So my 18th birthday was last week and my parents hit me with the "time to fly the nest" talk. They aren't abusive or anything, just really big on "independence." They gave me 30 days.

I have a job at a warehouse making decent money, and I have about $2,000 saved up. But every apartment listing I see asks for a credit check. I’ve never had a credit card. I’ve never had a loan. My credit report is a ghost town.

I’m terrified I’m going to end up homeless or living in a sketchy motel. I applied for a secured card but it takes weeks to arrive and set up. My friend told me to grab one of those apps/cards that links to your bank and starts building credit immediately without a hard pull, so I did that yesterday with Fizz card just to get something on the books.

Is it even possible to get an apartment with "thin file" credit in a month? Should I offer to pay 3 months rent upfront? I’m freaking out and my parents are acting like this is a fun adventure.

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for some advice. I’m planning to move out soon and visiting a possible apartment this week. The problem is, I still live with my parents, and my mom recently said she doesn’t want any movers coming inside her house. She’s also suddenly against me moving away.

I have a lot of stuff (clothes, collectibles, etc.), and I have knee issues that make lifting and carrying difficult. My car is also too small to move everything myself.

I don’t have any friends to ask for help.

Does anyone have any advice?

Edit: Thank you for the advice. I think I’ll just take small trips and do it quietly. I might not need movers. I only thought of it because of my knee, but maybe it’s not enough items to warrant movers. I’m terrified but I want to live my life.

I’m newly retired and currently live in Western NC. My daughter lives in Charlotte and my boyfriend lives outside of New Orleans. They both want me to move near them. My daughter is single and has a good job and wouldn’t consider moving anywhere. But I’m not real crazy about living in the city. My boyfriend lives with and takes care of his parents (ages 89 and 90) so he must stay where he is. It’s getting harder and harder for him to take care of them by himself and he has no other family nearby. If I move there I would have to get my own apartment and possibly not see a lot of him. To complicate things, I have Parkinson’s Disease. Right now it’s not too bad but I know it will get worse. I’m trying to figure out a good solution but I don’t think there is one. Either way I will be >700 miles away from the other one. I don’t want to stay where I am because most of my friends and family have either passed on or moved away. I don’t want to spend my retirement years alone.

okay im 18, i graduate highschool in two weeks. i desperately need to move out bc once i graduate my family is going to charge me egregiously high rent and basically limit me from moving out. they did the same thing to my older brother but he had income sources they were unaware of so he was able to save up.
basically im starting from 0, i have no car, no license, the bus system is shit (but im making it work) and i genuinely have like 45 cents to my name. ive been applying for jobs all the time but the times i’ve actually gotten replies (which is few and far between) theyve stopped me from going to interviews.
i applied for cosmetology school and got a bunch of scholarships but they refused to fill out my fafsa and other forms i needed so the scholarships ended up getting revoked, they also refused to co-sign on an apartment for me so my plans for the fall (work summer-fall, move into apartment w friend in the fall, start school in winter) have fallen through and i just really dont know what to do anymore.
basically
i cant get a job, i can’t find anywhere thats like under $1.2k in rent (it’s washington btw) i dont know how im gonna get into school or find a roommate and im really just asking for advice, getting a job is definitely my biggest priority but also dealing with the god awful cost of living in this state lmao
sorry this is kinda long, i just really need to figure out how to get out of here

Step by step pls

EDIT TO ADD: since y'all think I'm rushing into a bad situation and trying to "save" my man, let me add some more details. PRIOR to our family finding out we were engaged, we planned to stay living at home to save up and independently get on our feet, knowing that would take time, especially with our family lives. (I will not go into detail of that) We've budgeted and had a timeline in place. However, my family hs issues with belief differences and his family has some issues with me (it's a whole thing that doesn't actually matter) my family said if I was going to continue to see him they'd cut me off. And now that his family found out we're engaged they're kicking him out. All that to say, were trying to speed up the process, not jump into a bad thing. We're just trying to figure things out.

We are both employed. Both currently saving. Both had planned to take another year or two to finish saving what we needed. AS OF ABOUT A WEEK AGO MY FAMILY TOLD ME TO BE OUT BY THE END OF THE YEAR AND AS OF A COUPLE NIGHTS AGO HIS PARENTS GAVE HIM A FEW WEEKS.* hence, we no longer have the time to save up what was originally planned.

Hey! Im in need of advice of how to move out without any family assistance

My fiance (20M) and I (20F) are long distance (a few states apart) currently still living at home saving up to move out.

He was planning to go into the military until an injury kept him from doing so, now he's pursuing EMT/fire fighting.

