Independence

[Zook]

Link to original post: [drupal=4588]Independence[/drupal]



I'm 19, I've been working for a year now, and I haven't made much progress towards becoming an independent individual. I still live with my parents, I don't go to school, and a large amount of the money I make is wasted. I don't know what I want to do in life.

But this isn't a dumb whiny blog or silly philosophical blog, oh no. I had this idea today to rent an apartment with one of my friends and try to live like that for a year. See how it works out, whether or not I can feel satisfied doing that, etc. If so, then hey, cool. If not, I'll consider going to college. I make about $1370 per month right now, 2 bedroom apartments in NH generally go from $750 to $900. My buddy doesn't have a job yet, but places are starting to hire now that students are leaving their summer jobs. What I don't know is how much I should expect to pay for utilities, food, and other essentials, and what to look for in an apartment. And anything else I might be neglecting.

Any of you folks out there have some advice to share?

 

[Pink Reaper]

Here's my advice: Mooch your parents as long as possible.

This is legitimately the best advice one can give to someone in this position and what everyone SHOULD do. Understand that life on your own is hard and expensive. You will need money. Not enough to pay bills, not enough to just get by, you will need much more than that. You'll need money to buy furniture, a car(or make payments on that car, insurance, money in case something goes wrong with that car) Preparation is the most important thing in life.

As for what you should be expecting: Some apartments/housing cover different things in the rent. Assuming bare bones, nothing covered you could be looking at $1200 a month covering rent+utilities for a 2 bedroom, that's not including food.

 

[mountain_tiger]

You don't really need a car. Sure, it's helpful, but you can certainly get by without one...

As for further education, I'd say it's a good idea provided that you know how you'd use it to improve things in the long-run.

 

[Teran]

You should also start playing the lottery.

 

[Lord Chair]

lol@NY apartment prices

 

[Vermanubis]

With how obscene NH living expenses are, don't let the pressure of societal standards to be free at the youngest age possible force you into making an unwise financial decision. Make the best of the fact that you currently have an opportunity to save as much money as you can, and get as much done as possible while a financial dependent on your folks.

My best friend Kyle and I were looking for an apartment here in Concord for a while, but the cost of living in NH is so outrageous that we basically said "lolno, let's wait."

 

[Alien Vision]

I honestly never believed in this system humans live by: Born, childhood, become seriouz, get a job, go to college, find a wife, and live a mechanical life forever, and ever!

No. I believe that opportunities are everywhere, and are opened and shalt be chosen by our own free will. You can still live with your parents, and feel like you don't know what to do yet, and still not be a lazy slob like alot of people out there. I may be 18, I may not have a job, but is it because I am lazy? I don't believe in being ''lazy''. It's just another word for ''I have no strength to get my *** up and contribute to something''. Just like being addicted is ''I have no self-control''. It's because I chose to. I chose to wait out my progress in life in hope to find something that deems significant, not just to be part of this mechanical world we call ''reality''. I do everything else I can to contribute though. I help my parents out whenever it is needed. I've done all the chores I had to do when I spend the night at my friend's house who have parents obsessed with working. I've never complained when I thought it needed to be done. So what is this ''lazy''? How am I ''taking for granted''?

I've learned to never let people push BS on you acting like they know what life, and this world is all about. It's not about being ''lazy''. ''Mooching'' off of our parents. I don't do any of that. I am staying here for an entirely subtle reason. If you don't need to move out and grow a life of your own, you do not have to if you already have the shelter, love, and warmth you will ever need.

Just remember that if you actually sit around and take everything for granted, that is when this entire post becomes irrelevant to you.

 

[Zook]

Here's my advice: Mooch your parents as long as possible.

This is legitimately the best advice one can give to someone in this position and what everyone SHOULD do. Understand that life on your own is hard and expensive. You will need money. Not enough to pay bills, not enough to just get by, you will need much more than that. You'll need money to buy furniture, a car(or make payments on that car, insurance, money in case something goes wrong with that car) Preparation is the most important thing in life.

As for what you should be expecting: Some apartments/housing cover different things in the rent. Assuming bare bones, nothing covered you could be looking at $1200 a month covering rent+utilities for a 2 bedroom, that's not including food.

Of course I would be splitting everything with a room mate. lol

But thanks for the advice. That's what my philosophy generally is, though I've been under a bit more pressure than usual to do something beside just save money.

You don't really need a car. Sure, it's helpful, but you can certainly get by without one...

As for further education, I'd say it's a good idea provided that you know how you'd use it to improve things in the long-run.

If you knew where I lived, you'd know I need a car. Even if I did live in a more populated area, I'm already making payments on one, so yeah.

Define 'things.'

You should also start playing the lottery.

I've been doing that since the day I turned 18, man

With how obscene NH living expenses are, don't let the pressure of societal standards to be free at the youngest age possible force you into making an unwise financial decision. Make the best of the fact that you currently have an opportunity to save as much money as you can, and get as much done as possible while a financial dependent on your folks.

