So what happened if you turned 19 and you had 5,000 in your savings account. How would you structure your life. The reason I choose 5,000 because it is a number that could be less or could be more depending on your family situation.
When I was 16, I thought adult life was going to be hard. Yes, life is hard in some ways but I thought it was going to be a different kind of hard. Like, I was going to go to work and come home fried and not feel like I have any free time or I would work so hard that I would never be able to sleep in once I graduated high school.
The reality is, the first year out of high school you almost have too much free time. Or at least that's how I found it. If you can set up your life the right way, life doesn't have to be such a burden.
The reason for this is passive income and government money. For someone like me that has Cerebal Palsy, I get 1,183 from the province every month. That isn't much to build on but it will pay for basic needs like rent and a bit of food. You can find a place to live for 700 around BC. It won't be a great place but it will do until you find a better job. 483 dollars is left for the other expenses for the month. 483/31 is 16 dollars a day.
In this example a phone is not a must because we don't know if we can afford it yet. People get in trouble financially when we spend stuff that we think are but are really wants.
What I would do in this situation is live a month and observe what you desire in life. If you can't live within 1,183 than get a job. Writing a letter that lets people know that disability rates need to be increased is not the answer.
The reason you wait a month is because when you have a job you naturally spend more money. If you have to go to school and get a job than use the resources that are available to go to school the right way.
There are plenty of college courses that are not in the morning and you can still sleep in or have a job at the same time if living in the 1,183 is not doable.
If a job isn't in order than starting a passive income project might be beneficial. Passive income is anything from investments to a small business on the side.
Don't ever stress, I'm here to tell you that there are resources available to help for everything. Sometimes there are long waits because our government programs love dragging their feet. The most important thing is that you don't go into debt.
Also it is important to remember that if anyone judges you for going your own path that is on them. A bad day without work is better than a good day at work.
My organization is here to help. I would love to hear from you and we can set up an appointment with you that will always be free. My number is 604-825-0532.
