I'm broke because I get too few hours at work and have too many smurfing expenses. School being the largest one since that's mostly out of pocket.
I'm broke because I get too few hours at work and have too many smurfing expenses. School being the largest one since that's mostly out of pocket.
Same here. It took a loooong time. Turning 29 years old in a few months and I live with my dad because I can't afford to live on my own. Not that it's a big improvement. But slightly better than when I lived with my mom the year prior, and we were all wearing coats and snowsuits indoors because we couldn't afford heating during the winter, and we ate nothing but rice for months on end.Originally Posted by fire_of_avalon
I could never comprehend friends or acquaintances who say things like "oh, my parents are helping me pay for this/that/the other thing." It's such a foreign concept to me. You... you mean there are people out there whose parents aren't in crippling poverty?
Last edited by Pike; 09-18-2012 at 02:00 AM.
streme Wheelie
Recognized Member
I just don't spend money. Just. None.
I guess you skipped the part where I said I'd mail you a check. WITH LOVE.
None of you people made me feel any better, except Tifa's Boobs.
My bank account hasn't ever been anywhere near empty since I got my first job at 17. I'm a saver, and I married a saver, so we've always been okay despite having trouble keeping steady jobs. It helps that we didn't have to put ourselves through college, and we've had cheap rent for the last couple of years.
Step one: Have simple pleasures (drinking occasionally, no drugs or cigs or bars, don't buy vehicle unless necessary for income)
Step two: Skip college
Step three: Somehow land job that nets me almost 40k/year
Step four: Meet life partner who did same
Paying mortgage and bills is a real struggle. If I didn't do guitar teaching as well as my normal job then I probably couldn't afford it. I could get a smaller place but I love my house. I've had lodgers in the past though when money's been particularly tight.
As long as you budget and you know where all your money goes then it's not hard keep on top of things.
I work a part time job while at uni, and stick my loans and grants into savings for my trip next year.
I have a fair bit in there but not as much as I'd like as I had to dip into it a lot last year when times were tough, and my laptop broke.
But yeah, at the moment I'm working so many more hours a week and by the end of the month I'm still in my overdraft and that's just to pay for the necessary stuff. Bills/food/rent.
It's too hard
I'm going to be moving in with relatives once I graduate so hopefully I'll be better off as I won't be paying so much out.
If all else fails I will just become a Golddigger.
Sell your ass for money on Craigslist or Gumtree Clo, that's how i'm able to afford all my expensive drugs, plus i've a little left over for bread & milk & for when i need to buy a new spoon or lighter.
Ever since I started saving for my trip to america it got super hard to stay on top of bills. I had to stop making the payments on my piano and that got carted off (plus, I'm moving interstate next year and wouldn't be able to take it with me without paying heaps), and it is the worst feeling ever to have to dip into savings to pay for bills/food etc.
It'll be good to relax about it all on holiday and have access to all the money I haven't been touching in months. I'll probably come back to a mountain of bills though AND I got my first credit card as a safety net for my trip, so I may b paying that off as well if I'm forced to use it Y_Y
I'm being incredibly stupid of course deliberately so though for bigger issues 2 credit cards can definitely help but you can't possibly keep paying everything for it.
Seriously best ways to save money:
- Quit smoking it's a luxury and bad for you if you can't afford to pay bills you can't afford to smoke.
- Quit drinking it's the same as above though you could still go for the odd drink you need to keep being somewhat sociable.
- Change your cell tariff so you don't pay ridiculous rates for crap you don't use.
- Change your isp if possible, this might save you a small amount of cash.
- Cancel all non-essential services.
- If you're spending lots on like dvd's/music/games join services like Netflix/Spotify (and similar) it'll at least cut down the outgoings each month. Be warned services like netflix/lovefilm in the uk what offer games don't provide any online activation codes for games so you'll need to buy them separately or get the game on the high street still.
- Look around for a cheaper apartment, find out how much the average room rental in your area is. If you're renting and it's above the average you could try negotiating with your landlord if he/she won't budge then consider moving. The cost of a deposit is a large lump sum but in the long term it could be better.
- Apply for better paid jobs that are in your field, change of job means upheaval but if you're earning like £15k doing customer service work and a company pays £20k for the same sort of jobs moving job would be win win.
- Drive less, spend the initial outlay on a mountain bike with a decent set of gears, cycling will keep you healthy meaning you need less from a gym and once you've got your bike and gear you need for road cycling it's pretty much free (I count there being a minor cost in cost of things like water/energy drinks you might need after cycling mid-long distances as an expense still)
- Look at your schedule, can you work 2 jobs? If you can could you cope with working an extra job around your current schedule, this is great for short term money building, choose something stupid like waiting tables as tips go a long way in your week without forming part of your budget.
- Look at what you eat and buy grocery wise, if you're buying branded food like Kellogs and there's a cheaper own brand alternative that's just as good or a value range available what isn't too bad consider eating that.
- Look at changing your diet to cut junk and increase the core health groups you need, this is especially important if looking at cycling/jogging to work!
It's what I consider when looking to save money.
Get a budgeting spreadsheet somewhere online, fill it in. I know most of you will read this and disregard it as effort, but for the one or two of you that give a trout, trust me, it'll smurfing work wonders. I do this for a living, my friends.Don't ever, ever, do this.
I went from not living paycheque to paycheque to living from paycheque to paycheque again. I just started a second BA, so I had to cut my hours at work back. I'm still waiting on student loans to go through. Oh, and to top it off, my dental work that was supposed to be covered by my uni's insurance is in a blackout period so it is now coming out of my pocket. I might get reimbursed come Christmas! Though the blackout period ends way before that! Oh and my credit card got maxed out (thanks to scrambling to pay the dentist)!
Edit: My current wages puts me on the cusp of a higher tax brackets so I am getting taxed more thus essentially making the same as my previous wage! This isn't counting my 42k student loan that has been on deferral since forever.
What the hell people, I didn't ask for financial advice (though I guess... thank you?). I strictly wanted bitching for the purpose of making me FEEL BETTER, not to add to my to-do list.
This is an internet forum, I thought you guys would be fantastic at bitching about money. Think of it like a blues song. This place could write a self-help book, christalmighty.
Love you guys though.
Maybe.
Well actually.Unless you literally meant having your tits together and in which case my advice is a push up bra. Always does the trick for me.
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