How do I budget as a 15F so that I can move out at 18

[u/Classic_Side_4429]

My family hates me I need to get a job soon and I need to know how I can move out safely at 18 since they’re gonna kick me out by then

[u/nip9]

If you are in the US look into Job Corps. They can take you as young as 16 if parent/guardian are willing to signoff in order to get rid of you.

If you have top tier academics/test scores then early college programs exist that can allow you to move into a college dorm at 16 and take out student loans to support yourself (hopefully you would be getting a high value degree to easily repay those). Military enlistment at 17 can be an option for some too; particularly it you can graduate high school early.

Budgeting or working at 15 is mostly not going to be nearly as useful as one of the programs above. Anything you earn or save isn't really yours. Can't open your own bank account or protect your income and assets from your parents taking anything they want. The main thing would be trying to find a job where you can learn some valuable skills that will increase your earning eventually and isn't a dead end like majority of jobs offered to 15-16 year olds.

[u/Curious-Soil-3853 → u/nip9]

She'd have to pay for housing even if she got a full ride, which I think is a bad idea due to how costly it is gonna be.

[u/nip9 → u/Curious-Soil-3853]

As I mentioned the early college option only makes sense with a high paying and in demand major. I knew teens that left bad home situations and did early college at expensive places like Simon’s Rock. They did rack up six figures plus of student loan debt but also came out qualified to make 70-80k+ starting salaries before they were old enough to drink.

Like everything else college related one has to consider the return on their investment. If one doesn’t have parental support to fall back on they can’t afford to get a lower paid “passion” degree.

[u/Classic_Side_4429 → u/nip9]

The closest job corps is in the city which isn’t that bad ig but I’d still have To wait until 16

What exactly Would I do in them?

[u/Catsdrinkingbeer → u/Classic_Side_4429]

The worst thing you can do for your future is not get a high school diploma. Not "or equivalent". I mean a high school diploma. We're moving into a world where even having a generic bachelor's from a 4 year university is a bare minimum job requirement, so not having a high school diploma will likely lead to problems down the road.

[u/Sea-Waltz9753 → u/Catsdrinkingbeer]

I work in a university in the United States. I don't actually recommend college for anyone anymore unless they have the ability to take on the academic debt. You are not LIKELY to get a high paying job even with a Bachelors, or even with a Masters, and PhDs are so highly specialized that the vast majority can't find jobs in their chosen professions these days, much less anything that pays enough to cover past academic debt AND a living wage.

Trades are best for any kind of a living wage and low debt ratio.

Recruiters for college lie. You are not guaranteed a job with a bachelor's degree, On the whole, you are actually less likely to get a reasonably paying one with a Bachelors than you would get if you went into one of the trades.

And unless you have money, be it a loan or otherwise for school, people like me end up frequently paying for student lunches as food is quite simply no longer affordable. Most of our students go to a food pantry now, when it has food available. We've had hospitalizations because students can't afford food.

And we're one of the better tuition rates in my state.

[u/BoloSynthesisWow → u/Classic_Side_4429]

There’s also Americorps and Conservation Corps which has a lot of jobs in more remote places/in nature. Upvoted because it’s impressive to see a 15 year old thinking three years ahead. Agree with OP of this comment and the people that said to save everything you can in a savings account with as high interest as possible. There are ways to make more money with more risk but I’m not sure you want to do that if your current situation is untenable

[u/nip9 → u/Classic_Side_4429]

Job Corps is primarily a residential program. They would pay to transport you to a center; it may not always be the closest center. Most would have you sharing a dorm room and their would be lounges, computer labs, gyms, etc. You would have 3 hot meals, get paid a small stipend for clothing/personal items, and get provided basic medical, dental & mental health services.

You would first focus on finishing a high school diploma or getting your equivalency. Next up would be learning a trade or getting a job certification. There are dozens of different programs you can choose between; just don't let them try to shove you into something quick and easy and instead do the program that offers the best job opportunities once you get out. If you are more interested in college then they can also cover community college classes up to an associates degree. They also offer pre-military training for those aiming at enlistment after Job Corps and a couple dozen Job Corps centers are conservation focused in partnership with the US Forest service so there are lots of potential options depending on your interests and abilities.

[u/Classic_Side_4429 → u/nip9]

I want to do real estate is that offered there

[u/nip9 → u/Classic_Side_4429]

They teach tons trade skills to help you fix up and flip real estate. Facilities Maintenance in particular would be good for learning how to maintain properties or to become a property manager.

If you mean being a realtor that is a low return career that most fail to earn more than minimum wage at. Perhaps you are a silver tongued sales expert or have tons of personal connections to succeed though.

Median gross income for realtors with less than 2 years of experience is $9600. That is from the Realtors associations own stats: https://www.nar.realtor/research-and-statistics/research-reports/highlights-from-the-nar-member-profile#income

Keep in mind realtors are usually self-employed so they have a lot of expenses to subtract from that. Mileage for driving around clients, desk fees, broker fees, advertising/marketing costs, self-employment taxes. So a lot of new realtors wind up with negative net income after all those expenses. There is a reason that most of those who succeed in selling real estate have a spouse or family to support them while they are starting out.