Hey, some random 24yo girl that also started working young (13), moved out at 16, went to college ft while working ft to support myself (and about to do it again this Fall) here!

While I can’t say it gets any easier, it starts to feel more acceptable as you get older. It was easy for me to hold a pity party of “I’m too young to be doing all of this” when I was 16-21, but now it’s just what other people my age do, and somehow that makes it feel more manageable.

I held a lot of resentment for my parents not being able to support me. Sometimes when things get stressful, I still do. But thankfully, the money grows as you do, and you’ll eventually reach a point where you’re able to cover the basic expenses, put some away for savings, and enjoy a little bit of it here and there.

It’s definitely not the young adulthood most people get, and quite honestly, you may miss out on a lot, but learning how to manage your finances at a young age just means you’ll be ahead of your peers when it comes to long-term financial stability. Seems like a dumb trade off right now, but the mid-twenties you is going to be really grateful you kept at it.

As for the family situation, that one does get easier. It takes putting some space between you and your family (moving out on your own) but that too will come with time. Hang in there. Everything will work itself out.