Life Question

[usedtabe]

Take it from someone who left home at 17: STAY AT HOME AS LONG AS POSSIBLE. imo.

[Dexter345]

As somebody who has done a lot of school, my advice about school is that you should only do it if you are truly passionate about learning what you plan to study.

On the other hand, if you really want to budget $2000/month for living expensive, you basically need something better than an associates in communications.

You are going to have to make a sacrifice somewhere. Either drop your budget somehow (eat a lot of rice, get roommates, continue living with your parents, get a job within walking distance of your place), or wrack up some debt going to school for something. You say you're interested in IT; if that's true, then there's not much of a reason for you NOT to go into that field. But you'll probably have to go to school for it first.

[thymeparadox]

How am I not thinking about my future? While my question effects me right at this moment, what else am I supposed to do? I have no skills, I'm not qualified in anything and I don't really know what I should do to keep myself independent. Going back to school might solve that, but it may also just delay the inevitable realization that I am worthless. Who knows?

Regardless, what else should I be doing? There is no other thought than the here and now. I don't want anything out of life other than to help people. I don't want a family. I don't want a large house. Hell, I don't even really want a fuck ton of friends. I just want to be independent. I can't really do that without money to sustain my living, though.

Sorry, I probably wasn't very clear on what I meant. If putting your life on hold for a few years is what it takes to get you to where you want to be, then you need to do just that. I'm lucky enough to have had my heart set on a specific career since I was a kid, I've worked in the field with limited success too but I want something that really only a good college can give me. I could have been studying five years ago but I didn't have the balls to actually go and do it. If you genuinely know what you want, do something about it. Waiting around for something else usually leads to regret, and more importantly, missing out on an opportunity to actually do something you really want to do.

Also, if you're really serious about trying to do something with your life then that proves you're not worthless. Talking about college is not the behaviour of a worthless person. You probably suck at life just the same as the rest of us.

[KingSigy]

Take it from someone who left home at 17: STAY AT HOME AS LONG AS POSSIBLE. imo.

I'm sorry, no. I'm almost 25. That's plenty long enough. How the hell am I supposed to approach anybody and have them take me seriously when I say I live at home?

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He probably didn't see it. His post was 2 minutes after yours, and he probably hadn't refreshed the page while reading through the posts. It happens.



For $15, yeah, you're going to need some experience. You can find plenty of jobs that require less experience for less money though ($10-$12, even). What you need to do is get a car quote, pare your food budget down to $200 a month, and figure out why your gas bill is so damn high. A more reasonable amount would be $150-$200 for a job that's 15-20 minutes away (unless your car has a MPG of 8).

Also, really consider staying at home until you finish school for a field that you want to be in. Your gym contract will expire by then too. Don't rush into something foolish just so you can save face.

The gas thing isn't unreasonable, though. The price of gas around here is $3.85 a gallon. My mom and dad's cars need to be filled about once a week, sometimes twice. Regardless, that one fill takes about $45-50. If you go at two times a week, that's $100 a week for gas, leading to around $400 a month. I suppose you could get by at a lesser amount, but it'd be difficult.

[KingSigy]

As somebody who has done a lot of school, my advice about school is that you should only do it if you are truly passionate about learning what you plan to study.

On the other hand, if you really want to budget $2000/month for living expensive, you basically need something better than an associates in communications.

You are going to have to make a sacrifice somewhere. Either drop your budget somehow (eat a lot of rice, get roommates, continue living with your parents, get a job within walking distance of your place), or wrack up some debt going to school for something. You say you're interested in IT; if that's true, then there's not much of a reason for you NOT to go into that field. But you'll probably have to go to school for it first.

Everyone keeps saying roommates, but how the hell am I supposed to meet people in 2 weeks time? I don't know anyone else who can live with me and it'd be impossible to find someone when I'm already down South. Not to mention my time frame for moving in is 1 week since my mom fucked herself out of a vacation and I'm royally screwed. (By 1 week, I mean from the day I leave CT until my mother leaves FL).

[Revuhlooshun]

I'm sorry, no. I'm almost 25. That's plenty long enough. How the hell am I supposed to approach anybody and have them take me seriously when I say I live at home?

Like I said before, moving out just to be able to puff out your chest is not a good move if you're going to end up moving back in only a few months later.

The gas thing isn't unreasonable, though. The price of gas around here is $3.85 a gallon. My mom and dad's cars need to be filled about once a week, sometimes twice. Regardless, that one fill takes about $45-50. If you go at two times a week, that's $100 a week for gas, leading to around $400 a month. I suppose you could get by at a lesser amount, but it'd be difficult.

That all depends on how much you're traveling though and how much gas your car uses. If you live near work and have a car with a 25-30 MPG, then your costs will be much lower.

[usedtabe]

I'm sorry, no. I'm almost 25. That's plenty long enough. How the hell am I supposed to approach anybody and have them take me seriously when I say I live at home?

