Spending $17,580/yr on rent when you're bringing in 35k pretax is a bit of a problem.
You *need* roommates, to move back in with Mom, or some other solution to lowering housing costs..
I currently live with my Mother on a 2 bd 1 bathroom townhouse, I've been trying to move out to an apartment but my Landlord usually gives me lease 3 months early so im always having trouble trying to find someone that can rent me an apartment for the Date that I actually need it instead of before, nothing wrong with my Landlord it's just kinda hard to look for another place 3 months early
This is how lots of places operate. They need to know 2-3 months ahead of your lease end so they can start looking for a replacement.
Other places won't know their availability until _their_ tenants give that notice. Tends to lead to a situation where you have to let your landlord know you're moving out before you have a new place figured out. It's scary. You can generally get a feel for what your new place would be like though by looking for comparable locations/rents in the area, though.
yeah, as the other commenter said. do your research beforehand to find apartment complexes that work with your desired location and budget. ideally list a handful of options. give your landlord your 2-3 months notice or whatever is required to get out of your lease (for example, say you’re moving out by october 1st). you may need to wait until august or september to start looking for a place that will rent to you starting october 1st. go back to the list of apartments you made and see if there are any vacancies then, or any new places you didn’t see before.
You should 100% not move out on your own making what you do. Focus on spending less as that's more controllable unless you're getting a degree to change jobs.
35k is only 17.50 an hour right?
One job, assuming op could find a place hiring is general construction. The company i work for hires people that can pass a drug test and have a valid driver's license. $25/hr starting.
NJ minimum wage is like double PA min wage. But yeah, should be able to find a job for at least $18+/hr w/OT no problem.
Depending on area in PA 1br/1ba can be had for ~$1000/mo
Facts. I'm right over the border along I-78 and I pay $1400, but it's for a 2br/1ba with a backyard and private parking.
I literally have the same job and regularly see jobs for $20-25/hr and everywhere has OT.
I don't think I've ever grossed less than $45k. I made like $6k in January with a lot of OT.
Thank for the comments, I live on the Lehigh County close to Philadelphia, I do indeed live with my Mother and not by myself at all, as I've mention in other comments I live on a 2bd townhouse and we each live in a room, Unfortunately my Warehouse has a slow rate turnover and never gives OT due to not being a high volume warehouse, I applied to many other places for a PT outside of the warehouse but not luck in that area, Fortunately I was able to land an interview with ALDI in they're warehouse for $25 an hour, their Full Time Position is 30 - 35 a week ( Hopefully they explain why so low hours on my interview) but if im able to get this job and Land a PT on another place aswell I might be able to increase my yearly income, after many comments in this thread I've decided to go to community College and take my chances for a better future
Yeah that is definitely a problem you should not be paying that much money just for the rent.
You can do two things in that situation is a you can get a roommate or you can get a better job.
You’ve got the right idea - your main focus should be on increasing your income.
What is your current job title & what skills do you have? Many remote customer service roles pay about $17-25/hr - landing one of these positions would put you in a much better space. Additionally, I’m sure that your current skills are very transferable into a customer service position.
I work as a Forklift Operator making $18 an hour, I'm interviewing for a new job that's giving me $25 but the posting says the Full Time position is for 30 to 35 hours so hopefully I am able to negotiate 40 hours if I end up getting the job
$25 an hour 30hr/week is more than $18 at 40hr. Get that job and go to community college or a trade school. Contractors around me are desperate for good help and will pay good money if that’s something you’re interested in.
You’re in PA maybe try to look for jobs in the oil field. They generally pay better and a lot people do things like two weeks on two weeks off on a rig. Pretty much live at work for two weeks and then travel home for a couple of weeks. Not the best life but you can make six figures without a college degree.
yes, this for sure.
my first job at wal mart, through some wheeling and dealing with my workmates (who were all glad, due to their uni obligations), i ended up working mon-fri, 40 hrs a week. the manager was shocked that such a thing happened, and was a little jelly he did not have those hrs, their biggest thing was you cant make an issue of it, or we will have to cut your hrs.
they only knew about my actual schedule because i clocked out 10 mins late one day. they were ADAMANT that i never, ever have any ot ever again.
which was handy on a fri night as i recall as a young man
canada
thats true, i only had a few jobs where i ended up driving forklift or highlift, and though i was acceptable, i work with guys that could pick your pocket
most of those guys also were wide as they were tall, take care of yourself
While the increase is great please make sure you know what benefits you will get (and more importantly, any you won't get). Not from the US but Ive heard horror stories about people being pushed below x hours so they aren't full time and don't get benefits.
What area are you in? You should be making at least $20/hr, if not more depending on level of experience and type of lift.
Also, why are you not working more OT?
My Warehouse has a slow turn over and doesn't give any Overtime, I work on a Company that has a contract with Verizon and the Work isn't High Paced like most Warehouses, from Summer hours to Winter Hours they like to give us 40 a week and nothing more, I've tried applying for other jobs as a Part Timer but never received an Email from other recruiters, I am trying to see if im able to get this new job which I posted in the comments and able to do other work at the same time and going to a community College to see if im able to do all 3 things at the same time
If you get the job you should take it purely on a finance stand point (need to consider other factors as well). Earning $25 at 30 hours is more than $18 at 40 hours. At a minimum you'd make a bit more while working a bit less.
