mindbender]

Make sure you have a lot of money saved up before you move out. You may not instantly find employment, but you will still need money for rent and food, use your savings for this. Also, don't go it alone. You need to at least have a roommate, or even several.
^
|
this.

it doesnt matter how bad things are at home now, if you havent got a roof and some decent money in your pocket then it gets a whole lot worse.

As long as you're getting 3 squares a day and a warm bed at the moment i would suggest sticking it out until you know you can afford to go it alone.

[GeistDerRevolution]

Respect your parents, go to college and overall don't ruin your life just yet.

[apathy maybe]

Respect your parents, go to college and overall don't ruin your life just yet.

Why respect parents? Why is moving away from home not respecting them? Why would it be ruining your life to leave home?

Why should anyone listen to anyone who has "socialism not anarchism" underneath their user name?



Anyway, for the thread starter. I have some suggestions, though you may not appreciate them all.

Learn how to dumpster dive. It can get you food, and other stuff free. Means you don't have to worry about cash so easily. There are a few threads on it around here, plus heaps of info on the matter on the web.

It would help if you knew how to defend yourself. Both physically, by fighting or running away, and mentally. Know your legal rights, stand up for yourself when the cops are around (but be polite and gentle, don't piss them off more then needed, just stand up for yourself). Know what landlords and bosses can and can't do.

I don't know about where you are, but in many places around the world there are free legal centres, and even renters unions. They'll be able to provide you with heaps of information that you should learn.


Why is it so important? Well, if you are young and not in the same city as your parents, you are more likely to have shitheads try and take advantage of you.


Oh, and as other folks said, save money before you leave. Perhaps borrow some from your parents, or ask them to buy you some gear. Depends on how good a relationship you have with them.


Lastly, don't let fuckers get you down. It is your choice what you do with your life, and if you don't want to stay in the suburbs, then get out.

[The Love Pirate]

I've found a roommate with similar problems to mine. He's 17 and currently has $650 saved up, which is approximately $650 more than I have at the moment. :crying:

I've heard from several people that due to our ages we won't be able to find a landlord who'll rent us a room. What is your opinion on this?

My opinion is as follows: don't do it.

Just...don't.

You're 17, so I really don't think any landlord will rent to you. The only way I think they might is if your parents pay your rent. From the sound of things, I doubt they're willing.

I have a similar story. I moved out (or rather, was kicked out) of my parents' house a week before I turned 19. I'd just dropped out of college due to depression and physical illness, and had about $1200 saved. It was gone within three months, employment was scarce, depression was worse than ever. It wasn't really the adventure I had in mind.

Fast forward a year and a half. I'm just going back to college now and financing the whole thing myself. I make very little money but am starting to save. In another eight months I'm moving out of my state and to the opposite coast so that I can be with my other half. Things are going to be OK, but the first year was pure hell.

But really, if you're gonna do it, you're gonna do it. And if you do it, you'll learn right quick how difficult it is to forge your own path on just a high school education with minimal (if any) trade skills. If I hadn't left college, I'm sure I'd have failed out eventually. Things have worked out for me, and I'm a stronger and wiser person for my experiences.

In the end, the only one who can decide these things is you...but I still think you might regret it!

All the best,
Hallie

[Sharon den Adel]

Moving out of home is not as good as it sounds. You have to have plenty of money saved before you move out, to last as you look for work.
You also have to make sure you get a well paying job, as rent and bills are expensive, and they do add up very quickly.

I moved out of home about 18 months ago, and I now live in a one bedroom unit. I work a Casual job earning around $400 a week. That sounds like a fair amount of money, but when you add in rent, groceries, phone bills, gas bills, electricity bills etc, you can easily end up spending more money each month than you earn.

As you are only 17, the wages you will earn will be less than that of some older, say 21. My advice is to stay at home at least for another three or four years - this way, you'll be earning more of an income, and would be better able to pay the bills.
Start by paying rent to your parents each week, and contributing to the grocery bill. This will give you an idea of what it is like to have bills, and it will also teach you how to save money.