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The gas thing isn't unreasonable, though. The price of gas around here is $3.85 a gallon. My mom and dad's cars need to be filled about once a week, sometimes twice. Regardless, that one fill takes about $45-50. If you go at two times a week, that's $100 a week for gas, leading to around $400 a month. I suppose you could get by at a lesser amount, but it'd be difficult.

If by approach someone you mean women 2 things :
1. Females are the least of your worries
2. Having to move back home due to multiple failures never stopped me from getting laid.

[Dexter345]

Everyone keeps saying roommates, but how the hell am I supposed to meet people in 2 weeks time? I don't know anyone else who can live with me and it'd be impossible to find someone when I'm already down South. Not to mention my time frame for moving in is 1 week since my mom fucked herself out of a vacation and I'm royally screwed. (By 1 week, I mean from the day I leave CT until my mother leaves FL).

Craigslist. You will probably not like the people you end up with, but I find that cutting a rent payment in half is worth it.

Honestly, you asked for advice but you seem resistant to the suggestions. I know how terrible it is to live with your parents for too long. My wife and I lived with my mom and her husband for a year, and I was 26 at the time. As awful as that was, it was necessary, because we couldn't afford to do anything else.

What I am trying to say, and what you seem to know but don't want to believe, is that something has got to give. You cannot expect to make the $2000/month you projected in an entry level position that requires no education. So either you need to lower your projected budget, or get the education that will help you get a job so that you can make the money you want to make*.

*Disclaimer: the education isn't always enough. I'm getting paid significantly less than I expected for my education. Still, I'd be making even less without it.

[Revuhlooshun]

Just put a kibosh on this plan for the time being. Suck up your pride, explain the situation to your parents, and go back to the drawing board until you can come up with something more solid. Yeah, it sucks having to nix your plans, but it's better than spending all of your money just to arrive at where you started. A lot of people still live with their parents in their 20s. This is a different world than the one of 20 or 30 years ago.

[KingSigy]

If by approach someone you mean women 2 things :
1. Females are the least of your worries
2. Having to move back home due to multiple failures never stopped me from getting laid.

I didn't even specifically mean women, but you also don't have the misfortune of being me. You'd fail, too. Regardless, I get bad looks from pretty much everyone when I tell them I'm still at home.

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Just put a kibosh on this plan for the time being. Suck up your pride, explain the situation to your parents, and go back to the drawing board until you can come up with something more solid. Yeah, it sucks having to nix your plans, but it's better than spending all of your money just to arrive at where you started. A lot of people still live with their parents in their 20s. This is a different world than the one of 20 or 30 years ago.

I already sided with you earlier. You questioned in the last sentence of your post whether I felt worse about leaving and failing or staying a bit longer. I said I'd feel much worse having to come home. While I was deadset on leaving, I feel that going to school would probably behoove me at this point. At the very least, I'd be able to actually apply for a fucking job and not have to pass it over due to a lack of pre-reqs.

[PhilKenSebben]

It depends on his experience and what he's going for though. Maybe $15 isn't out of reasonable expectations (though I have a hunch that it is). However, I live by one rule: Hope for the best, plan for the worst.

Thats how I've lived my life. It's treated me well.

@King: didn't say you said anything was beneath, that's just something I like to drill in peoples heads. Have you considered moving somewhere where cost of living is cheaper? Find an area with cheap rent and start applying for jobs. Just a thought.

[KingSigy]

Thats how I've lived my life. It's treated me well.

@King: didn't say you said anything was beneath, that's just something I like to drill in peoples heads. Have you considered moving somewhere where cost of living is cheaper? Find an area with cheap rent and start applying for jobs. Just a thought.

I'm almost certain Florida is one of the, if not the, cheapest places in the Nation. There really isn't much else I can find. Honestly, though, I should probably just go back to school. That's what I'm coming to.

[PhilKenSebben]

I'm almost certain Florida is one of the, if not the, cheapest places in the Nation. There really isn't much else I can find. Honestly, though, I should probably just go back to school. That's what I'm coming to.

Then I don't know what to say, maybe your quality of life/luxury expectations are too high. I lived off of $800 a month alone. Wasn't fun, but damn if I didnt do it and feel great about it.

[usedtabe]

Then I don't know what to say, maybe your quality of life/luxury expectations are too high. I lived off of $800 a month alone. Wasn't fun, but damn if I didnt do it and feel great about it.

So you must have lived in one of those all bills paid ghetto joints? Lolololol





I don't laugh out of pride, I was relegated to the (surprise surprise) trailer park when I left home.

[PhilKenSebben]

So you must have lived in one of those all bills paid ghetto joints? Lolololol





I don't laugh out of pride, I was relegated to the (surprise surprise) trailer park when I left home.

DUDE! ME TOO! No, but $500 was for a closet of a studio. I paid $8 or 900 in rent at the trailer park but had a roomate.

[KingSigy]

Then I don't know what to say, maybe your quality of life/luxury expectations are too high. I lived off of $800 a month alone. Wasn't fun, but damn if I didnt do it and feel great about it.

