To ask when you moved out?

[jennie0412]

I'm in college right now, but before I go to university I want to have moved out. Nothing against my parents, I love them and I enjoy their company, but I want my own place, my own kitchen and my own bedroom. I want to be able to just walk out to the kitchen in my underwear and make my own breakfast with my own food. Honestly, I'd be over the moon to just live in a studio flat in a cheap area.

When did you move out of your family home and what was the experience like?

[quote jennie0412]@CokeEnStock because I/my parents don't have the money for normal uni, and tbh I prefer the idea of open uni anyway[/quote]
You don’t have the money for normal uni but will have the money to rent a flat and pay all associated bills on your own? I’m just wondering what sort of salary you would need to be able to do that whilst studying?

My DS is at uni and some of his mates are working in bars/shops for 20 hours a week-pretty minimum wage stuff but pays a bit and allows them to get all their uni work done when not working/in lectures. The jobs pay for their food and going out but there’s no way it would pay for a flat or bills.

Well, quite @Redlocks28
If you go to university in the 'usual' way, then your fees are paid and you get a maintenance loan which will depend on your parents income. If you get a job in future, during the years when you earn over £25K, then you pay more tax, to start to repay that loan.
If you want to study, then that is financially probably a better route. Plus socially. I can't see how you will be able to earn enough to make it worthwhile doing it the route you are suggesting. You can still work PT when you are at University to earn more for yourself.

Open Uni still has to be paid for and will take years if you're not studying full time. And you won't get a maintenance grant. Are you in the UK? Your mention of "going to Open Uni" and dorms makes me think you don't understand the UK set up, more like you are in US. Hence also your naive idea of having a flat in London and a sufficiently well paid job when you have no qualifications.

And you mention that London has more options Uni wise, when you plan Open University. I'm a bit confused. Maybe you didn't think this all through?

If your parents don’t have the money for university have you looked at what you would get in terms of the maintenance loan? Friends of DD get the full amount and manage very comfortably.

It depends though on whether they have a low income or have a higher income with higher outgoings .

I'm not really keen on the idea of regular uni anyway, as open uni gives you much more freedom to do your own thing

17 - Had got a "proper" job so felt really sorted.

I know saying I want to eat breakfast in my own kitchen sounds ridiculous but I meant it as I just want to be my own person, and not have to live under my parents rules (not that they're strict at all, very relaxed actually, but of course we have different ideas of how some things should be done, so I don't want to have to do it their way, i just want independance).

I don’t mean to sound a condescending twat at all but have you any idea of all the bills, rent, food, utilities, internet, tv licence, etc? Also would you not be lonely.......if you’re planning on doing this at 18yo But doing Open Uni you won’t have friends in your cohort, you won’t get the uni experience. You say you have a (part time) job, it’s unlikely to pay enough to maintain independence for three years. The open uni will still be a full on, full time course, so not something you can work full time and do.

Go to some virtual uni open days and talk to the finance people, talk to college advisors. With a maintenance loan, student overdraft and fingers crossed some part time work you could maybe afford normal uni. You should be able to, even without parental help, esp if you get the full loan.

But you might just find being 18yo and finishing college makes you feel more independent. My daughter is 19yo and goes to uni but lives at home. She has a part time job and a car and says those two things have been the biggest things to making her feel grown up/independent. Ok, she still has to share the house kitchen but I really do try my best to treat her as an adult.....with the added bonus I make her pancakes for breakfast!

University, back home to save for a year and bought my first flat at 21. As to when it's possible to move out, generally I would say it's when you are mentally mature enough to handle bills, budgeting etc plus of course have sufficient income - there's very little state support under 35 if you are single, only for a room in a shared house and under 25 it's even more restricted (you have to basically prove you cannot live with your parents).

