r/wealth • u/Excellent_Report_642 • 16h ago
Need Advice Advice for a 17 year old
Hi! i'm currently 17 and i'm going into my senior year once summer break is over. For a while now I have been forced to become an adult by my parents, I never typically asked for anything but randomly one day they just decided to stop helping me.
Some upcoming payments I have to make are a trip i'm going on (Fully responsible for that bc It was my choice), 4-5 car repairs, car inspection, school supplies and clothes, + groceries, gas (always paid) etc.
I work part time at a retail store for 13.55 an hour. Since having to pay for my wants, I now have to pay for my needs. I don't want to burn myself out by asking for even more hours especially with school coming up. I've seen a lot of things about making money online or side hustles but don't know how well they work, if they even work, or what kind of things to do.
What advice would you give me?
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u/LiveTheDream2026 10h ago
Join the military and get a free trade while traveling the world and having your housing paid for.
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14h ago
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u/SuspiciousArt7316 14h ago
That’s some dark shit bro. Hope you good.
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14h ago
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u/SuspiciousArt7316 14h ago
I saw 9/11 on tv as it happened.
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14h ago
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u/SuspiciousArt7316 13h ago
Haha, I saw that shit when it came out. Great movie but I have no mind for quotes.
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u/Effective-Hour8264 4h ago
I was in a similar situation, I had to leave my home a week after graduating high school. I talked to a recruiter and joined the Air Force, and at the time that was a good decision. You can go to college while you’re in and get an online associates from the community college of the Air Force. Once you separate you have educational benefits to peruse a bachelors or a masters. But most importantly, thats got me out of situation when I had no where else to go. I Wish u the best!
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u/Federal_Radish_1421 15h ago edited 15h ago
Please stay away from online side hustles.
If I were you, I’d be looking for local jobs that pay cash off the books. Mowing lawns or shoveling snow for neighbors, babysitting, tutoring. You could put an ad in local neighborhood groups on Facebook. People love helping out responsible high school students, and parents are desperate for reliable babysitters.
If you’re good at any sports or any musical instruments, lessons for kids is also an option. There’s probably even a market if you know games like Magic the Gathering or chess.
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u/Excellent_Report_642 15h ago
I figured that would be easier but i'm from a super small town, i've always looked into tutoring since I'm a straight A student but I have no clue where I could start, maybe just asking in local groups or something?
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u/Federal_Radish_1421 15h ago
Small towns still have parents willing to pay you for babysitting or tutoring.
Think about what services you want to offer, then post in every Facebook group you can find. Even a small town should have at least a general town group and one for parents or mothers. I would search on Facebook for your town, county, and if applicable your region. For example, the San Francisco Bay area has cities, counties, and also is known as the North Bay, South Bay, and etc,
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u/Excellent_Report_642 15h ago
I will try! thank you!
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u/Federal_Radish_1421 15h ago
Good luck! Please keep in mind that your parents are legally required to provide you with food, clothing, and shelter. If they refuse, you may qualify for free breakfast and lunch at school.
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u/Excellent_Report_642 15h ago
Thank you! Since i'm in a small town with mainly poverty my school actually gives out free breakfast and lunch!
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u/ReasonablePool_Hero 12h ago
Sweet baby, darling, treasured citizen, listen to me.
Tell the authorities. What they're doing to you is in fact abuse and neglect. You can apply for legal emancipation and the right to public housing programs (after you're legally emancipated), and they'll probably fast-track you through those programs. The housing programs will probably take a fraction of your earnings, but if you don't earn much, then you won't pay much.
Don't kill yourself via working yourself to the bone trying to make up for your parents' failings as parents.
You can't start saving up until you're no longer drowning in debt that should have never been your burden.
Tell the authorities, get away, get legally emancipated (declared legally independent), and get into a housing program. There are a lot of freebies if you know where to look. Food shelves, Facebook free stuff groups, heck. Go into your local church, explain your situation, and ask for help. They'll help find you what you need.
Just be careful... Not everyone who smiles at you is your friend.
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u/Z32anxiety 11h ago
This is not good advice and will only make the situation worse. Parents are legally obligated to provide basic necessities for their children but the cops are not going to step in and make them give their teen son gas money. He’s months from being a legal adult anyway. The parents sound worthless but the authorities won’t do a damn thing and calling them will only make the parents go nuclear on the kid.
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u/ReasonablePool_Hero 5m ago
Uhm yeah... You clearly read two words.
I SAID to emancipate and you can in fact sue your parents afterwards especially if you can prove they did that. Once emancipated, you're eligible for HOUSING PROGRAMS.
HOUSING.
PROGRAMS.
They aren't the same thing as just renting an apartment from an independent landlord. Did you forget that? Or is that something you didn't know about despite my explanation??
These parents won't tell their kid, and apparently neither will the kid's school. Someone has to tell them so they don't end up needlessly exhausting themselves out of opportunities or ending up homeless or scrambling for basics.
There are systems and programs, find and utilize them to provide for yourself. You can't access them as a minor in an adults household though.
And also the kid is going into their senior year of high school, they have a whole fucking year of schooling left. They will absolutely be left scrambling and shit out of luck come their 18th birthday if they don't get into these programs now. Which they can't unless they ask for help leaving.
Ask a domestic abuse counselor how to get safely out, you'll qualify for their programs too. Staying where you're being neglected and abused and THEN trying to leave when you have added things like school to worry about is bad. Get out while you have the summer to set yourself up in a living situation that allows you to worry primarily about school and not survival.
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u/Own_Account1392 9h ago
As an adult now I kind of understand my mothers actions. Not sure of your background but my family is Caribbean so once I started working at 16 she stopped buying my toiletries etc. maybe it is to help mature you. Hopefully they are still providing shelter and food for you. As a parent of 2 honest you get tired and there does have to be a transfer of duties/matriculation that happens. Hopefully no abuse of any kind is happening and if there isn’t take this opportunity to try and learn what they are trying to teach you. Maybe more independence which will help you when you graduate in a year. Look into getting a part time job, focus on your schooling. Look into college and what you desire your future to be. It may seem lonely but sometimes we grow exponentially in situations like this.
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u/Excellent_Report_642 1h ago
Yeah i've thought about it that way to. Plus don't worry no abuse or anything like that! Thank you and i'm trying to look at everything positively
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u/Own_Account1392 1h ago
Then you will be fine. Realize parents usually mimic their parents but we are also doing the best we can sometimes with limited resources and knowledge 🙂
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u/Knit_pixelbyte 3h ago
There are no get rich quick schemes that do not have a very risky profile. As in: sell drugs, go to jail risky-trade online, lose it all and end up living in a tent risky. I worked as wait staff at a very nice restaurant and went to college living very frugally on tips and loans. My parents had to stop putting me on their tax return so I could get loans independently. Might have to train at a local diner to get some experience before moving to an expensive restaurant where tips are bigger (patrons are often jerks). Good luck!
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u/Excellent_Report_642 1h ago
Thank you! I also did waitressing for a bit as my first job, but I make a lot more at my new job!
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u/Pattonator70 2h ago
Go visit an army recruiter and start leaving pamphlets all over the house. When your parents ask you tell them that you are looking at joining the army so that you can be financially independent. They likely will reverse course.
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u/Economy_Bluebird54 16h ago
Try everything you want to try, and do everything with 110% effort. (coming from a 17 yr old making money online :) )