Many people, especially those who want to experience life on their own want to learn how to move out at 18. This desire is often shaped and formed by dreams and aspirations, as well as the life they want to live.
To move out at 18, you’ll need to have a plan, a budget you will religiously stick to, have another source of income and learn the ways of an adult.
What we’ll tackle in this article is not for the faint of heart. Kidding aside, many people want – or at least, they try to move out at 18 years old. So, we’ll be discussing just that!
What’s to come:
- Is Moving Out at 18 the Right Choice for You?
- How Much Is It To Move Out?
- How Much To Move Out in the US?
- How to Move Out at 18: The Essentials You’ll Need To Do So!
- Jobs For Teens and Young Adults
- FAQs
Is Moving Out at 18 the Right Choice for You?
Moving out is one of the biggest choices you’ll ever face in your adult life. One thing you’d want to consider would be what your parents will say and feel. Although most parents want the best for their children, you can’t blame them for being worried at times.
There are quite a few things to consider before deciding whether moving out at 18 years old is for you or not. These include:
- Freedom and independent living
- Better proximity to work or school
- Living with someone or some people
- Financial self-support
- Readiness
- Setting of priorities
Better Health says that parents could worry about unreadiness and decision-making. So, just reassure your parents appropriately.
Remind your parents that you’ll stay in touch and pay them regular visits. Try to go on a positive note, instead of leaving a bad impression.”
How Much Is It To Move Out?
Moving is not a simple feat. It is, in fact, a big move whether you’re going solo or you’re banging it out with friends and relatives. But what is the price of moving?
To be honest and frank, there’s actually no particular cost of how much a move will be. Moreover, it will depend on a few different factors. This would include the following:
- The state you currently live in
- Where you will move (location)
- What type of property you’re moving into
- Furnished or unfurnished
- Moving company
The Pew Research Center did a survey in 2022 and was able to find that since the 1970s, a third of Americans aged 25 to 29 years old resided in their multigenerational homes. Meaning, during that time frame, they still lived with their parents or grandparents.
How Much To Move Out in the US?
It depends, but as per data and feedback from people who recently did, a rough estimate for a local move is around $500 to $1,500. This is when you move to a location in the same city or a nearby area.
On the other hand, long-distance moves are more costly, ranging between $2,000 to $5,000, still depending on certain factors.
It’s crucial to remember that the amounts mentioned above are only estimates. Your circumstances may affect the real cost of moving out. Requesting quotations from many moving firms or speaking with experts in the field who can evaluate your unique needs will help you get a more accurate cost.
How to Move Out at 18: The Essentials You’ll Need To Do So!
Before you move out, here are a couple of the things you need to have for your journey!
Practice Setting Priorities and Discipline
Everything starts at home – if you’re really decided that you’ll move out, you need to set and have discipline and priorities.
These can be as easy and as simple as “choosing to cook dinner than eating out” type of things. You need to set your priorities straight during this time more than ever!
Create a Moving Plan
After being clear, your next step would be to create a plan – not just any plan, but a move plan. It’s something that outlines everything from how much budget you need, where you’re going, and the finances required.
NOTE: Your planning can also include your daily solo budget, meals, entertainment, and other things you’ll tackle on your own.
Practice and Develop a Budget
The number one thing to include on your plan would be your budget. I mean, in today’s world, money is everything. It can make or break you – more importantly, it can dictate how the following weeks and months would go by.
Earn Extra Money In Your Spare Time
Then, you’ll want to start earning extra money on the side or in your spare time. Nowadays, you can take up jobs even if you don’t have any experience – what’s even better is that you can do them online!
Earn more without actually having to “spend” more since you’re still living with your parents.
Start an Emergency Fund
By definition, an emergency fund is a pool of money that’s just there in case an “emergency” arises. Financial experts say that an emergency fund should at least hold an amount equal to three months’ worth of your salary.
You’ll want to start one even before you move out. This will save you from being too broke to afford housing or shelter.
Learn How To “Adult”
Being an adult is more than just growing old. For a successful move out, you want to learn the ways of how a real adult would handle situations.
Adulting is not technically a difficult thing to do, if you are determined. But, you have to learn it from A to Z.
Simplify Your Belongings
When you are living with your parents, chances are, you’ll have a lot of things – things that are either important or not.
When you live alone, you’ll appreciate only the important things. So, simplify your things and bring only the essentials with you.
Get Bills To Your Name
Getting bills to your name is one of the signs and symbols that you’re starting to accept the adult life. Start out with your phone bill – tell your parents to get it under your name so you can manage or handle it on your own.
Move to other bills like utilities, essentials, etc. This will give you a symbolic start that you’re entering a new chapter, a new life.
Learn Buying Groceries and Cooking
Another tip that would save you a lot of money is by learning how to cook. When you’re alone, you’d feel like it’ll be cheaper, but in actuality, it won’t.
I mean, even if we don’t consider the delivery, the general cost of fast food is higher.
Seek Help from Family and Friends
And last but most definitely not least is to seek some assistance from people you know. This is one of the reasons why you should move out on a positive note!
Jobs For Teens and Young Adults
Social media has shaped the wants of young adults and adults as they’ve been geared towards the idea of earning money. Good news, though, because today, there are a lot of jobs that young adults can do even if it’s their first time working.
Indeed listed 15 of the best jobs for teens and young adults, and these include:
- Car wash attendants
- Fast food attendants
- Cashiers
- Baristas
- Lifeguards
- Restaurant hosts
- Concierge or front desk positions
And many more!
To add to that, you can also take on the freelancing route and try out for jobs online! You can visit websites like UpWork, Fiverr, TopTal, and others more and check what skills you can sell online!
FAQs
Do you still have questions about moving out at 18 years old? Don’t worry, it’s just a nook around the corner! Here are some of the most asked questions about it!
Is Moving Out At 18 Hard To Do?
It can be difficult especially if you are not prepared mentally and financially. But, if you have a plan and you know what you’re doing, it will require a few adjustments but it wouldn’t be that hard!
How To Move Out at 18 With No Money?
Moving out at 18 years old without money requires you to be thrifty and extremely frugal. Then, plan how you’ll do the move. You don’t need a lot of money to move – whatever’s needed and required are good to go!
How To Move Out at 18 With No Credit?
If you have a bad credit score or if you don’t have one, moving can be tricky since everything will come out of pocket. So, you need to have a plan, save money, and live below your means as much as possible.
How Much Money Do I Need To Move Out At 18?
There’s no holy grail when it comes to the amount you need to successfully move out at 18 years old. But, experts believe that you should have at least six months’ worth of rent saved up. Why? Because you want to make sure that you have a financial cushion in case things go wrong or slow.
The Bottom Line
Moving out is a big step – probably the biggest you will do in your adult life in terms of independence. But, it’s not just like hot rice where you can throw and spit out if you don’t feel like it.
Learning how to move out at 18 is hard work, and it’s always more than just being away from your family.
