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How do I make enough money to live? (self.personalfinance)

submitted 3 months ago by TargaryenTKE to c/[email protected]

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Yes, I do have a full-time job, and I even enjoy it, but it doesn't pay enough to survive in this hellscape of a world we live in. I lack the college degree required to get almost any decent-paying job (plus my last job hunt took MONTHS to get a lead), I don't have the skills or originality to become an online content creator, nor the artistry or patience to create and sell trinkets on Etsy (plus, that would require an initial investment which I simply do not have). Should I set up a GoFundMe? OnlyFans? I wouldn't really be offering anything except a charity basket/collection plate so that feels dishonest at best. Idk, I'm quite literally having a breakdown because I'm probably going to lose my car soon, and then my job, and then my apartment, and then my life. Any help at all would be appreciated. Thank you

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[–] [email protected] 8 points 3 months ago (1 children)

That sucks. Sorry.

In your shoes, I would be shopping for a cheap beater car immediately. Put the word out among any friends.

Don't be afraid to buy a beater. You can make a beater get you reliably from point A to point B with YouTube and a cheap tool set from Harbor Freight.

Also, let your boss know what's up, if they're not awful. They may have a lead on a vehicle. As the boss, calling in a favor to help a team membsr buy and maintain a cheap car is a hell of a lot easier than hiring a new good team member.

And to answer your question, I'm well past that stage now, but back when I made $20 / hour:

I write out a budget, every month (I still do.) I didn't use software, at first. I used to fold a piece of paper in half. On the left side of the fold I write each budget item description, on the right side of the fold I write each dollar amount. Then I add it up on my $4 solar calculator. Every month. It takes 20 minutes and it's at least 50% responsible for my current wealth. The hourly rate of return on this stupid trick is mind bogglingly good. It's easily the best investment I've ever made.
I ate at home. I learned to cook three simple meals and ate them over and over again. One was scrambled eggs. One was a balogna sandwich. One was a tuna sandwich. I'm now still famous for my scrambled eggs. I don't eat bologna or tuna anymore, if I can avoid it.
I got very good at repairing my shit box fully paid off almost worthless car. I could still, today, land a job as a master mechanic's apprentice, thanks to how much my beater broke and needed me to fix it. I was incredibly lucky to have mentors who could teach me car repair before YouTube existed. I can almost guarantee my shit box car was more reliable than any car you're still paying off, after I fixed it so many times. Most shit box cars can become rock solid reliable with enough sweat and junk yards parts. I routinely put 300,000 miles on shitty brands of cars, before I reached the kind of wealth where I am now. Now that I'm living large, I buy four year old cars, with less than 100,000 miles on them. It's quite the luxury, but I can afford it.
I always repair my own appliances. Life is so much cheaper when a $17 part solves what could have been a $600.00 repair. YouTube has been incredibly helpful for this. I still repair almost all my own stuff because I now have more experience and a better handy-man track record than most folks I've ever hired.

I'm sorry you're dealing with this. I hope things turn around for you.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 months ago (1 children)

This thing about the budget is absolutely golden. I learned it from Dave Ramsey and I do the exact same thing. I have a budget that I've worked out and I do it roughly every six months to a year and I sit down and I say, I've paid this, I've paid this, I've paid that, I've paid that, I still need to pay that and it has helped tremendously. A budget can really show you where you are fucking up and can cut back. It's been an absolutely amazing tool and I would not want to automate it in any way because sitting down and doing it manually makes you see it.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Just be careful with Dave Ramsey's advice. He's good at getting people on track, but his investment advice sucks and he's way too obsessed with avoiding debt tools. But if you're in debt, he's really motivating.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 months ago

Yeah, true. I listened to him on getting out of debt and focusing on that, even though I have very little debt and none of it consumer credit cards.