What is money management and how do I obtain such a skill?
I’ve got those really fun parents, the kind who make me pay my phone bill and for my car insurance and gas and pretty much for any and everything I want. It would be a bigger issue if I didn’t have a job, but (thankfully) I do. And as much as I would love to spend every single dime on the most pointless things, I know it’s for the best that I’m getting a taste of the real world while I’ve still got my parents to fall back on. Sure, they wouldn’t be too happy with me if I didn’t give them the money for my phone and insurance every month, but if I couldn’t, they’d pay it for me, and at least I’d only be indebted to them, rather than some company who doesn’t actually care about my personal circumstances.
I think I’m doing really well, actually. I hand over the money for those bills weeks early almost every month. I’ve been licensed for over a year and I have yet to ask for gas money (although one time, they actually gave me a little bit just for the heck of it). I pay for almost everything on my own– shirts from my cross country meets, trips with my friends, clothes, random food runs, etc. I even paid to book a flight for myself to visit some family down in Florida next month.
So what’s the problem? The problem is that I basically break even every month. I have hardly anything saved up, and since I’m going to be moving out in nine months and paying rent and putting myself through college, I’m going to find myself in a pretty big pickle, much sooner than I’m prepared for. I either need to be making more money (though I barely have time for my job as it is, between sports and homework and sleep), or I need to learn how to save.
I walk into a store, and I almost always walk out with more things than I need. I’ve got plenty of clothes. I’ve got plenty of nail polish. I’ve got plenty of shoes. And yet, I can’t seem to stop buying more and more. It’s a serious problem, guys. I have a problem. I admit it. What’s the next step?
Teach me money management.
This is a cry for help.
Help.
HELP.
Author Ashley 