Good luck!:)

[Hiero]

200 dollars not comfortable to live on a week? Are you fucking crazy or just really bourgeois? I live on 20 a week with food stamps.
That is a really arrogant statement. Maybe $20 is ok if your in an anarchist culture, but most working people have a different idea of comftable living.

[Jude]

That is a really arrogant statement. Maybe $20 is ok if your in an anarchist culture, but most working people have a different idea of comftable living.

I'd just like OR to explain how this is accomplished. I asked quite a while ago, and still haven't heard a reply.

[gla22]

That is a really arrogant statement. Maybe $20 is ok if your in an anarchist culture, but most working people have a different idea of comftable living.

yeah seriously, that is my gas budget.

[bluerev002]

Like so many have said it before: DON'T DO IT.

Coming from a University Student's perspective that still has that home backup to go to, it's hard. Starving college students isn't a joke. You go through some budget crisis and that is still with your parents backing you up. I can't imagine being 17 and moving out. Maybe it's just me who isn't a fan of dumpster diving or food stamps, maybe it's just me who picked an expenive-ass conservative-ass location for school.

But still, my suggestion, toughen it up, save your money, and use that money to travel somewhere. That'll give you a whole new perspective on life and at 17, one of the few chances you'll have before you don't have a choice about moving out or not.

[Cybersomatix]

200 dollars not comfortable to live on a week? Are you fucking crazy or just really bourgeois? I live on 20 a week with food stamps.

Yeah, in Portland, OR... or even the middle of nowhere Pennsyltucky... but try living on $20 in much less hospitable places, Philadelphia or maybe Chicago, for instance.

Better yet, wait two years... after Sam Adams gentrifies the fuck out of PDX


I know I've seen many posts about things like this before, but I don't feel like resurrecting ancient posts, and I know you don't want me to either. Home isn't working for me anymore. I'm 17, and am thinking about getting out of the stuffy, uppity burbs and moving into the city (Buffalo, NY) I wouldn't just be running away, I've already let them know I'm leaving. Unfortunately, I can't live with any friends (a situation I don't feel like explaining the reasoning behind) so that's really the first problem. I don't feel I would have a problem getting a job in the city, as I have a good resume. Although come to think of it, that would only be about $8.00/hour max., and at 32 hours a week maximum, thats $256 gross, minus the generous amount the government steals for itself. $200 a week is hardly enough to live comfortably, however, it would be better than this. Does anyone have any practical advice?

Don't... why waste money when you don't have to? I can see the driving impetus... you live in a town where there's not whole hell of a lot of resources and want to strike out on your own and get away from the monotony/damage of living with your parents (I don't know, I'm just speculating... don't mean to patronize... so, please, don't take it as such)... If you don't absolutely have to... that is, if living at "home" isn't detrimental to your physical well being, safety and physical freedom (i.e. you're not getting beaten, injured, threatened with physical violence or are not at high risk of being imprisoned... psychological well being is a whole other debate), there's no reason you should drop all of your personal security in order to emancipate yourself from the familiar setting of "home" life, per se

I'm not going to be a hipocrite, though, I did it... when I was your age back in '99/'00 I went summit hoping... then in 2004 headed west and squatted 'tween the bay and PDX... it was fun... now, I'm going to community college some 8 years later when I could've had my Masters degree by now. Life is a series of trade offs... do I regret the choices I've made? I can't really say... I can say that I would neither be the same person today at the age of 25 that I was at 17 coming out of a rigidly evangelical xtian family in the middle of bum fuck Pennsyltucky nearly a decade ago... but I can't say that the person I would have become would have been any closer or further to what I may have then or do now aspire to do, know or be.

having been through Buffalo... all I can say is that if you are going to leave your hometown, that'd be a horrible choice... of all the places in the world, why buffalo?... I mean... it ain't Jersey... but damn! If you're going to leave home from the outskirts of Buffalo, try Toronto... barring that, Pittsburgh... I'd recommend Philly or Detroit if it weren't your first time living away from home... New York if you were rich (not to shit on NYC... there are still lots of great places in NYC... I just can't justify the cost of living there)