#i'm working for a few years to pay off my student loan debt and save up money. then god knows what the fuck i'll do after that

[navybrat817]

Okay, lovelies. Remember when I said the good vibes you were sending me may have tipped the scales in my favor? Well, buckle in because I'm about to get personal. 😂❤️

Like many people out there, I have student loan debt. My hubby has student loan debt. Hundreds and hundreds of dollars a month. Not only do we have student loan debt with terrible interest rates, we also had medical bills and credit card debt to take care of unexpected emergencies over the last few years. It's stressful. Many of you understand.

My family has never had much and hasn't been able to help, which I don't expect them to. I work hard to do what I can. I still had 10 years to pay on my loans when I checked a month ago. 10 years. There has been no end in sight.

Until now.

After a lot of hard work and working with a financial advisor, we paid off our two major credit cards today. I am paying the remainder of my student loans in full tomorrow. And within the next year, the remainder of my husband's student loans will be paid in full. Not only that, we will have a true emergency savings account opened by the end of the year.

Lovelies, I sobbed. Full on sobbed. Ugly cried until my chest and head hurt. The stress of this debt has weighed on me and kept me up at night. I worried for my kids. I worried for myself. And now I can actually put some of this money toward both their future and mine. It's an amazing feeling.

Now, we're not out of the woods. 😂 My hubby still has that last student loan, along with a car payment and our mortgage. But, fuck, the weight is so much lighter and I feel like I can finally breathe. We needed this win.

Appreciate the good vibes, lovelies. I'm sending them back your way. I hope any weight you have weighing down on you is lifted. I hope you can breathe a bit easier.

Love you all. ❤️

PS - The advisor also said no big spending, but my teammate said I should buy myself something nice and that candles don't count. ☠️ Can I buy a fictional husband? 🤣

[doinbetter]

Everyone on here has probably forgotten me but here are some updates from my life now :)

I'm all done with school and living back with family. I got a fellowship with a government agency doing environmental data analysis! It was really challenging at first. (challenges: remote work, wasn't getting a lot of support from my mentor, general first full time job woes) BUT I've been putting in extra effort to meet the team. I'm feeling more supported and motivated because of that.

Also started getting back into a productive headspace after not really identifying with that mindset for a while. Honestly COVID threw me off for several years there (+ the general stresses of grad school + stoner life). I just didn't feel as driven as I used to, but luckily I could coast off my past accomplishments for a few years and end up in a good place. I was tired of the grindset mentality. It was too much with the pandemic. I realized it's important to start my career off right though :) I want to do a great job on my project & make a good impression. (while still having balance in the rest of my life!! like you won't catch me working after hours but from 9 - 5... i'm ON IT!)

My main goal in life right now is working on my FINANCES! mainly I'm obsessed with paying off my student loans. I give myself plenty of money for groceries each month. One of my goals for this year was to be hot, so I also give myself like $2-300 each month to invest in my appearance. I made a list of essential beauty / clothing items and I'm working through it month by month. Other than that... I'm dumping THOUSANDS into student loan debt to hopefully be debt free by end 2024 or early 2025. Then I save save save and move out of my family's house by Fall 2025. <3

On the note of being hot goals: started showering nightly, weekly face mask monday routine (nails, hair mask, face mask, foot soak, shaving everything, and a weed gummy to top it off!) and buying a few cute clothes that fit me at my current size instead of putting it off until I reached a lower weight (unhealthy thought leftover from obsessive weight loss days :( ) My favorite purchase so far is CUTE PJS FROM VICTORIAS SECRET <3 <3 I got a slip and a shirt/shorts combo that help me feel sooo cute in the evenings when I'm doing my hygiene routines, journaling, reading... <3 I also got a bra that actually fits me and I'm a fucking DD. who??????

My boyfriend and I have been together for over 3 years now. I've gotten really close to his family and I spend most weekends at his place. I'm very happy and at peace in this relationship. Working on doing more little acts of kindness. He's very generous with me so I wanna match his energy more. we're working on being more independent now in this new busy era for us. unfortunately we can't be unemployed students forever.

also my best friend called me her best friend so i officially have a best friend in my hometown. she is so funny and drama-free. I love her. WOO!

So that's life! I'm a full on financially independent woman now. it feels AMAZING!

love, Jillian

[nerves-nebula]

Oh wow, that sounds really cool that you're in such a prestigious school! Especially since they paid you to go too, that's really great. If I could help with research I would, I love learning new things :]

If this isn't too odd/big an ask (and if it is, don't worry about answering!) how do you get to a point where a school would pay you to go?

I'd love to go to college or university, but I have to work rn to try and save up and something like that might be the difference between going broke or not. Alas I haven't anyone that'd cover the charges, I've been encouraged not to go to school actually. I graduated high school with a (grade 12) 96% average if that means anything?

most of my projects aren't super research heavy, except for a history class, where I've gotta research a Japanese designer called Tadanori Yokoo. But I'm focusing on other stuff right now. Got a lotta poster presketches and drafts due next week.

I'm from the USA, so this might not be any help at all if you're outside of it. Which you might be, since you called it "grade 12" and I don't think I've heard anyone in the states call it that.

Anyway, here's my wayyy too long ramble about it:

short answer to how I personally got money from art schools is that I had a good portfolio and got accepted. But really, it ultimately depended on the schools financial aid budget.

I got accepted to every art school I applied too, and most offered me some money, whether that be a scholarship or in the form of financial aid. But like I said before, none were enough for me to actually go, since my family is kinda poor.

BUT the school I'm going to right now is rich enough to basically give any students who are poor but got accepted a huge discount on tuition. Or just completely drop tuition entirely and only charge us for room and board, as well as some other fees like health insurance or w/e.

But you also have to take out student loans, because the school doesn't just wanna give you money for FREE.

And that all depends on how much money you or the person supporting you makes. And even then, they expected my mom to be able to contribute way more than she was able to.

Actually, I don't think she helped pay for my first year at all. That's why I worked at McDonalds for a while before school started, so I'd have at least the first few payments ready. I ended up having to ask my dad for money (he doesn't give my mom money to spend on us anymore cause she can't be trusted LMAO), as well as using all $2,000 of an outside scholarship I won exclusively on monthly payments. So "expected" contribution is still a pretty rough estimate on the schools part.

this is all to say it was a really annoying process and I'm currently racking up a ton of debt. Which I might not have to worry about cause my girlfriend gets paid a lot and said with her salary she could probably pay it off in no time.

So let it be known that despite my struggles I am in an extremely privileged position by having someone who I can reliably have help me with college payments.

and that's not even touching on non-art focused colleges. I have NO idea how they decide who gets what money. As far as free/low cost college goes, I think most people's only chance is to get some kind of scholarship, take out a lot of loans and commit yourself to debt, or see if your states community college has more affordable tuition. I mean, if your lucky your state might even have FREE community college.

