For people that live by themselves, I'm 16 and wanna move out?

Question

Dont tell me not to move out because your not in my situation and you have no clue how much depression i go through living with my family. I've told them about it for quite a while and they threaten me and say I'll cancel your cell phone and what not, well I'm sick of the threats (oh and thats not the only thing we fight about, they try to shove their religion down my throat and not date a guy i really love only because he's not christian & theres more) and I just wanna be on my own and support myself. Would I be allowed to move out at this age and rent an apartment? And if so am I even old enough to get a house phone and my own number and go out and buy a fridge and other house furniture or am i too young? Dont tell me the fact that I'm asking this proves I'm still too young to be on my own because I've already made up my mind.

Answer 1

You wouldn't be able to get an apartment or a cell phone without being 18. Unless you were paying cash for the furniture, you wouldn't be able to get that until you're 18 either. I understand where you are coming from, I hated my home when I was 16 and did all I could to find a way to move out. The only thing I can say is get a job and start saving money. That way when you turn 18, you can move out and get your own place. Honestly though, I think you may be making too big a deal out of it. I know it seems horrible now that they're not allowing you to see your bf, etc, but you'll see in a few years that you could have it a lot worse. Not to mention, an apartment costs $1000 a month where I'm from. Plus food, electric, water, phone, gas, and car, you're looking at $2000 a month. How do you plan on making that kind of money at 16 when you're still in high school? I say try to make the best of your current living situation. Maybe sit down with your parents and ask them to compromise. maybe if you agree to go to church, they can let you go out to dinner with him once a week or they can let him come over to your house and watch a movie. That way they can get to trust him and you.

Answer 2

I dont think you'd be able to get an apartment at an apartment complex but you could probably rent someones condo or part of a house.  You could get a prepaid cell and then you really dont need a house phone.  As for getting the electric and cable turned on, I don't think they've ever asked me for any information other than my name and address.  You could definately buy your own furniture and appliances.  The question is, do you have enough money for all of this?  I live in NJ and I pay $1200 a month for my apartment but I know people who pay as little as $800 a month, about $100 a month for my electric, $100 a month for my cable/internet, then there is your phone, groceries, car insurance, gas, student loans if you go to college.  I'm 26 and I struggle, I couldnt have done it at 16 but depending on the cost of living and job market where you live you might be able to.  I'd also check out the laws in your state.  You might not be allowed to live on your own.  Your parents might be able to just call the cops and say you ran away in which case they would bring you back home.

Answer 3

Jobs are difficult; you'll be hard pressed to find a full time job for a 16 year old.  You could work in a restaurant waitressing.  That might be your best bet; working Saturdays, waitresses can sometimes bring in $150 bucks a night.

Consider this, however;  20,000 children die every day.  They starve to death, or they die of horrible, painfull illnesses.  Thousands are made homeless and have no family.  Though I can't say how rough your situation is, put things into perspective.  No matter how neglegent your parents are, you can still rise above and live at home.  Live at peace with them, and be thankful for being in a location where you aren't in such terrible conditions.  

Answer 4

Its a very difficult situation, and is based solely on your state. The main option you have, is emancipation, which is a firly simple process involving a whole lot of paperwork. for the details you will have to ask your local courthouse. As for buying your own things, you will have to be legally emancipated, becuase that paper tells the state to treat you as a grown adult. Therefore you are able to rent an apartment, or get your own cell phone, but you cannot without the court papers assigning you as an adult.

~Meg

Answer 5

Legally no you cannot move out. I have been living on my own, with my partner, since my 16th birthday which is in January. My mom had never reported me because she knew that we could not get along living together. For the first 2 and half months we lived in the car.. No one would give us a lease being that young because they could get in legal trouble. We eventually went through Indiana, Illinois, Iowa and Nebraska and in Omaha we found a guy who was willing to let us move in without a lease with a down deposit right away. The rent at that time was only 300 USD. It was in a really bad neighbourhood but it was shelter and we were very thankful. It is possible to find a place, somewhere, sometime... but it is very hard. You can get your house furnature at Rent a center which usually every town has one and depending on what you get and the store, sometimes your payments per month will be around 5-10 USD. At least that was what it was in 2001. Clothes and ect you can get cheap at Goodwills and such..I honestly don't suggest moving out though. I would say to suck it up for another two years. It was very hard for me..I am now 23 and if I could pick it again I probably would have tried to do something else.. Working full time in random jobs from 16-22 was really depressing.. Paying rent and bills even worse..I missed out on being able to save money for school or just things I wanted to buy because I had real bills. I also am sorry to say that now at my age of 23 I am getting lazy. I have been feeling sorry for myself that I had to pay bills for so long that now I don't want to work anymore.. I do.. but I don't want to at all...Sorry about your life problems but seriously reconsider what you are wanting to do! Maybe there is something else out there that will be of good help to you.. Or even staying later at friends or school so that you don't have to go home.