My best friend Kyle and I were looking for an apartment here in Concord for a while, but the cost of living in NH is so outrageous that we basically said "lolno, let's wait."

Yeah it's really dumb. lol

This whole idea was mostly just me daydreaming at work yesterday, and I'm starting to reconsider it. Thanks to all for snapping me back to reality.

No. I believe that opportunities are everywhere, and are opened and shalt be chosen by our own free will. You can still live with your parents, and feel like you don't know what to do yet, and still not be a lazy slob like alot of people out there. I may be 18, I may not have a job, but is it because I am lazy? I don't believe in being ''lazy''. It's just another word for ''I have no strength to get my *** up and contribute to something''. Just like being addicted is ''I have no self-control''. It's because I chose to. I chose to wait out my progress in life in hope to find something that deems significant, not just to be part of this mechanical world we call ''reality''. I do everything else I can to contribute though. I help my parents out whenever it is needed. I've done all the chores I had to do when I spend the night at my friend's house who have parents obsessed with working. I've never complained when I thought it needed to be done. So what is this ''lazy''? How am I ''taking for granted''?

People can choose to be lazy.

You do a lot of talking, AV, but you rarely say anything new. What would you 'deem significant' in life? I dig that you don't want to just be another cog in the wheel, I do, but honestly, you're not going to discover many opportunities to do anything without proving yourself a responsible, mature individual, and you won't be able to live off of your parents forever.

 

[Alien Vision]

No. People act like lazy is some laid-back thing that is half ok, and half disrespectful. I think it shouldn't be tolerated, because being lazy is just taking things for granted. It's because they know that they aren't doing anything to contribute to anything but themselves. I don't do that. I wish I could put it in better words, but face it, Zook. You don't know me, I don't know you, and it's really hard to explain emotions, and every single detail to attach a relative idea on why I don't believe in the term ''lazy'' and how I don't have a job, or a car when I am 18 years old, yet I talk big about today's society, and how I see things.

You know?

I believe that life is much more simpler than people think it is, because they make it harder on themselves. I am able to burden practically anything, and I am a very mature adult. Some people think I am 25 actually. Lol. I'm going to live with my parents for a long time, got a problem with that? Tough.

I'm not going to let the ''norm'' affect my agendas. ^^

 

[Smooth Criminal]

You do a lot of talking, AV, but you rarely say anything new. What would you 'deem significant' in life? I dig that you don't want to just be another cog in the wheel, I do, but honestly, you're not going to discover many opportunities to do anything without proving yourself a responsible, mature individual, and you won't be able to live off of your parents forever.

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

I got ninja'd.

Take it from somebody who is "Living the Dream" right now, Zook: It's not easy. I make roughly the same amount of money that you do and I live on my own. I'm still able to afford the things that I need (rent, food, water, electricity and medicine for my diabetes, just to name a few) but sometimes it's just barely. I'm content with this; I know not a lot of people would be, and they shouldn't be, but I am (for the most part) happy with my situation because it's mine. It's more of a personal thing for me than anything else. It's not a storied life I lead.

You, however, have a primo opportunity to really get your **** straight and meet the world on your own terms. You'll make it happen eventually, one way or the other.

Edit: 25 is mature? I must be a paragon, then, for living on my own AND being that old.

That, or AV looks like a grizzled nerd who has a nasally voice and an Oedipus complex that makes him appear to be that old.

Smooth Criminal

 

[Alien Vision]

Omg! How did you know!

 

[mountain_tiger]

If you knew where I lived, you'd know I need a car. Even if I did live in a more populated area, I'm already making payments on one, so yeah.

Oh yeah. I forgot that Americans have crappy public transportation. I don't even have my driver's licence yet, because I'm dumb like that...

Define 'things.'

Would a degree be the best option in terms of getting the career you want to get? In some cases, the answer is a definite 'yes'. But too often, people go to university because they feel pressured to do so, without really considering what they want out of it.

I'm going to university about a month from now BTW (18, no job atm unfortunately but I'm hoping to find something part-time while I'm there). I've got a decent idea of where I'd like to be 10-15 years from now, though obviously it's dependent upon whether I can get the experience and whether I can get a first class honours or not etc.

 

[Pink Reaper]

Lol, sorry our country has states that are larger and more populated than your entire country tiger, we can't all live on a small foggy island

 

[mountain_tiger]

Lol, sorry our country has states that are larger and more populated than your entire country tiger, we can't all live on a small foggy island

Larger? Yes. More populated? I don't think so. Which state has more than 61 million people?

 

[frotaz37]

It's true though. Having a good public transportation system throughout the entire country would be ridiculous and impossibly expensive.

Even in it's current state I wouldn't say it's bad. You can get pretty much anywhere even if you have no car.

 

[Smooth Criminal]

It's true though. Having a good public transportation system throughout the entire country would be ridiculous and impossibly expensive.