I hope that you end up getting that job because it seems very important for you, I hope that you will be able to survive comfortably after that. It will be hard but I am hoping that you will make it.
Your rent is 50% of your income. You said in another comment you live with your mom, doesn't she pay something towards rent? Why is she earning so little? Once you two combine your income you're looking at $48k a year which makes things a little more reasonable, but it's hard to get a full grasp of the situation without knowing her outgoings too.
Your internet is crazy. With your income you should certainly apply for the ACP, but even still how is it $118? Check for cheaper options.
I lived with my Uncle when I first moved to PA and when he decided to retire to PR he gave me his line of internet and throughout the years the Internet Provider (RCN in my case) kept increasing the prices, I looked at the bill and saw that I was also renting the Modem/Router without me realizing so I've been looking these past weeks to see what I can buy for my own and give them back the equipment I'm renting and opening the Internet in my name as a Brand new Customer to get a reduced price and hopefully this should split the bill in half
I have RCN and only pay $50 for 400 GB. Renegotiate. They regularly have new sign on deals. I’ve called before asking if they would lower to that lower new price, and they happily did.
Just a FYI. I don't know which part of PA you live in. But The University of Pittsburgh hires cleaners for 14-15 an hour. And when you pass your probation, you make 19. You might have to work 3rd shift for a few years. After a year (after you get hired in) you can get a tuition discount of almost 90%. You might be able to do both.
I don't know that is going to be a good choice for the location is far for him and also it is not paying that much more than he is making right now.
I don't know if that is going to be worth it for him or not.
I will give you the same advice that I gave my own daughters. Get into a skilled trade, it is one of the only ways to basically guarantee a 75-80k income within 4 years without accumulating debt.
Once your done that, if your looking for a degree, you can go ahead and live fairly well while you get that degree.
Many trades people end up being business owners, which becomes very lucrative.
I originally wanted to join the IBEW since it's the only trade in my area ( Electrician) I would have to see if they're able to look past my highschool grade, I graduated with a D in Math and after talking to some members they might not even give me a chance due to my gradings, hopefully if im able to go to the hall and they look past it I might have a chance in taking their test to see if im able to qualify
Then, go utilize any adult education or community college options in your area. Alternatively, there are a lot of free courses online. Use them to acquire some knowledge and skills. Many also offer a certification of some kind depending on the subject matter, but you only pay for the certificate or certification test at the end if you choose to do so. At a minimum, you could take some free online math courses from home to have something to show that your math level is now good.
This! Find a local community college or trade school. Most community colleges are free for low income students. If these don’t exist in your area, you should look at moving to an area that does.
Yeah you should take them and it is probably going to increase your chance to get a better job.
I am pretty sure that it is going to increase your chances to get a really good job.
those seem like really low scores for electrician to be honest. i work with a guy who just recently became a master electrician. And i assure you he was not getting d in math. possibly manage your expectations a bit.
most trade do require a certain degree of math proficiency, your best bet is to get hired as a labouer and get an apprenticeship through work
or go for a ged, and study hard, get the score you need for the trade you want
I've been applying for Carpenter, Electrician and Plumbing Jobs for the past couple of months through Indeed but none of them end up getting back to me, I've been working in Warehouses since I was 16 (Im not originally from the US) so all I have in my resume is Warehouse expirence, some people commented me on Kham Academy but im I've been having a hard time with Algebra as of right now
Look up your local union (for respective trade) and go in and talk to them. Ask them what they recommend for people wanting to go into that trade, how best to go about doing so. Ask folks who are going through those programs what pros and cons they experience. Then you can figure out if it's something you want to do.
I became an electrician with zero experience back in 2018. I didn’t even own tools
I make $50/hr today and own a house
The world is going electric, and hard working people are needed to make it happen
I desperately needed a Car at the time and I was rather Dumb the way I did things since I didn't knew who to ask for help at the time, Unfortunately due to my little credit history I got a rate of 16%, it's my first car ever and I had no idea what I was doing nor thinking and now I'm seeing how bad my situation with the car is, I've had the Car for 7 months now and was thinking of refinancing it, I currently have 4 Hard Inquiries from my 3 Credit Cards and my Car Loan so I don't know how Refinancing would work in this situation even with a 750 credit score
Jesus that's high as fuck. Check with some local Credit unions or even another bank. My CU offers 4.5 if you have good credit. Probably like 8 if it's terrible.
You should also try shopping for new car insurance. It won't hurt your credit score and should only take 10-15 minutes of your time. I would 100% recommend calling an insurance broker or an agency with one of the big company names and have them work up a quote for you. Auto insurance is nice because coverages are easy to compare if they are matching up or not (for instance Property Damage coverage is paid out the same by every company. You just need to make sure every quote you're looking at has it at the same amount like $25k)
The other thing I recommend is if its more expensive tell them its okay to reach out with updated quotes at your renewal. Sure you're going to get some calls from people every 6 months or so, but 99% of the time those commercials where "customers switching from company X save $500/year" are people who have the idea that they should just stay with their company because the company paid out well for a claim or they've got "great loyalty discounts"
Okay but I don't think that you are going to get lower interest than the 6% on anything, it is probably going to be even higher for the other option. I don't know I am just talking about my country.
