If that's movin' up, then I'm movin' OUT.

[KYGOTC]

So today, after about a year anna half of buting heads with my mom and step-dad, ive left the house, and I dont plan on going back unless its to retreive my possessions, that is if they didnt throw them out already. ANYHOO, Right now Im going to sleep on my friends couch, but this is not perminant. Im not sure whats the smartest thing to do next, as Ive never done this before. I have a job, but I need to get a better one. I think Im going to stop going to schol for the time being, and I ned to get my drivers licence. I have about 4 grand in the bank, but i figure thatll dissapear quickly.


Any suggestions?

[retrorussell]

Everything revolves around your finances.  Save, save and save at every opportunity.  I understand the need to move out when you and your folks drive each other crazy.  How much do you make?  So you're just staying at a friend's house for now?  You need your own place?  Then do it.  Just remember, ramen and rice are your best friends in terms of cheap eating.  Cut down on your expenses by not going to the bar, or to a restaurant.  If you make around 10 bucks an hour you can afford your own place by yourself.  Just keep saving, saving and saving.

Once you get away from the folks for awhile, oftentimes you will get along a LOT better when you see each other again.

[HappyGilmore]

Like Retro said, save as much as possible.  4 grand is a good thing for now.  Best piece of advice I can think of now, too: keep the job you have now, although you wanna quit.  Only quit when you have a guaranteed spot at a better place.  Otherwise, you'll have no income.

Also, Tuna fish is a great cheap meal, as is peanut butter and jelly.  And rice, too.  They have a ten pound bag or some such at a lot of supermarkets really, really cheap, and it's a great side-dish to some sandwiches, and lasts a good while.  Potatoes, too.  Get one of those ten pound bags, should last a while and cheap.  And I dunno if you have a BJ's/Sam's Club Membership but they got some good things in bulk: cereal, snack packs, etc, cheap. 

Only reason I suggest that is I had to live like that for a while, just to make sure bills were paid.  May not sound too 'appetizing', but it's actually not too bad.  And, you can lose some weight like that/stay in shape.  Did it years ago when it was a necessary in order to survive.

[indianasmith]

How old are you again?  Remember, the choices you make now will affect you the rest of your life.  Is the home situation so intolerable that you're willing to chance a lifetime of minimum wage jobs to leave it?  If it is really that bad, my advice is sacrifice whatever it takes to stay in school and make something of yourself.  Work your tail off, bank the money, and forget luxury for awhile if you want to have any to enjoy later.  This is still the "Land of Opportunity," but you have to chase the opportunities now, they won't come to you.  And to be perfectly honest, the middle of a deep recession is not the best time to pull a Huck Finn.  I wish you nothing but the best, but you need to think long and hard about this decision, especially if you are still in your teens.  You could be standing on the brink of catastrophic life failure.

[Javakoala]

If you mean high school when you are talking about not going to school for a while, think again. Get yourself some schedule and get your ass back in school. Unless you qualify as an emancipated youth, you run the risk of having hassles about not being in school. As far as real world issues, you need that high school diploma.

If we are talking about college, dropping out for a semester isn't that big of a deal if you and/or your folks have been paying your way. If you have grants and/or loans, start checking with whomever backs those so you don't go into a default status and have that as a mark against you and your credit.

Keeping your job is great advise and eat as cheap as you can. Provide for the pantry of whomever you are begging a bed, and you will earn your keep for a while. And keep things clean. If you are useful, they will keep you around while you make your next step.

Save anything you can. This is NOT a time to sow your wild oats. Add to that savings whenever and wherever you can. That money may save our ass some day, and soon.

Those are the only bits of advise I can offer other than to use your spare time to learn how to good good meals for pennies from the cheapest things you can get your hands on. You will, again, make yourself useful and learn a skill that will get you through many, many hard times.

[Paquita]

Good Luck!  Listen to Indiana! He knows what he's talking about!

If you stay with friends, I don't care how filthy they are, remember to clean up after yourself.  I housed 2 of my friends when they left their parents, and I didn't mind that they couldn't pay from time to time, but I don't think I could ever forgive them for the atrocious messes they made!!  If you can rustle yourself up some friends to get an apartment with, it's probably your best bet... or you can always find a lonely rich lady that needs a gardener.

[Mofo Rising]

Paquita is spot on about that rich old lady remark.

Depending on the cost of living in your area, the answer is almost certainly roommates. If you have some friends in a place with a spare room, it's certainly something to look into. The last place I lived was a four bedroom house with five roommates, and my cost of living there was about $350/month. I value peace and quiet, so living with four other people wasn't great, but for that price it lasted quite a while. Personal relations ended up splintering, so I moved out, but that happens.

I also agree that you should keep your job. At this time, quitting a job without a new one on tap is a very bad idea. However, I would also say that you should stay in school if at all possible. College, right? If you do not have a strong source of money, you should qualify for several grants, at the very least loans. College loans have low interest rates, which are deferred while you are in school. They should give you a fairly sizable buffer zone between you and stone-cold-brokedness.

More importantly, a college degree makes you much more marketable on the job market, and if you're willing to put in the work, the connections you make in college can lead you to innumerable opportunities. You can do the same thing without college, but it's more difficult.

