![[mis]adventures of a small town girl](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3tAgOuYxzCE/SbbViDGEciI/AAAAAAAAAVk/CvvhUPP9brg/S1600-R/header.JPG)
After graduation, and upon getting a "real job", it seems like money is something you have so much of. Finally, you can eat something other than bags upon bags of 99 cent pasta. A vacation! An apartment that doesn't have a bug infestation. Plane tickets. The fun things you've dreamed about as an impoverished student working two (or more) jobs to get through to graduation.
Now, with saving and scrounging up money for the return to school, putting money into RRSPs, and paying off the last couple hundred bucks of my student loan, I'm broke. And constantly stressed out about it. The stress of my big school payment this fall has been looming over me for months. The thought of Christmas is enough to give me nightmares. It's a good thing tickets home have already been purchased for the holidays (way cheaper than waiting closer to the day), but it still doesn't ease my no-money woes.
With the summer we've had full of road trips, wedding stuff, birthdays, prettying up B's house and moving all my stuff in, it seems like there's just no way to save enough money for everything I want. Definitely no more photography classes or wine courses. No shopping, save for the brief reprieve brought on by birthday money.
What do you do to ease the no-money woes? Any tips?
What do you do to ease the no-money woes? Any tips?
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9 comments:
I feel you, lady. I'm starting school soon and the debt I'll be in is really scary. I plan on eating at home more, I'll let you know if I find any cheap and tasty recipes.
Eating at home helps, but only if you're a smart shopper and only buy what you absolutely need. Even cutting out things like soda and just drinking tap/filtered water helps.
Maybe you can hold a garage sale? Or sell some stuff on ebay to make a few extra bucks? Of course finding ways to do projects by yourself with things you have around the house can help save some money. Sometimes with clothes, I try to mix and match things so it appears like I have more outfits than I really do!
Thanks ladies!
Trade stuff with friends. Like a purse you're bored of for jewelry that another friend is tired of. It's little stuff but it's new to you!
I also LOVE LOVE LOVE kijiji
I'm a student living on student loans and so my life is pretty inexpensive atm. Instead of having a shopping hobby I am more into photography - and DIY things. I now enjoy nature more - hiking - walking - experiencing. It's a matter of finding alternatives - so instead of missing out on all of the GREAT stuff - I'm experiencing alternative great stuff that I wouldn't have otherwise. I am much more active in the community as well - there are HEAPS of free events all over - and they are usually a fun story to tell later. :)
J has his own business (it's still small) and this month is tax month...so needless to say, we are SO feeling it. He has to save every cent he can for if he has to pay in.
Like all the others said...we eat at home, and if we're in the mood for something nice I bake scones or flapjacks or whatever.
We prefer having friends over, instead of going out. And we go to the cheap movies, instead of the nice expensive cinemas. :)
It's all about cutting back and deciding what's important.
For example, when I go to the shop and I want to buy something I always ask myself DO I REALLY NEED THIS. It works. :) More often than not the answer is no.
Great suggestions ladies, thanks! It's good to hear I'm not the only one worrying about money. It seems annoying to complain during these tough economic times, but you've given good alternatives.
There's a little produce market by our house that we so often forget about. It's pretty hit or miss, but when it's good (like last night), it's so amazing (and so amazingly cheap!)
One big thing I did a few months back was cut out the trip to Starbucks. We've been making homemade frappicinos (kind of) when the mood hits and I've been taking all of my caffeine hits from the workplace coffee machine. I'm not even tempted anymore.
Money is a constant worry for me. Between student loans, car loans, and other debt it all adds up. I've been giving serious thought to getting a second job. A few of my closest friends are struggling too. So we find other things to do. Instead of goign to dinner and a movie we go to someone's house and watch movies or TV series on DVDs, we make food with whatever we can find in the pantry or cupboards. Instead of splurging on $5 coffees at the coffee house every week we go maybe once a month, the other times we make our own coffee and take it to a local park and catch up while sitting on a bench or at a picnic table. We wander around places we usually don't venture - walk past the victorian homes in a nearby town or visit several antique shops. There are lots of free entertaining things to do if you look. =)
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