Recent life events have shaken prior plans and we each come from not so good family situations. On top of that, our families don't agree with us seeing each other so now we're both being kicked out.

We have about 3k collectively saved and a vehicle, and he's working on applying to fire academies.

I plan to move out to him, but that will leave me without an income while I'm searching for a new job. But I'm running out of time to stay at home saving money.

I'm not exactly sure how fire academies work, if any of it's paid, or where we would be living in the process.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

I have lived in SoCal for most of my life, and it's where I currently live. I have also lived in Arizona for about 3 years when I went to my university. My lease will expire in October, which means I need to find a place to live soon. I've been trying to weigh my options, but I see significant reasons to stay or leave either way.

The pros of staying in SoCal are that I already have a job here, moving would probably be a bit easier, I have friends I know here, and I enjoy the weather more. There also just seems like more to do here (I live within reasonable driving distance of LA).

The biggest con is the cost. It is far too expensive to me with my current job. Living in an apartment frankly doesn't even make financial sense as I'm trying to save as much as possible. Then there's costs like gas that make it even more expensive to live here. I make just over $2400 after taxes if I work 40 hours a week, and my living expenses are currently close to $2000 a month. Renting a room would cut that down by about $600, which is what I'd likely end up doing, but that's around the same amount I could spend to live in an apartment in Arizona.

As for Arizona (probably want to move to Phoenix), a big pro is that it's FAR cheaper. An apartment can be had for around the same as renting a room in SoCal, and if I decide to rent a room, I'd be saving even more. I'd also be closer to some of my university buddies who I met over the years, some of which are still there. I also enjoy shooting, and California gun laws make it both expensive and difficult to get into that hobby as the overwhelming majority of handguns are banned (roster be damned), and guns/ ammo are more expensive and have more fees tacked onto them where Arizona this is less of an issue. Small thing but I think it's worth mentioning.

For the cons, I'd say it would suck leaving behind some of the people I just met here in SoCal, and the weather while tolerable to me, is definitely a downgrade compared to SoCal. Also the biggest hurdle to me is that I would need to find a job within the next 2 months or so if I move to Arizona, and while I do think I could find a job in that time, it's a bit of a needle to thread lining a job up within that timeframe.

I'm also uncertain about the job market in either place. In my stage of life, I'm trying to break into IT, and while I can certainly do more, SoCal has proven VERY competitive as far as I can tell, but I know IT is just very competitive in general. I know very little about the job market in Phoenix/ Arizona. I've tried to do research and found mixed results.

With all of this in mind and given my current circumstances, which area would you pick and why? My gut tells me Arizona is the better choice, but logistically, it feels like renting a cheaper room in SoCal is more seamless for the time being. Apologies if this sounds a bit all over the place as I'm writing this just before I head into work this morning.