Even in it's current state I wouldn't say it's bad. You can get pretty much anywhere even if you have no car.

What Frotaz said. Some areas are worse (or better) off than others, though. Here in Tampa/Clearwater, public transportation kinda sucks.

Smooth Criminal

 

[frotaz37]

Hopefully tube technology is invented in the near future.

 

[Pink Reaper]

Larger? Yes. More populated? I don't think so. Which state has more than 61 million people?

If trends keep going, Ca will in about 5 years lol. 40 million and growing(and that's not counting all the less than legal citizens)

Edit:

I am able to burden practically anything, and I am a very mature adult. Some people think I am 25 actually. Lol. I'm going to live with my parents for a long time, got a problem with that? Tough.

I'm not going to let the ''norm'' affect my agendas. ^^

Maturity is understanding that you're still too young and inexperienced to actually know anything. You seem more like some immature kid trying really hard to prove he's an adult than anything else.

 

[Zook]

I talk big about today's society, and how I see things.

lol no you don't. You say a lot of vague, metaphorical things about life and write a lot, but I've never seen you say anything truly insightful or wise or even really mature about the world.

I am able to burden practically anything, and I am a very mature adult. Some people think I am 25 actually. Lol. I'm going to live with my parents for a long time, got a problem with that? Tough.

What PR said. You really do not come off as a mature individual, and I'm sure most people on this site would agree with me.

 

[Pluvia]

Well I was living on my own at 16 so I can put some first hand advice here.

First off food is more expensive than you think. You could probably cut down on the cost if you cook everything from scratch though. What are you going to do about ovens and fridges? You're going to have to buy those too and they're expensive. Heck everything you take for granted and probably haven't thought about you're going to need to buy, and then all the monthly bills on top of that.

My advice is stay with your parents until you're as close to ready as you can get. Learn how to cook if you don't know how, and plan and start saving up now. Do it one step at a time, don't just jump in and expect everything to figure itself out somehow because that wont happen and it will be really hard. I'd also say live with a flatmate or something first too because you can both help each other adapt.

 

[Browny]

lol@NY apartment prices

*****es dont know 'bout Sydney's apartment prices
http://www.domain.com.au/Search/ren...W/Area/Sydney-City/?bedrooms=2&sort=price-asc

Thats bare basic nothing included cheapest apartments... per WEEK.

 

[Vinylic.]

Studio Apartments are better.

 

[Alien Vision]

Maturity is understanding that you're still too young and inexperienced to actually know anything. You seem more like some immature kid trying really hard to prove he's an adult than anything else.

Maturity is how we grasp this world in sincerity and choose to push aside ignorance the best we can while manifesting everything as a whole. Truly you aren't being any better yourself by judging me so incorrectly. Lol.

@ Zook - You too buddy. Your groundless accusations amuse me.

 

[Shorts]

Oh yeah. I forgot that Americans have crappy public transportation. I don't even have my driver's licence yet, because I'm dumb like that...

Portland Oregon has some of the best public transportation in the united states. You really don't need a car.

 

[Vinylic.]

I'm trying to find the safest and happiest state...

 

[Zook]

Maturity is how we grasp this world in sincerity and choose to push aside ignorance the best we can while manifesting everything as a whole. Truly you aren't being any better yourself by judging me so incorrectly. Lol.

You aren't actually saying anything here, but just slapping a bunch of random words together.

 

[Alien Vision]

Tell me. What are my randomly mashed up words trying to say?

Enlighten me.

 

[Laem]

Purple names have it wrong, the rest is right. Move along please

 

[Zook]

Tell me. What are my randomly mashed up words trying to say?

Enlighten me.

That's the thing, they aren't saying anything. lol You just threw a bunch of words together in pretentious way. You're probably trolling.

 

[Fuujin]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lPQZni7I18

 

[Alien Vision]

I could say the same thing about you, Zook.

 

[Zook]

That is your opinion.

But seriously, enlighten us as to what this quote means:

Maturity is how we grasp this world in sincerity and choose to push aside ignorance the best we can while manifesting everything as a whole. Truly you aren't being any better yourself by judging me so incorrectly. Lol.

Put that in plain English. If you actually know what it means, you'll be able to do so. I beg of you.

 

[Alien Vision]

Maturity - A sincere approach towards life without hiding behind ignorance; immaturity.

 

[global-wolf]

Congrats, you know what the opposite of maturity is? :/

 

[Kewkky]

Maturity - A sincere approach towards life without hiding behind ignorance; immaturity.

You can be ignorant while being mature. ignorant just means you don't know. There's nothing you can do about being ignorant to aspects of life or topics, everyone goes on in their life and die while being ignorant to many many things, but the vast majority mature.

I think mature is more along the lines of changing your attitude to reflect a positive image. You would be mature if you took things seriously, and always tried to go for the best options instead of the easiest options whenever you had to make decisions.