Wookie384

Damn, I didn't expect this many responses.

Maybe I should give more insight into my situation. I am 27 going on 28, I have lived with my folks all my life, and they have helped me out a lot, I was going to move out back in '08, but when the economy tanked, I lost my job, and had to work a whole two years at minimum wage (took me alost a year to get that job) until last year when I got back on my feet and got my current job (while working that shitty job I was still hunting for work like crazy).

I am planning on moving out because my 33 year old sister just moved out (didn't want to deal with the stress, long story). I have been getting hints that I should also from my mom, my pops doesn't think I should move out, but isn't going to stop me, I am one who doesn't like to over stay my welcome, so to speak, so I started looking for a place of my own. I had to tap into my savings (as well as get some help from my folks) when I went a year without working, and I am just now at a point where I can start saving up again.

For the past year I have been paying about $650 to my folks for "rent", so I figure If I'm paying rent I might as well pay for something I want than settling for less. At my folks house I don't have a garage to work on cars or store my S13, as apposed to the apt. I'd have a garage. The area where my folks live is shitty, we've already had once car stolen from our house, my neighbor has had his house broken into twice, and all other kinds of shit happens there, I'd be moving into a lot quieter neighborhood.

I am a field technician and I make 35k+ a year, my job is very stable, and I get full benifits (health care, dental, vision, life insurance), I have a company car (on top of my two) and I get reimbursed for all work related expenses (food, gas, maintenence for the car etc)

I would have joined the armed forces fresh outta high school but I have a knee injury and poor vision which would have kept me from doing what I would like to do.

My potential roomate is a good friend I've known for years. I guess she's atractive but isn't my type (physically and personality wise) but we are good friends, I highly doubt we'd ever hook up or anything of the sort.

Honestly, I realize living at home I'm just a big man child, I feel like I do need to get out on my own and expirence adult life/responsibility without having the safety of having my folks to fall back on. But like I said earlier, I just want to know if that $600 (after ALL expenses) would be enough. For now I am literally keeping track of every cent I spend for the next few weeks to guage how much I spend on a regular basis.

I would love to buy a house, but buying a house in So. Cal. is hard, and to be honest I dont think I could pull it off for a long time, If things go the way it is at work I'm sure I'll be making more money and could afford to save some money till I am ready to buy a house. I figure move in with my friend, buckle down and hustle and maybe 5 years from now get into my own place. That's my goal, by the time I'm 35 I'd like to have my own place, for now this would be a transitional phase.


Thanks for all your comments, positive or negative, I'll take them all into consideration and I appreciate them.