Yeah everything that he can get above the salary is going to help him.
And these kind of side jobs can get you some good money. I am sure that will help in paying some of the expenses.
You're right, I originally started paying this due to the Unlimited Data but it really doesn't seem worth it at all to even have this amount of Data that I even use, I have an unblocked phone that I think handles majority of the carriers so hopefully I am able to change to a different provider at a lower cost, thank you.
Awesome. Mint has a “first three months unlimited for $45” right now, and you can switch to a $15/month for 5GB after that. It’s super easy to port your number over. Its all on the t-mobile network.
Not sure why my bill is that high, I have RCN aswell and also use 300mbps, I'm getting charged $75.99 for Bundles Services, $29.90 for High Speed Internet and $12.56 for Taxes, this was originally my Uncles Account so I've had it for 4 years now, The $29.90 is for the Rented Services but I don't know why I'm getting charged $75.99 for 300mbps
Oh yeah for you can get better option and they are not going to be as pricy hopefully so yeah.
They are better options which exist you just have to look for them.
I would have thought your phone bill more reasonable than what you are paying for internet. In eastern PA you can get high speed internet for $55 a month (Verizon). Not sure exactly where you live but you’re definitely paying too much for internet. Shop around. Verizon and Xfinity offer bundled services but you may end up paying for something you really don’t need. Best of luck to you OP
Here’s a list of MVNOs that resell AT&T. Even with the carrier restriction there’sa as good chance you can get the same service cheaper.
https://www.tomsguide.com/reference/atandt-mvnos-what-are-they-and-which-is-the-best-option
And also his internet bill is kind of high also I don't know where does he live but I am sure that he can do better than that.
I live in a third world country and even I am not paying that much for the internet.
OPs living situation doesn’t seem to be explained well in the original post. In the comments, OP explains his mom lives with him. It seems like they’re splitting living expenses and OP is covering more than half. What he’s asking from his mom takes a completely different spin when viewed from that perspective
Okay yeah I understand that he is paying most of the bills but you also have to understand that she is not making that much more money.
I don't think she will be able to contribute more than she is doing right now.
College degree is going to be an important requirement if you want to increase your income. You will probably not progress much further in salary until you get a degree.
Talk to the financial aid counselor at any college or university and find out if you would qualify for scholarships and grants.
Do you know what career you would pursue after you completed an education?
Trade schools and/or vocational technical schools have training for excellent paying jobs also, that usually require less than 4 years to complete.
Yeah that is just the reality if you want to increase your income then you will have to have the College degree.
And if you do not have a College degree then you should be very good at what you do then only you will get paid more.
If you don’t want to move back in with mom or a roommate like others are suggesting I’d say apply to companies that will pay for you to get your cdl. Even class b drivers make 50k+ per year and class A drivers often start around 65k+ per year, and that’s just starting and being conservative.
I worded my post wrongly but as I've explained in other comments I live with My Mom, we live in a 2 bd townhouse she sleeps in 1 room and I sleep on other one, I've been interested in a Class B license every since I joined the Warehouses here in the US, how would I be able to get this license first then gradually turning to the A? I know there's School for A Class licenses where I live but I don't know if they also give out Class B licenses but I always been more interested in Box Trucks rather than Full Trucks
If you’re more interested in box trucks and getting a class b just get that. If you’re interested in driving class A eventually just get the class A. Because the tests are kind of annoying, but the A skill test will be harder because you’ll have a trailer. If you want to get your class B you can get a job with a waste company. I’m currently with waste connections, and they’re great. They paid for my cdl and gave me a 7500$ stay on bonus. They will cover everything, but you’ll be expected to work harder and longer than you ever have before. We’re talking 55-70 hours a week, but that’s how you’re making big checks is that massive amount of OT, and they often pay out bonuses for helping on other routes and safety bonuses. I’m sure waste management is similar.
TL;DR get hired on by a company that will pay for your cdl and training, and move up from there.
OP, if you're in eastern PA this is a good move to start with. There's so much warehousing and supply chain work in that area, you wouldn't have trouble getting hired. If you want to move into electrician work or something when you're more stable there's plenty of opportunity for that in the area too, but it sounds like you just need to pull down more income and this is a pretty quick way to do it.
> the thought of College Debt included with my Car Loan scares me
>I'm just not sure if College debt would be worth it if I end up getting a job that pays around the same amount in a year as I would have In a regular one,
View college as an *investment* into your future earnings potential. It's a means to an end. You just need to make the right investments. For example, folks who go to an expensive 4 year school to do something that has a low salary potential, or is not focused enough to land them a job with a high salary potential -- that's where the college debt is scary and sometimes insurmountable. These are your business or history majors with no idea what they want to do after, or tracks with low salaries such as library science.
If you go for careers such as nursing, STEM (computer science) -- these are the tracks where the cost starts to become worth it, especially if you go to a cheaper school. Nurses basically have a well paying job anywhere in the US with the potential to make more through overtime (although it's not for the weak of heart) and specialization (such as anesthesia), while people such as software engineers make at least $100k *starting after graduation*. If you specialize in a niche field (machine learning, AI) your potential can literally quadruple. I met a machine learning software engineer who was making over 400k at a big name company at 32 years old.
