My parents just kicked me out bc my grades aren’t where they should be. They said they might rethink it, but for now, I might be homeless. What should my next steps be?
Hey I am so sorry to hear this! Hang in there, I have a few ideas. @milliniumfalcon
1. Start by finding somewhere temporarily to stay. Maybe with other relatives, friends, or even family friends. You’re looking for somewhere where you can crash for an unspecified amount of time for no fee.
2. If you have to, you can find a motel to stay in while you find a place to live. Motels are historically more cheaper than hotels. Try to rent a room close to the office for safety. Barring that, there are always shelters that you can stay in, there are ALWAYS options.
3. Find a job if you don’t have one already. If you already have a job, talk to your employer about a raise. Explain the situation you’re in. Maybe you can even pick up more hours.
4. If you’re interested in college, continue pursuing applications. Apply for financial aid as independent. Contact colleges and speak to counselors and financial aid employees about your financial options. Is there an independent student program at your college? A program like EOP or TRIO that will fund your education? Start making those inquiries now.
5. In terms of housing- search for rooms to rent in your area. I don’t recommend you trying to rent an entire apartment at this stage, because it sounds like you don’t have any savings. A room for yourself is space enough! You can always get a larger accommodations when you have more money.
6. Think about those expenses that you need to tackle immediately. Transportation to and from work is one of these. Paying for your own food and basic supplies. You’ll probably be fine without a cell phone for a little while. Unless you are on medications that you can’t afford out of pocket then you can probably also ignore insurance for a month or two. Start small.
7. Start establishing a routine for yourself. Even if that means just getting up, searching for housing, and coming back. Keep it simple.
8. Learn some basic “Adult” skills. Look at simple recipes online (check our index for some simple cooking posts). Learn how to do your own shopping, laundry, cleaning. If the person you’re staying with doesn’t mind giving you some pointers, ask them for assistance with these skills.
9. Once you find your own place, buy furnishings slowly over time. Utilize thrift stores, dollar stores, bulk bargain stores. Ask your contacts if they have any supplies they don’t need. I guarantee you they all do, you can gets lots of solid second hand supplies that way. You can basically buy all of your food and kitchen supplies at Dollar Stores. It’s not gourmet, but you can make do. All you really need to start is a mattress and some blankets. Most rooms have lights already. Start there, and each paycheck devote some money to buying more items.
10. Take it a day at a time. You can get through this! You can and should apply for government assistance. Apply food stamps, HEAP (energy assistance), even temporary assistance for a stipend. If you call and bother your local social services every day you will get pushed to the head of the line application wise. Call your local county government office and complain, that gets your application expedited.