[uncloseted]

I'm planning on moving to a state in the midwest with my boyfriend in a few months and I'm starting to get nervous about the recession. Is moving during this time a bad idea? Is the midwest a bad part of the country to consider when the economy is going so badly?

So the good news is that the US is not officially in a recession (yet, at least). Early this summer, the U.S. did experience two consecutive quarters of negative GDP growth, but as of right now, The National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) has determined that the economy is not performing badly enough to declare a recession. This may change, and people are certainly feeling the financial burden of inflation right now, but the situation isn't as bad as it could be.

Even if there is a recession, how much it will impact your life depends on what your current financial situation looks like. On the individual level, the biggest concerns in a recession are labor related: that a person might lose their job, have their wages cut, or their hours reduced, leading to a lower take-home pay overall. Companies are also reluctant to bring on new hires during a recession, so it would be challenging to find a new job. The good news on this is that the job market is still growing: in the past year, the economy gained 10 million jobs, and there are 1.7 available jobs for every person seeking work.

The other major concern is cost of living: during a recession, people are spending more on essentials (rent, electricity, food) than they were before, which means that they struggle to save money and don't have as much money to spend on non-essentials. We are seeing this right now: inflation is at the highest level in over 40 years, and consumer prices are up 13.2% on average. After adjusting for inflation, “real” weekly earnings went down 4.4% in the last year, and household income has also gone down slightly.

Finally, a recession impacts a person's ability to borrow money in the form of a loan. Higher interest rates mean that a person has to spend more money on their current debt, and that acquiring new debt is more difficult. During a recession, lenders are more hesitant to loan money because lenders will think twice before loaning money during a recession since they perceive borrowers to have less job security than they do when the economy is doing well. This means that if you have student debt or credit card debt, it will become more expensive to pay off, and if you're looking to buy a house or a car, it may be harder to do so.

All of that is to say that if you and your partner have secure, well-paying jobs, have savings, don't have many financial obligations (children, debt), and aren't planning on making any big purchases that require loans in the near future (house, cars) then the recession may be irritating, but it won't impact your finances that much. If that's not your situation, in order to prepare for a possible recession, it's a good idea to start paying down any debt that you have, to save at least three months’ worth of living expenses, to diversify your income streams, and/or to start looking for a recession-proof career.

To get to your actual question, whether or not it's a bad idea to move during a recession depends on a lot of factors. Where are you moving from? What area of the midwest are you moving to? What's your current financial situation like? What's your boyfriend's current financial situation like? How expensive is your current lifestyle? Would you save money by moving? Will you need to get new jobs if you move? Are there availabilities in your industries in the area you're looking to move to?

In general, though, moving to the midwest isn't a bad plan. Cost of living tends to be lower in the midwest than it is in other areas of the country. As of 2022, Kansas the 3rd lowest cost of living in the US, Missouri has the 7th lowest cost of living, Indiana has the 8th, Iowa the 9th, Illinois has the 13th, Nebraska the 14th lowest, Michigan the 15th, Ohio the 17th, Wisconsin the 22nd, and Minnesota the 26th lowest cost of living in the US. (If you're curious, the highest are Hawaii, DC, Massachusetts, California, New York, and Alaska).

If you're moving to a big city, the calculation is a little different. For example, the cost of living in Pittsburg, Kansas is 9% lower than in Topeka, Kansas, and the cost of living is 15% lower in Mankato, Minnesota than it is in Minneapolis, Minnesota. You can compare the cost of living in different cities here if you're curious. If the area where you currently live has a higher cost of living than the area in the midwest you're planning on moving to, it might be a good financial decision, since you'll be saving money on things like food, transportation, and housing. But it's important to consider other factors that may impact your financial situation if you move- if you'll need to get new jobs after moving, for example, that may impact your financial situation more than staying where you are.

My best advice would be to try to calculate whether moving makes financial sense for you right now. Calculate your household's take-home pay (the amount of money you and your boyfriend make after taxes, retirement savings, and health insurance). Then calculate your current spending. How much are your regular monthly bills (rent, utilities, car payments, medication, etc.)? How much are your variable expenses (groceries, gas, entertainment, etc.)? How much money do you currently have saved up? If you moved, how would those numbers change? Would they go up or down? Could you afford the actual costs of moving (paying for movers or a moving truck, putting down a deposit on a new place, boxes, etc.)? If your bills would become less expensive or stay the same after a move and your take-home pay would increase or stay the same, moving may make financial sense.

The last thing I want to say is that finances aren't the only thing that factors into whether or not moving is a good idea. There are so many things that can impact a person's happiness and well-being that aren't financial. For example, one study from the University of the West of England found that an additional 20 minutes of commuting every day has the same negative effect on job satisfaction as receiving a 19% pay cut. When thinking about whether or not to move, it's important to look at the situation holistically, not just financially. As long as you can afford to pay your bills, it may be worth spending more money in order to invest in your happiness.

[sweet-popplio]

Literally JUST GOT PAID and already feel money being siphoned out of my account. Our apartment decided to sign us up for a program that charges us an extra $20 to put our payments towards improving our credit scores? I'm sorry, but I have to pay someone to improve my credit score??? On top of my actual payment? Fuck off.

Once I make my monthly student loan payment and pay on my credit card, I still need to purchase a table for a con. Just using my credit card for gas and groceries is racking up a debt there that I can't seem to zero out. Just a few years ago it would be no problem, but now I am making more money and somehow cannot seem to catch up. I can't even put behind money into a savings account like I used to. I am so close to having a breakdown at this point. I'm also just burnt out from working and had hoped to save some money to put back so I can take a week off. But it feels like I can't even do that. I just want to cry.

[sesmantelar]

really thinking about the next stages of my life. I need to keep in mind that with whateer decision I make, that is not permanent nor is it the rest of my life and I can change things at any point. A part of me is very comfortable here in north carolina, and I really do want to keep it as one of my bases. the problem is, I don't have enough nor will I have enough money in time to deposit on a condo here. maybe if I can figure out my financial situation quick, I will be able to establish an actual solid base however, I need to get serious asap if I want that to happen.

I also need to remember that I can have my dollhouse and life anywhere - it's me that brings that energy and aura, not necessarily the location.

I want to get a new car. I think this is the year to do it as well because if I buy a new car like as my christmas gift to myself, I can work hard to pay it off in full prior to moving to europe, and then just have her shipped to whichever country I'm going to graduate school in.

