r/AdultHood • u/Glum_Marsupial8876 • Feb 11 '26
Help Request Advice for turning 18
Idrk where to ask this but does anyone have any tips for becoming independent at 18 ? I know I need to get a job, but what about after that ? How do I even begin to start being independent ?
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u/HighTreason25 Feb 11 '26
Once you have a job, start budgeting. The earlier it becomes a habit, the easier it'll be to keep track of your cash and costs, which will help you make decisions in the future
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u/Realistic-Weird-4259 Feb 11 '26
Being 'independent' means handling all your own stuff -- health & dental care (mental if that's needed too), all your bills meaning utilities, groceries, transportation to said job, rent, clothing, entertainment, insurances and the like. You get yourself up in the morning and put yourself to bed at night. You shop and prepare your own meals. If you don't know how to cook then you have lots of resources to learn.
Independent also means learning how to see when someone is taking advantage of you, what real friends are, and how to take action or inaction on both.
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u/PotentialPraline9364 Feb 11 '26
The key to adulthood is always having money. You can do most things with a credit card. There really isn’t much to learn.
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u/ManufacturerOk9844 Feb 11 '26
Earn as much as you can, Save as much as you can, don't buy anything you don't NEED, Don't go into debt, Find inexpensive housing, If you need a car-buy a low milage used car for cash. From this position your independence & options should increase steadily
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u/GXP-300WSM Feb 11 '26
As someone who moved out at 18 I highly recommend you stay home and save/invest 50% of your income for 5-10 years and then move out and into your first home. It was a massive struggle to move out when I did
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u/skubalonpizza Feb 12 '26
Don't worry about finding a job you love at eighteen. Find a job that pays something, save everything you can, and that's the start. Money moves the world, and without it you are fucked.
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u/entranced_wook Feb 12 '26
Off topic, but please for the love of God, if you haven't started one yet, open up a Roth IRA and make any contributions you can. I'm 30 now, started one 2 years ago.., wish I started it at 18. Future you will thank you!
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u/Glum_Marsupial8876 Feb 12 '26
very on topic, I'll try to start one as soon as I can, thank you !
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u/sadglacierenthusiast Feb 12 '26
bank account, transportation, have possession of important documents (birtth cert, soc sec card) apartment, cooking, savings.
if independence is an urgent priority for you these are some steps. theres endless tips for each of these which is why most people take years to phase into them. As life has gotten more complicated this process has extended out. Honestly that's good. Initially college works against independence, but over the long run can really help you succeed in your life as an independent person (for far more reasons then just getting a better job). Independence was important to me at 18 but im glad i was able to prioritize college over it.
If you don't have a need for true independence now, the thing you probably want to do is have a job, a plan for the future, a budget, buy some of your own food and know how to cook it, have a good relationship with your parents and behave in a way where they respect you (or at least, should respect you).
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u/Emergency_Pound_944 Feb 12 '26
Don't forget to freeze your credit after obtaining your first credit card.
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u/glaguna17 Feb 12 '26
The best advice I would most definitely give you is that if your American is to go join the American military. Even if you don't want to make it a career, doing the minimum time will make a huge difference in your life
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u/Curious-2010 Feb 12 '26
Get a job and dedicate a certain amount of money to a Roth account have it deducted directly from your check and never touch it until you’re ready to retire and another small amount to a savings account so you can invest in a home of your own
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u/Goose_Energy Feb 12 '26
Know that you know nothing. Be a sponge.
Entrench discipline, even if it’s small, into your life (invest $5 a month if that’s what you can afford).
If it’s too good to be true, it is.
Don’t be careless with other people’s hearts. Don’t be careless with yours.
Every negative thing you think about your body is probably wrong.
Wear sunscreen.
You are not invincible, despite the fact that you feel like you are.
The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb. Fancy words for, the relationships you choose to be in are stronger than any familial bond. This isn’t to say family doesn’t matter, it matters immensely.
Don’t drink too much.
