Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I was 24 when I got my first real job after college and moved out.
I went to college at 18, but didn't finish until I was 24. I dabbled in a bit of everything. I ended up with two BAs and a minor. I loved school, and honestly didn't want to work. I worked part-time and full-time throughout the summers through most of college, but it was mostly retail work.
I moved from VA to IA in 2012. I didn't like IA, came back a year or so later, and lived with my parents for a year, paying a third of the mortgage. During that year, I had three jobs - each paid less than the last. Desperate, I found a job in IN, lived there for about three years, and moved back to my hometown to take a job at 30.
I stayed with my parents for about another year after that as there were concerns with job stability related to a merger that was on the horizon, and I wanted to buy a house. Paid a third of everything again, paid off the debt I racked up over the past few years, and bought a house.
I've been able to stay with my family when I needed to, but beyond that, the last big thing they got me was financing a small note for a car when I was 21. My previous car was totaled in a wreck I wasn't at fault in. They paid for the difference between the insurance on the totaled car and the second car.
As soon as I graduated high school, my mother began charging me $100 per week to continue living in my bedroom. That lasted about a month, and I then got my own apartment for around the same price. I was always thankful for that push. Too many parents let their children remain at home into their 20s, 30s or 40s.
I enlisted in the US Army and headed off to boot camp, then some additional training before spending most of my 4 year enlistment in Germany in the mid 1970s. After that, returned to finish college and then into my first "career job" and kept at it until retirement at age 63.
My father had just dropped dead at 49 leaving my stay-at-home mother to support 7 kids. He left me $10 in his will. I handed it to my mother and left for college 2 weeks later.
I had luckily saved $2300 from my many jobs as paper boy, mechanic, lawn mowing, dish washing etc because the old man insisted that I go to college and pay for it myself.
It took me 7 years to earn two engineering degrees and the result was a standard of living for my family that was beyond my imagination. America is great.
17. Graduated HS on Friday, had graduation party on Saturday, moved in with boyfriend on Sunday. Married said boyfriend at 19. He was a few years older and a Vietnam vet who had a wonderful civil service job. Felt like I hit the jackpot.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
34,690 posts, read 57,994,855 times
Reputation: 46171
Quote:
Originally Posted by Vision67
17
My father had just dropped dead at 49 leaving my stay-at-home mother to support 7 kids. He left me $10 in his will. I handed it to my mother and left for college 2 weeks later.
...
It took me 7 years to earn two engineering degrees and the result was a standard of living for my family that was beyond my imagination. America is great.
Thanks dad!
Similar, I was gone at age 16, dad had a debilitating stroke when I was 17, by age 18 I was his FT caregiver, for next 32 years. Inherited $100,000 of family debt, bought him a home at age 19, and.... It took me 7 yrs to get through (2) engineering programs.
Life has always been a breeze since age 15 escape from Dairy Farm boarding school.
I was well prepared!, as were my kids
They covered all their expenses (including cars and college) they were gone and doing well on their own by age 18. (College for them was age 16. Free in our state, instead of HS)
I got married at 18 and moved out. My 3 boys came home a few times when younger. When I got divorced 3 years ago my youngest son came back to remodel my condo that I bought. He saved me so much money and stayed a year. He works from home so he could make it work. He paid half of the grocery bill. I wouldn’t let him pay more as he saved me thousands by doing the remodeling.
I bought a 2 bedroom and my kids always have a place if they need it. You never know what can happen in life such as obtaining a serious illness or disability. As a family we are there for each other just as my parents were for us and us kids helped them in their latter years. This is very different than letting kids live at your house and not work, etc.
Eighteen. I moved in with a friend I worked with, and we were roommates for a couple years til I joined the Air Force. When I got out, I stayed home a bit and worked, then moved to another state when the job I had transferred me. Been here ever since.
Just curious, how old were you when you achieved total independence from your parents? Moved out, they no longer paid any bills for you or made major purchases for you (cars, down payments on homes,). Gifts don't count, of course.
I was 20, I think, I lived with my dad through 2.5 years of college, then wanted to move in with my sister. Dad said fine, but you can take over paying for your college. I had money saved up, so I did.
Feel free to add observations about your own kids as well as yourself. Please no generational bickering, "kids these days" etc. I have to moderate this forum.
I was 18 when I moved out but before that I was the number one slave, I got room and board for running their business so they could work as well as making sure all the household chores were done and the other kids fed and had clean clothes to wear. So, I think I was independent before I left home. A few times there was an emegency with one of the younger kids and I had to forge a check at the pharmacy or grocery store to be sure it was taken care of. The parents often had no clue what was going on in the family. They paid all the bills so the only thing I didn't know about surviving as an adult was how to handle money. I figured it out.
As for buying me a car, huh,I got luggage. My brother bought one of my dad's old cars, he was working since he was 15. My dad did give my sister a car when she graduated but he lorded it over her for years.
I joined the army because I wanted to go to university but was told by my dad that he would not help me with that. I had no problem getting a job but I would have had to move out to do that. So I not only moved out, I went 2200 miles away. Back then the army paid for my college tuition, books and gave me a monthly stipend when I got out.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
