A little income of your own buys a lot of independence. Even mowing lawns counts.

Money that is yours changes the structure of your choices, not only the amount you can buy. Even a small independent income means some decisions stop requiring anyone’s approval, and that shift matters out of all proportion to the sums involved. Independence gets built in small denominations.

Find one way to earn something on your own terms, however modest, and keep it separate. Let it accumulate rather than absorbing it into everything else. What it teaches you about your own capability is worth more than the total.