Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
My husband did roofing when he was younger. He says it's very hard work, sometimes in very hot weather, dangerous. And if it's full time, and you're getting $1320/month, that means you're gonna be earning only a bit more than minimum wage for it, if that! If you fall off, and damage your spine, you could wind up not being able to do a LOT of things - and I don't just mean walking, if you get my drift.
Be grateful that you have parents who are willing for you to live at home. I totally agree with the poster who recommends getting a degree in a construction trade, if that's what you like. If you're not eager to go to school full time, you could try taking one course, while working. You could wind up being the foreman, maybe the supervisor, maybe overseeing entire construction jobs, making over 100K/yr.
Write down the points of what you want in terms of freedom, to be able to negotiate with your parents a framework for your being able to continue living at home. What can you both live with? They probably only want the best for you. Right now, moving out into a shared apartment, with $1320/month coming in, probably seems just great. Believe me, it's not going to be, in the long run.
Im 18 and still in high school for a month, once i graduate ill have a full time job roofing making about 1,320 a month and i want to move out on my own. Is this a good idea on my part or should I stay put where im not happy. Its not that i dont love my parents but they just keep treating me like im 5. i honeslty dont know what to do at this point, its not like i wont have a steady income.
Do you get paid regardless of weather? Could a rainy spell or winter have you missing out on working days?
Im 18 and still in high school for a month, once i graduate ill have a full time job roofing making about 1,320 a month and i want to move out on my own. Is this a good idea on my part or should I stay put where im not happy. Its not that i dont love my parents but they just keep treating me like im 5. i honeslty dont know what to do at this point, its not like i wont have a steady income.
Easy, join the military. You won't have to worry about where to sleep, eat, work, or live.
My stepfather couldn't stand his parents and left to join the service as soon as he was 17/18.
Im 18 and still in high school for a month, once i graduate I'll have a full time job roofing making about 1,320 a month and I want to move out on my own. Is this a good idea on my part or should I stay put where I'm not happy. It's not that I don't love my parents but they just keep treating me like I'm 5. I honestly don't know what to do at this point, it's not like I won't have a steady income.
Sit down in front of an Excel program, or the back of an envelop, and calculate the following formula:
revenues - expenses = net income
Your take-home pay is your revenues; your rent, electricity, fuel, water, food, household items, clothes, insurance (car, health) and other bills are your expenses.
Remember that formula for the rest of your life, write it, tattoo it on your hand.
If net income is negative, then it can't be a good idea.
If net income is positive, then it could be a good idea.
You have to evaluate if, for example, having roomate(s) to help keep expenses manageable is a good idea; you could wind up going from the frying pan to the fire. If you feel such a risk is too great, then seriously consider parentologist's warnings and suggestions.
If some how you could manage it to live by yourself then I would say go for it. Work hard, stay out of trouble, don't take any wooden nickles, neither a lender nor a borrower be. Invest your surpluses (revenues - expenses = net income) in your own education, your own culture.
$1320, while it may seem like a fortune to a high school kid, is peanuts in the real world. That's less than $16000/year. You cannot afford to live on your own and enjoy anything beyond sustenance living at those wages. Get an education, in the trades if that is your preference, then move out.
My brother was a roofer many years ago. He fell off the roof, and badly damaged his back. He'd be the first to tell you that you don't want to make a career out of it.
Im 18 and still in high school for a month, once i graduate ill have a full time job roofing making about 1,320 a month and i want to move out on my own. Is this a good idea on my part or should I stay put where im not happy. Its not that i dont love my parents but they just keep treating me like im 5. i honeslty dont know what to do at this point, its not like i wont have a steady income.
That's all you'd make--$7.92 per hour? Flipping burgers pays better than that--besides being safer and indoors. I think some chains will work with employees who want to further their education, which you'll need to do.
You'll need a checking account and a credit card for emergencies. Many employers now only pay by direct deposit. Don't accept cash--especially for construction work. You might not be covered by workers' comp if you're hurt--and a serious injury could seriously injure or disable you.
You'll need a roommate. Look for someone honest and dependable. Call their work and verify employment; call their references (non-relatives). Be clear about expectations--e.g., drug use, bringing people home, smoking, cleaning, etc. Living with a roommate can be almost as hard as living with parents. All of this is assuming someone will rent to an 18-year-old.
An alternative plan: Go to trade school and work part-time. Take an extra class or work more or spend more time at the library if you don't want to be around your parents (which I totally get).
Having joined the military right out of high school, I can tell you that if you don't like being treated like a five-year-old, you won't like the military. These days, you can end up sent to some hell-hole and come back with a (real) case of PTSD or a body part missing.
Whatever you do, don't burn your bridges. Yes, living with your parents sucks, but it's better than being on the street.
1320 a month.....330 a week.... thats minimum wage $8.25 an hour... are you going to even qualify for an apartment?
In my area, one bedroom apartments rent for $800 to $1,200 a month ----that does not include heat, electricity, cable, internet or phone (which would add at least another $200 or $300 a month). Also, you usually need to pay the first month and last month rent in advance and possibly even more for a security deposit.
Even with a room mate can you really afford that amount just for rent? Are you planning to eat food? Wear clothes? Have health insurance? Drive a car? Have car insurance? Etc. Etc.
I don't mean to be too rough just honest with you.
Im 18 and still in high school for a month, once i graduate ill have a full time job roofing making about 1,320 a month and i want to move out on my own. Is this a good idea on my part or should I stay put where im not happy. Its not that i dont love my parents but they just keep treating me like im 5. i honeslty dont know what to do at this point, its not like i wont have a steady income.
No. That isn't enough money to live off of.
Lets presume that you can find a bedroom to rent for $300/month which includes utilities (not likely, but lets pretend).
That leaves you $1000 left over for four weeks.
1. Do you cook? I sure hope so. If you eat 2 meals a day then you can probably get your grocery+food bill down to ~$100/week (which is about $14/day). It is possible to go cheaper on food, but since you are 18 and will be doing hard labor for a living, you will be eating a lot to fuel your metabolism.
you now have $600 left over for the month.
2. Bills! Car insurance (for an 18 year old? ouch!) will probably run you about $100/month. Cell phone will probably cost you about $50/month. Then there is gas. Lets assume that you have to fill the tank twice a month for a total of $50.
You now have $400 left over for the month
The basics are covered, now for entertainment. Netflix? Video games? Computers? Movies? Dating? Taking a girl out to eat or to a movie or whatever is going to run you between $30-$50 per date. Lets assume that you do at least 2 of these activities per month at $80 (this is unheard of, unless you date a very frugal gal). Add in another $20 extras for decent dating clothes, cologne and other incidentals
You now have $300 left over for the month
You must now pray that
-Your car doesn't break down (at least $300 for minor repairs)
-You won't need tires for the car (at least $300 for a set)
-You don't have to visit the doctor (at least $60 if you don't have a health plan)
-You won't need to visit the dentist
-Your TV/computer/video game console/phone doesn't break (all of these cost at least $300)
-Your hours don't get cut (if they tell you to shave 1 day a week off of your schedule, then you've lost $260 immediately)
Any one of these things will leave you with zero money to do anything with for the entire month. Any two of these things will put you in debt immediately.
Keep in mind that you won't be able to travel, go to big expensive concerts or festivals, make large purchases (like furniture) or make large deviations from your budget. Your freedom from your parents will consist of you working full time just to make ends meet and never getting ahead or being able to save.
People fall into this trap all of the time. It can be a very stressful way to live and it will affect your personal relationships. I would recommend waiting until you have more earning power to strike out on your own. You'll want to make at least $2000 a month.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
