What am I doing wrong?

tsunami_rid3r

I can't make enough money to pay my bills, and I attend school full-time 17 hours and work part-time at Jamba Juice 15 hours per week. This is only giving me $375. Thats just enough to cover rent. I still have to pay for health insurance, cable, credit cards, a loan, groceries, and gas.

sweetface2233

No offense, but that's normally why kids choose to live at home while attending school FT. I haven't been in your situation, as I have worked FT from the day I graduated HS.

Aren't there student loans and grants that help w/ living expenses? The loan repayment is deferred until 6 months after graduation. At least, this is what I have been told. I still work FT, but am looking for a position in a comapny w/ education benefits. I don't want to pay for my education and many companies out there will foot the bill.

Hortensia

you need a room mate - or a different job. What can you do that would earn more money? Maybe part time at school and full time work. Apply for entry level civil service jobs for instance, because they lead to more benefits. Join the military for housing, food, income and education. I don't know - those are all the ideas I can come up with right now. Learn to be a handy-person - I'd pay $$ for someone who could fix a few things for me around the house, stuff I can't do myself. Learn to paint houses or ask everyone you know what kinds of things they can think of that people need but don't want to do themselves. At one point in my life I put an ad in the paper and started cleaning houses - I just took jobs that would fit my schedule and charged a fair rate so I could make a living. It was useful work and paid enough, and mostly people weren't at home so I didn't have to deal with them face to face.

Madame Quixote

Don't give up, tsunami. This semester is almost over (I think).

ex-nj-jw

Is there anyway you can get an entry level position doing whatever you are going to school for? If so the company you work for will sometimes foot the bill or at least give some type of tuition assistance. And you will probably make a little more money.

nj

John Doe

If you're going to maintain a 17 hour course load, I find it unlikely that you'll be able to work enough to cover your costs. You have several options--reduce your course load and work more. Take out student loans. Decrease your expenses. Find a cheaper place to live or an additional roommate, don't eat out, buy lots of Ramen noodles, kill the cable. Why should a person pay a company big dollars every month for them to bombard with a third of his viewing time in advertisements? Cable is a horrible waste of money.

All of this is basic supply and demand. We live in a world of scarcity--we all have unlimited wants yet limited means. Since the two don't coincide, we have to find ways to move them together.

inbyathread

Why do you need cable? Drop that expense and put the money toward the credit cards (you said cardssss with a "S", plural? You have more than one? Pay off the higher interest card first and cut it up. You can actually cut them up NOW!! If you really need one "for emergencies" remember that pizza at 3:00 AM IS NOT AN EMERGENCY.

Mum

Maybe you need to take fewer classes and work more hours, at least until you find a job with higher pay. Where in the heck can you find a place to rent for $375.00? I might move there.

Regards,

SandraC

wings

My daughter is your age and in the same boat. It is all a part of your path, starting with choices and ending up being about sacrifices. Stick in there, you'll make it.

REBORNAGAIN

Go to your Financial Aid dept. at school. With your income, you most definitely would qualify for subsidies to cover living expenses too.

LINDA

What am I doing wrong?

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