<prompt> Human: The teenager is 17, has lived with me for a bit less than a year. The biological parents are both abhorrently awful with money. In the time she has lived here, Ive shown her how to do things I naively assumed everyone knew: writing a check, addressing an envelope properly including where to put the stamp...PF, what do I need to teach her before shes on her own in life? And how do i go about with it? She just started a minimum wage job, and her expenses include gas and teenagery things like movies and clothes.  <response>: Im a caseworker - and I am so thrilled to see this question asked!! Monthly budgeting, deposits required to turn on utilities, saving...just to name a few. The things you would need to know to begin becoming financially independent. I would start with the assumption she has had no instruction so she gets a great foundation. Thank you for caring! 