My financial Plan is Just Vibes and Hope at this Point
How the hell am I supposed to budget when one “well-paying” full-time job alone won’t pay my months rent? We can have a whole discussion about this and then there’s that one asshole who discovered a loophole and tells us that all we do is complain.
To give you a little more context, not only did I participate in hustle culture, I felt like I was the main character of a stupid movie I wanted no part of. I worked at a school, and an after-school program, while doing three side hustles on the weekend; sometimes I’d do it after work. So, I did the 12-hour shifts plus side hustle. It didn’t pay the rent. There weren’t just “any” jobs. The jobs that I chose I went into so that I could work on my career. Even those jobs didn’t pay the rent.
Mom and dad are not an option. I started paying my mom rent when I was seventeen and working part time while I was still in high school. It wasn’t until I realized I was being used for my finances (after she kept asking me to pay more in rent at the time) that I decided to move out on my own.
I didn’t get a roommate until later, after I built up so much credit card debt to put food on the table. I tried applying for help (food stamps) only to be told I make too much. Which is crazy because I saw the numbers they put, and there were off by a lot. I was lucky to be with people who supported me where they could, they recommended food banks, and even my boyfriend paid for my lunch.
And yet here I am still trying to figure it out.
If it was so easy to be a millionaire, everyone would do it. For now, rent is due on the first, don’t forget you have to eat, and pay your taxes and also, your phone bill is due soon.
I often see some old friends on Instagram discussing how they’re money-driven and how successful they’ve become after high school. But remember that Instagram is a lie. People are not going to share the full story.
People won’t be open to telling the world that they still live at home, their parents helped pay for their trips, or they know someone who could watch their kids while they pursue their dreams.
I see them owning homes at a young age. But they don’t discuss how their parents helped them with their down payment, or with their credit.
I see people traveling and bragging about all they places they’re going to or have been to, but they don’t mention that someone they know is sending them money every month.
I’m not going to continue. It’s amazing what they have going on in their lives, and there’s nothing wrong with it. It just leaves the rest of us wondering when it will be our turn to enjoy a life like that.
Remember, we’re not behind in life, we just weren’t handed everything to us. We weren’t given a hand to give us a lift, but be sure to acknowledge those who did on this journey that you’re on.
Most importantly, remember this journey, take in the hardships, and never stop going for what you really want: freedom.
Not just vibes and hope.
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