I have an interview for another PRN job because I'm going to need my options lined up - and I want to be able to do overtime way closer to home (easier on me and my sanity, especially since it will be night shift work). I think the goal I will keep in my head is that if I can power through my online degree in the next few months as well as utilizing my overtime pay to compltely remove me from debt and get my savings up to where they need to be, I will buy the 2023 Mercedes GLA SUV for my christmas present to myself. it would be perfect! returning from my malaysia/japan trip and treating myself to my dream car! it will be such a proud moment for me because I never would have thought I would see the day. but before any of that, I need to check off the main requirements for purchasing her: get my credit score back to excellent, other than student loans take all my debt down to zero FAST, have savings up to 20k, be almost complete with my degree by january 2024, get an excellent score on the GRE, have an art business up and running, and submit art weekly to galleries as well as have neo and nova up finally, and be working towards your gold moves in the field by december. if all is achieved, trust and believe my beautiful (hopefully the rose gold!) mercedes will be under my tree this christmas. this is another thing im keeping to myself - love how I dont want to post my accomplishments anymore - I genuinely believe that the evil eye is real and I want no parts in negativity in my life.

outside of that, Ive been really inconsistent with my eating so starting today, Im doing OMAD and relying on low carb tea to last during the day, and the goal is to have a veggie/protein dinner once a day for nutrition and so I can start rebuilding my skating muscles/ stretngth. I have been a bit better about hydration, and I hope to make it habit that I will stick to again. the only thing I'm missing in this final equation for weight loss is exercise. if I start denying snacks again, finishing my fasts all the way through, drinking my iced lemon water (preferably up to a gallon), eating enough protein and doing the pilates videos I wanted to do, I know my body will come together in literally two weeks. I'm scheduled to leave work at 3 today but I'm planning on staying until 7 unless I really really want to go home at the end of the day. regardless, I have to use the time to stretch deeply, get my mobility back on track, ankles strengthened, muscles warmed up and ready for tomorrow. I'm likely going to get home, golden, do a pilates workout and stretch/do a mobility routine, do my evening self care, tune and practice the harp for tomorrow, and do the finishing touches on both drawings - submitting them to the gallery today, put all my clothes away, clean the entire apartment and do a quick mop.

at work today, I'm going to be studying for the GRE, reading a little bit of my book, researching more Swiss universities, and watching the business videos/working on my business stuff, rescheduling stuff that is happening tomorrow, and I want to start working on my colombia travel video. when I get home, I want it to be ice prep time, art time and harp time - as well as re setting my space. depending on how I feel, I may stop by the mall after work to pick up a new wall scent or candle because this mahogany taekwood wall scent does not smell appropriate for the dollhouse.

[chrishoughton]

Any advice for someone in their 20s?

Your 20s! The gif above is from the 20s, get it?????

For me, my 20s were mostly spent working. I was trying to get better at my craft while also learning how to make money. I got married young and my wife and I took some big risks with our careers. Your 20s is a GREAT time to move. Move anywhere, try it out. It'll never be easier and the risks will never be lower. Same with your career- your 20s is a great time to be a mover and shaker. When is a good time to leave your job? When you've stopped learning.

Your 20s is definitely a great time to experiment but make no mistake, it's not free time. Eventually your 30s will roll around and while I'm very much enjoying my 30s, it's very different from my 20s. Your 30s is like the day after a big party. How you feel is very dependent on how you spent your time at the party. I'm relieved that I worked as hard as I did in my 20s. Here are some things I did in my 20s that really helped me:

-Learn about finances. How to invest, budget, and how to manipulate your income/expenses. Control your money or risk letting your money control you! Learn about retirement and start saving a little, even if it's only $50/month bc maybe you've got a bunch of debt you need to pay off. Which is why it's good to focus on...

-Pay off your debt. It's much easier said than done but what really helped us pay off our massive student loans early in our careers was to look at the debt like a puzzle. There are only two ways to make money: increase your income or decrease your expenses. Tackle the principal. Interest is your enemy.

-Look at your job through this lens: every good job provides at least one of these things: money, experience/training, or upward mobility. If your current job doesn't fulfill any of these categories, then it's time to look for another job. And again, it's much easier to switch jobs (or careers!) in your 20s.

-Write down your goals. It sounds cliche, but where do you want to be in 10 years? Those 10 years will pass regardless, so might as well plan for it. How do you want to spend your limited time here on earth? What are you passionate and curious about? Having a goal helps inform the decisions you'll make along the path to get to that goal. Break your goal down into smaller, more obtainable steps.

- Prioritize your health. Try to establish decent eating/sleeping habits. Try to move a bit each day and break a sweat a few times a week. You only get one body and most likely, you want it to last a good while.

-Protect your mind and attitude. Surround yourself with people who will champion you and your crazy goals. Avoid negative people who will project their fears and failures onto you. Keep your motivation up and know that you are a BAMF!!

Most importantly, take a breath and know that while your 20s are an important time, it's not the end all be all. We're all on different paths in life and the differences in these paths become more apparent as you age. Don't compare yourself to anyone else, only your prior self. Reach for your own potential, not someone else's.

P.S. I remember reading "The Defining Decade" in my 20s and it was a helpful read on this subject.

[stumbleintothesun]

Life Rant

For the few people in here...sorry lmao this is long as hell.

Lately I've been feeling like...garbage. I know there's no one on this place that really follows me, so this is me posting to the void.

I have been dealing with a lot of health issues related to my mental health and weight. I've gained nearly twenty pounds in a year, and no matter what I do my weight doesn't budge. I work out regularly, Ive been trying to eat better but...my only thought is its because I'm working a desk job now - which I fucking hate with a fury. And I know my weight isnt the end of the world - it just really, really fucks with my mental health. I've always felt ugly. The only time I didn't was when I was super thin which I know is problematic - and I know that's part of my mental health...like my aunt died from an ED. And my mom definitely had/has an ED even if she's gotten much better about it in the past few years...

And I'm finally getting my face to clear up after wearing these masks for a year - a year! But I'm still dealing with the healing process and I'm anxious it will scar. I've worked this entire pandemic at a job I *hate* just to you know, finally pay off my student loans just go back to school so maybe I can do something I love. But even at 25 and providing for myself, I hardly got any financial help. The only thing saving me is my grades that got me a decent transfer scholarship.

But the first school I applied to wanted my high school transcript, even though I have an associate's degree, and because I'm, frankly, stupid I somehow missed that they needed it. So they threw out my application that I spent an otherwise four hours writing for.

So I'm going to Eastern, which frankly will be better for my mental health, but they don't have a tuition free program. So I'm going to have to borrow money after just finally paying off my single year at a liberal arts college debt that I took on when I was 17 (it ended up being like 30k to pay off). And it's all because I didn't fucking read right. So much for being a good student, I guess.

But it wouldn't have mattered because they would've hardly taken any of my classes despite most of them being from down the road and for an associate's degree! And even Eastern is giving me a hard time, despite my degree they say I don't have the basic level biology course - my degree is biology focused! I'm going into ecology! I have taken genetics, conservation biology, anatomy and physiology, cellular biology but I don't have intro bio? So now I have to test out, on top of working full time. Which is fine, its a good refresher...I'm just so overwhelmed with life right now. I have a stack of over 100 flash cards and I'm just anxious.

