Every time they talk about cutting our pay or benefits, I get a slieu of emails linked together from faculty and staff about how it will affect them. Most of them earn more than I do, and sometimes I wonder if I'm the only person who doesn't have any kind of financial hardship. Among the vociferous, there are many single parents, and so I can understand those additional burdens. Apparently, however, some of the people who should be the best off think they have things the worst. The Wall Street Journal contribtor Brett Arends offered advice for those 'struggling' on a household income of $250,000 which is far above my wage.
Many of the tips in this article actually validate the choices by which I have decided to live. While a close friend keeps arguing for the opportunity to 'rebrand' me with a new wardrobe and vehicle, that's not really being true to myself. Sure, it might get me in the door when it came to opportunities to date, work, or have fun, but ask the students and they will tell you that most of the really good teachers are the ones who look like they pay attention to their jobs- and to little else. I present a few by way of discussion.
1. Unrealistic Expectations
I don't date girls with unrealistic expectations. I don't try to get jobs for which I clearly do not qualify. I am honest on my resume and in social settings, because I know that everyone says they want to be accepted for who they are. By this fashion, WYSIWYG, and I don't have to wear masks in different settings. Many of the young folks who live near me come from wealthy families and expect a certain standard of living out of the box. Even if they date and marry a guy who intends to be a lawyer or doctor, he will be my age before he even gets a job in his profession. Young people today expect to have an iPOD, and iPHONE, wireless internet, their own car, etc. That is not realistic for me at my wage, despite the huge relative sum I manage to save monthly.
2. Mortages
You may know I've been looking for a house for over a year now. My realtor is probably disappointed that I'm not looking for a bigger or more expensive house, because they want a bigger comission cheque. I am looking for a house that satisfies my needs, provides for future expansion of my family, and costs a price I can really afford. Tempted though I may be to go after a home that's nice but 'just a little bit more', I have managed expectations and let other people buy homes. It does me no good if I cannot afford my home and would be a huge embarassment to do so when the market is near its trough. I told a realtor once that I was looking for a home because I could own one for the same price as rent and that the price generated a monthly rent I could afford even if I ended up at the corner McDonalds selling fries.
3. Transportation
Ask my parents what they think of my recent installation of a replacement Long Block into my 1995 Saturn, and they'll probably roll their eyes. They think that my car holds me back, which it might, especially if I were a mortgage broker, stock trader, or some other kind of salesman, but it primarily serves as a mode of transportation to get to work. In that case, the fact that I own my own car should be a good thing, since girls are equally turned off to date guys who ride the bus... A girl I knew well once thought it was really cool when I bought an exact clone of my car; it turned out to be very smart. So, I know some girls value that too. I wrote earlier this week about people who don't really own cars and rent them in order to purchase a status, but this author says, as I share his belief, that such people are A) insecure and B)have no sense. I know I'm awesome, and driving a BMW won't change who I really am. Besides, I agree with his plan: buy used, pay cash, and drive it until it dies. Now, there are HUGE costs just before a car dies, and not everyone is inclined to or able to replace an engine, so I would change that to "drive it until the cost to keep it running outweighs the cost to replace it".
4. DIY More Frequently
A friend of mine reported that he paid $50 to have his oil changed this week in SC. I can buy the oil and filter at Walmart for under $15 and do it myself. Do things for yourself that you can easily do. There is no guarantee that a 'professional' will do a better job if he's a trainee, and then you saw how well you did because you were intimately associated with the process. Not to say you should do everything yourself (I hate anything to do with electricity for example), but you can certainly mow your own lawn, walk your own dog, and wash your own car, all for less than you may pay someone else.
5. Shop Value
There is nothing shameful about shopping at places like WalMart. I remember once when I was younger seeing Joe Albertson bagging groceries in one of his own stores. Sarah palin made headlines during the campaign when she stopped in to buy emergency diapers. Go where you get the best value. Some people value service with the sale. You pay for that. Is it value added? Not to say everything at WalMart is a good deal. I buy a specific type of running shoes that they do not carry, but I wait until they are on sale. You can too.
Finally, he makes this brazen remark with which I whole-heartedly agree.
It is not about how much you earn, it's about how much you get to keep.
I have told people for over a year that it's about how much is left over after you meet your obligations.
