I'm screwed

[CluelessGuy321]

Well, I don't know how much income you are making and what your spending habits are.

 

If your income is not enough per month, you'll need to change that by working more and schooling less. It'll take longer to finish school, but you'll get there. In the meantime, work experience will add to your resume and give you job hunting/seeking/networking experience. Much much much much much much much much much more crucial than just having your masters degree with low real world experience.

 

If it's the case that you are bringing home enough money, but spending too much, you're going to need to start budgeting. Figure out your after tax income, subtract rent, utilities, school fees, transportation expenses, and grocery spending. If you have any money left over, you'll need to learn how to start saving and finding activities that cost less money to do.

[renaissancewoman101]

Sometimes, I think I am afraid to fly the coop and grow up, although I have lived on my own for the last 15 years. I dunno.

 

I have clinicals with the third graders this afternoon and then will work on resumes and stuff like that. I don't have school tomorrow so will try to find a job.

 

How do people make some money to survive in a short amount of time. I dont have a lot of money right now.

 

I know I really sound pathetic.

[Batya33]

I would look into telemarketing jobs.

[annie24]

hey ren - I agree with all the other posters. and I love suze orman's books, she has a lot of great tips.

 

go to the student center, pull out more student loans, if necessary. next, get a job! seriously, no more "i put in 1 or 2 resumes...." you have to be aggressive now.

 

I don't have school tomorrow so will try to find a job.

 

No. wrong attitude. change it to "I don't have school tomorrow so I WILL find a job." forget the try. you ARE going to get a job.

 

and make a budget. eating out will be a special treat, otherwise, make your food at home, you will save so much money. I wouldn't skimp on hair cuts, it's not like you get your hair cut every 2 weeks, right? you can extend the time between your hair treatments though.

 

figure out where your money is going. look through all your old bills. cut out the things you don't need. do you NEED HBO and showtime, or can you get by with basic cable? do you really need another pair of shoes? no. figure out where your money is going, and figure out what is a NEED and what is a WANT. (Need is groceries, electricity, rent.)

 

How much longer do you have in your program? the other option is to find a job and take classes at night. It's going to be tight, but it is going to be good for you.

 

I thought you had a good paying job before you started school again? Where you ok with managing your money then?

[scarew]

Try only eating out once a week. Eating out is probably the hugest expense that can be easily cut. This includes coffee and snacks! Its difficult! Start today. For the rest of the day, don't eat ANYTHING that wasn't bought from a grocery store.

 

I think you will be fine like this. And you will probably feel better about yourself for it too. I'm sorry that you're parents don't "approve" of you becoming a teacher, that is just silly. Are you expected to get a good job while you are still in school then? Or is your semester over soon?

[renaissancewoman101]

I juggle my finances to keep afloat. I do eat out a lot and I have been trying to cut back on that. I know a little bit here and there does add up.

 

I sound like I am whining and I probably am, but I don't know how much longer I can deal with this before I start to crack.

[annie24]

I juggle my finances to keep afloat. I do eat out a lot and I have been trying to cut back on that. I know a little bit here and there does add up.

 

I sound like I am whining and I probably am, but I don't know how much longer I can deal with this before I start to crack.

 

ren, you will be fine, we all go through this at some point or another.

 

as for coffee, yup! make your own coffee at home, but you can have a weekly treat at starbuck's. if you completely cut yourself off, you will feel depleted.

 

do you have microsoft quicken or other financial software on your computer? if so, use it! if not, don't go out and buy it. but do make a budget today. figure out how much money comes in, and where it goes.

[agent1607307371]

Cracking is not an option.

 

 

Do you keep a money journal? It's an exercise in seeing exactly where your money goes. For a fortnight, you put down everything you spend money on, it doesn't matter if it's ten cents or ten bucks, you put it in your journal and it will let you see where you fritter the most money away.

 

It's the little things most often. Like if you treat yourself to a $5 coffee once a a week, thats $260 a year. Twice a week and thats over $500 on coffee that you didn't even realised you've spent.

 

I know someone who gave up smoking and saved $1000 in six months. That's scary because you don't even realise how much it's costing you.

[doyathink]

Ren..

I worked two jobs and attended school....and had a two year old son to raise...all at 17 years old.

I didn't have a phone...cable...internet, those were all luxuries! We never ate out, that wasn't in my budget. We ate cheap food a lot....but we made it I'm proud to say......and all on my own.

 

If I could do all that at age 17 with a child...you can at 33.

It's not an option....it's a necessity.

[renaissancewoman101]

Annie, actually, I have cut back on Starbucks to only on the weekends. I used to be going to Starbucks every few days. I make coffee at home, even on the days I have school.

 

I can get a copy of Quicken from my brother. He's very financially organized, much different than me.

 

Right now, I don't have any money coming in really, except for a bit off my school loans and my parents help me with the rent (or they did). When I first moved out here, my first year here, I burned through all my savings which is NOT good (it was easier for me to save money when I lived in Wisconsin because there wasn't so much temptation around. I worked in a bad area of town so the temptation wasn't there to go out to eat and we didnt have a cafeteria, so I brought my own food a lot, stuff like that).

 

Doyathink, I admire you for keeping it all together. You're amazing.

