I start my new job Monday and I'm extremely excited! I thought I would make around $12 starting off but instead I'm starting at $10 plus a Christmas Bonus. I did the math and I'll be making a little under $20K a year. How can my daughter and I live comfortably on that? My parents pay for my daughters daycare and everything else right now (since I was unemployed). My rent is about 800 plus 200 for utilities. My daughter daycare is also about 800 a month. Anywho combined with everything else I would need about $2000 a month to live comfortably. My parents are still willing to help me out where needed.
Anyway, my question is even with my parents helping how can I spread my money out so I don't live paycheck to paycheck.
.........................................UPDATE...............................................
So I've taken most of you all's advice and I think I cam up with a decent plan. I'm only happy that I'm not doing this COMPLETLY on my own.
- my parent's moved some tenants into the basement after I moved out and now I will get their rent payments. So that's $650 right there, I just have to pay the remaining balance and my utilies. That's only going to be about $300/month
- I will pay for my gas, but that's only about $200 a month.
- I recieve FS, and just updated my information, so hopefully I will continue to receive them, even though I have a job now
- My parents agreed to continue paying for my daughters daycare
- I'm going to try and save about $200/month
- I don't necessarily have to worry about my DD's clothes. My mom loves shopping for her and even though her dad isn't around he sends her a box of clothes twice a year
- I could get rid of my internet since I am taking evening classes at the local college. I could take my laptop there, Starbucks, Barnes & Nobels, the library, etc...
- I also payed off most of my debt, so now all I have to worry about is the overdraft fee's from a few years ago :/ Also if I can afford it, I'm going to try and start paying my student loans off, even though I don't have too yet.
I'M PRETTY SURE THAT'S ABOUT IT :)
Quoting JerseyAirGurl:
Then budget... I dont take job offers less than 40k a year. That's a low salary... It depends on your lifestyle
Quoting MarinaVictoria:
Not possible
Quoting JerseyAirGurl:
Getting a second job.
Quoting MomaFied:shoot 20k a year would be great at this point... i live down to the penny right now. sooooo on around 15k.... its hard. but we manage.
Quoting LiveByTheSun:
Seriously?! How? I must be the most frivolous spender because that blows my mind! I wish I was as good with money as that. My df is the sole provider pretty much for us and our daughter. I work part time and my job is to buy groceries. But I made 20k last year.. And I know I didn't spend all that on groceries. Lol! And I only saved about 5k.. :-/ oops!
Quoting MomaFied:shoot 20k a year would be great at this point... i live down to the penny right now. sooooo on around 15k.... its hard. but we manage.
This. WIC if you qualify, make a meal plan every week and use it to make a grocery shopping list and stick to it I coupon like crazy and a lot of the basics can be found at the $ tree and a lot of my kids clothes come from consignment shops or goodwill since I see no reason why I should spend a ton of money on clothes they're going to out grow in a few months and get stained up playing and eating in (my kids are 1 year and 3 months).
Quoting RedSoxWife:
Don't buy name brand stuff, shop for cheaper car insurance, see if your county has an energy assistance program with utilities, tone down on non essential things, figure a workable budget and stick to it.
Quoting MarinaVictoria:
I don't have that option. I just graduated school, passed my certification exam, and finally got a entry level medical assisting job. I'm too happy/blessed to be picky right now. Once I get a few years of experience under my belt then I can "choose" what jobs I want. But I must say that hopefully in a few years I'm still working for the same doctor.
Quoting JerseyAirGurl:
Then budget... I dont take job offers less than 40k a year. That's a low salary... It depends on your lifestyle
Quoting MarinaVictoria:
Not possible
Quoting JerseyAirGurl:
Getting a second job.
Exactly. I don't even know if we get 15k a year for 4 people.
Some of these women blow my mind.. and complain about 50k-100k. I know there is a difference in lifstyles and costs of living, but damn.
Quoting MomaFied:shoot 20k a year would be great at this point... i live down to the penny right now. sooooo on around 15k.... its hard. but we manage.
Good Tuesday morning!
- MarinaVictoria
on Apr. 27, 2012 at 3:36 PM