19F college student trying to escape abusive household — how do I realistically move out?
I’m a 19-year-old UTK student in Knoxville, and I need advice on getting out of my parents’ house.
My home situation has been abusive for years. My dad was physically abusive when I was younger, my stepmom used to throw things, and she still threatens me and tells me to leave. Things have gotten bad enough that I’m being pushed out of the house.
Financially, I’m struggling. I made about $14k last year while paying for college. I had around $6.5k saved, but most went toward school. I recently bought a $3k used car because I needed transportation and still owe $500 on it. I don’t have much savings left.
My boyfriend and I are both college students and have just started serving jobs. We’re hoping to move into a cheap apartment together, but we don’t have enough saved for deposits, first month’s rent, moving costs, etc. We also have pets (I have a cockatiel, crested gecko, and jumping spider; he has a snake), which makes finding housing harder.
We’ve considered taking a ~$3–3.5k personal loan to cover moving costs and the first couple months of rent, then paying it off quickly with our serving income. I’m not sure if that’s smart or a terrible idea.
I also have to stay in school full-time while working several nights a week.
What would you do in my situation? Are there Knoxville/UTK resources for students leaving unsafe homes? Is taking a small loan to get established reasonable? How much should we have saved before signing a lease? And does anyone know of pet-friendly housing that allows reptiles/birds?
I’m trying to get out without becoming homeless, going deeply into debt, or having to drop out of college. Any advice from people who have been through something similar would mean a lot.