Answer 6

No, you can’t rent an apartment. You can’t enter into any kind of legally binding contract until you’re 18.

You can buy any consumer good you want (excluding things like alcohol & cigarettes) as long as you have the cash…though it might be of interest to know that in most US markets, kitchen appliances are included in apartments.

Notice I said *cash* because you can’t get credit (a credit card or store financing) until you’re 18.

You also can’t enter into a legal contract to get cell phone service of your own. What are you going to do without that essential item?

Having your cell phone canceled, being forced to follow your parent’s religion & being told who to date aren’t exactly unusual things for a teenager to endure. Plenty of us have lived with circumstances we don’t like when we’re too young to live on our own – and you are too young because you’re still a legal child and the courts aren’t going to let you be considered an adult on the grounds your parents are raising you as they see fit. You’re pretty much stuck.

I’m standing here today as a happy, successful adult who grew up being forced to participate in a religion I didn’t like, being told who I could date, and the really horrible, evil what time I had to be home at night!

You know how you get through it? You embrace your friends, and hang out with them as much as you’re allowed. You see the light at the end of the tunnel, aka college, and you do the best you can in school so you can get into one several hours away from your parents.

Then you go to college, do your homework (so you can stay here), and after that have a great time doing what you want to do. If you’re as ambitious as I was, you get a full time job, your own place, and pay your own bills so you don’t have to move home again.

It’s not that I don’t love my parents, but they were hard to live with. However, I do look back and realize that I am who I am today because of the things I went through.

Answer 7

At 16, you can't sign a lease, or any other sort of contract without your parent's permission - and it doesn't sound as though they're going to give it to you.

Also, at 16, you can't work a full time job, and the only jobs you can work are only going to pay minimum wage.  You said you found a place for $300/mo, but you'll be lucky to make just that much after taxes - let alone being able to afford utilities, furniture, school stuff, FOOD...

I hate to tell you, but until you're 18, there's not a whole lot you can do about your family - and so long as you're living under your parents' roof, you'll have to follow their rules.

My advice is to try and save up what money you can between now and your 18th birthday.  At least at that point, you'll be able to legally move out, get a place of your own, and have a decent shot at actually supporting yourself.  Just remember, working 40 hours a week for minimum wage isn't going to be a long term solution.

Answer 8

No legitimate landlord would rent to an underage person without their parent's or guardian's consent. I'm not even sure it's legal.

Do you have a job? Living on your own costs money, more than you probably realize since you haven't done it before. Employer's are not allowed to hire minors without a work permit from the school which usually has to be signed by the parent. So you'd need their support on a few things since you're still 16.

Emotionally you may feel prepared to live on your own, and I won't question that since I don't know you. But seeing as you cannot do many things you'd be required to do in "the real world" without your parent's permission or signature... 16 may be a bit young to move out. Just stick it out 2 more years. You've waited 16... what's 2 more.  

Answer 9

You might want to reconsider your approach with your family.  At your age, you will not be able to rent an apartment, since you are too young to legally engage in any sort of binding lease agreement.  No landlord in his/her right mind would rent to you.

The same goes for furniture and appliances, as well as anything else you want to buy.  It will take CASH, since no one will extend credit to you without an adult co-signer (same reason.....you cannot be legally held liable for any such debt).

Yes, you ARE too young to be out on your own at this age.  Your determination to move out won't change the legalities surrounding your decision.

Answer 10

Can you support yourself? That's what it all boils down to. With money you can get anything but if you don't have money and your on your own Life can go downhill pretty fast. When your so hungry you feel dizzy and there is no sign of relief the problems at home might not seem so bad. At that point prostitution might not seem so bad (sometimes the only way for a sixteen year old to get money) if your not into that Tough it out at home till you can support yourself. Find one or two similar minded girls get jobs and when you can afford to make your way become roommates for mutual support and benefit. To leave home angry for an uncertain future is a recipe for disaster. Life requires a plan.

Answer 11

You don't want to hear this but this is how so many teens end up living on the street and trust me,it's not a improvement to your situation.

No apartment complex or legit landlord is going to rent to anyone under the age of 18. Most places require you have a job that makes 3.5 times the rent. Do you have any idea how much it cost to be on your own? I can't even make it 100% on my own. There are a multitude of bills,water,gas,electric,phone.Then there is food and personal items.If you manage to get some type of job you are not going to make much.How are you going to get to and from work? Gas is expensive,I basically coasted to work on gas fumes today.Walking a long distance in all types of weather really gets old after a while.How are you going to afford any of this at 16? MY sister left home at 16.SHe spent most of the next 18 years living on the street and sleeping on tables at the park.She has nothing .

Answer 12

legally you have to be 18 for renting and getting utilities. you can file for legal emancipation with a lawyer to get adult status and move out. in the short term, why not move in with other relatives or friends? you are old enough to get a part-time job after school and pay a little rent and buy your own food.