Tips for somebody like me? Read my situation.

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Tercel_driver

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Ok, I just want some tips to know what to do with my life.

I am waiting for my legal residence, but I am still a legal resident. Well, I have 2 years in college, wasted one retaking high school.

Properties, I just hold my PS2, my radio and some stuff with me. Pretty much nothing.

Anyways, I just want to get the hell out of my parent's house, and begin my own life. Any kind of advise is welcomed, even the crazy ones.
 
Get a job, a 4 year degree, and do something you want to do. Now-a-days a 4 year degree is like the holy grail to employers. My mom was making $50+ / hour because she had one. (She only worked there for 2 years so I'm not rich). Work your a** of through college. But hey, I'm only 14 so you don't have to listen to me. :)
 
No, thats cool. I like your idea.
But you know what. I dont have a cent in my pockets. That would mean, having to continue listen to my parents crap for 2 more years.
 
Pick up another job, and cut your expenses as much as possible.

Seriously.

Work non-stop, and forego friends, relatives and relationships. Any thing that costs you money but doesn't benefit your status, skip it.

Do you really need to eat three meals a day or can you eat ramen noodles once a day and rice and milk for dinner? Consider Mcdonalds "Fine cuisine" for the next three years. If you do go to McDonalds, only get a sandwich.

Don't "stash cash away" because you'd be tempted to use it. Put it in the bank where you can't access it easily. If it's less than a mile, walk, don't use a car. at 4 miles an hour (average human walking speed) that's 15 minutes. Get a cheap bike, ride every where.

I made it through 4 years of college on a shoe string budget. Save every penny you come across. I've got loads more from when I did the similar thing.

Good luck.

AO
 
Put your money in a mutual fund. Go to a credit union, not a bank, as CU's are soo much nicer. Live off of pop-tarts, raman noodles, and canned soup. Gram Crackers and Water can last you a month.

I hear Wal-Mart pays well, and they aren't really picky about employees. You could work in a mall also, in Electronics Boutique, or work at best buy.

As for your parents, feel lucky; I've got at least 3 more years, plus an 11 year-old sister that follows me around constantly. :banghead:
 
Yep. What DA said. A studio apartment, an air matress and some milk crates must suffice for a dwelling. Get a cheap bike and your transportation becomes free. Learn to love cheap hotdogs and mac-n-cheese. And don't spend any money unless you'll end up homeless, hurt, or dead if you don't, period. It sounds harder than it is. Good luck.
 
Originally posted by milefile
Yep. What DA said. A studio apartment, an air matress and some milk crates must suffice for a dwelling. Get a cheap bike and your transportation becomes free. Learn to love cheap hotdogs and mac-n-cheese. And don't spend any money unless you'll end up homeless, hurt, or dead if you don't, period. It sounds harder than it is. Good luck.
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Also, learn to look into used products rather than new. They're much cheaper, and many times they're still in great condition.
 
You can furnish an apartment at Goodwill or Salvation Army. I don't need to and I still go there. They also have a lot of clothes.
 
Lots of good ideas. The first thing I need to do is get a job though. My parents want me to find a job in an office, but I know the jobs I can get are in a restaurant, or most of the common food chains. Besides, what kind of office job can I do without a certificate or diploma.

Btw, are you guys married? If so, how did you begin your independent lives?
 
Office job... Cleaning, Gofer, assisting with heavy objects, something basically two days a week. Then work the restaurant in the evening.

Or better yet, go to work in the restaurant and make it clear to the boss, that you have aspirations beyond the dishwasher, and want to learn how to cook, and run a successful restaurant.

While you may not want to go into the food service industry, it'll be excellent business experience that can be applied elsewhere later in life.

Perhaps 25% of my office doesn't have a degree. But they've enough expereince to cover that. How did they get expereince? Get in at the bottom and move up.

If you work in the office pay attention to everyhting. How they answer the phone, how they do orders, how they talk to staff, how they take notes. Avoid the McJobs. look for something that has a clear path towards where you want to be. If you can't find that figure out what jobs you can get that can be applied at your career.