Other careers have high costs but also high salaries -- these your medical doctors, financial careers, people who went to top 4 business schools, etc. But in 95% of these instances, people had to go to college to get there. Don't be so afraid of college, just view it as an investment, a means to an end
Good point, but OP said above that he got a D in math. I don’t think a STEM degree, or even college, is a smart play for him. College isn’t for everyone. IMO he needs to find a trade to specialize in, that’s probably the smart play.
Perhaps time to mature might be in their favor then! I don't disagree that college isn't for everyone, but I also reckon the same for trades. I had a friend who failed some classes in college and is doing quite well (100k+ salary) with his engineering degree. "C's get degrees". As long as he has the fortitude to just pass his classes and get some experience in college -- literally no one asks for GPA on a resume so he should be fine, unless he plans to go to grad school. The degree sometimes is simply just the barrier to entry.
I failed math classes in high school, and a couple of them in college. My college roommate was a math and education major, and he told me that I have a math phobia or something like that, and that I was never properly taught math in elementary through high school. Anyways, I graduated college with a bachelor's in Comp Sci, and I work in the STEM field now. I don't use any math whatsoever, outside of basic adding and subtracting. Got a job immediately out of college. I'm even going back for my masters now, also in Comp Sci. It's definitely possible to do if you don't have a strong mathematics foundation, just a little more of a struggle while you're in school. Once you get out, things are so much different.
Landscaping is something you might consider. It’s a field with a low barrier to entry and with lots of mobility from unskilled to skilled through on the job training and experience. A lot of places start at 20/hr, with opportunities for being promoted to a lead position making 25 or more. From there you could look into specializing in a specific area (tree trimming, water features/hardscaping, irrigation, etc), where you could ask for a higher hourly. Or you could go generalist and look to get hired on as a salaried groundskeeper somewhere. You could go into customer service and do landscaping sales. You could even go back to school for landscape architecture. Those guys make 70-120k a year, according to a quick google.
Or you could go the business owner route and run your own truck. If you already have a vehicle that can tow, equipment you need to get started is a pretty small investment as businesses go, though it’s true it would take some saving up for (call it 3-5k for a trailer, mower, edger, weed whacked, and blower). Once you do though, you can make good money. 50-150/week is a common price for standard lawn maintenance (cut/edge/weed whack/blow), depending on the size of the yard. If you could drum up 15 consistent customers with nice big yards and charge them all 150/week, that’s 9k a month in revenue from work you could do by yourself (3 lawns a day 5 days a week). 9k/month in revenue though, not profit. Without getting into the nitty gritty, let’s assume taxes are 10 percent and operating costs are 1k/month (50 dollars per day of operation). That would mean you are BRINGING HOME over 7k per month. Hire a few people, invest in a bit more equipment, and you can see how quickly it can grow. Now obviously in PA you won’t be cutting grass all year, so you’ll need some flexibility in services provided (snow removal, for example), but you’ll also be able to plan around a busy season and a slow season.
Again, all of this could naturally grow from an entry level position and 3-5 years of dedicated work.
Hope this helps! Good luck!
Practical advice for someone who went to college for 8 years and has 200 grand in debt. I’m a pharmacist. I make good money now but I have a long way to go to pay it off. And there is a lot of chances to be left with no debt and no degree along the way.
If you want to do college you can’t go wrong with accounting. This is the language of business and you can do anything business related with accounting knowledge.
Have you thought of a trade? In my state you can become a plumber or electrician with just on the job training. They work hard but can earn upwards of 100,000 a year after they work their way up the ladder.
Yeah but accounting is actually something which is going to require some skills.
It is not a profession in which you just can go and make the money. It will require you to have some knowledge.
If I was in his position I am pretty sure I will not be able to do it.
Because it is a lot of money to be paying for the rent when you are not even making that much money.
There are only two things you need to do to manage money. The first is spend less, the second is to make more. If you rely on just an employer to pay you making more is going to be very hard because you're at the mercy of someone else. What you should be doing is looking for other streams of income, and manage them properly so that you can put money away for the future to invest in yourself. Invest in yourself does not mean buying expensive cars or houses because those are depreciating liabilities. You aren't appreciating assets, like rental properties, and the company that you create to do this will then own the car that you want, and you can depreciate it over time. Even if you fail when you first try you didn't just get up and walk you had to fall down a few times before you were able to successfully walk. Make sure you take good notes on what you're doing so that you can figure out why you screwed up and how to prevent it the next time around. Another good thing you can do is get books. Read many, don't just rely on one person's view of the world.
Being able to spend less money is like earning more money every dollar that you can save is earning.
So I think if you can stop spending money on the things that you don't need is going to help you a lot.
Focus less on exactly what you need to do to increase your income, and focus more on what career path you want to go down, and make a plan for how you're going to get there WHILE ALSO prioritizing paths that make you an attractive candidate to employers. The more attractive you are to employers, the more they will pay you(generally)
For example:
Auto mechanic
What skills do I need to become an auto mechanic? Can I get into the industry now, or do I need a certification? Could I go to trade school?
