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Old 01-07-2016, 02:29 PM   #21
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At age 23, after graduating from University in the UK, my Dad picked me up from campus and gave me a ride home. After arriving, he congratulated me and said, "I know I don't have to tell you this, but you're on your own now". One or two people I told this to thought it was a bit harsh, but I didn't take it that way at all, as I was keen to get out on my own and see the big, wide world.

So I moved to Los Angeles
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Old 01-07-2016, 02:36 PM   #22
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19, second year of college. Worked part time that year and full time after that and also attended college full time. Of course, those were the days when tuition at a State College were very reasonable ( I think from memory tuition and fees at UT Austin was about $100 a semester or something like that)
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Old 01-07-2016, 02:37 PM   #23
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married a rich woman at 26
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Old 01-07-2016, 02:39 PM   #24
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I paid for my College, but got free room and board from parents, so I don't count that.
At 23 I had a job and moved out.
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Old 01-07-2016, 02:41 PM   #25
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Thought I knew it all at 18 and tried to sustain by leaving the nest. After 1 year of college I was broke and back in the nest.

Falling into a bout of depression and not having a clear vision on what it required to make it in the "real-world" I worked some construction jobs for a few years while I shacked up with a girl. I decided it would serve me best to ditch the girl and head back to the nest as I was travelling down a path I felt was not right.

I eventually found a women who was willing to help me tie my shoes so I don't know if I will actually ever really be "fully sustained" with her by my side.

I think the turning point and the point when I felt I had finally "made it" in the "real world" was when I started paying my parents cell phone bills instead of them paying mine.

I was 26, now I'm 34 and I still pay their cell phone bills which is a small token of my appreciation for them not giving up on me.

Looking back, my parents were willing and had tried to do everything they could to get it to "sink in" but I was a party animal. Man did I have some good times, just glad I was able to right the ship eventually...that took some serious self-evaluation.
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Old 01-07-2016, 02:48 PM   #26
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My wedding day age 22.
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Old 01-07-2016, 02:55 PM   #27
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At 19. I started working full time at 18 right out of high school and immediately started saving money to move out. My Mom & I didn't get along and within 9 months of me working my Dad asked me to move out. I learned how to LBM quickly!
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Old 01-07-2016, 02:57 PM   #28
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This summarizes my situation:
Loved the Monty Python.

Age 21 with my first job out of college as an engineer.
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Old 01-07-2016, 02:57 PM   #29
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Age 18. When I left High School I got job and each week my parents would take about 1/3 of my pay towards to the housekeeping. 13 weeks later I left for college where I had the fees paid by the state and a stipend from the company that sponsored me, plus I worked for them as a student apprentice for 6 months/year. DW was in exactly the same situation and we were both sponsored by the same company and went to the same college which is how we met.

It was nice to not have to rely on my parents for college and in those days everyone who got the grades and was accepted to college had their fees paid for. Louisiana had a similar scheme in place when our children graduated High School and went to college so we very much got lucky then as well and had minimal costs to pay for kids' college education, and they were both off the payroll as soon as they graduated and got a job.
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Old 01-07-2016, 03:01 PM   #30
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Originally Posted by Major Tom View Post
At age 23, after graduating from University in the UK, my Dad picked me up from campus and gave me a ride home. After arriving, he congratulated me and said, "I know I don't have to tell you this, but you're on your own now". One or two people I told this to thought it was a bit harsh, but I didn't take it that way at all, as I was keen to get out on my own and see the big, wide world.
One of my friends said that after she graduated her Dad told her to hold onto one end of a piece of string, and then he pulled a pair of scissors from his pocket and cut it in half, congratulating her as he did so.
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Old 01-07-2016, 03:05 PM   #31
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Eighteen when I went to work for my Uncle, Sam. Parents were divorced when I was a young teen so I always had a job to buy the things I wanted. My Dad told me in I was quite young that I could have anything I wanted, just as long as I worked for it and paid for it. Gave the same advice to my son.
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Old 01-07-2016, 03:13 PM   #32
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Started working full time after High School at 17. Put myself through college and graduated at 24. Received free room and board from Mom (except when away at college) before and after graduating with an Engineering degree. Completely on my own at 25.
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Old 01-07-2016, 03:38 PM   #33
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I left home at 18 and went to another state where I knew nobody. I was completely on my own at that point. It took me a while to find a full time job, so I took the first one I found, at a bookstore. That was fun but I applied for college because I valued an education.

While going to college I got other jobs that would fit around my full time class schedule, working nights, weekends, and holidays. This is how I paid for my own room, board, tuition, and everything else at college. School all day, work all night? Good thing 18-year-olds don't actually need to SLEEP like other human beings.




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Old 01-07-2016, 04:02 PM   #34
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or 50ish YO memories. College at 17 in my own old trailer for housing and student aid. $35/mo space rent, $5 propane, about $35 for groceries. Rich Uncle then paid for all clothing, food, lodging,medical care, and exotic cruises to Japan, Thailand, the Philippines and South China seas for the best part of four years. Took care of myself for a year or so, then Uncle paid most of the tab for me to go back to school for four years. Was about 27 before I was really taking care of myself consistently.
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Old 01-07-2016, 04:41 PM   #35
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Age 21 when after graduating college, volunteered for the Air Force (Vietnam era and avoiding the Army draft). On my own ever since
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Old 01-07-2016, 04:43 PM   #36
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Basically 18, when I started college. Worked part time during school and full time summers and paid my way through for most part. My parents did let me live at home summers for free (while working full time), and their biggest contribution was they picked up my car insurance while I was in college since I was on their policy. I also co-op'ed during college so I was on the 5 year plan by the time graduation rolled around. At 23 graduated and been completely responsible for my own since.
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Old 01-07-2016, 04:55 PM   #37
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Age 19, left California and went in the Navy. Ended up on the east coast and have been here ever since. Luckily all three of our children have also become self sufficient between the ages of 18-22 and I don't see any of them ever having to depend on us to take care of them anymore! That's a pretty good feeling😁

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Old 01-07-2016, 05:39 PM   #38
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Age 19, left California and went in the Navy. Ended up on the east coast and have been here ever since. Luckily all three of our children have also become self sufficient between the ages of 18-22 and I don't see any of them ever having to depend on us to take care of them anymore! That's a pretty good feeling😁

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Hear, hear! We see that as one of our greatest (and luckiest) accomplishments. No bouncebacks and all self-sustaining after finishing school--although we didn't have anyone do it at 18.
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Old 01-07-2016, 05:42 PM   #39
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Age 22- I started my first job the day after I got out of college. I was furious when it looked like the bank was going to require my parents to co-sign my auto loan (1973 Hornet in 1975!) because I had no credit history. Parents were willing, but fortunately the bank relented.

DS took a bit longer to get through college and then worked PT for about 6 months before his employer brought him on FT, but has been on his own since.
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Old 01-07-2016, 05:57 PM   #40
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Age 18 - stumbled around a bit after graduating HS, but by year's end had a fulltime job. Worked there for all but 1 year (when I was checking the color of the grass on the other side of the fence at another employer) until I ER'd 39 years later. Earned associate's, bachelors, & master's degrees through the years while working fulltime.
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