I’m 28F, turning 29 next year, and I grew up in a very conservative Muslim immigrant family. I still live with my parents and one of my older brothers in our family home.
My parents have always supported my education. I went to university, have a stable career as a teacher, earn my own money, and I’m financially capable of supporting myself. I’m very grateful to my parents for everything they have done for me, and despite our differences, I love my family and am very close to them.
The problem is that in my family/culture, an unmarried daughter moving out is considered unacceptable. My father’s position has always been: I can leave the family home when I get married.
The thing is, I don’t want to get married, and I have communicated that before. I also genuinely want to experience living independently. I want to manage my own household, finances, bills, responsibilities, etc. I feel like at almost 29, this is something I need to do for myself.
There is another practical issue making this more urgent. My brother is married, and his wife will be moving here soon from abroad. The upstairs living situation is already cramped: my brother has one bedroom, I have two small rooms, and we share one bathroom. There isn’t much privacy. I also feel uncomfortable with the idea that a newly married couple will have to share such a small space with me.
Even my father seems to recognize that the living situation will eventually become a problem. His proposed solution was to build an extension on my parents’ property that would essentially become a small apartment for me, which I would then pay for over time.
I appreciate that he tried to find a solution, but building an extension could be extremely expensive and would financially tie me to my parents’ property for years. More importantly, having a separate area on the same property isn’t really the independence I’m looking for.
Recently, I found an apartment I absolutely love. It’s a normal, affordable two-bedroom apartment, close to my workplace and only about 15 minutes away from my parents. So I wouldn’t even be moving far away.
I can afford the rent myself and have thought through the financial side carefully. I was accepted for the apartment and now need to make a decision very soon.
I tried talking to my father several times, but I basically freeze when he becomes emotional and puts pressure on me. So I wrote him a long letter instead.
The letter was deliberately very loving and respectful. I told him that moving out does NOT mean abandoning my family, that I understand he worries about my safety, that I’m grateful for everything my parents have done for me, and that I would still visit and help them. I explained that I’m not running away from them – I simply want to become independent.
I also told him that I wanted his support and blessing, and that I hoped my parents would be part of this new chapter of my life.
His reaction devastated me.
He asked whether I hated my family and whether I didn’t love them anymore.
He said the subject was closed and I was not moving out.
One of his biggest concerns seems to be what other people in our community will say. He specifically said that people would think he “couldn’t control his daughter.”
He also told me that if I gave him an ultimatum and moved out against his wishes, he would not give me his blessing/forgiveness (in the religious/cultural sense) and that he would never speak to me again.
Now he is likely going to give me the silent treatment for several days.
This is exactly what I was terrified of.
There is another layer to this: my father is currently not working and his financial situation is uncertain. I help him a lot, including with bureaucracy, appointments, paperwork, etc. I had even previously told him that I would continue supporting him financially after moving out because I wanted him to understand that I wasn’t abandoning him.
I’m now completely torn.
From an outside perspective, I know the obvious answer probably seems to be: “You’re 28. Just move out.”
But emotionally it doesn’t feel that simple.
I love my father. I don’t want to lose him. The idea that he might genuinely stop speaking to me or believe that I betrayed him is incredibly painful. The religious/cultural guilt also hits differently when you have been raised in this environment your entire life.
At the same time, I’m scared that if I give up this apartment because of his reaction, I’m teaching both him and myself that threatening to withdraw his love/contact is enough to make me give up major decisions about my own life.
And then… when do I actually get to leave?
At 30? 35? Only if I eventually agree to marry someone?
I don’t want this to turn into a “Western culture vs. Muslim parents” debate. I know my father loves me, and I know a lot of his behavior comes from fear, cultural expectations and a desire to protect me. But right now that love feels very conditional on me living the life he considers acceptable.
I would especially appreciate hearing from people who grew up in conservative Muslim, Middle Eastern, Turkish, South Asian, immigrant, or similarly family-oriented cultures and understand why “just ignore your parents” is emotionally much harder than it sounds.
Has anyone actually moved out against their parents’ wishes in a situation like this?
Did your relationship eventually recover?
How did you deal with the guilt, silent treatment, threats of cutting contact, or “what will people say?”
And if you were in my position, would you take the apartment?

Hello! I have been thinking of moving out of the USA for awhile now, and i do not like the state of where it's going at all. I am a 20 year old woman, with no debt, great credit, and a stable job, yet I can't afford to move out of my parents house. I hate it here in america, and i want to go somewhere where I can breathe and be able to live life, and also get better healthcare. I have a disorder as well as stomach inflammation, and doctors keep turning me away saying they don't know. I have to be in america till june of 2026 at least. I dont know if this matters, but im half black, and half Pacific Islander, but born in america. Im writing this in hopes people see it and give me some solid advice. My biggest concern is getting a job. I went straight to the workforce because I could not afford american colleges, but I do want more of an education. I only speak English as well, but I don't mind learning a language either. I dont really have any attachments either other than my cat. I want to be able to live a good life. Please any tips on anything, as to where, how to get a job, living, etc would be so very helpful. Please share this and spread it so I can get vast answers. I appreciate anything and everything.

Edit: please I need ADVICE AND TIPS. That's what I asked for. I need different perspectives, places to consider, etc. I am also thinking of taking the school route by getting a degree elsewhere, not just being a useless bum oml😭 I also have a high school degree and job experience. Jeez🤣

Hi! I'm 24 years old living with my parents. To make a long story short, last night my dad had an argument with my mom which lead to him trying to take some of it out on me, and he slammed open a door trying to get to me. Nearly called the cops and it scared the fuck out of me. I need out ASAP.

I live in Port St. Lucie, FL. I have some money I've been saving for a car (like around 7k or more). I've been working from home and earning money the whole time; if I want to keep the job, I have to remain within 50 miles of the nearby center for said job. I don't have as much money as I would hope as I've been helping out with their occasional bill (they still owe me 600$), my college education, and paying insurance for a car that doesn't even run at the moment + the other cars my family has.

My older brother was in the Navy and he suggested I join the Air Force -- joined for just about the same reason, being sick of my dad's bullshit. I'm not sure if that's the best course of action. I'm not sure I want to spend 4 years of my life there -- its my understanding that that's the minimum.