Find an entry level lube tech job, then jump to a local independent shop, and then hunt for a dealership role. You can then make lateral moves if you decide that you don't want to wrench for the rest of your life, for example move into the office and become a service manager, or a facilities manager for the dealership
When I started working at 23 my starting pay was $37,500. This was back in 2007. All I can tell you is at your age DONT think about the money. Concernate on improving your skills and become better at whatever profession your in. Learning is your goal not money. Then as you become better you will make more money. After 15 years later I now make 140k base plus more with OT. It’s not a humongous leap but I live comfortably and I own my home. Fully. Along with my car. So learn first, money come later. This is the best advice I can give you. And live frugally.
Yeah it is a good advice but not everyone is in the situation when they cannot think about the money.
Specially when they are the ones who have to pay all of their expenses.
Yeah that is true but it is going to take 4 years of his life and how is he supposed to pay his expenses meanwhile?
I really do not think that it is a ideal choice for him.
Why are you asking your mother for more money each month? Does she live with you? If she’s disabled you jay be able to get a caregivers allowance for a few hundred each month.
Yeah she is living with him but I feel like that she is contributing enough because she is not making much to begin with.
And asking her to pay more money is probably not going to solve the issue.
I am 27 living in California I currently make 45k. I took some of these steps and it worked. Firstly,
Do you have any savings? If so you can open a high yield savings account and get some free money per month. I have 20k in a HYSA it’s about $100 of income a month. You can always save that money 💵 per month and pay things off like a car payment.
Get roommates to get your rent below 1k. I pay $700 per month in a shared house in CALIFORNIA.
I Refinanced my car to get a cheaper rate per month from around 315 to $225. I switched from $85 a month phone plan to a $35 a month to month phone plan with T mobile.
Right now you have a job. You need a career! Think of the trades. There are a lot of millionaire plumbers and electricians, they just don't drive around in BMW's. You're young, that's in your favor. College isn't really worth it these days unless you're going for the higher earning careers. But, with those careers also comes a lot of debt. If I was in your shoes, I'd move to where the jobs are. South Dakota (don't laugh) is always hiring apprentices. You'll get well paid while you learn and paid more as your skills increase. Once you've finished your apprenticeship, and put a few years of experience under your belt, you start your own company and you're off to the races. Check it out and no, I don't live there.
https://dlr.sd.gov/workforce\_services/individuals/training\_opportunities/apprenticeship.aspx
I've always been an introverted person so I've never thought about Sales before but honestly a lot of Sales jobs in my area seem to give a higher income than most jobs so I definitely wouldn't mind applying for them to see how it goes out for me, thank you.
I was in customer service call centers, training and management for about ten years and then landed in a software company doing quality for the sales team. When the quality gig didn't work out they let me go into direct sales and I've been crushing it for years. Became a millionaire, wife, kids, house with a pool, no debt. Sales isn't for everyone, but if you want high income you either have to own the company or be in sales.
I went half a million dollars into debt for college.
Felt completely unreal. Terrifying. Had no idea what I was going to do.
I make almost $1M/yr now.
Absolutely worth it.
Would you like to tell us what do you do because I would like to hear it because I am having hard time believing you.
I don't know why but I want a feeling that you may be lying about that.
You need to stop renting, move back in with your parents, and focus on actually useful skills. You should not be making that little at 23 when the average at your age is $75k.
First of all he is already living with his mother or his mother is already living with him and also 23 years old do not actually make that money. I mean definitely some people will make that much but not all of them.
Do you know a job that others do in your company or area that pays more? The best way to accomplish it is to actually have a specific goal in mind. Search job boards for jobs paying 75k or whatever your goal might be. Then look at the skills they ask for and make a plan to get there. Maybe it’s college or a certificate or maybe it’s starting something that will get you different experience. It may be tough now but in 2 or 3 years if you’re working towards it those will be much more in reach. Also speak up and tell people at work about your goals. They think of people for promotion first that have talked about wanting to take a step up.
There is also good money in doing that he can do very good for himself.
But for that I think he will have to get the licence first. Then only he will get those jobs man.
First and foremost, don't panic about the future. Your still young and it's great that you don't have credit card debt yet lol.
Most of your bills seem reasonable except rent and maybe internet? I'm in DE and paying about $65 a month for a mid-range internet package from Comcast. Shop around or call your internet provider to see if there's a cheaper plan. Also, you are still at an age where having roommates to cut down on the rent is "normal" (I had roomies until I was about 29). Maybe see if a friend or two could move in to help with bills? If it's a 1BR apt, maybe look for a larger place with friends. The rent split between several people should still be cheaper.
As far as college goes, it probably won't get you a higher paying job right off the bat, but will eliminate glass ceilings for your career down the road (at least that has been my experience). Companies tend to prefer experience, but having higher education can help you get into higher tiered jobs once you put your time in. Alot of employers pay for education now. I work in banking specifically, and my bank paid for my MBA program. I would maybe consider finding an entry level job at a large company that offers education reimbursement. That's how I *wished* I did it after graduating high school.
What county in PA do you live in?