This is a year after my partner went through an ugly break up with their old fiance (we were poly), and their ex was an abusive POS who once told them if they came out as anything other than their assigned gender, he wouldn't date them anymore. He gaslit them constantly, made them feel like hell. So we finally got out, but he wanted the house they got together or 10k. He made over double what they make - and he always forced them to pay half the bills, including half of his fucking protein bullshit because it was "groceries." He knew they didn't have the funds. Because our friends are amazing, we were able to buy him off but he left the house trashed.

It fucking sucked, and they were also responsible for getting his name off the house which meant a refinance that we could hardly afford. We got lucky we were able to do it, but they hardly got anything back for it. And it was a *nightmare*. We finally got it done, after pulling teeth and it took six months. Four months longer than they said. And that entire time they were forced to occasionally reach out to him, their old abuser.

Finally we were free, but then I started having further issues at work. Between the pandemic, and working in a heavily red area during the election, I cried a lot. I work in customer service and while I make okay money for the industry, I'm constantly burned out. My colleagues are okay, but it feels stupid to leave just to find a job for three months to go back to school. Then I started being short in my drawer (I'm a teller at a bank). The final straw was being short $500. Now I'm on a work plan, and if Im short again, I'm out. And it's my fault. I don't know how it has been happening. So now I'm always on edge at work, triple checking everything. And I could leave, I could get another job but there's no promise I'll make what I do now, and in order for me to pay for the chunk of school I need to, I have to put away a certain amount every month.

I do have a grant of sorts for 5k per semester to help with bills, which will alleviate a lot once August arrives. And I know I'm crazy lucky to have that. So sometimes I feel like such an asshole about it. But we have a house to pay for and bills to pay. Just like everyone else. Ugh, I don't know.

I talked to my doctor about my weight, came in with calorie intake numbers and how much I work out with zero change. I cut out pop entirely from drinking it every day. Nothing has helped. So we switched my meds from Lexapro to Wellbutrin to see if I lose weight because of that. Nope, just having more mental break downs, steady weight, and my resting heart rate is abnormally high, stopping me from making a little extra cash donating plasma. So now I'm switching back to Lexapro with nothing gained other than. You know. Feeling like shit. Next up? Birth control coming out of my arm. Don't really need it anyway. And maybe that will help? But I don't think so. I'm not sure what to do.

I am genuinely trying to be healthy, eating more whole foods. More veggies. More home cooked meals. I love to cook, I'm just tired. And sometimes the air fryer and oven baked frozen foods are too easy to pass up. I'm trying to always eat breakfast. I'm working out again, we have a gym membership but there are so many men there and I dont always feel comfortable, because my partner has been anemic and they can't go yet. So I use our bike in the living room and do home workouts.

But when I did this last time there was zero change in weight or anything. Even when I ate really, really clean for three weeks and worked out for most days, tracking calories and everything. Nothing changed. My thyroid is fine, we've already checked it. I'm just tired.

This past year, other than being with my partner has fucking sucked. And this doesn't even cover all the shit they've dealt with with switching to they/them and a name change. I love them so much, and love that they are finally comfy but their parents were assholes about it. And that matters. It does, and I get it. I just wish I could help them more. I wish we had a break, a breather for longer than a day. Even then I can't relax, I'm too on edge. There's too much to be done. I need to earn money, I need to clean, I need to focus. I need to be productive in some way to justify if I'm not working on those things. It's...all dumb.

[cowboyjen68]

Hi! I just read your post about your son, I'm about to turn 22 and I'm living with my parents because I just can't afford anything else, I moved away for 3 years for uni but that was mostly paid for with student loans (UK). Your post made me feel better about my situation, but it's still so difficult to not feel like a failure or to feel like it's never going to change and I'll be stuck here forever, not that I hate living at home it just feels limiting aaah, anyways! Thanks!

My three adult sons live with me (20, 22, and 23) and it is 100 percent Not because they love living with me and my charms. They just can’t afford to be on their own and only Corbin has a girlfriend. She is in school full time so she will likely not want to move from her parents house soon either. I suggested Rob and Corbin share a place. They didn’t see excited about that idea. 

I have the room, i ask they each pay a little something each month, like the water or internet bill and they are supposed to help around the house. Hunter mows and handles all mechanical upkeep and repairs. I still find myself asking, and then yelling at the other two to do things like sweep or the garbage. If  everyone pitched in and cleaned a few hours a week this house would be amazing but that is still the same struggle we had when they were boys and it is the one frustration i have. 

I don’t limit their friends (except during covid) and I just ask they respect work hours and that we all live here. They aren’t loud and don’t fight. They are low key in almost every way so I have no complaints there. I like the company on most days. 

You are not a failure and you are not the only one. My guess is your parents also like having you around. You can help at the house, watch the pets or house when they travel. And many of us like our grown kids enough that sharing space is fine with us. If they are like me, they’d rather not see you wasting your money when you can stay with them and save and pay off debt. 

[tired-aliensoul]

Hey I read your post about your financial situation and I just wanted to ask how you got so far without giving up. I'm going through something really bad atm so I constantly feel pessimistic about the future. I want things to be okay I just don't know how to make it okay.

Well, I’m not sure if my answer will help you at all, honestly. A lot of it has to do with just who I am at the core. I hate spending money. I hate relying on others. I refuse to do something that gives me no enjoyment. It took me seven years and three degrees to get where I am at today and I don’t mean I have a master’s. I have two associates and a useless Bachelor’s. I also have thousands in student loan debt. I also hoard money. Any cash that I make doing one of my side-gigs, I put in a jar and leave it there. Save all your coins. Don’t use them to just make an even payment, just put them in a jar or piggy bank and when that bitch gets full, spill it out and, (you don’t have to be as weird as me who sorts it by coin and then counts it and then either scrounges for random change or puts back coins that aren’t going to give an even deposit number) deposit that shit in the bank. Right into savings, unless it’s going to help you pay for something needed. I’ve always had a personal desire to just make life better for myself and work my ass off to get it. I have fought for where I am now and I have had to ask for help from my parents, not financial but I had to ask to move back home because I was going to go through a rough financial time and needed to be somewhere that I wouldn’t have to pay rent, but still had to pay for my own things. I understand that asking for help from family or friends is not feasible for everyone, but if it is, swallow that pride and ask. It will help in the long run.

Honestly, if you want to start working toward a better future, get some sort of degree. I highly recommend getting a technical degree in something. If you want to be in the medical field but you don’t want to be a nurse, there are quite a few options for you there. Dental Assistant, Veterinary Tech, Surgical Tech, and Massage Therapy are a few technical degrees you can get and technical degrees can either be a certificate or an associates. Many, many options exist with a technical degree and man those programs really prepare you for exactly what you are going to be doing. It’s not like university where you have to take a shitload of bullshit courses that have nothing to do with your degree. Technical schools nix that shit and give you what you need to know. Anyway, you’ll spend about 1-2 years in school and technical schools are loads cheaper than universities and some community colleges. I understand that school is not for everyone, but I’m against the whole movement that goes against it. Get a degree in something, it will help you out. In fact, financial aid that is awarded is more than enough to help you pay for it. Do not be afraid of student loans, just be smart about them. I’ve paid off one loan already. You don’t need a bachelor’s in order to get an Entry level job that will give you full-time hours, benefits, and a big enough paycheck to live within your means.

