I am asking this question because the young adult in question, is me. I am to move out in a few years, and it feels impossible to move far away from my hometown (which I want). I have no idea how to juggle both finances, a job, and the move itself. With the global inflation going on, it feels impossible getting hold of a decent apartment to rent.
What advice would you give someone like me? What should I keep in mind and prepare* myself for? What are your experiences moving out, or moving away from your hometown? How long did the process take for you, and how did you manage keeping a job that paid all your taxes and rent? If you could look back and give younger you some advice, what would you tell them?
(If it provides any context, I am North European.)
A “few years” is not “about to move out”. You’ve got a long time to work this out.
It is very tough for your generation, no doubt at all. It’s been getting tougher and tougher for the last 50 years. And I witnessed all of those years so I don’t know that anything an old codger like me can say that would be useful to you.
But it is still probably true that young people usually move away from their home towns for a job. So look for the job you can afford to move for and take it from there. Employers know that people have notice periods and need time to move, they won’t be expecting you to start the next day.
That is less true if you’re stuck in low wage work so, if that is the case, get some work experience in an area where agency work is common (care work, warehousing, office temping, etc) or get stuck into the gig economy. Those jobs are portable and you can use agency work to find a permanent employer you like and who likes you.
If you’re in Northern Europe you will be able to claim in-work benefits if your housing costs are too high for your wage to support (just make sure you look up the rules on how much space you’re allowed and how much support you will get).
Moving only takes a day (unless you have shedloads to pack), and house-hunting from afar is one of the few things that is a lot easier these days. Once you know where you want to move to, pick a convenient day or two to visit, check all the online estate agents operating in the area and fix up as many appointments as you can fit in while you’re there. If you see somewhere decent and affordable, don’t waste any time applying for it (you can often get accepted on the spot).
Make sure you think about public transport routes if you move before you know where you will be working. You will need to be close to good bus/tram/train routes to get you from home to where the jobs are, especially if you’re going to start out with an agency. That’s another thing that is fantastically easy to do from afar these days.
You’re either in the EU or you have freedom of movement within the EU so, if language barriers allow, you can cast your net pretty wide.
Start saving now. Moving does not take long but it is costly. You get paid holiday because Northern Europe, so save that up for when you are ready to quit your job and use it to cover your notice period. That way they have to pay you for not turning up to work and you can get a new job while they’re still paying you. Double pay for a few days or weeks goes a long way to covering costs you would otherwise struggle with.
Good luck. Start planning. Even if it’s just a fantasy right now, you’ll come up with some ideas that might actually work and ways to overcome some barriers.
Beware of scammers, especially anyone who approaches you because of a post on social media.