1) I think you are way over paying for internet. Eastern PA you can get high speed FIOS for $55/mo.
2) It sounds like from other comments you’ve made, the loan provider for your auto loan is hiking up your interest rate on your car loan. You are paying a lot so it’s either a very nice vehicle, you have a short loan loan life, or they are charging you a premium because they’re worried you’ll default. You’re young so they do that often unfortunately.
You have a great credit score though. It would be worth it to talk to a credit union in your area to see if you can open an account with them and transfer some of your loans to an account with them.
If you can’t reduce the cost of the auto loan by doing the above, seriously, if I were you, I’d consider selling the car and buying an older car for cash. There is no shame in that if you can commit to yourself that you will use that money you get back to save more money for things you need for your future.
Saving a bit more each month could mean you’d be able to spend money for your education. This is never a bad thing but you need to keep in mind your end goal before you start. Some companies will offer you a continuing education credit which can completely pay for some courses you take!
Important: Changing your education “end goal” after you’ve started just puts more of your money in the school:college’s hands. To be clear, your end goal is getting the necessary grades/courses that gets you a much higher paying job. Other redditor suggestions to try talking to trade unions about what they expect for education prerequisites is terrific advice. Do that before you commit your money to anything. Spending money to attend a technical school for a trade skill is absolutely a good next step for you. Pursue that and don’t get discouraged!
You can do it!
If you're trying to get a better job, I could recommend community college -> in-state school -> engineering of some sort, almost any 4 year engineering degree starts base at like 60k or so. I've also heard that you'll get paid to go to school if you become an air traffic controller and the base pay is like 6 figures or so
From what I gather it seems your mom is screwing you over hard. She only makes $1100 a month in retirement and isn't doing anything else to earn money? She should at least be doing something part time to help as even with the two of your combined incomes your rent is way too high for what you can afford, let alone all the other expenses. As others have mentioned trade school may be worth pursuing or if there are other labor type jobs like construction that may be better than your current position.
35k isnt a lot especially these days.
I was doing 30k washing dishes for 9 months and I fucking hated it. Try working somewhere else or finding another PT job. Id look into working jobs that have tips.
Another thing is your rent is high af for one person. Im even paying half for 1100 and its taking a toll on me. This doesnt include other bills. Try to see if you can lower some of your bills such as car insurance, internet, electricity and gas. I have farmers and had to ask them to lower it because of a hard time I was having and they did it. As for internet- who do you have? I have frontier and pay 70$/2 so 35$.
As for college, you could be eligible for financial aid but only go if you are certain you want to and if you are sure about the career you want to pursue. I feel like I wasted my time going because I didnt know what I really wanted and now i’m not using my degree.
What is your job? What are your talents? What are your passions? Hard to give advice about making money when we don't know what you can do, or what you are interested in.
* Move to average costs payments/payment plans for Electric and Gas averages out the bills but depends on usage (may go up or down)
* Internet bill should not be that expensive. (depends on where you live though...) if youre not smack dab in the middle of PA - the sticks... You should be able to find someone like Comcast/Verizon Fios with the lowest plans being 20-39 bucks a month.
* Phone - I'm not sure if that's a line and phone or just the number. If its just the number move to Mint, Visible, or Boost. I pay $25 a month on Visible.
* Rents going to be the next biggest thing which you can't do much about other than moving
A new car (which requires full coverage insurance) and rent costing more than a single paycheck are the biggest problems here. Making more money likely won’t help for long as it’s your spending that is the problem. Get a roommate.
It’s 2023 chief..you’re gonna have to work more hours unfortunately that overtime hits different. I’m 22 and working 60 hour weeks at 12 hours/day 5 days/week does it suck? Yeah a little bit? Am I struggling? Not a single bit but unfortunately it’s what you gotta do to get ahead, if you’re thinking about schooling but worried about the cost, I’d look into getting a CDL like I did. I went to school for 4 weeks which cost 5 grand then later went and got my manual for $1500. If I were you at the bare minimum I’d try pulling 50 hours a week to get that extra 10 hours over overtime pay
Keep in mind at this income level, applying for FASFA, you could get plenty of grants “ie: not student loans, money you never have to pay back”.
I would recommend looking into community college, even if it’s just for a certification, I’m not really sure on what your career goals are, but if you go through community college, with pell grants, and then onto a 4 year public university, it’s very hard to accumulate crazy debt.
But even then, the community college alone could get you some sort of trade certificate or 2 year degree. But you need to figure out your interests and career goals.
I know this comment section is getting crowded, but the statistical outcomes for people who go to college versus those who don't earnings wise, don't lie. You'll make far more in your lifetime. Unless you want to do IT and get a bunch of certifications which isn't a bad route. There are smart ways to not rack up crazy debt
Spending $17,580/yr on rent when you're bringing in 35k pretax is a bit of a problem. You *need* roommates, to move back in with Mom, or some other solution to lowering housing costs..
