Is it really a good idea?

[Guest]

I'm in a pickle. I want to cut off all ties with my family for our differences. I want to go across the continent to the opposite coast to find a job and home. The time I'll be running away is after my high school graduation, after I turn 19.

Should I save money up for a flight? How much money should I save? How would I prevent my family from searching for me? Will my high school diploma stay with me? Will changing my social security help in any way? How do I find a well paying job(enough for luxuries like a computer, college and gym access)?
Does arranging to stay with an internet friend, in a city of choice, work?
What should I expect or where should I go in a town?

[ccsmod5]

Hi,
Thanks for writing in. It sounds like you’re wanting to leave home and are planning on what that will look like. It’s definitely a smart idea to start planning ahead, so we’re glad you’ve reached out. Since you will be 19 when you leave, you would be considered an adult. Your family can search for you if the choose, but there’s nothing they can do to force you back home. Your high school diploma can stay with you. Changing your social security card is probably not necessary as you’re an adult and your family cannot make you return home.
If you’re thinking about leaving to stay on your own, it’s a good idea to save up as much money as possible. To figure out an amount of money you might need, you might want to look up the cost of living wherever you’re trying to go. If you have a friend in the city/town, it can be helpful to ask them how much they spend on food, groceries, utilities, and rent every month and then try to save up as much as possible so that you can live for a bit on that while you get on your feet. It can be helpful to arrange to live with a friend, however you might want to make sure you talk about how long you are okay to stay there and when (if) you plan to leave. You might also want to think of a backup plan for what happens if for some reason you aren’t able to stay with your friend any longer.
As for getting a job, you can sometimes find jobs online or by walking into stores. It can be difficult to support yourself entirely, but it’s definitely possible. For college, it’s a good idea to file for financial aid at the colleges that have accepted you; if you want to talk more specifically about your options, it’s always a good idea to call the financial aid offices to talk about the situation.
If you’d like to talk more specifically about the situation, please feel free to reach out to us at 1-800-786-2929. Best of luck.

[Guest]

Thank you very much for the help