Im in a unique position, Im 18 years old and I have been employed full time since 16 (partially as an apprentice), Ive saved upwards of 20k since starting work and own a car as well as a MacBook pro (I'm a software engineer).
I'm currently debating whether or not to move out and I'm really struggling, I'm on a salary of 40k and I live with my parents. Recently I started feeling a lot more motivated to socialise and maybe even start dating, but I've struggled with this living in a suburb full of older people.
I currently run and go to the gym frequently and I meet my friends from high school a couple times a week, my city has a lot of events in the software industry which I'll attend occasionally. I get along with my parents and younger brother really well, but I don't feel I see them that much despite living in the same house because of my work and social life which vastly improved after I got a car.
My parents very kindly don't charge me rent, bills and they cook food for me too, only occasionally asking to borrow money (in a completely normal, non toxic way)
I feel like I've outgrown living with my parents, and have been looking at cheaper flats in the city center to rent. Something close to my work and a gym.
I'm quite frugal and good at budgeting, my MacBook pro and car were both fairly cheap, and I bought them directly because I thought they would be tools for me to invest in myself and better myself - laptop for studying outside work, car for socialising and going into nature
My question to you is, do I
- move out, renting a flat in a prime location, experiencing adult life in full force, saving roughly £500 per month
- stay with parents, saving more than £2000 per month, at the cost of feeling stagnant
Edit, extra notes:
- my friends are continuing to live with their parents, so I've no idea if I'll meet others my age, but as I'm 18 and there are big universities in my city, I imagine there will be others similar to me
- most of my colleagues are 25 or older, with 95% of them being upwards of 30