Moving Out Is It Time To Get A Place Of Your Own?

Sick of being bossed around by nosy parents? Frustrated that you can’t play your music as loud as you’d like? Annoyed with your 10 p.m. curfew? Perhaps you need to consider moving out, get a place on your own and finally just be yourself.

Sound simple? Think again.

Spokane teens who recently moved from their parents’ shady overhang into the real world’s blistering sun find living on their own is an adventure with both ups and downs.

“It kinda sucks,” says Lewis and Clark graduate David Kingrey, who moved out a few months ago. “I left completely unprepared for the responsibility of bills and being on my own.

His advice? “Leech off your parents as long as possible.”

Some teens, though, can’t wait for independence. Corey Plauger, who just graduated from Lakeside, is saving up. His troubles stem not from wanting independence, but in finding a place to live.

“If we wanted an apartment it would be a lot easier,” said Plauger of the plans being made by him and his friends, “but we want a house.

“One owner we wanted to rent from said we were too young and not stable enough,” he said. “Who would trust three teenagers when compared to a 28-year-old with a big career?”

Some teens discover more problems with unsure parents than unsure landlords.

“My parents are not too enthusiastic about the idea of me moving out because I’m not following the college and career path right away,” said Nathan Mauger, a recent Ferris grad who plans to move out in August to Browne’s Addition.

Kingrey also faced problems with parents.

“My parents didn’t think I should leave,” Kingrey recalled, “but there really wasn’t a whole lot they could say. Luckily, I’m on better terms with them now.”

The majority of parents, however, almost seemed excited to see their children stretching untried wings.

“They thought it was great,” said Joe Hundahl, a recent G Prep graduate living with four of his friends, “They figured it would give me a taste of the real world.”

No doubt parents found the thought of their kids doing their own laundry, cleaning and paying bills somewhat hilarious. Bills, however, make up the least hilarious aspect of moving out. Furniture, food, cleaning supplies, utilities and more add up to quite a large sum of money.

In order to pay the bills, Kingrey works more than 30 hours a week at Patsy Clark’s, Heather Mackin works at a dry cleaner, Hundahl presses steel, Plauger works 12-hour shifts at Red Robin, Mauger works at the Magic Lantern and Chapala, and Michael Wiley works three jobs.

Hundahl has good advice: “Consider your financial stability” before moving out.

Even after all of the painful bills, parental disagreements, landlord hurdles and fights with roommates over who cleans what, local youths still encounter the joys of being parentless.

Obviously, there are fewer rules, no one to answer to. That can mean late nights and parties. Heather Mackin, who moved about six months ago to the Broadway Square Apartments, found joy in having no curfew. Eighteen-year-old Arielle Smith, a running start student at SFCC, moved out for a more comfortable atmosphere.

“I like having my own place,” she said. “I’m not ever afraid to come home.”

Mauger wanted to move because he believes his life is far too narrow.

“I’ve lived a pretty sheltered life, and I don’t have a real perspective or idea of what life is truly about,” he explained, “So, I’ll hang out for a year on my own and then embark for a higher education at Evergreen.”

Michael Wiley, a ‘95 graduate of Lewis and Clark who moved out in March, wrapped it up best.

“When you are a little kid, you are a little ball with string attached. As you get older, some strings are cut, but not all of them. Since those remaining strings didn’t pull in the direction I wanted to go, I cut them completely and decided to float.”

So the young Spokane floaters bob around in life’s atmosphere, working hard to pay the bills and placate their landlords, all the while tasting the true meaning of independence.

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: ARE YOU READY? So, you think you’re ready to hit the trail toward independent living? Here are a few things you’ll need to survive the journey: MONEY. First, you’ve got to pay the rent. Then there are minor things like heat, electricity and phone hookups that will cost you. Don’t forget groceries, gas and insurance (if you don’t have a car, forget it). KITCHEN STUFF. At the very least, you need a fork and a sauce pan for making Top Ramen (any poor teen’s staple). If you score an apartment with a microwave (a rarity), you’ve lucked out. GOOD ROOMMATES. Sure, your best friend from high school is fun to hang around, but have you smelled his feet? Choosing a roommate can be one of the most important decisions you make. It helps if it’s someone who shares your views on the acceptable level of bathroom mold. A BIG LAUNDRY BAG. Whether you take it to the laundromat or home to mom’s, it better be heavy duty. And don’t forget the quarters.