How about advice from an old poker player?

Pay your parents below market rent.

Seriously, once you leave you cannot go back. If you have a good relationship with your parents, stick around. I left home at 17 because I didn't have a good relationship with my father and never have had one. I'm sorry I don't. We're great phone buddies, tho.

It's a big step. Don't be too fast to "grow up." You have more time than you think. Best of all worlds is paying bills while you have the security of your folks.

CJ

Jack's right...if you can get along with the parents just fine and it doesn't affect your social life, stay while you can. Moving out AND starting school is usually a recipe for bad grades. Wait till you're in 3rd year if you can before you move out: hopefully you'll become more independent at home in doing all your cooking/cleaning for yourself to be ready for life on your own, and be comfortable with what it takes to do well in school. Your social life is WAY better on your own, but it's up to you whether you honestly think you're ready to handle a huge boost in responsibility in paying rent/bills/cleaning/cooking a boost in your social life, and the added load of starting post secondary studies.

My two cents. From the time I started college until now (finishing 7th year, 200 credit hours ) I've been mostly independent. I'm a pretty private person, so this worked out for me. After I came back from abroad for a year I stayed with relatives for about 5 months until I found a new place to live, and that was nice but it got old pretty quick. My first year of college, though, I'd come home every two weeks, so it was a gradual process of leaving.

The cost of living in Australia is NUTS



So far as I saw, unless you are renting/buying housing in Sydney or Melbourne, living in Oz is far cheaper than just about all Europe or in any major US city.

Certainly he will need less monthly nut than if he was in the same situation in US or UK..

I lived the majority of my time away from home since 13 and think, if you can afford it, that going to Uni ad living there is a great opportunity..

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I've still got a while to go yet before I have enough money to do it properly but I have a good idea in mind of what I want now