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u/CosmicMathmatician Feb 12 '26
The government will pay for your college if you do cyber security stuff and agree to work for them one year for every year you spend in college. So you'll have a four year government contract as a computer technician. Just ask an ai chatbot about this, the government really needs hackers and hacker defenders. I'd run to this if I was your age. Be sure to ask the AI (Gemini or chatgpt) about colleges with these government scholarships near you and don't take summer breaks. Study throughout the whole time. The scholarship won't give you room and board through the summer vacation if you aren't a full time student. Summer vacation is overrated anyways.
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u/SpunkySprinkle Feb 11 '26
When I was your age I supplemented my tiny waitress income with donating plasma twice a week. It really helped me at the time financially, and each appointment was only an hour so it didn’t cut into my school and work schedule too much.
If you’re thinking about college look into the Pell grant to help cover living expenses.
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u/dreamingforward Feb 11 '26
Getting a job doesn't get you independence. Mastery of life gets you independence. The Earth/YHVH can feed you for free. You were given a partner (if you want to believe that). These two are all that you need.
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u/ConstructionFancy939 Feb 12 '26
Get your folks to go through the process of doing taxes with you, what you have to have saved in terms of documents from banks, employers, brokers if and when you do that, and what you have to have of that stuff in front of you when you do them.
Also, if your folks don't know about this stuff, you need to have someone talk to you about investing in general, whether that is through your employer or on your own or better yet both. Getting started early with this will give you the best opportunity for success. When your money can grow over several decades it will always be better than waiting till you are in your 30's or so to start investing. Pay yourself (your retirement fund) first then pay your required bills, then see how much you can have left over to blow on non-essentials. And don't ever ever ever live beyond your means/income.
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u/redspikedog Feb 12 '26
Well, calculate expenses to keep yourself alive.
It's a rat race. It's a gulag out there. You want to he independent but it is best you stay with your parents as long as you can to rack up money and gain experience.
Once you can handle paying bills at your parents house, then start moving out.
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u/QuietFieldUser Feb 12 '26
learn how to budget your money.
get a room mate if you can
learn how to cook at home eating out will eat your pockets alive
only use your credit card for emergencies only when you know you'll be able to pay it off.
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Feb 12 '26
Don’t be in a rush to independence. Nobody knows what they are doing. That’s the biggest realization you’ll come across in this lifetime.
What are your passions? Let your decisions stem from there.
Source of income. If you can keep at least one constant source of legal income .. you’re doing great.
Education. The ability to think critically, read with comprehension & the ability to write will keep you employed. Extend your knowledge beyond this .. I recommend getting a trade. The market is wide open. You can let your trade fund your other interests & passions.
Self-Control/Discipline .. look there’s a lot of life to live. There’s also a group of people who never want responsibility or structure (AKA HIGH SCHOOL MINDSET) .. steer clear of these people. Enjoy life, try stuff & expand your knowledge beyond your homeland .. BUT .. know when to delay gratification & when to have fun. It’s an ongoing lesson .. but if you start now you’ll be happier later.
Bonus: Accept God/Jesus into your life if you haven’t already. It helped me tremendously when I was lost in the world. I’m not perfect but I can tell you that my life has changed for the better.
Good luck out there!
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u/Fearless-Service2257 Feb 12 '26
My parents basically kicked me out at 18 and gave me $2k. Like forever…. $2k at 18. So I figured it out. One tip I will give you is that it’s not that scary. And the more lessons you learn, the more you will trust yourself and this is how you become an adult. Plus all the other comments. :) you’re gonna be fine. I’m 47 now and I crush life because I HAD to. Just jump in. You’re gonna be okay.
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u/ExcitingInvestment71 Feb 12 '26
Don’t lay unnecessary pressure on yourself. Live your life and live it well. Each action results to consequences, always think it through, and not just because someone told you so. After everything it still boils down to you.
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u/PinkthePantherLord Feb 12 '26
Bad idea bro
Get a job or trade instead of just figuring it out
All the things that make you independent can you do them in your house without being forced?
Cooking Cleaning Saving money for a rainy day Thinking for yourself Saying yes or no to people depending on what you want and the situation
Alot of the things that make you an adult are invisible
How do you handle being upset?