I am married, but my independent life satrted much before that. I went off to college, and after college moved 100+ miles from home to work two jobs. I worked and slept for two years straight. Allowed me to seperate my finances from my family.

I'd suggest that you live at home (minimally) and start stashing cash. When you've got $2000 stored up (which you can do quickly...) start checking the classifieds for a small apartment or room for rent. like Milefile said, a couple of milk cartons and an air mattress are all you need.

Seriously, if you are working two jobs, you'll only be sleeping there. Forego everything you don't need. No cellphone, no cable, no computer. you'd be surprised at how quick you can set aside cash while subsisting on ramen and tuna fish.

what are your plans for a career? You live at home, do your parents charge you rent? Do you have to pay for food? If you are working two jobs, you'll only be there to sleep and change clothes. And on the regular occasion that you have a free night, you can tell them you are working and have a free night without them worrying.

Good Luck

AO
 
Originally posted by Der Alta

what are your plans for a career? You live at home, do your parents charge you rent? Do you have to pay for food? If you are working two jobs, you'll only be there to sleep and change clothes. And on the regular occasion that you have a free night, you can tell them you are working and have a free night without them worrying.

Good Luck

AO
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I originally was planning to get to any military service. Form my body and mind, then later get some money, get an apartment and get into a job that goes with my career "graphic design". Spend some years in there. It sounds easier than it sounds though.
 
Nine Years I spent in the Army Reserve. Was alot of fun. Military service is an excellent idea. It'll give you a better outlook than you realize.

Do it. However, when you go, keep a grip on real life.

Grpahic design is a tough business to make money in. You'll struggle unti you're about 30-35 and then you'll have enough experience to garner a good amount of money.

Good luck, and keep us posted.

AO
 
You've gotten excellent advice here, listen to all of it. Two things I can add; When you start your bank account, DO NOT get an ATM card. Cash machines can be addictive & they bang you over the head with fees! Get a Passbook account. If/when you sign up for the millitary, make sure you get your assignment & station written out & signed by the enlisting Sargent. You could wind up with "waste management" detail in Zimbabwe instead of simulator programming in Germany, if you know what I mean.
Good luck! 👍
 
What I find odd is how everyone from thier late teens and 20s thinks that thier parents and parent's house is worthless. I donno about anyone else, but I have absolutely no hatred of either.

And I doubt it will change.

Though I won't be 40 and living with my parents. :)
 
What I find odd is how everyone from thier late teens and 20s thinks that thier parents and parent's house is worthless. I donno about anyone else, but I have absolutely no hatred of either.
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Yeah, same with me...I like having good food, and a roof under my head without having to worry about that stuff yet...

Though I won't be 40 and living with my parents. :)
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Again, same here...
 
I understand what you Mazkid and Viper say. it looked like that to me too until I realized that, for getting a life of MY own, you HAVE to take your path. yeah, I tought it wouldnt happen for some time, and then bang!, something happens that changes your way of seeing things completely, and then you just HAVE TO HAVE freedom. you cant be the son-of-daddy anymore, becuase they wont let you take decisons and make your own life. and believe me, your own life will be compounded by MUCH, MUCH MUCH MUCH more important things than just a roof above you and a plate full of meal three times a day. believe me when I say that you could forbid even these things so you can really get YOUR life going.

Cano

great advice on here... will take in consideration, as this guy in here and I are in an amazingly similar situation.
 
My plan is to stay with my parents till I finish my apprentiship, (4 years time). By then I would have enough money to get started in a little flat or something.

But my advice for you is if you are planning on flatting, try and find some close friends that would (may be in a similar situation as you) that would be interested in flatting with you, thus sharing the cost of flatting.
 
Well as it is now, I'm 16 and I cook for myself atleast once a day, and I'm pretty independant(minus driving since we've been busy here upgrading the house and stuff, my dad wants to take me to get it but he works and the place's hours are crappy...my permit expired Tuesday).