[annie24]

hey ren - I think you can do it again too. CA is A LOT more expensive than WI. but, I know you can do it. apply for more student loans, and get a job, ASAP. maybe telemarketing is also something to look into? do you have stuff you can sell on ebay or craigslist? if you have too much stuff, and not enough room, there you go.

 

can you cut back on your cable bill, telephone, etc.....?

[renaissancewoman101]

I am trying to sell a few things that I have, like an extra stereo and an extra printer. I have basic cable and pretty much just a cell phone for service.

 

I need to find a job and make money. I may try to see if I qualify for more school loans, but I am not sure about that. I know I need to cut back on eating out. That is a BIG expense of mines.

 

I'll make it. I just feel overwhelmed right now.

[annie24]

yeah, you will. it will suck, but you will find a way. Plenty of people here have been in your shoes, so maybe we can all help each other out, and suggest things that helped stretch money?

 

I know that some people "bartered" their services. Like if you are good at something, trading your service for someone else's. For example, help your hairdresser design a webpage, and she can cut your hair for free..... something like that. Whatever your skills and talents are....

[piggypooh]

When your parents are old and in need of YOUR help, then remind them of these days. Remind them of how THEY were with YOU when YOU needed help. Yes, you get to choose their retirment home and get to inherit all the junk they hoard now but will be happy to clutter your house with later on. As far as I am concerend, parents brought us into this world so they should help us when we need help.

[renaissancewoman101]

Piggypooh, I am not upset with my parents for NOT wanting to continue to help me. They've helped me enough, I do know that, but I am just really freaked out right now, that's all. I am NOT angry at the parents, just trying to deal with the situation that is now put in front of me.

[annie24]

I agree! scholarships and fellowships! you need to start applying for any and every fellowship that is relevant for you. go to your school's financial aid office, and go to link removed

 

Regardless of what your parents think, I think teaching is great. Yeah, maybe it doesn't pay so much, but you have 3 months vacation, and there will ALWAYS be a need for teachers. You will be able to find a job no matter where you go.

[renaissancewoman101]

Ellie, the TA thing might be a good idea. Problem is, I've only been at this university for one semester. I'll look into it.

 

Right now the short term solution might be to take out more school loans and then deal with that later on. But, I really HATE to take out more loans.

 

But cutting back on eating out and other expenses is also worth looking into, as well as a part time job.

[scarew]

While I am not sure how much you're parents were giving you, I do honestly believe that you can often cut your budget by 50% just by buying groceries.

 

I suggest you go grocery shopping once a week. Make a weekly meal plan before you go. But don't forget that you can still spend alot of money at the grocery store if you're not careful. Start with the bare minimum, cheaper foods, then work your way up next week to see what you can/can't afford.

 

When I was 16 and living on my own I lived off of $700/month. $400 was for rrent (including laundry and utilities) in my tiny little suite. $100 for car insurance (was necessary to have a car at the time). That left me $200 a month for food, gas, and anthing else. So, like alot of the others, I have been in a sticky situation before. My point is though, I survived. My grocery bill is what allowed me to do so. Cheap things I bought regularily:

 

Just add water pancake mix

Cheddar cheese

Bread

Potatoes

CHEAP meat (like stuff that says previously frozen)

Canned fish

Dry pasta/pasta sauce

Iceberg lettuce

Tomatoes

Oatmeal

Milk

Protein powder (instead of buying meat)

Eggs

 

Things I learned that can get really expensive:

Dry Cereal

Chicken breasts

Premade salads

Fancy canned soups (as opposed to the 49 cent tomato soup)

Convenient foods (granola bars, precooked pastas, etc)

 

Making your own coffee is a big one. Good for you on that

[Dougie_D]

Honestly,

This is how I would approach it...because I actually want your position. I'm 26 years old and everything has been handed to me. Never had to worry about the financial thing. I want to get cut off, but I honestly don't have the money or a clue on what to do. But I can guarantee I could figure it out - my parents think that I'm an idiot.

The fact that your parents are cutting you off - is telling me that they know you can do it. And if you really, really feel you can't...I'll bet you, you will go back and live in your home town or something.

California is an expensive place to live...and if you are not some type of waiter/waitress/bartender/entertainer....forget it. Of course I'm talking about LA...but I'm sure that's where you are staying, right? I don't know.

The whole eating out thing is what is doing for you. Do you go out to lunch and dinner? Now that's really tough. But, I do the same thing...just not in California.

You are single like me, so we have to force ourselves to be out in public...because we really get lonely at night. At least I do! You are 33, so you are probably constantly looking for a mate...and you know school is not cutting it.

I would suggest...maybe a part-time Internship at a local school. You have to go to school anyways for it...so why not try it out? You'll get free meals (I think) and you'll meet male teachers.

That's how my sister and brother-in-law met. She was the intern/sub teacher and he was just a teacher. They bring home about 75,000 a year together.

I don't know if this helps at all...but I tried.

[This Little Lady]

How are things going for you now?

[renaissancewoman101]

Things are ok. I sold some stuff and got some money for that and trying to live on that. I have floated out a few resumes and went and applied for jobs at Banana Republic and Starbucks, just for a stopgap job right now.

 

Trying to live cheaply, which is very hard, esp in CA.

[This Little Lady]

I can imagine! My buddy lives in NY and he can't stop spending money! I'm glad to hear you are going well! I was curious. The last time I posted on here you were super stressed and I wanted to make sure everything was going alright.