Just, I dunno, just don’t give up. Even when things are looking dim, start looking for things that can help you better your situation. Never doubt yourself. I doubt myself a lot, so when I was 19, I got a tattoo that always reminds me that I can do what I’m putting my mind to. I know that seems silly, but it means a lot to me and it really has helped me when my mind has tried to get the better of me. Find your inner will to do what is necessary to get what needs done. Hell, get on medication if that will help. I did. Some part-time job companies are now offering health benefits to part-time employees so that you have access to that stuff. Starbucks is big on that, and they also have a tuition reimbursement program with Phoenix and their online degrees. Plus, you get to go home smelling like coffee and you get a free pound of coffee a week or some other coffee/tea based product like a box of tea or K-cups. Their food is relatively healthy and you get a markout when you work so your lunch is paid for. I worked for them and they helped out a lot of people, including me.

God, this got long and I feel like it’s sort of rambly and maybe I preached a little bit about degrees and whatnot, but had I known about technical colleges when I was graduating high school, I wouldn’t have fucked around with universities and would have been living a life like this five years earlier.

Things will get better as long as you know that it will. And I do mean ‘know’ and not ‘believe’. People don’t give up on things they ‘know’ is true, but people give up on things they ‘believe’. Know that it is fact you will have financial security some day. I knew it, and I got it and now I want better of it. Nothing wrong with taking a journey, just make sure you come away with a better you. Refine your plan as you go to accommodate. I have now declared 10 different majors of study in all types of my schooling. So like, adapt as needed.

I’m sorry if this doesn’t help you feel any better. I know it will get better for you because you want it to. The journey might be long to get there, but I know you will get there. I have total faith in you, anon.

[kuramirocket]

How this first-generation Mexican American college grad paid off her loans in just over two years.

In an effort to help younger generations learn how to be debt-free and combat money taboo among the Latinx community, Sofia Bastida, a 24-year-old first-generation Mexican American, created @savingwithsofie. Through this platform, she shares her experience paying off $120,000 in student loans within the span of 26 months on an income below six figures.

Like many college students, Bastida wasn't aware of many of the basics of finance until she got into student loan debt and felt obligated to pay it off on her own. Without a college fund, Bastida took out federal student loans to attend Drexel University and a Parent PLUS loan to cover the large remaining balance of tuition, which ultimately became a big bulk of her debt load. Unaware of the impact that interest rates have on loans, it wasn't until her first payment was due that she realized how much her debt had increased in comparison to what she had initially taken out. 

What started off as a Parent PLUS loan of $75,000 increased to about $90,000 — just while Bastida was in school.

Through her own research, Bastida learned about refinancing as a method to lower the interest rate of her Parent PLUS Loan. She also realized that paying off her loan as quickly as possible was the best way to go about paying less overall, rather than delaying the process, which allows for more interest to accrue. This became her motivation to develop a system to act fast.

The experience itself has taught her how to manage her expenses, and she's now motivated to help future generations of college students take control of their debt. Here are a few lessons she learned along the way.

Research and plan out your expenses

Refinancing student loans doesn't always make sense, but it did for Bastida. She was able to lower her interest rate from 7.8% to 4.98% with a private lender and therefore save thousands of dollars in interest.

Each month, Bastida made at least two loan payments immediately after she received each paycheck. "That way I wouldn't be tempted to spend the money on something I didn't need," she says.

Prior to refinancing, Bastida saved money in a savings account throughout her years in college and though she gave herself permission to tap into this pot of money while paying off her debt, she made sure to keep three months' worth savings in the account. 

With a plan (and a healthy dose of urgency) to motivate her, Bastida went about getting her monthly expenses together. She paid less than $1,000 in rent living in Philadephia while sharing an apartment with her roommates. Then, when she landed a job as an early talent recruiter with TD Bank in New York, she managed to keep her rent cost the same by continuing to have roommates.

As for the other expenses, Bastida is a bargain shopper. She worked to keep her fixed expenses low by finding deals on clothes and goods and searching weekly ads. She walks and takes the subway whenever possible to avoid ride-sharing costs and meal preps instead of spending money for lunch. For her social life, Bastida opts for free outdoor meet-ups with friends, making sure they are on board with helping her stick to a budget.

Take accountability of yourself and your debt

Bastida knew she wanted to attend a private university out of state for her own independence. Although unaware of how much the debt would build up throughout the years, she understood it was a challenge she had to face. 

"While it's very overwhelming having such a high debt amount, I learned that I am the one who chose to take out those loans and therefore, I must take accountability for those choices I made when I was younger," Bastida says.

But accountability doesn't mean doing it all alone. Debt can take a major toll on your mental health, and it's important to reach out and find support. For Bastida, one of the most important aspects of paying off her debt was being her own cheerleader and having her mother and close friends encouraging her throughout the process.

"Being in debt did take a toll on me when I first graduated from college. I felt stuck and hated hearing negative things from people. I quickly learned that tackling six-figures wasn't going to happen overnight and it sure wasn't going to be easy if I kept allowing myself to hear the negative things others would say."

Don't stop there

Bastida found that there's more to learning about finances than what's taught to you in school and that there are plenty of others who are sharing their knowledge in the space. As ambassador for Snowball Wealth, a platform designed to help those with student debt develop a system to pay off their loans based on their financial background, she continues to share her journey with others. 

Just recently, Bastida landed a new job as associate campus recruiter for Black Rock. She wrote on her Instagram account that this came as a result of sharing her successes on LinkedIn — she also managed to negotiate a 30% increase to her base salary. Her goal continues to be teaching others about finances and how they can develop generational wealth. 

"Now that I'm done with the loans, I'm keeping my strategy the same in terms of me living below my means and essentially just investing the rest, because I do hope to reach F.I.R.E," she said. "I don't know if I want to retire early because I do enjoy what I do, but I think building wealth is what I like, especially because in my family that doesn't exist."

[yournewapartment]

So I'm a Canadian who will be moving to Scotland later this month for university and I'm wondering: Do you have any tips for getting settled in a new country? This will be the first time I'm buying my own groceries and not using student loans so budgeting advice is also welcome.

This ask has been sitting in my inbox for like at least a month... I’m so sorry! Some posts take more time to write then others. I actually have about four asks that are all essentially this same question, so I’m going to just combine them all into one post. 

As for budgeting... here’s my two cents, in terms of Minimum Wage.

Budgeting on Minimum Wage

Overview

The average minimum wage in the US is $7.25/hr. Even working full time at 40 hours a week, that’s only a profit of $290 before taxes. This is not a fair living wage! You are worth way more than this amount! I strongly encourage you to start looking for another job that pays better, look for something around the $10-$15 range.

