Moved 400 miles from home into full-time work when I turned 18, and was financially independent from that point onwards. Later, I did the university thing - I had the grades to do so first time around, but wanted to work for a games company instead.

My parents were pretty understanding and I was allowed to live at home until I was out of school ... Where I went to school it was actually very common for students to live with their parents until they completed University because of how expensive it is to live on your own.

With that said, I didn't have it as easy as most students at school because my parents had already paid for my siblings to go to school and they couldn't afford to help me much beyond room and board; so I ended up working full time while going to university full time.

I graduated, worked while living at home for 12 months to pay off my minimal student debt and to build up enough savings that I would have a decent rainy day fund, and I moved out at 25. At the time I felt old for leaving so late, but since then I have known several people who have had to move back in with their parents and I think it was better to be on solid ground when I moved out at 25 rather than have to move back in when I was 30.