Hi I am a 17 year old with literally 0 dollars to my name.
I’ve been moving a lot because I have very bad family issues, I moved to my best friend’s place for a year and my school life has been thriving compared to my old “family” but then an argument happened where there was rent involved because they are a household of 6. 5 men 1 woman (mom, dad, 4 sons) excluding me I felt as though it was fair since I was a sort of stranger and had a grocery job where I get 30-40 hours a week but also unfair because I am under 18 and was being asked to pay rent while my best friend same age as me plus his older siblings don’t pay rent. And I functionally cannot save money because I tend to spend it on others like gifts for my best friend + his family when they take me out to the mall and surprise flowers for my girlfriend and or fast food when I am out working or during lunch at school. My conclusion to that issue was to vent to my girlfriend and her parents offered to take me in (I have been living there for a day now) and her mom is talking to me about starting a savings account for the money she thinks I have saved (approximately under $10k since I am ashamed of telling her the truth and delaying the inevitable lecture and disappointment) because I have been working for almost 3 years now, I am really ashamed for not saving whatsoever when I’m gonna go to College starting in September and I have $0 to my name. P.S. I have been told I’ve been a disappointment and a burden and all sorts of negative things from my blood family which has always made me think negatively about myself throughout my life or when I find myself on bad terms on someone I cherish ( I care what others think about me). Please give any advice on what I should do with my life and teach me how to own up to things.
Posted Dec 10, 2025, 3:01 AM UTC