Moving out on my own? . . .

Well folks, I figured I'd just get advice in general in case people have had to do this or not. I'm sick and tired of my folks. I can't stand all the talk about how worthless I am and how I'll never amount to anything (today my father suggested me quitting school and becoming a garbageman. While I'm thinking in the back of my head, "Hmmmm. Yeah. Cause that'd be a step UP from my job at Staples right now too . . . . ")

So I've made the decision to move out in January. I live in NJ where rates are high. I'll be working fulltime at Staples (not great pay, but full benefits for fulltimers as well as good hours and a good overall atmosphere) and I'll pick up a job on Saturday nights as a valet parker. My friend averages about 100 dollars a night so that'll come as a big help.

So any ideas on what apartments would be cheap? How to find out if people need roommates? How to interview for my own roommate (good questions to ask like are you neat/sloppy, loud, etc.) Also, am I in for as rough a time as I expect? Or was it 'not that bad'?

FYI, I'll be doing this until I can be old enough to get financial aid. Right now my parents claim me as a dependant, in which case they are expected to help me pay for college, and they make enough money that I don't get any financial aid. But what they force me to do is to make the money on my own, then deposit it into their checking account. They then write out a check for the amount of money I deposited so it LOOKS like they are paying for my schooling. That way they don't get the IRS on their back for claiming me as a dependant and they also get a bigger tax break. What bastards, huh!?

Alexi

Firstly that is quite shitty. Secondly garbagemen make quite a bit of money. (Not that I'm advising that move) Personally moving out was the best thing I'd ever did. I was actually a lot more neat and organized and motivated when I was out on my own. Depression forced me to come back here but I'm planning on moving out again this summer and stay gone. As for roommate advice I can't really give too good of advice being that I just moved in with a buddy from highschool so I didn't hafta shop for one. Good luck though, I'm sure you'll enjoy it more.