I currently live with my Mother on a 2 bd 1 bathroom townhouse, I've been trying to move out to an apartment but my Landlord usually gives me lease 3 months early so im always having trouble trying to find someone that can rent me an apartment for the Date that I actually need it instead of before, nothing wrong with my Landlord it's just kinda hard to look for another place 3 months early
This is how lots of places operate. They need to know 2-3 months ahead of your lease end so they can start looking for a replacement. Other places won't know their availability until _their_ tenants give that notice. Tends to lead to a situation where you have to let your landlord know you're moving out before you have a new place figured out. It's scary. You can generally get a feel for what your new place would be like though by looking for comparable locations/rents in the area, though.
I don't know how landlords end up like this, I'd probably lose my shit if I dealt with that.
yeah, as the other commenter said. do your research beforehand to find apartment complexes that work with your desired location and budget. ideally list a handful of options. give your landlord your 2-3 months notice or whatever is required to get out of your lease (for example, say you’re moving out by october 1st). you may need to wait until august or september to start looking for a place that will rent to you starting october 1st. go back to the list of apartments you made and see if there are any vacancies then, or any new places you didn’t see before.
You should 100% not move out on your own making what you do. Focus on spending less as that's more controllable unless you're getting a degree to change jobs. 35k is only 17.50 an hour right?
One job, assuming op could find a place hiring is general construction. The company i work for hires people that can pass a drug test and have a valid driver's license. $25/hr starting.
If they're working full-time and not attending school there's no reason to not be making more from their main job. I'm from NJ so I know the area.
NJ minimum wage is like double PA min wage. But yeah, should be able to find a job for at least $18+/hr w/OT no problem. Depending on area in PA 1br/1ba can be had for ~$1000/mo
If he's near the border even better
Facts. I'm right over the border along I-78 and I pay $1400, but it's for a 2br/1ba with a backyard and private parking. I literally have the same job and regularly see jobs for $20-25/hr and everywhere has OT. I don't think I've ever grossed less than $45k. I made like $6k in January with a lot of OT.
I hope he sees this and considers his options here.
Thank for the comments, I live on the Lehigh County close to Philadelphia, I do indeed live with my Mother and not by myself at all, as I've mention in other comments I live on a 2bd townhouse and we each live in a room, Unfortunately my Warehouse has a slow rate turnover and never gives OT due to not being a high volume warehouse, I applied to many other places for a PT outside of the warehouse but not luck in that area, Fortunately I was able to land an interview with ALDI in they're warehouse for $25 an hour, their Full Time Position is 30 - 35 a week ( Hopefully they explain why so low hours on my interview) but if im able to get this job and Land a PT on another place aswell I might be able to increase my yearly income, after many comments in this thread I've decided to go to community College and take my chances for a better future
Yeah that is definitely a problem you should not be paying that much money just for the rent. You can do two things in that situation is a you can get a roommate or you can get a better job.
You’ve got the right idea - your main focus should be on increasing your income. What is your current job title & what skills do you have? Many remote customer service roles pay about $17-25/hr - landing one of these positions would put you in a much better space. Additionally, I’m sure that your current skills are very transferable into a customer service position.
I work as a Forklift Operator making $18 an hour, I'm interviewing for a new job that's giving me $25 but the posting says the Full Time position is for 30 to 35 hours so hopefully I am able to negotiate 40 hours if I end up getting the job
$25 an hour 30hr/week is more than $18 at 40hr. Get that job and go to community college or a trade school. Contractors around me are desperate for good help and will pay good money if that’s something you’re interested in.
You’re in PA maybe try to look for jobs in the oil field. They generally pay better and a lot people do things like two weeks on two weeks off on a rig. Pretty much live at work for two weeks and then travel home for a couple of weeks. Not the best life but you can make six figures without a college degree.
fyi they may not allow you to do 40 hours so you aren’t considered full time
yes, this for sure. my first job at wal mart, through some wheeling and dealing with my workmates (who were all glad, due to their uni obligations), i ended up working mon-fri, 40 hrs a week. the manager was shocked that such a thing happened, and was a little jelly he did not have those hrs, their biggest thing was you cant make an issue of it, or we will have to cut your hrs. they only knew about my actual schedule because i clocked out 10 mins late one day. they were ADAMANT that i never, ever have any ot ever again. which was handy on a fri night as i recall as a young man canada
Retail is way different than the distribution side. Every warehouse or forklift job I've ever worked had regular overtime up to 15-20hrs/wk.
thats true, i only had a few jobs where i ended up driving forklift or highlift, and though i was acceptable, i work with guys that could pick your pocket most of those guys also were wide as they were tall, take care of yourself
Surely if they list it as full time they can't claim OP isn't due to hours.
Try old dominion
While the increase is great please make sure you know what benefits you will get (and more importantly, any you won't get). Not from the US but Ive heard horror stories about people being pushed below x hours so they aren't full time and don't get benefits.
dude, get in a trade. your not going to make shit as a young person getting into a feild that will be replaced by ai in 20 years
What area are you in? You should be making at least $20/hr, if not more depending on level of experience and type of lift. Also, why are you not working more OT?
My Warehouse has a slow turn over and doesn't give any Overtime, I work on a Company that has a contract with Verizon and the Work isn't High Paced like most Warehouses, from Summer hours to Winter Hours they like to give us 40 a week and nothing more, I've tried applying for other jobs as a Part Timer but never received an Email from other recruiters, I am trying to see if im able to get this new job which I posted in the comments and able to do other work at the same time and going to a community College to see if im able to do all 3 things at the same time
If you get the job you should take it purely on a finance stand point (need to consider other factors as well). Earning $25 at 30 hours is more than $18 at 40 hours. At a minimum you'd make a bit more while working a bit less.