So frugality and roommates should be your watch words. Roommates can range from very good to nightmarish, but the money you save while you work yourself into a better position is nothing to be scoffed at. Also, your savings may not seem like a lot to you, but if you can pare your expenses down to almost nothing, you can stretch that much longer than you may think.

[Jack]

If you're in college, could you just move into the dorms?  Or find a house near campus that other students are renting?  Talk to somebody about financial aid.  Colleges employ an entire staff of people to help folks like you figure out their housing and financial situation - make use of that resource.  You don't want to drop out of school -  You could be sentencing yourself to a lifetime of low paying jobs because of a temporary housing situation.  And keep your job if at all possible.  

[KYGOTC]

If you're in college, could you just move into the dorms?  Or find a house near campus that other students are renting?  Talk to somebody about financial aid.  Colleges employ an entire staff of people to help folks like you figure out their housing and financial situation - make use of that resource.  You don't want to drop out of school -  You could be sentencing yourself to a lifetime of low paying jobs because of a temporary housing situation.  And keep your job if at all possible.  

Its a community collage, so theres no dorms.
And the plan for the time being is drop out for maybe just THIS semester, then go back when im all cozy in my new living arangements. As for my job, i make about 10 bux an hour, but i only work about 10 -12 hours a week. an' thats a big ouchy. I need a better job.....and some duck tape for these damn boxes! u-haul, here i come.

[Rev. Powell]

Good advice.  I have little to add.

What to do about school depends on what you're interested in studying and your current job.  If there's room for advancement in your current employment AND you're interested in the work, find out what type of degree/course of study will help you.  See if your employer will help finance it if you got to school nights.

If you want to study for another career entirely, then you will probably need to pay for night classes on your own.  Be prepared to have little free time and less money for a long time.  But it will pay off in the long run.

Definitely look for a roommate---it's the simplest thing you can do to cut your living expenses in half.

Good luck.

[Ash]

So today, after about a year anna half of buting heads with my mom and step-dad, ive left the house, and I dont plan on going back unless its to retreive my possessions, that is if they didnt throw them out already.

I moved out of my parent's house when I was 18 under similar circumstances.
We fought constantly and then one day it all went south and they kicked me out.  My parents are good people and I get along great with them...as long as I don't have to live with them.

Unlike you, I only had about $100 in cash and no job when I went out into the world on my own.
I stayed with friends but that can only last so long before you start butting heads with them, too.  So I moved from friend to friend sleeping on their couches.  Made me feel guilty as hell for doing it, but with no money, there was nothing else I could do.
I eventually got a job and rented an apartment in the crappy area of town.
Looking back, it was one of the scariest and most exciting times of my life.

Like Mofo said, frugality will help you.  I can take the most miniscule amount of money and stretch it pretty far.
If I were you, I would use that $4000 wisely.  Don't spend it on junk you don't need.  Before each purchase, ask yourself if it's something you need, or something you want.
Don't eat out, that'll drain your money quickly.  Get groceries and cook your own food instead.

I would recommend renting a cheap apartment and getting a roommate or two.  That way, if the apartment's yours, you can dictate terms and kick people out if you need to.  I recommend having them sign an agreement on paper before they move in. (if you decide to go that route)
Like the others have said, roommates can be fun or they can be your worst nightmare.  I've had roommates that were good friends before they moved in, then by the time they moved out I had thoughts of strangling them.  And like Paquita said, find one who's a clean person!  I got into more fights with roommates over their filthiness than anything else.

Good luck! 

[Psycho Circus]

Got to this a bit late, so I'm probably going to be just echoing everyone else's advice.

I left home at 18 to move in with my girlfriend in a town I'd never been to before, in a different county of the UK. I had no job, no money and was only just coming out of 2 year period of being a total recluse. Things fell apart over time, I ended up homeless, but with a job that I still made sure I went to and worked hard at. I slept on the street, the street then became people's floors and people's floors became my own apartment. Almost five years later I have a great job and I don't need anybody.

Like everyone says, hang onto the current job before you try and leap into something else. Be sensible with whatever money you have - save, save, save and hopefully you have friends you can rely on if need be. From what I can gauge, you're a confident guy who has lots of friends so I'm sure you'll do okay. 

[Jim H]

Where are you at in St. Louis?  Are you going to STLCC?  I went to Meramec for about two years, before going to Webster.  

I might be able to suggest a place to live if you're planning on staying in the area.  I'm at the moment at home, but I've been looking for a better job where I'll make enough to move out.  So, I have looked at a couple apartment complexes in the St. Louis area.  Mostly in West/Mid County though.

[BTM]

Where are you at in St. Louis?  Are you going to STLCC?  I went to Meramec for about two years, before going to Webster.  

Dude, you live in ST Louis?  I've been thinking of moving there someday and would love to pick you brain on some facts about the place... okay if I message ya?

[KYGOTC]

Jim, I had no clue you were so close. thats BIZZARE, man. I just figured everyone on this board lived outside the U.S. or in the more obscure no name corners of america. WEIRD!

I took a class at Meramac last semester, but im mostly at Flo Vallley CC. I AM gunna stay in the area, but probobly north county.

BTM, ill answer anything ya got, or at least TRY to.