Hello, I'm 17 about to be 18 and I plan on getting the he...

Money never goes as far as you think it will. The economy fluctuates and things like food and gas get more expensive. Write a budget and stick to it. Leave money aside for unexpected expenses. And save as much as you can before you move out. Whatever rent you think you can afford sign a lease for less than that.

It can go both ways. If living in your parents’ house is somewhat tolerable, I would say save some money for a while (you wouldn’t have to pay rent) before moving out. That can make things smoother in the long run.

You're gonna have to work 80 hour weeks man, this economy is shit. Goodluck tho

I would suggest working & living on your own for a few years before starting college if that is a route you are looking forward to. It's important to be familiar with managing life as an independent before adding school work to the mix- to be most successful. You may be able to find a shared house that is renting a room for cheap online - I'm in many Facebook groups where people can look for roommates. If you find that you are having difficulties managing life without familial support, I would recommend looking info finding a case management program. I am in ACT case management due to mental illness and having been a homeless youth, and they are very helpful providing therapy, housing vouchers, transportation assistance, job search guidance, food boxes, moving help & furniture, grants for needed items for work or home, etc. You are not alone. It was definitely a struggle for me to gradually learn all these skills and find relevant supports but it can be done! Disregard pinhole, It sounds like you are looking forward to moving on from an abusive home, if so, their advice is moot as that is a totally different experience. One more piece of advice. I thought that it would get better immediately once I got out, that I would find immediate relief and a better life on the other side. Do not be surprised if that is not the case, but don't be afraid either. It's very possible you may need some time to process the massive life change and grieve the past many years. It can be extremely disorienting and scary to wonder what next, but I assure you that phase passes. It would be a good idea to surround yourself with supportive people who knew you before the change, I found that meeting all new people while I was going through this was difficult. Good luck, and happy healing ♥️

Invest time in relationships if you get lonely easily, though it's a balancing act also. I get the stigma when meeting new people, it's easy to trust them completely, but they won't have your best interests always. Judge wisely and don't be impulsive

I disagree with pinhole. Moving out of my parent's house was the best thing for me and I've never looked back. The environment was toxic and negatively impacted my mental health, and I have plenty of time on therapy and anxiety/depression/PTSD diagnoses to back that up. Probably the biggest financial advice that I have is don't give in to instant gratification. Saving the money will keep you happier in the long-run. It's wise have some money set aside just for emergencies and unexpected expenses. Dave Ramsey is pretty well-known for giving pretty good financial advice. I don't follow everything that he says, but he has some valuable insight.

Save up as much as you can before, get a job with flexibility and a good paycheck. Make sure you’re taking care of the place you live in and more importantly yourself!

You don't know how good you have it till the world hands your butt to you on a platter then you'll realize your parent/parents were right.