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[alcohol_dependent]

Here's a spot to pontificate so I will.

I live at home and have been saving money. I work in show biz.

Anyway, the goings are slow on the NYC movie scene. I've been freelancing for a while. Things are pretty woeful as far as job frequency. The phone just doesn't ring very often. When I do get work, the money is good.

Even with this horrible job frequency I'd have enough to support myself in a nice apartment in an area that I actually really love. I would not be putting away money though and if anything goes wrong I'd have to ask my parents to help out since I have no insurance and so forth.

So I'm living at home and saving money for a car and some additional career investments, like a professional grade camera and so forth. The real problem is that its killer on my confidence when there's no work for a while. I get the dirtiest looks when I'm sitting at home because the phone hasn't rung. I'm made to really feel like a bum when I have no work. Even though I managed to save around $5k these past two months, I've heard some ridiculous things come out of my parents' mouths, asking me if I'm retired, telling me how frustrated THEY are that there is no work, telling me to find a more stable job, etc, etc. My mother insists on offering me minimum wage positions at her company, for instance, though I earn more in a day freelancing what I'd earn in a week mowing the lawn for those jackasses. Then she starts talking about how much college graduates should be making!

There is a part of me that thinks if I lived on my own, I would be forced to work much harder and more aggressively to stay busy and advance my career. Should I move out now or after I save the money? Should I jump into a sink or swim situation, which is higher risk but possibly more rewarding, or should I just eat the uneasy stares and deal with being responsible for answering to my parents about what dates on the calendar are booked until I can make those career investments?

There's nothing telling me that my career will suddenly take off after these investments. They'll probably just increase my expenses and responsibilities truth be told. All I know for sure is that I see Toady One working on something I get the sense he truly believes in. A humble, creative lifestyle is what I wanted in the first place. I feel aimless..

[Mushroo]

Lie and tell your parents you found a job, then go to the cafe and play Dwarf Fortress all day.

On a serious note, I recommend getting health insurance as soon as you can. That's the one "grown up" expense that is really necessary, in my opinion.

You'll have to decide for yourself whether to move out, can't make that decision for you. I can see the pros and cons.

[Bouchart]

On a serious note, I recommend getting health insurance as soon as you can. That's the one "grown up" expense that is really necessary, in my opinion.

This is debatable, depending on his general health.  If you are in good shape with and take care of yourself you can get away without health insurance for a little bit.

Since freelancing work is so erratic, why don't you at least get a part-time job with some flexible hours?

[alcohol_dependent]

On a serious note, I recommend getting health insurance as soon as you can. That's the one "grown up" expense that is really necessary, in my opinion.

Yeah, freelancers don't get benefits. Its a real PITA, cus you can lose a month or two of hard work if, say, you have to get your wisdom teeth pulled. God damn it. Haha.

This is debatable, depending on his general health.  If you are in good shape with and take care of yourself you can get away without health insurance for a little bit.

I'm a borderline health freak, work out often, plates always half veggies, etc. I even cycled across the country once. Being healthy can be pretty dangerous actually, since I fell off my bike on the way and had to go to the emergency room. I understand how health insurance is important. I've been less of a cowboy lately because of shit like that.

Since freelancing work is so erratic, why don't you at least get a part-time job with some flexible hours?

The money is not really the problem.. I'd be getting a part time job for the sake of getting out of the house. Even a "decently" paying (like $10/hr) part time job can be hard to get nowadays, but I'm starting to think I should do it again. When I think about it though, I feel like the idea skirts the issue because I'd still be upset and aimless, though with a part time job I'd be struggling with my own internal sense of worth rather than dealing with my parents' perception of it, haha.

What I want is a humble, creative lifestyle. Have you guys ever sought or tried to achieve something like that?

Maybe I should get on my feet, have a more stable income, and then decide how to get liveable wages and what kind of sacrifices it would take to live that sort of lifestyle?

Either way thanks for chatting about it with me, I feel a sense of purpose coming on.

[Bouchart]

A part time job might be good for you if only for networking.  I take it you are an outgoing person because you're in acting.  If you find a job where you deal with a lot of customers or vendors you might hear something from someone in some random conversation.

[Zrk2]

Since freelancing work is so erratic, why don't you at least get a part-time job with some flexible hours?

The wise and all knowing Wally speaks again.

Seriously, at the very least with a part time job you will not be sitting at home all the time so your parents should tone down the bitching.

[sneakey pete]

You earn as much in a day of work as you would in a week of work for your parents...

so do both, earn twice as much in a week!

[Gorjo MacGrymm]

Here's a spot to pontificate so I will.

I live at home and have been saving money. I work in show biz.

Anyway, the goings are slow on the NYC movie scene. I've been freelancing for a while. Things are pretty woeful as far as job frequency. The phone just doesn't ring very often. When I do get work, the money is good.

Even with this horrible job frequency I'd have enough to support myself in a nice apartment in an area that I actually really love. I would not be putting away money though and if anything goes wrong I'd have to ask my parents to help out since I have no insurance and so forth.