My advice is don't run before you can walk - the great thing about university accommodation it's a half way house, you can live independently but in halls there's security, your bills are included etc

@jennie0412

I do think you need to really crunch the numbers, working full time very few people under 30 can afford to live alone in the se, even graduates in good jobs. Take home pay once you are full time is not as high as you think because of tax and national insurance (part time you usually haven't reached the threshold to pay). If you look at the midlands a one bed flat is still going to be half a typical 18 year olds salary. I would seriously suggest just looking at university options where you can live independently

24. I went away for uni at 18, came back after graduation and saved for a bit before buying my first house. I never fancied the idea of a house or flat share and didn't like the idea of paying someone else's mortgage if I could help it.

I get on very well with my parents and always have done, also we live on the edge of decent sized city so plenty of employment options. It was a pretty even split between my friends for post uni options I think either, 1) stayed where they went to uni, 2) went to London or 3) came home and saved for a bit

I moved out at 18 for university then stayed in that area with friends and then my partner for an extra 3 years until I was 24. When my relationship broke down I moved back in with my mum for 2 years so i had support and I'm now about to move out again at 26 to my own house about 15 mins away. Good luck with whatever you do OP :)

You don’t seem to really be listening or answering anyone’s questions, OP.

I guess what you want to hear is that, yes-moving out of the family home into your own flat is wonderful and of course, it’s lovely being so independent!

The reality is though, that most people nowadays can’t do this until they have been working full time and saving for years. Doing it whilst you can’t work full time (because you’re doing a degree) makes it doubly difficult.

Good luck though-it’s great having your own house, I’m sure you’ll love it when it finally happens.

Most uni students go back home for holidays and uni holidays are really long! Not sure going to uni actually counts as
'moving out' for most people.

16, to join RAF

@HibiscusNell

Most uni students go back home for holidays and uni holidays are really long! Not sure going to uni actually counts as 'moving out' for most people.

I agree. It's moving out to the extent that boarding school is moving out for most people. There are exceptions though.

I'm late 20s and still live at home.

Went away for uni but came back. Stayed ever since

Uni from 18 to 21 then back home with my dad for 9 months to save. I then moved to a low cost area up north with my boyfriend and we rent a nice flat together. I doubt I would've been able to move out back home on my own due to high costs but I could probably live alone here as its not very expensive, even though I don't earn much. Its great living alone or with a partner but its also really nice to live with friends which I would recommend if you are young. It will help save money and will give you more independence whilst having fun and a support network.

Studio flat in London for £750+ a month 2020 & bills may be on top of this

You get much more for your money if you live further away fr London

Secondly, I thought that the Open University now charges £9000 per year for the course, the same as attending other Universities. Plus you would have living costs, food, bills on top

Suggest that you do some further research about costs of further education

I moved out when I left for uni. After that my home was halls and then house shares until I rented my own place at about 25 yrs old.

I then LOVED living alone and would always choose to again, if I could, but those years of sharing with others remain some of my most valuable memories and lessons. I wouldn't ever want to swap them for a cosy life in the family home or time living alone at that age.

The chaotic, make-do business of sharing a house with others when none of us were yet successful or set in our ways, was very precious.

Suggest read this

www.gov.uk/national-minimum-wage-rates

No one mentioned me leaving at 17 I'll be doing some more research and clearly london isn't the best bet! Thank you everyone

fwiw I think it's also worth revisiting the idea of OU over traditional uni.

Studying at degree level is not like A'Levels but harder. It requires quite a different skill set and the learning of new study skills you won't have mastered yet. To a large extent at uni you are expected to just learn those new skills yourself, with minimum input. This can be hard enough without the greater opportunity to develop a support network that comes with trad uni.

At least, that has been my experience of studying a degree at a trad uni and then later as distance learning, similar to OU.

Went to uni at 18 and then home at 21... didn’t like it but didn’t have a well paid job. Moved into rented house share but didn’t last long as my house mates weren’t great!

I get on with my parents a LOT better not living with them! I’m now mid 30s.

Got with my now DH at 24 and we bought two years later...pretty much lived at his every weekend until then!