I will probably continue to live like this, especially when I am single. It provides a life that suits and satisfies me.
Many of the tips in this article actually validate the choices by which I have decided to live. While a close friend keeps arguing for the opportunity to 'rebrand' me with a new wardrobe and vehicle, that's not really being true to myself. Sure, it might get me in the door when it came to opportunities to date, work, or have fun, but ask the students and they will tell you that most of the really good teachers are the ones who look like they pay attention to their jobs- and to little else. I present a few by way of discussion.
1. Unrealistic Expectations
I don't date girls with unrealistic expectations. I don't try to get jobs for which I clearly do not qualify. I am honest on my resume and in social settings, because I know that everyone says they want to be accepted for who they are. By this fashion, WYSIWYG, and I don't have to wear masks in different settings. Many of the young folks who live near me come from wealthy families and expect a certain standard of living out of the box. Even if they date and marry a guy who intends to be a lawyer or doctor, he will be my age before he even gets a job in his profession. Young people today expect to have an iPOD, and iPHONE, wireless internet, their own car, etc. That is not realistic for me at my wage, despite the huge relative sum I manage to save monthly.
2. Mortages
You may know I've been looking for a house for over a year now. My realtor is probably disappointed that I'm not looking for a bigger or more expensive house, because they want a bigger comission cheque. I am looking for a house that satisfies my needs, provides for future expansion of my family, and costs a price I can really afford. Tempted though I may be to go after a home that's nice but 'just a little bit more', I have managed expectations and let other people buy homes. It does me no good if I cannot afford my home and would be a huge embarassment to do so when the market is near its trough. I told a realtor once that I was looking for a home because I could own one for the same price as rent and that the price generated a monthly rent I could afford even if I ended up at the corner McDonalds selling fries.
3. Transportation
Ask my parents what they think of my recent installation of a replacement Long Block into my 1995 Saturn, and they'll probably roll their eyes. They think that my car holds me back, which it might, especially if I were a mortgage broker, stock trader, or some other kind of salesman, but it primarily serves as a mode of transportation to get to work. In that case, the fact that I own my own car should be a good thing, since girls are equally turned off to date guys who ride the bus... A girl I knew well once thought it was really cool when I bought an exact clone of my car; it turned out to be very smart. So, I know some girls value that too. I wrote earlier this week about people who don't really own cars and rent them in order to purchase a status, but this author says, as I share his belief, that such people are A) insecure and B)have no sense. I know I'm awesome, and driving a BMW won't change who I really am. Besides, I agree with his plan: buy used, pay cash, and drive it until it dies. Now, there are HUGE costs just before a car dies, and not everyone is inclined to or able to replace an engine, so I would change that to "drive it until the cost to keep it running outweighs the cost to replace it".
4. DIY More Frequently
A friend of mine reported that he paid $50 to have his oil changed this week in SC. I can buy the oil and filter at Walmart for under $15 and do it myself. Do things for yourself that you can easily do. There is no guarantee that a 'professional' will do a better job if he's a trainee, and then you saw how well you did because you were intimately associated with the process. Not to say you should do everything yourself (I hate anything to do with electricity for example), but you can certainly mow your own lawn, walk your own dog, and wash your own car, all for less than you may pay someone else.
5. Shop Value
There is nothing shameful about shopping at places like WalMart. I remember once when I was younger seeing Joe Albertson bagging groceries in one of his own stores. Sarah palin made headlines during the campaign when she stopped in to buy emergency diapers. Go where you get the best value. Some people value service with the sale. You pay for that. Is it value added? Not to say everything at WalMart is a good deal. I buy a specific type of running shoes that they do not carry, but I wait until they are on sale. You can too.
Finally, he makes this brazen remark with which I whole-heartedly agree.
It is not about how much you earn, it's about how much you get to keep.
I have told people for over a year that it's about how much is left over after you meet your obligations.
I will probably continue to live like this, especially when I am single. It provides a life that suits and satisfies me.
1 comment:
We roll our eyes because you still need dependable transportation so you don't inconvenience others while your old car isn't running. And making comments about how much you save every month is risky. Some people you don't want to know that will be able to find out, and you are getting a great deal on your current rent. Things will be different when you finally get your own place.
Post a Comment