u/SilverSilver5072

I’m trying to build my own future, but I feel like I have almost no control over my situation.

I’ve already worked for around 11 months as a monitoring officer and I’m actively trying to find another job. I also want to continue university, probably in International Relations, but paying for it is a serious concern.

The biggest problem is my family’s finances. We have two shops that could potentially be sold and provide a significant amount of money, but my father refuses to sell them. I’ve even spoken to a real estate person who said they could try to sell them, but after my father spoke to them, the situation basically stopped.

There are also ongoing household and business expenses, and I feel like I’m constantly thinking about money while having very little control over the decisions that affect it.

It’s affecting me mentally. My sleep and peace of mind are getting worse, and I constantly think about how I’m going to become independent, continue my education, get a decent job, and eventually get out of this situation.

I don’t want someone to just tell me “everything will be okay.” I want advice from people who have been in difficult family situations:

If you were in my position, what would you do first? How would you start becoming independent when you don't control the family finances?

I already know some basic coding and basic video editing, and right now I’m also uploading AI-generated/stock images to Adobe Stock. But I don’t want to rely on that alone.

When university starts next year, I’ll probably have to pay for a hostel/apartment along with food, transport and other living expenses. So I want to spend this year learning skills that I can actually get paid for and hopefully build a decent monthly income before university starts.

I’m not looking for a quick-money scheme. I’m willing to spend the next year properly learning and practicing.

If you were in my position, which skills would you focus on in 2026 that have real freelance demand and could realistically help cover monthly living expenses?

Especially interested in hearing from people who are already earning from freelancing:

Which skill are you earning from?

How long did it take you to become good enough to get paid?

What would you learn if you had to start again?

I’d rather focus on 1–2 skills properly than learn 10 things badly.

I’ve got about a year before university, and I want to use that time to build something that can actually make me money. Once university starts, I’ll have rent/hostel and other expenses to deal with, so I don’t want to wait until then to figure everything out.

I’m willing to learn a skill and put in the work. I just don't know which direction is actually worth it.

For people who have actually made money from an online side hustle, what would you recommend to someone starting from basically zero?

What worked for you, how long did it take to make your first money, and roughly how much are you making now?

I'm looking for real experiences, not the usual “make $500/day with AI” stuff 😂

I have about a year before university, and by then I’ll probably need to cover my own hostel/apartment rent and other monthly expenses, so I want to use this year properly and build an actual income source.

I’ve looked into video editing, web development, AI stuff, SEO, Canva, data analysis, etc., but there are way too many options and I keep getting confused about what to choose 💀

If you were starting from zero and had one year to become good enough at a skill to get paying clients, what would you choose?

Not looking for the “make $10k in 30 days” bullshit. I just want something with real demand that I can realistically turn into a decent monthly income.

What skill would you lock in on?

I'm a 19-year-old student and I want to start earning online, but I'm honestly confused about which skill is actually worth learning.

I've looked into things like data entry, AI work, Canva, content writing, customer support, SEO, etc., but there are so many options that I keep jumping from one thing to another without becoming good at anything.

I don't need to make huge money immediately. Even getting my first 20–30k/month would be a big start. My goal would be to eventually reach 50–80k+.

For people here who are actually freelancing:

If you had to start again from zero in 2026, what skill would you learn and why?

Also, how long did it realistically take you to get your first client?

I'm looking for honest answers from people who are actually doing this, not "learn this skill and make $10k/month" type advice.

I'm 18/19 and I honestly feel stuck.

I've been trying to figure out my life for a while now — education, getting a job, becoming financially independent, helping my family, and eventually building a decent future for myself. But it feels like every time I try to move forward, something gets in the way.

I completed my first year of intermediate and I'm trying to figure out what I should study next. I'm interested in International Relations, political science, history and similar subjects. I've been researching universities and entrance tests, but even something as basic as university has become stressful because I have to think about the cost and whether I can actually afford it.

I've also been trying really hard to find work. I've worked before for around 11 months as a monitoring officer, and I've applied to a lot of jobs and tried different ways of earning online. I've looked into customer support, remote work, freelancing, AI-related work, stock photography and other things. But getting something stable that actually gives me enough income has been difficult.

The bigger problem is my family situation.

There are assets/businesses in my family that could potentially provide money, including two shops, but I don't control them. My father doesn't want to sell them even though selling them could potentially solve some of our financial problems. At the same time, there are expenses and financial responsibilities that keep piling up.

I feel like I'm constantly thinking about money.

How am I going to pay for university?

How am I going to get a decent job?

How am I going to become independent?

How am I supposed to help my family when I don't even have financial control myself?

And that's where my mental health starts getting affected.

I overthink constantly. My sleep has become messed up. Sometimes my mind just doesn't shut off. I can spend hours thinking about my future, money, family problems and whether I'm wasting my time. I don't feel like I'm enjoying being young because my brain is constantly calculating what I should do next.

I've also had periods where I've felt completely hopeless about the situation. Not necessarily because I don't want a future — actually the opposite. I desperately want to build a good life. That's what makes it so frustrating. I want to work, study, earn money and become independent, but I don't know which direction to take or how to get there from where I currently am.

I don't want fake motivational quotes or someone telling me "everything will be fine."

I want honest advice from people who have actually gone through difficult family situations, financial pressure, or feeling completely lost when they were young.

If you were in my position, what would you do first?

Would you focus entirely on getting a job and becoming financially independent?

Would you prioritize university even if money is tight?

Would you stop trying to solve my family's financial problems and focus only on myself?

Or is there something else I'm completely missing?

I know this is a lot, but I needed somewhere anonymous where I could finally say all of this without pretending that everything is fine.