Some kids decide not to go to college after high school. This can work out great—if they opt for high quality job training instead of heading off to 4-year college. But what if your kid wants to work a minimum wage job in the years after high school? Is there any hope that he or she will move out of your house?
A minimum wage job after high school puts kids at high risk for living in their parents’ basements.
Why is this?
Because there’s no state in the U.S. where a minimum wage job covers rent.
A minimum wage job is great for during high school, but after that, students need a different plan.
If a teen you care about doesn’t have post high school career direction apart from the idea of working a minimum wage job, see the helpful article I’ve written about teens getting high quality career direction, here.
If your child has a disability that you worry might disqualify him or her from college or job training, read this article and feel relieved.
If your child has an addiction that is sapping his or her school and career motivation, caring help is available.
To see the most inspiring lines from Meg Jay’s book The Defining Decade: Why Your Twenties Matter—And How to Make the Most of Them Now so you can share them with your teen, see the article I’ve written here.
To learn the one sentence you can say that will keep your kids from living in your basement through their 20’s, read the helpful article I’ve written here.
A minimum wage job will not cover rent. Anywhere.
Help your son or daughter make a different plan, and then develop the confidence to carry that plan out.
I can help with this—and I can help your family do it without debt.
There’s clear, step-by-step help for this in my book (to quickly learn as much as possible about career clarification for teens and college students ages 15 and up, focus on chapter 13):
Important—> It’s a reference book, so nobody reads the whole thing cover to cover. Pick out what you need to read in it using the fast-paced, 10-minute video instructions here.
You can see hundreds of reviews of this book on Amazon by going to:
You can see why financial advising professionals love LAUNCH, here.
You can see the top 9 questions parents are asking me about LAUNCH, here.
Read just one chapter of LAUNCH every 1–3 months while your child’s in middle school and high school, and you’ll know every viable strategy for debt-free college at exactly the right time to implement it.
And if your child’s already well past middle school? That’s OK; you can run to catch up. But the process of getting your kids through college debt-free goes more smoothly the earlier you start it—especially if you’re not planning to save up any money to pay for college.
Let's you and I walk together toward the goal of debt-free college for your kids.
We can accomplish this no matter your current income level—even if your kids never get a single scholarship.
Your first step is getting regularly scheduled, free helpful articles from me—right in your email inbox. Quick, sign up here.
Do you have very specific questions for me about debt-free college and career for your kids?
My TRIBE Members get the most direct access to me—while feeling good that the pennies per day they spend on the TRIBE help me bring debt-free college strategy to families who could never afford to pay for it. Join my TRIBE Membership waiting list here.
Who is Jeannie Burlowski?
Jeannie is a full-time academic strategist, podcast host, and sought-after speaker for students ages 12–26, their parents, and the professionals who serve them. Her writing, speaking, and podcasting help parents set their kids up to graduate college debt-free, ready to jump directly into careers they excel at and love. Her work has been featured in publications such as The Huffington Post, USA Today, Parents Magazine, and US News & World Report, and on CBS News.
Jeannie also helps students apply to law, medical, business, and grad school at her website GetIntoMedSchool.com. You can follow her on Bluesky @jburlowski.bsky.social.
No part of this article was written using AI.
This article was updated on October 25th, 2022.