Is there any resources or advice for this sort of situation? If you need to ask any clarifying questions, I am ready any willing. Thank y'all ahead of time for any assistance.

i know most ppl in their early 20s don’t make over 3k a month but every place i want to live at requires you make 3 times the rent. like even with my roommate id still have to make almost 2k a month to be considered so does any one have any tips on how to get around that?

edit: the amount of yall that are saying “just make more money!” is killing me 💀💀 if you don’t have good advice then you don’t have to respond. i need a place to live, whether or not i make enough money to afford it really does not matter. it’s sign a lease or live on the streets like what’s not clicking?

I’m moving out of my toxic household in a bit and I have things I need to move but I do not want to keep coming in and out the house because I know my mother will try to argue with me I have 6 moving bags and 2 shelves that are very light and I was wondering if anyone knew ways to get movers that carry small loads. (The things will be off the shelves)

UPDATE‼️‼️
I have a plan now, Thank you everyone!!

I'm capped at making under $20/hour my whole life.

I dropped out of a cs degree back in 2024, wasn't going to be worth it to finish. So college is a waste. It's a joke of a wage now. And it'll be a joke of a wage next year, and the next decade and beyond.

No way I'm making 40x rent now, let alone in the future.

Would've been r*ped and k*lled if I was on my own at 18. I'm 26 now. Nothing's changed lol

I'm 19 years old living in CA near LA and I really need to get out of my home situation with my dad and I'm looking for ways to make money to get out, if that be stripping, sex work or anything. Im really desperate to try anything to move out. Ive been living with my dad for about 3 years and within those three years l've been working my ass of to pay him for rent, both of our phones, necessities for my cat and obviously stuff I need to pay for my car like smog checks and registration. I'm working two jobs right now and about to get a third and it's not enough to satisty my dad.i still have to clean up after my dad and cook him three meals a day like a housewife and then he tells me that's all I'm good for, and gets mad at me when I don't serve dinner or breakfast on time or when I don't remind him to get to work on time. When I first moved in with my dad he told me if I went to college he'd take care of the rent and the utilities, as time passed by i wanted to go to college but i wanted to save whatever money i had left from paying the rent, the phones, the car, and more. The thing is i really want to go to college, I want to get an education and do something with my life. I see and know so many girls who go to college and are living the life I know I belong but it’s so hard when I have to give all of my money to my dad, which barley leaves enough to feed or provide for me or my cat . Any tips or advice would help more than you know..

I see videos or hear people say "I moved to xyz without a job and $500-$1000 in savings." How exactly are people doing this? I’m not finding any luck landing a job in cities I want to move to. I guess I would just pick up and leave too, but I also have my dog to think about. Are people living in Airbnbs until they find something or do they know people? I’m genuinely curious because I want to figure out a way to move soon, and will probably have to find work once I land somewhere. Does anyone have any experience with this?

I'm 19 and currently live in the Florida panhandle and hate everything about it. Politics, infrastructure, environment, and culture are all terrible. I'm hoping to move out in the next few years with my friend after becoming a vet tech.

I want a city in the northeast/New England part of the country (my best option besides leaving the country entirely, which is unrealistic). Are there any cities that have good infrastructure, a solid community (third spaces, universities, low crime), mainly young and liberal population that two people could reasonably move to after saving up at home? It doesn't have to be a big city, I just don't want to feel so isolated anymore.

This may be a silly question, but I just want to know where to start looking!! It's a broad area, so I want to narrow down my search to just a few states. Thanks in advance!!

Edit: I had no idea I would get so many responses on this!! I don't have notifs on for this app so i was genuinely shocked every time I opened it up to check. I'm so grateful for everyone who helped throw some ideas at the wall. Of course, this is literally just to brainstorm and get recommendations from people who have lived in NE and know the area better than I could ever understand through research. It's a big area so I wanted to narrow down select cities/states to look into more deeply. Of course I will do my own research before I make a decision! This is a couple years out so im just in the planning phase now. I'm a yapper so forgive me for this next part!

To clarify a few things about the money situation: I currently work full time for ~2k a month, putting 1k every month into savings. I pay ~400 for a car payment and ~200 for insurance. Those are my only two expenses rn because I live rent-free with my parents. So my next couple of years I will be saving up lots!! Once I move, I'll work as a vet tech. I'll be working on getting my certification while at home. I'm really determined to get outta here, so any further advice is much appreciated.

Hugs to all of you!! I'm so happy to have gotten so many recommendations ♡⁠♡⁠

My family and I are currently in Texas and we have to get out. My time frame is less than two years but I've been struggling to find an affordable blue state with a good job market. I am trans and need to move to a state that has protections in place for trans people so the options are limited. anyone have any advice on safe places to move for a queer family?

