tebop opened this issue on Aug 07, 2009 · 43 posts
Acadia posted Fri, 07 August 2009 at 11:21 PM
Ok, I'm going to be completely blunt here, and I don't mean to be rude, but I think you are being somewhat delusional about what it takes to move out on your own.
Can I ask how old you are? The reason I ask is that a number of your OT posts about life, like the one above, come across as coming from someone very young and naive. Are you even old enough to move out?
No electricity? How are you going to keep your food from spoiling? How are you going to cook? How are you going to keep warm in the cold months (if you live somewhere where it's cold in the winter)?
If you move into an apartment, water comes with the apartment, and most buildings don't bill you directly for water, it's tacked into your monthly rent. However, if you do happen to move into a place where you have to pay for your own water, how are you going to manage to live without it?
What will you drink? Lake and river water is grossly insanitary and can kill you if you drink it. Bottled water is more expensive than gas! **If you're spending $1.49 for a tiny 9-ounce bottle of Evian, that's $21a gallon **
How will you shower/bathe? Clean your home?
How will you flush the toilet? These aren't the medieval ages where you can go down to your local river bank or into the woods outside your house and urinate and defecate. There are sanitation laws.
How are you going to cook some foods? Oh I forgot, you won't have electricity so that's not going to be an issue.
No TV? That's doable. For most of the 1980's and the early part of 1990's I didn't have a television and didn't miss it. It was my choice to not have one. I was too busy, not home enough and when I was home I wanted to read or do crafts/sew or spend time with friends listening to music.
Cable TV is also a luxury that many decide to not have.
Based on your post above, I don't think you are ready to be moving out on your own. You have very unreal expectations about life skills to survive outside of your parents' home.
I am not saying that to be mean. But not everyone is ready or capable of supporting themselves when they turn the age of majority. For some it takes longer, and for others they never reach that stage at all.
So far as the "essentials" of living on your own. A job to start, and a place to live that with rent and utilities combined doesn't exceed 25% of your monthly income. You also need to invest in apartment insurance in case of a fire or other disaster.
Stay away from debt by paying cash for things and not using credit cards. Plan your meals for the week and shop once to buy what you need for those meals. Don't eat out or order food in. Cooking at home is far cheaper and healthier. Take public transportation to save money on gasoline/insurance/parking/car repairs.
"It is good to see ourselves as
others see us. Try as we may, we are never
able to know ourselves fully as we
are, especially the evil side of us.
This we can do only if we are not
angry with our critics but will take in good
heart whatever they might have to
say." - Ghandi