While $7.25 is atrocious, thousands of people around the world support families on much less. If they can do it while supporting children, so can you! To live off a minimum wage budget you need to declare yourself independent. If your parents are still claiming you as a dependent YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO DO THIS. I also recommend that you have the highest amount possible taken out of your taxes so that you get money back from your state at the end of the year, instead of being in debt to them.

What I’ve done is come up with a budgeting plan based off some made up factors and my own personal experience.

Housing

1. City life. Forget about the city! Apartments located in cities can be three times as expensive as apartments in small towns or villages. On top of the extra expense, they’re much smaller and have less amenities included. I’d much rather live in a one bedroom apartment with a dishwasher and a conveniently located Laundromat, than a literal closet with no windows on a fifth floor walkup. Look for apartments twenty minutes to a half hour outside of your closest city. Now you have the close conveniences of a city, with none of those pesky city prices that your budget can’t handle.

2. College towns. Shop around and look at apartments by local colleges. Large colleges with have apartment complexes within walking distance of the school grounds. Landlords know that college students have less money (you might even be a college student yourself) and adjust their prices accordingly. Even apartments next to ivy league schools are priced this way, so don’t be discouraged by the institution’s “prestige”.

3. Locale. Your safety is more important than your bank account. It doesn’t matter if you live in Section 8 housing or in an affluent suburb. Some apartment complexes and neighborhoods are just safer than others. I live in a heavily populated and upper middle class suburb, and the first year I moved in, a drunk woman tried to throw a beer bottle at my car. Thankfully this is the only time this happened to me, but it made me feel unsafe in my environment. Before signing a lease, walk or drive around your prospective home’s neighborhood at night. Take in the atmosphere, and make sure it’s one where you could comfortably run to the local supermarket at 10:30pm and pick up toilet paper.

4. Roommates. Living on minimum wage requires that you find one or two roommates to help split the rent. The more the better! Get together with your more responsible friends, so at least you’re living with people whose company you enjoy. There are lots of “roommate wanted” forums and message boards for you to browse on the internet, but always bring a responsible adult with you before meeting a stranger. Please. Bring your mom if you have too.

Food

1. Low-spoon food. I created this post a few months ago which offers lots of suggestions about cooking and shopping on a budget.

2. Online recipes. Here are some of my favorite online Tumblr cookbook resources.

- College Student Cookbook. Click here.

- Meals On The Go. Click here. (Not a cookbook, but super helpful)

- Broke College Kid Masterpost. Click here.

- Cooking on A Bootstrap. Click here.

- Good and Cheap. Click here.

- Budget Bytes. Click here.

3. I also regularly update my cooking on a budget tag.

Misc Expenses

1. Gas. Shop around and find the cheapest gas in your area. Avoid gas stations next to colleges, highways, and in touristy areas. Look into getting as gas rewards card from your favorite supermarket. I get 10 cents off a gallon with Stop & Shop every time I do a big shop.

2. Dollar store. Get to know your local dollar and bargain stores. You can buy everything from pots and pans to bed sheets there. These stores often sell bulk ramen for $1 and large cans of crushed tomatoes for 75 cents. That’s enough food for you to live off of for several days. When shopping, I make three grocery store stops to ensure that I spend the least amount possible on my pantry needs. I go Dollar Store, Stop and Shop, and then to my local organic grocery store. I’m going to make a list of things that I buy at Dollar Stores and things that I don’t buy at Dollar Stores soon!

3. Cable. We are living in the digital age- you don’t need cable television. Use Netflix or Hulu or whatever. It will save you tons of $$.

4. Internet. As far as internet speed goes, if you’re living with roommates you will probably need a higher speed. Living by yourself, choose a lower one. Most internet companies offer large discounts to new subscribers. These typically only last a year, but will save you serious money. Make sure to take note of when this discount expires, and contact the company before it does. If you don’t, they’ll begin charging you the full amount without notice.

5. Verizon. I just want to take a moment to talk about how much I love Verizon because they have literally saved me so much money in the three years I’ve been with them. After you sign a contract with a new internet company, they charge you a bunch of ridiculous fees like “activation fees” and “installation fees”. I called Verizon and was like “I’m a poor college student, I can’t afford this” and they were like “don’t worry, we’ll waive the fee”. I signed a two year contract with them that saved me $80 on a high-speed internet bill per month (my price being only 50.99 a month). After the contract expired I call them and they put me on a month to month, keeping the price absolutely the same. TLDR- get Verizon if you can.

6. Utility. Get on a monthly budget with whatever utility company services your new apartment. Although it may seem like the cheaper option, paying the actual amount of electricity you spend per month is the more expensive. It’s also unpredictable, and a minimum wage budget won’t allow for it. See this for more info.

7. Amazon. I buy a lot of my beauty, cleaning, and cat products online. Amazon offers Prime shipping free for a year with a student email address, and then offers it at a greatly reduced price after the year. If you are a student, snap up that free deal ASAP. If it’s in your budget, I’d greatly recommend investing in Amazon Prime.

8. Saving money. It’s so important to attempt to break way from the “paycheck to paycheck” vicious cycle. Living this way does not allow for emergency expense money, and trust me, sometime soon you will need emergency expense money. Your cat might get sick or your car may die, whatever it is, it’s always smart to have at least $500 squirreled away. I’m gonna level with you, things have been tight for my budget and I haven’t been able to save anything for the past three months. But this month I will!

Example Budgets

Full Time

Working with the $7.25/hr and 40hr/week model, here’s an example budget for living on minimum wage. That’s $1,160 a month without taxes.

Housing: Let’s say you’re sharing an apartment with two close friends, the rent being $1,500 without any amenities. That rent split three ways is $500 each.

Gas I commute twenty minutes every day, and I drop about $20-$25 a week on gas. That’s $100 on gas a month.

Food: I do one big shopping a month with my boyfriend. We drop around $180 and that’s including toiletries and soap and stuff. So maybe you’ll spend about $100 a month on all your shopping needs.

Cable/internet:  Hopefully you took my advice and skipped cable. Let’s say you’re paying around $50 per month for internet. Split three ways that’s $17 each.

Laundry: Hopefully you’re not like me and are only spending around $20 on laundry per month.

Random expenses: Because there always are some. Let’s just tack on another $100.

With everything added up, you still have around $290 left before taxes! That money can go into a savings account, and after several months, you’ll have that $500 worth of emergency money saved.

Part Time

Working with the $7.25/hr and 25hr/week model, here’s an example budget for living on minimum wage. That’s $725 without taxes.

Housing: In this case, you need to look for apartments in the $800-900 range. In my area, one bedroom apartments go for around $1000, so you may need to get creative with your roommate (I don’t think you could have more than one roommate in this situation). Buy dividers to split the bedroom or studio in half! Let’s say your rent is $850 with nothing included, that’s $425 each.

