I still feel conflicted. Obviously, moving out is not an option when I don't have a stable job because homelessness is the one lesson neither me nor my parents want me to learn. But my mom is so opinionated and has such strong opinions. We went for a drive and talked about our miscommunication and how she wanted me to be prepared to make my own decisions. Later on in our drive, I told her how I am planning on saving up for a Camaro. She firmly said no, it's too dangerous and I can't handle a muscle car, go with something practical, which goes into my gripe of "She can't agree with something unless it was her idea" and "She picks and chooses which decisions I can make with her approval".

This time, with the car, I'm standing firm. My dad said that if I saved up THAT much money, then I should have the right to choose what car I want to drive. So for example, on cargurus, I can get a 2 year old Camaro with low mileage for as low as $16k. I'm informed that my insurance will be double what I pay now, I am planning on paying in full with no loans or down payments whatsoever, and I'm also aware that saving money is an issue for me, so if I am able to save up $16k, it is my decision on which car I am buying if I am the one paying for it with money I worked hard to earn.

But having an argument with my mom is no grounds to move out the minute I get my paycheck. I don't want to burn bridges with my parents, and I want to be successful when I move out on my own and not resort to homelessness for racing out the door too soon. Plus, California is soooo expensive. I looked at my housing options on Craigslist and the cost is just ridiculous. I know I won't be able to move out even with a room mate while working at $12 and hour, especially without FT hours. No way!

To Una, I DO have some longtime goals that I want to reach before I move out. I want a new car, I want FT work, and I want to be trained as much as I can as a caregiver before moving out, because I am considering moving out of state and I want to be in this job long enough to look good on a resume and to easily find caregiving work out of state. AND IF caregiving is something I am truly passionate about, I may work towards a degree as a CNA, which means going to college. But I can't move out without a stable job, I can't move out of state without a good-looking resume of saying I stayed with the same company for six years, and if I go to college to be a CNA I'd rather get my degree at home. So maybe these are vague long term goals, but I am piecing together an end goal for my future.