Also, my parent's say that they will move in 5-6 years, perfect timing because I would be finishing college. Maybe I can take over the house. ;)
 
Hell, I'm moving once I get out of high school. Go straight up North and go to college. Have a job 3 days a week during the night shift. Graduate and move to an apartment somewhere close to college and start my job as an artist.

Simple as that.
 
since you're into graphic design, maybe you could do a drawing stint at a local car dealership, or be a car salesman (although my dad said it sucks).
 
Everyone's different, here's my story...

I went to University. I failed a year (CompSci, of all things), and had to re-sit. In my final years, I drove taxis 40hrs a week, attended lectures and did a degree. This was hard. Really hard, but I got through it. You have to make the sacrifices. If you ever spend more than $1 on a meal, it's luxury.

When you get your first house/flat, buy a freezer. This allows you to bulk buy (cheaper) and then defrost as required.

After the degree, I couldn't get a 'proper job' (my parents' words) for anything. I was working 65-70hrs per week on the cabs, then every night, when I got home (usually 2. 3am) I would hit the jobs web sites for at least an hour.

At this point, you have to be driven. You really have to make your own opportunities, your own luck. You have to work really hard to survive, but never, ever, take your eye off the main prize. My boss at the taxi firm always knew I would leave, but the relationship worked for us at the time.

This policy didn't work. I ended up chucking the taxi job and moving to Edinburgh. I made the decision, told my boss immediately (loyalty is important), and saved like mad. My boss repaid the loyalty by showering me with work, and then lending me one of the taxis to use as a removal vehicle (see what I mean now?).

In the big city, I registered with a bunch of agencies, and used charisma and honesty to win them to my side. Within a fortnight I had a job.

So, to summarise:
Unfortunately, nothing subsitutes for hard work and economising.
Work hard on the here-and-now, never lose sight of the main goal.
If at first you don't succeed, quit. No use being a damn fool about it.

In an office environment, the order of importance is:
Professionalism
Courtesy
Charm
Knowledge
Political ability.

Good luck. I sense an old, willing head on young shoulders.

PS: Been married 3 years now.
 
I graduated from university with honors and still have a crappy dead end job. Intellgence and grades seem, at times, to be inversely proportional to professional bliss. In fact I'd have to say my job is the only thing I don't like about my life. Maybe if my degree wasn't in philosophy and social science :rolleyes: What the hell was I thinking? Now it's not an option to really commit to a whole new education. I have to take small steps and do it all on my own. It's frustrating and discouraging at times. Some things just happen too slow. It's important to appreciate what good there is while you work toward your goal, without becoming complacent.

Patience and determination and decisiveness.
 
Man, I went to school for over 26 grand, and I left school with a degree that would only make me 20 grand. WTF!!! Tercel, Real life outside of the parents house is not all it is mopped up to be. Wait until you get to the Ramen noodle stage and then the first decent job. Then the consequential lose of the decent job. That first girlfriend that leaves you in the dump and broke after college. The list goes on; can anyone place me back in High school with the knowledge I have now? I would truly love to be 18 again!
 
Originally posted by GilesGuthrie
Would you? If I met 18y.o. me, I would punch him.
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Man, you are not being rough enough, you at least gotta slap him around a little and few punches and then the proverbial kicking while he is on the ground :D
 
Sit down for like a week and just think about what you want to do or rather what you desire to do. write down what you like and then make that your job. Go for whatever you come up with. wheather you need school to do it or not. there are a lot of people who makes tons without college. and there are those who love school. so basicially do what your dream is to do. find anything on that feild and study it...believe me i know how it feels:banghead:
 
Sit down for like a week and just think about what you want to do or rather what you desire to do. write down what you like and then make that your job. Go for whatever you come up with. wheather you need school to do it or not. there are a lot of people who makes tons without college. and there are those who love school. so basicially do what your dream is to do. find anything on that feild and study it...believe me i know how it feels:banghead: hope the best for u
 

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