Gas You’re still looking at a large gas bill per month, so it may be more inexpensive to ride a bike or use public transportation. Let’s say you use public transportation, and spend around $50 a month on that. Or maybe you and your roommate can split gas expenses and share a car?

Food: Pinch those pennies! Use some of those budget cookbooks I linked above to help you cook healthy and delicious meals for under $4 each. See if you can only spend $80 a month on groceries.

Cable/internet:  Hopefully you took my advice and skipped cable. Let’s say you’re paying around $50 per month for internet. Split two ways is $25 each.

Laundry: Hopefully you’re not like me and are only spending around $20 on laundry per month.

Random expenses: Because there always are some. Let’s just tack on another $100.

That leaves you $25 to put in your bank account, if that. This is a paycheck to paycheck situation, and you will probably need to get another source of income to feel secure. But you can still do it!

[uncloseted]

If I'm making just over 14k a year and my student loans are around 25k, what repayment option would be best for me? I know you went to college so a girl needs some help. I know that the income based repayment has LOTS of interest tacked on and I won't be paying rent after september, so maybe I should just go with a repayment plan that doesn't have a lot of interest but costs a bit more?? However, I know that like 10% is a good place to start.

Also, how do repayment plans work? Do I have to apply for a certain plan on the FSA website? I figured I could just set up a monthly flat rate fee to pay and that was it.... I'm still in my grace period til this week so nothing is really showing up for me.

you'd be a lifesaver if you could offer some help/advice. thank you so much christina!! i'm the only one in my family to attend college so no one else really knows how to help me.

So it depends a bit on what kind of loans you took our and a couple of other factors. I also want to caveat this by saying I'm not an expert in this at all, so I don't want to promise that this is the absolute best approach or anything. That said, here's what I would do:

Compare your options with the student loan repayment simulator. This should help you identify which loan repayment options fit your situation best.

Look into the SAVE plan. It is an income based repayment plan, but it should lower your payments. With the SAVE plan, if you make your full monthly payment, but it is not enough to cover the accrued monthly interest, the government covers the rest of the interest that accrued that month. That means that your balance won't continue to grow due to unpaid interest. Plus, if you originally borrowed $12,000 or less, your debt is forgiven after 10 years. And if I understand it correctly, if you make less than $32,800 a year, your monthly payment is $0, so my guess is that this is the best option for you at the moment. There are more benefits that are set to roll out in July this year. In this scenario, my understanding is that you could start paying down your principle balance without accruing any interest. So for example, you could take what you would have paid towards rent (say $500 a month), and reduce your debt from $25k to $19k by the end of the year without needing to pay any additional interest (I think). You can apply for SAVE here.

You may also want to look into other debt forgiveness plans. If you work for government or for a nonprofit, you may be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness. And if you're a teacher, you may be eligible for Teacher Loan Forgiveness.

I would also consider talking to your loan servicer, who is a person that you can talk to (for free). They're supposed to help you figure out which repayment plan is best for your situation, although some are better than others. If you go this route, I would make sure to know exactly which plan you think you need or to have pre-set questions you want to ask them so that it's less likely they'll try to sell you on a plan that's not in your best interest.

If you're looking for a new job, I would consider applying to companies that have student loan repayment as part of their benefit package. These are a few companies that offer that as an option, but they're not the only ones. You can also do programs like AmeriCorps, Teach For America, and PeaceCorps that will help you to repay your loans if you serve with them.

You can also apply for scholarships or grants to pay off your student loans. These are typically between $500 and $1000, and can help you shorten the amount of time you're paying the loan for.

At the end of the day, this is a suuuuuuper broken system, and it's unfair that you have to think about this at all. But the SAVE plan is a step in the right direction, and hopefully we'll see more movement on student debt forgiveness in the future.

[doubleddenden]

My decade in review. What a bullshit decade.

[[MORE]]

2010: I think I got my license, but that may have been 2009. I started spriting this year.

2011: went to my first prom. Sucked. Went on my first date. Sucked. Family starts falling apart

2012: graduated high school. Started college. Made a name for myself as a Spriter for a bit. Made a summer film project with a friend. Had a mental breakdown because I seriously thought the world would end.

2013: made a ton of friends, had a ballin year. Made a student film. Had my first paid job for a bit under some sketchy terms that led me to quit after a month of being underpaid and overworked. Lived in a dorm for the first time in my life. Had a 4.0 for the first time in my life. With the release of X and Y, my sprites start going unnoticed. However, I did complete a story... a very terribly written fan fic, but it was completed. We blew up a guitar.

2014: almost had a girlfriend, chickened out last second lol. Graduated community college. Started university. The worst mistake of my life. Turned 21

2015: family falls apart again even further. Sister actually disowns me for a bit after I was mislead by my mother. I have my first midlife crisis. Made a more permanent friend group. Sister "graciously" let's me back home. Started streaming a bit.

2016: tried graphic design. Failed super hard. Slip into a very deep depression

2017: decided to drop out and stopped giving a shit. Forced to continue after finding out I could graduate this year (after being lied to by a counselor claiming it'd be another 5 years). Depression gets so bad I start going to campus therapy. Really helped me to open my eyes. I went from all F's and a C to an almost PERFECT GPA for the semester and pass all of my finals ALMOST PERFECTLY, save for some formatting errors. My last day on campus was a snow day. Well. Week. Mom also kicked me out. Groomsman to my first wedding. Started a job hunt and failed.

2018: broken man gets more broken again. Sister causes more bullshit, i have to do what I have to so I can keep seeing niblings and keep a roof over my head. Mom disowns me to my face. Step dad calls me a sick bastard and my grandma tells me I'm going to hell, and I officially lose half my family. Groomsman to a second wedding where I have the time of my life and practically woo the bride's family for the groom. Sister moves off. I flew on a plane for the first time in my life. I got to travel a bit to Georgia, South Carolina, I think Tennessee or Missouri (can't remember), and Montana. Almost died of a hematoma. Failed to secure a job again.

2019: mom continuously harasses me for the year, I lose my insurance, I'm almost sued by school loans and have to go through a debt agency for help, and the house starts falling apart with pipe, water heater and water tank related issues. Dad and Aunt's health get worse. Visited some friends in New Orleans and realized I may not like a couple of them anymore. I have heart issues and docs literally gave me a runaround for 2 months saying go here, go there, we don't have results yet but you can still pay us, you're too fat that'll be $25. Discovered I'm sick all the time because I'm allergic to EVERYTHING and the only counter is to do expensive weekly allergy shots, which the family said no to. Had to drive my dad to a court house, help him hobble to a stand, and watch him declare bankruptcy. Tried and failed quite a few diets. Fixed up my Wii and Gamecube right at the end, though. Completed my first volume of an original work... that I'm scrapping. Failed to get a job again, but now it might be for the best so I can take care of my dad.

Conclusion: fuck the 2010's in its entirety. Fuck my former mother, fuck my family for treating me how they did, fuck school, fuck loans and loan companies, fuck doctors, fuck rich people, and most importantly:

Fuck me.