I don't see how they are too high. I just detailed out everything. It's not unexpected. I don't want the high quality of everything, but gas isn't cheap, rent sucks and food isn't cheap. What else is there?

[Revuhlooshun]

It doesn't help that some of these numbers are skewed. $400 a month for food is meant to feed four people, not one. You'd have to drive a gas-guzzler and work 30 minutes-1 hour away from home to eat through $450 of gas per month. Car insurance can't be $500 a month, not unless you have an abysmal driving record, you're tacking on every bit of coverage that you can get, and you're driving a car with a high rate of theft. I'd peg the expenses at $1,450 a month, and that's with using conservative estimates for food ($200, though I get by on $100 myself), gas ($200 with a job 15-20 minutes away and a car with decent MPG), and insurance (another $200, though mine is only about $100 right now, and you can get it for cheaper by staying on your parent's policy).

Rent: $500
Car insurance: $200
Utilities (Light, water, cable/internet): $200
Gym bullshit: $150
Food: $200
Gas: $200

But even then, you want to be making more than that amount so you can have some breathing room in case shit comes up. You don't want to be on your own and always be looking at a balance of "$00.00" in savings.

but you also don't have the misfortune of being me

Did you get raped by a pack of homeless people the moment you were born? Then yeah, being you might be a misfortune. Otherwise, stop shitting on yourself.

[KingSigy]

It doesn't help that some of these numbers are skewed. $400 a month for food is meant to feed four people, not one. You'd have to drive a gas-guzzler and work 30 minutes-1 hour away from home to eat through $450 of gas per month. Car insurance can't be $500 a month, not unless you have an abysmal driving record, you're tacking on every bit of coverage that you can get, and you're driving a car with a high rate of theft. I'd peg the expenses at $1,450 a month, and that's with using conservative estimates for food ($200, though I get by on $100 myself), gas ($200 with a job 15-20 minutes away and a car with decent MPG), and insurance (another $200, though mine is only about $100 right now, and you can get it for cheaper by staying on your parent's policy).

Rent: $500
Car insurance: $200
Utilities (Light, water, cable/internet): $200
Gym bullshit: $150
Food: $200
Gas: $200

But even then, you want to be making more than that amount so you can have some breathing room in case shit comes up. You don't want to be on your own and always be looking at a balance of "$00.00" in savings.



Did you get raped by a pack of homeless people the moment you were born? Then yeah, being you might be a misfortune. Otherwise, stop shitting on yourself.

At $1450, though, I could make it by with a job paying $9 an hour. It wouldn't be nice, but it certainly could work. The only problem I'm facing right now is that I don't have a job. Since I also only have 1 week to actually scout out potential places and get a car, it presents a lot of potential problems. I also don't think I can use my parents insurance if I'm in a different state (it's not a neighboring one, either).

Still, I suppose your guesses are a bit more realistic than mine. The only accident I've ever had wasn't my fault. I've only been driving since 2010, though, so I don't really know if that factors in. I wouldn't be getting cable, so I can knock down a few dollars there. While I hate that I can't just cut the personal training, paying for a contract release is incredibly stupid right now.

I guess my only question would be what car should I get? My mom's car (2012 Chevy Malibu) gets awful MPG (about 21). My dad's is a tiny bit better. He has a 2010 Malibu and it gets around 25 MPG. I'd like something with 30, but I don't think that even really exists as a cheap car.

On a side note, banks up here don't allow you to have a balance of $0. If you go under $1000, they tack on overdraft charges. I encountered that bullshit when I first went to school in 2006. I went to do laundry and suddenly had no money because my balance was under $1000.

[Revuhlooshun]

$9.00 wouldn't be able to cut it. First, you'd have to find full-time work (I'm guessing that you're using a 40-hour week to come up with these figures), which is extremely difficult right now. Secondly, you need to take payroll taxes into consideration, which take out a chunk of income every week. Lastly, even at $9.00, you're living on the razor's edge where one accident, one sick day, or one little emergency will wipe you under the rug. These are all factors that you need to take into consideration.

[PhilKenSebben]

$9.00 wouldn't be able to cut it. First, you'd have to find full-time work (I'm guessing that you're using a 40-hour week to come up with these figures), which is extremely difficult right now. Secondly, you need to take payroll taxes into consideration, which take out a chunk of income every week. Lastly, even at $9.00, you're living on the razor's edge where one accident, one sick day, or one little emergency will wipe you under the rug. These are all factors that you need to take into consideration.

yep. Part of the reason why I've almost always worked two jobs. 60-75 hour weeks suck, but you do what you must. Also I shop fucking cheap. First stop: .99 Store, then Grocery Outlet (or whatever discount grocer you have), then I'll hit Walmart. Only go to big name stuff, when I have extra cash or want a very specific, of-quality item (GOOD steak, seafood, etc.). Also cut the gym bullshit and run around where you live and make improvised weights.