So I'm living at home and saving money for a car and some additional career investments, like a professional grade camera and so forth. The real problem is that its killer on my confidence when there's no work for a while. I get the dirtiest looks when I'm sitting at home because the phone hasn't rung. I'm made to really feel like a bum when I have no work. Even though I managed to save around $5k these past two months, I've heard some ridiculous things come out of my parents' mouths, asking me if I'm retired, telling me how frustrated THEY are that there is no work, telling me to find a more stable job, etc, etc. My mother insists on offering me minimum wage positions at her company, for instance, though I earn more in a day freelancing what I'd earn in a week mowing the lawn for those jackasses. Then she starts talking about how much college graduates should be making!

There is a part of me that thinks if I lived on my own, I would be forced to work much harder and more aggressively to stay busy and advance my career. Should I move out now or after I save the money? Should I jump into a sink or swim situation, which is higher risk but possibly more rewarding, or should I just eat the uneasy stares and deal with being responsible for answering to my parents about what dates on the calendar are booked until I can make those career investments?

There's nothing telling me that my career will suddenly take off after these investments. They'll probably just increase my expenses and responsibilities truth be told. All I know for sure is that I see Toady One working on something I get the sense he truly believes in. A humble, creative lifestyle is what I wanted in the first place. I feel aimless..

I think that statement nicely sums up the entire source of your problems.

[Truean]

Parents don't get it: They lived through the economic golden age of America where you walked out of high school into the factory and a job you could support a whole family with....

That said, get a part time job AND stay at home if you can. Lower expenses and increased income. You won't regret having the money and if you have little else to do....

[alcohol_dependent]

I think that statement nicely sums up the entire source of your problems.

What do you mean? Am I being too arrogant? Self delusional?

That said, get a part time job AND stay at home if you can. Lower expenses and increased income. You won't regret having the money and if you have little else to do....

As well as all the similar responses in this thread..

seems to be the overwhelming majority and coming from a very intelligent community.. so it must be sensible and I'm just being stubborn.

Here goes the job search.

[Euld]

Actual job experience is necessary, that's what I've come to believe.  But even terrible dead-end jobs can be useful.  If you can be a dedicated, useful, dependable, cheerful individual with dead-end job, then you've proven you can handle more important work.  Toss in your portfolio from your freelance work and some luck, and that should give you a leg up on the pile.

I think.

[jester]

Move out, prove you can support yourself on your own with you acting and your right.  Fail and your parents are right.  As long as you are sitting at home your parents will be a bit like this, even if you have 100 grand in the bank.  I get how easy it is to save money living at home, but at the end of the day, nobody pays anything like realistic living expenses when living with parents, you can either move out and prove you can do it or suck it up, save your cash for a much better equipped move and try to enjoy the 100s of simple things that come with still living at home.  Making suggestions that appear totally insane is also a common trait of your elders and there isnt much you can do about it.  (I saw an interview with Antonio Banderez (?!?) where he said his mum nags him about not joining the army:  "you could be a Captain by now, something important") 

  Dats life

[Truean]

Move out, prove you can support yourself on your own with you acting and your right.  Fail and your parents are right.  As long as you are sitting at home your parents will be a bit like this, even if you have 100 grand in the bank.  I get how easy it is to save money living at home, but at the end of the day, nobody pays anything like realistic living expenses when living with parents, you can either move out and prove you can do it or suck it up, save your cash for a much better equipped move and try to enjoy the 100s of simple things that come with still living at home.  Making suggestions that appear totally insane is also a common trait of your elders and there isnt much you can do about it.  (I saw an interview with Antonio Banderez (?!?) where he said his mum nags him about not joining the army:  "you could be a Captain by now, something important") 

  Dats life

A lot of people just don't care. Fact is you can't just make it anymore like you could in the past. Again, our parents stumbled out of high school into factory jobs that could support the entire family off one income. That crap just doesn't happen anymore. They will never get it. Just do what you have to in order to survive.

[sneakey pete]

Something that did strike me after i made my previous post here, and that jester did kind of touch on, is that its the fact that your (in their minds) idly sitting there. Maybe just go out and have a camping trip, or something. Alterativly, find somewhere to volunteer once a week or something. Can't hurt in the long run.

[MaximumZero]

I know that money isn't particularly an issue, but a) my job is cake, b) it's full of contacts with everyone who walks into an electronics store, c) you're out of the house when you choose, and d) there's an opening in your area.

I know it looks too good to be true, but having a rep job makes your resume look really good, you can (mostly) schedule your own hours, the support staff is highly understanding, and you network like crazy. If you're a decent and personable rep (which I don't foresee being a problem), people actually get to recognize, know and like you, and you get tons of outside and relevant info. Who knows, maybe you can pick up more gigs?

Either way, it wouldn't hurt to look.

Spoiler: Link to info (click to show/hide)

https://marketsource-hr.silkroad.com/epostings/?fuseaction=app.jobsearch