<prompt> Human: What did you learn after doing so for the first time? Im 20, and plan on living with my parents for a little bit more as it is a privilege to not pay rent. I get my first degree this May, and will see a substantial growth in income and want to prepare myself for when I do decide to work in the city.  <response>: If you have the good fortune of nolow-cost housing that meets your needs and is safe, I would suggest living at home as long as it makes sense to. Housing eats up such a big of a young professionals salary that living at home for a few years while you establish yourself professionally does pay dividends in mid-to-late 20s. With that said, you may miss the window for living with roommates and that has the potential to be University 2.0 which is always a good time. Also, your childhood home may not offer the best opportunities in terms of social life and dating, so that is worth considering in your 20s. If you decide to leave immediately upon graduation, my conservative suggestion is to stay until youve saved the future emergency fund. That is, think about what your future estimated budget will look like when you graduate, save 6 months of that and maybe a little extra for initial housing related expense broker fee, security deposit, furniture, and then go for it. You will grow a lot and assume a level of autonomy that is key to being successful in life. This cushion will help the already daunting task of striking out on your own feel more manageable, both financially and emotionally. I was at home until my mid-20s and having the cash to pay a years worth of rent up front if I wanted to was reassuring. Good luck! 