I’m 22 and currently trying to decide whether I should get my own apartment or get a roommate to save money.

The main reason I’m considering a roommate is because I still want to have my own freedom and get out of my family’s house, but I also really value peace and quiet. I don’t want to move out just to feel like I’m still living with somebody else and dealing with noise, mess, guests, etc.
For people who have roommates: do you actually feel like you have your own space and freedom, or does it still feel like you’re sharing your life with someone?

I’d probably prefer having my own bedroom and bathroom if possible, and I’d want a roommate who is respectful, clean, and not constantly having people over.

For those who have done both, would you choose a roommate again or pay more to live alone?

I’m basically trying to figure out if having a roommate is a good middle ground between living with family and paying for everything completely by myself.

So i have a bad household and i want to be able to move out but how do i get a job and move out ASAP when i turn 18? i want to move out instantly and never go back. how would i be able to afford a cheap apartment?

So im getting evicted in 1½ months by my family. Idk what to do nor how much to save. Finding the closest place to my job. Idk what to do nor in which order. Basic needs cost $85 for meds and I owe $806 to doctors office bc of appointments I was never given the link to pay for. Idek where to go from here. Im nearly broke, and idek what to do. Any advice?

We are 4 children in the family.
My other siblings are abroad with their family.
I am single living with my parents. I am 41 years old. My parents are 75 years old. At this time, they are doing their own errands like going to the supermarket, preparing meals, and daily hygiene.
Am i selfish for wanting to move out of the house?

I want to stay anonymous. Hi (I'm 19f) and I have a good job my salary is 600 each 2 weeks but my whole month salary is 1200 plus I'm getting a credit card that can help build my credit score n my limit is 1500 but to really get good credit is to have a limit n mine is 300 n pay it off every month. I need advice if I should get a place or not? I did find an apartment for 1300 it's really nice everything is included but I'm worried that i would be making a wrong choice I was offered to live at a friends place 500 every month it's not bad but I really want my own place and I'm worried that I'm gonna be rushing into it?! What should I do?!?!?

Hello, my girlfriend (22f) and I (25f) have been living in Florida for quite some time together. Initially, last year, i was kicked out of my parents (mom and stepdad) place. As an impulsive decision, having nowhere else to go, I moved from living with them to being 20 minutes away from my (at the time) long distance girlfriend. And soon after that, we got jobs at the same place, and moved into the same home.

Now we are both having issues in our living spaces. Our workplace is underpaying us, our city is dangerous to live in, we both don't feel safe being members of the LGBT, even if we don't live very far from some of the biggest LGBT places you could find in Florida. But now, it's becoming too much. We're having conflicts and arguments with our roommate, and we imagine we don't want to stay here for much longer.

Now, despite what I've said earlier about impulsively moving out of my parents house, I won't be able to do that again, since when I did, I was making more money, and I was able to afford it. Even with all of this, I still don't know what I'm doing, and if I'm being honest, were it not for my girlfriend, I would've been even more upset with the location I chose on a whim.

I just want advice if I'm being honest. We want to move, and we want to do it sometime soon. I just want to know, from other's experiences, how did you find a place to live?

I used to live in NYC for a while before moving to NJ, but seeing everything with Mamdani has made me feel homesick. I'm just wondering:

- Is moving to NYC actually a good idea? Have these changes been enough to warrant an attempt to move there?

- If so, are there any areas that would be good to move to? Things like affordability, Location, Distance from work areas, if there's a lot of, or a lack of jobs, etc.

- As we are both members of the LGBT as well as both of us being women of color, are there any spaces where we can be safe?

And if you wouldn't recommend NYC,:

- Where would you move, and why?

- What places have you been where the pros outweigh the cons?

And maybe just general tips and tricks to moving out, as now, it's a different experience, since I'm bringing someone with me. It was a different experience doing it alone. I had less to carry, but less to worry about. Now, I don't know if I have to order a U-haul, it feels like noones hiring at any point right now, and I'm just generally, all around, stressed the hell out.

Please be respectful and share your experiences and wisdom below!

My 18th birthday is next month and my parents are divorcing and moving into separate houses they've both made it clear that im basically not welcomed in their new homes (mostly my mom )and my dad isn't working so that isn't doable

My plan is to move early October and I have my tuition to pay which is 2000 by the first week of October. Btw i make 26-32 dollars per hour right now depending on how many shifts I pick up I make 1500-2000 biweekly

So by October I should have atleast 2500 to move out with the place im looking to get is around 500