But also? I hate myself, but I'm also amazed what I endured. I endured soul crushing college and professors out for a buck who didn't give two shits about my success. I endured my family just treating me like SHIT and tossing me to the side like a sick dog. I endured heart break and friends moving off. I endured a fair bit of physical pain, too. I endured the absolute pit of depression and despair.

And I'm still not out of it. I know I'm supposed to write up how proud I am of myself for surviving but... nah. I'm gonna be real. None of this should have happened. I shouldn't have had to learn that family isn't permanent. I shouldn't have had to go into debt before I could even drink. I shouldn't have had to endure that endless heart break. I shouldn't have had to be diagnosed with depression. I shouldn't have had to pay thousands to come to the realization that my dreams probably won't come true and I'm just not as good as my younger peers. I should have been given a job. Several by now actually.

I guess I'm alive though. That's about all I can say. I'm beaten, bruised, and limping (quite literally limping actually). But I'm alive.

If there's anything I want from this new decade. Anything at all. I want this:

Success

Growth

Love

Romance

Money

Food

Travel

Better mental and physical health

Work that won't make me want to jump out a window

Friendship and to visit my friends everywhere

And to finally. Finally. Finish a book. Get it published. And be known for something good and positive. To finally be able to tell everyone who looked down on me as a kid, in high school or college, to finally be able to tell my family that disowned me and kicked me to the curve at their own convenience, to finally be able to tell myself: I made it. I made an impact on the world, and I will not be forgotten anymore while the rest of the world gets their happy ending.

My life's suffering has to amount to something. I refuse to go on another decade of bullshit. I want to succeed dammit. I deserve my happy ending. I refuse to die before I see it. I refuse to end another decade without getting there. I refuse to.

Please. I don't want to lose anyone else. I don't want to lose anymore. I don't want to be ashamed of being alive and having nothing to claim for myself. Just.

Let me win.

[jkid4]

America does not have a proper welfare system and how I'm affected by it.

Today I would have enjoyed a relaxing day in my room watching a DVD, or sleeping all day, playing a video game while broadcasting via twitch, or leaving for a day out in the city. Or even at one of the major anime cons in the East coast that’s going on now. I could have written hundreds of commentary on political and social economic issues, and written a few books about the media and politics and I would have not worried about making ends meet for myself. But instead all of this time has been sucked providing for my parents, who are chronically unemployed since October 2014 due to the fact that the United States has never have a proper welfare system and due to rampant age discrimination against anyone who is over 50.

When I had a new job with a federal contractor, I had a plan to still live with my parents until I’ve saved enough for 5,000 dollars, and I’ll be able to afford an apartment and moving expenses.After which I would be able to advance in my IT career by studying for certs and continue my journey to getting one of my books published, hopefully by three years I would have paid 2/3rds of my student loan debt and paid off my credit cards completely. But that derailed on October 2014 because their employers wanted to hire younger college student would do the job for much less.

I ended providing for them for the rent, utilities, and basic goods for the almost three years. Having to sacrifice my life milestones and my future in order for them not be homeless and in the streets because their own family is unable to help them and all the services that would be available are either limited or practically non-existent. Especially housing, as public housing and rent assistance programs are either closed to new applicants or permanently waitlisted.

Every attempt I tell my story to get help I get gushing praise and platitudes on how admire that I’m sacrificing my future, insisting that I should just hang in there despite the fact that my parents won’t be employed for the foreseeable future, fake concern that they will help then they ghost me or say I can’t help you, direct invalidation and shaming, or even more frequent implicit or explicit demands that I should be irresponsible and put my parents on the streets because they’re “lazy” or “have not tried hard enough” even if I told them that there’s no social services available. Most if not all these people are unable to understand adult children like me who have to provide for their unemployed parents because they’re can’t find work and expect me to provide for them because “I’m young” for the rest of my life or throw them in streets. That’s how I learned how America boasts to be the most charitable, except when it comes to struggling americans and their children.

And my parents themselves, they’ve gotten so comfortable being unemployed that they’re passively seeking work. They rather be busy around the house, or watch tv, or visit relatives. Every attempt to see how is their job search is going leads to a fight. Eventually they told me that they’re my parents “why should I provide you proof”. They know that they need to seek work they know that I have to sacrifice my life milestones, and my mental and physical health, but they don’t like to be reminded of it. And when they do job search and found a job, they get screwed over because they only offer commission-pay, they get discriminated during training, or the pay is lower or at minimum wage despite years of experience.

But if I lose my job, due to a pending layoff by the federal contractor they will ride and get on my back on seeking work even if it means forcing me to get two part time positions in retail, which they can't do because of health problems with their backs and bones.

If the US had a proper welfare system, or American companies stop discriminating over 50 and just start hiring again I would not have to sacrifice almost three years of my life providing for parents.

At this point I can’t support them anymore and since they’re moving to a house that I’ve bought via a government program it’s time for me to move away from them. Sadly I have little in savings except the ones via donations via the fundraiser, I can’t get an apartment because of past rent still due because we had to the leave the apartment when they could not get a job fast enough when unemployment ran out, and I have loads of student loan debt I could not pay for the almost 4 years, almost 2 of them while I have to support my parents. What I want is a fresh start and for me to provide some of the money from the funds raised to my parents for moving expenses and for the initial mortgage payments for 4 months. More than enough time to seek roommates and seek part-time work if they can’t find full time work.

My parents want to move by next week Saturday but I won’t be leaving the house until the 25th. More than enough time to seek a place for myself so I can get my life on track.

The fund raiser link is still active: https://www.youcaring.com/jkid-801302

[sesmantelar]

I think I've decided the smartest financial move for me would be to stick out my year at this job, and have a travel assignment lined up for me immediately after I finish my year here. I will go to travel the second I hit my year, and do a month to month lease while I'm in hawaii. after my three months, I want to have more than enough money saved up to pay off all my credit card debt, a large portion of my car, my next month of travel, surgeries and my move to a major city (paid for entirely). I will then move to houston, and do two major trips overseas with business class or higher seats. I will get my surgeries, rest for a few weeks then go into my next assignment. the next assignment will be for major savings, buying several properties in canada, my vacation home, and paying off student loans plus nc. will continue intermittently travel nursing while taking a month or two off in between to focus on school, and go on vacations, until I'm done with my next degree. at the end of my next degree, I want to be the most gorgeous, glowing version of myself because my surgeries are done, I'm beautiful, I have no stress because I'm financially free, have my dream luxury car, and multiple properties to my name bringing in endless passive income. I will then go on to be a part time or fulltime software engineer who works mainly from home and venture into the world of tech. My life is bright and all my hard work is and will be coming to fruition. Just six more months until I step into big girl money. I can't believe that a year from now I could be driving my dream car, with multiple properties to my name and have zero student loan or credit card debt!!! these six months as a nurse will make everything worth it in the end!