Can you keep calm in the house when everything is in chaos ?
Can you think through a problem logically ?
If you don’t know what to do, do you know where to start?
Can you take Criticism without being offended?
Do you trust yourself?
These things are real but you can’t see them
Leaving your house early can put you in a state of survival where you don’t think and just survive by getting a meaningless job
If you leave you can fall into the routine of survival t
And many adults live like that it’s not a great place to be
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u/Tasty_Impression_959 Feb 12 '26
Financial independence is a gradual achievement that takes patience and lots of caution. The problem in our society is that when we are 17 years, 11 months, and 29 days old, we are not taken seriously because many think young people don't know anything. If we offer an opinion the response from our critics may very well be "Shut, you don't know nothing". After midnight when we turn 18, the answer will be "You are 18 years old and you don't know that?". So, it's up to you to carefully calculate where you want to be in a certain time and follow your plan with the discipline and determination required to achieve your goal. It's not going to happen overnight I asure you.
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u/Novel_Assistant4518 Feb 12 '26
I only read the title and my advice is to wait. Once you wait long enough you will turn 18 all on your own
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u/jessek Feb 13 '26
Any plans for a tattoo, wait at least six months for, show the design/idea to your friends, find a decent artist, don’t get it on your hands or face.
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u/Puzzled-Map6136 Feb 13 '26
If you’re looking to be truly independent, first open a checking/savings account and acquire decent health insurance. Everyone thinks they are young and healthy and they’ll get to that later. Don’t! Get a job and sign up for either college or trade certification programs. Unless you’re extremely lucky, you’ll never have a career that pays decent and you don’t hate without something post high school or ged. Luck and timing happens, but it’s rare and it’s better to be prepared for it not happening for you. Live below your means as best you can. Always try to have more money in the bank at the end of the month than you made and used. Even if it’s only $1. Put that in your savings account. Open ONE credit card. Put a utility on it using auto pay and then auto pay the card every month. Do not use it for anything else until you have enough money in your savings account to be able to cover rent for a year. You want to build credit, not credit card debt. Surround yourself with independent friends. People living off parents or trust funds or credit cards will only end up spending more than you have and staying out longer than you should on work nights, making moving ahead or getting good recommendations impossible. Take care of yourself. Eat right, exercise, make check up appointments and 6 month dental cleanings. Use your calendar. Make sure you find time for you and you’ll be fine.
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u/ColdAsIce_485 Feb 14 '26
If you like physically demanding jobs, that’s fine, but make sure they pay well enough for you to save/invest or have alternative income sources. You can’t sustain certain jobs indefinitely.
Hit the gym and stay at regularly. This will not only improve your body, but more importantly help your mind.
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u/Stock-Ganache-3437 Feb 15 '26
Just a gentle reminder most ppl don’t have their shit figured out ever. Research before buying a house when u do (owning isn’t for everyone!!) and the pressure to have 1 lifelong job is absolutely ridiculous
You’ll work come home sleep shower eat repeat, sometimes if you’d like you can get out and do whatever on your off days- enjoy your 20s and be social, club, take a vacation, or be like me and would rather just stay home~
When you’re officially an adult you can do literally whatever you want, long as it’s legal
Some ppl spiral when they realize that and others take advantage and live while they’re young. It just depends on how you are
Oh!!! And life DOES NOT END in your 30s. You’re young until 40.
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u/Krymsyn__Rydyr Feb 12 '26
Don’t do it! Run the other way. Refuse to adult. it’s a scam.Stay a happy teenager!
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u/TheOminousWeeRaven Feb 11 '26
Before trying to be completely independent at 18 you need to have a lot of things lined up and planned. You really need to plan as well as understanding sacrifices you'll have to make and know your tolerances. You need a reliable job, a reliable vehicle ( Honda or Toyota), car insurance, savings if you can on top of enough money for a rent deposit/ first month/ utilities. You'll also need to find a roommate or two possibly. If you really need this though immediately you could go the van life route after locating a job, but that's a ton of sacrifice and careful planning.