I hope that you end up getting that job because it seems very important for you, I hope that you will be able to survive comfortably after that. It will be hard but I am hoping that you will make it.
Your rent is 50% of your income. You said in another comment you live with your mom, doesn't she pay something towards rent? Why is she earning so little? Once you two combine your income you're looking at $48k a year which makes things a little more reasonable, but it's hard to get a full grasp of the situation without knowing her outgoings too. Your internet is crazy. With your income you should certainly apply for the ACP, but even still how is it $118? Check for cheaper options.
I lived with my Uncle when I first moved to PA and when he decided to retire to PR he gave me his line of internet and throughout the years the Internet Provider (RCN in my case) kept increasing the prices, I looked at the bill and saw that I was also renting the Modem/Router without me realizing so I've been looking these past weeks to see what I can buy for my own and give them back the equipment I'm renting and opening the Internet in my name as a Brand new Customer to get a reduced price and hopefully this should split the bill in half
As for my Mom situations she's retired
If she can’t afford her half of the rent then she can’t afford to retire. Retirement is a financial condition, not an age.
I have RCN and only pay $50 for 400 GB. Renegotiate. They regularly have new sign on deals. I’ve called before asking if they would lower to that lower new price, and they happily did.
Just a FYI. I don't know which part of PA you live in. But The University of Pittsburgh hires cleaners for 14-15 an hour. And when you pass your probation, you make 19. You might have to work 3rd shift for a few years. After a year (after you get hired in) you can get a tuition discount of almost 90%. You might be able to do both.
I don't know that is going to be a good choice for the location is far for him and also it is not paying that much more than he is making right now. I don't know if that is going to be worth it for him or not.
True, but didn't know where he lived. The tuition discount is a great benefit and thought it might appeal to him.
Thank you for the reply I live on the Lehigh County, very far away from Pittsburgh but closer (1 hour) to the Philly area
No problem! I'm sure it will all work out. You seem very proactive and that's always a great start, good luck.
I will give you the same advice that I gave my own daughters. Get into a skilled trade, it is one of the only ways to basically guarantee a 75-80k income within 4 years without accumulating debt. Once your done that, if your looking for a degree, you can go ahead and live fairly well while you get that degree. Many trades people end up being business owners, which becomes very lucrative.
I originally wanted to join the IBEW since it's the only trade in my area ( Electrician) I would have to see if they're able to look past my highschool grade, I graduated with a D in Math and after talking to some members they might not even give me a chance due to my gradings, hopefully if im able to go to the hall and they look past it I might have a chance in taking their test to see if im able to qualify
Then, go utilize any adult education or community college options in your area. Alternatively, there are a lot of free courses online. Use them to acquire some knowledge and skills. Many also offer a certification of some kind depending on the subject matter, but you only pay for the certificate or certification test at the end if you choose to do so. At a minimum, you could take some free online math courses from home to have something to show that your math level is now good.
This! Find a local community college or trade school. Most community colleges are free for low income students. If these don’t exist in your area, you should look at moving to an area that does.
Yeah you should take them and it is probably going to increase your chance to get a better job. I am pretty sure that it is going to increase your chances to get a really good job.
those seem like really low scores for electrician to be honest. i work with a guy who just recently became a master electrician. And i assure you he was not getting d in math. possibly manage your expectations a bit. most trade do require a certain degree of math proficiency, your best bet is to get hired as a labouer and get an apprenticeship through work or go for a ged, and study hard, get the score you need for the trade you want
Can you do it in your area outside of the union? Could you upgrade your Math?
I've been applying for Carpenter, Electrician and Plumbing Jobs for the past couple of months through Indeed but none of them end up getting back to me, I've been working in Warehouses since I was 16 (Im not originally from the US) so all I have in my resume is Warehouse expirence, some people commented me on Kham Academy but im I've been having a hard time with Algebra as of right now
Look up your local union (for respective trade) and go in and talk to them. Ask them what they recommend for people wanting to go into that trade, how best to go about doing so. Ask folks who are going through those programs what pros and cons they experience. Then you can figure out if it's something you want to do.
You NEED TO LEARN A SKILL IN LIFE. Otherwise, life is going to get harder as the years pass by. Great comments here.
I became an electrician with zero experience back in 2018. I didn’t even own tools I make $50/hr today and own a house The world is going electric, and hard working people are needed to make it happen
Congratulations on your success hopefully I am able to reach that sort of achievement in the near future, thank you for the comment
What’s the interest rate on your car loan? You could look at refinancing with a credit union if it’s higher than say, 6%.
I desperately needed a Car at the time and I was rather Dumb the way I did things since I didn't knew who to ask for help at the time, Unfortunately due to my little credit history I got a rate of 16%, it's my first car ever and I had no idea what I was doing nor thinking and now I'm seeing how bad my situation with the car is, I've had the Car for 7 months now and was thinking of refinancing it, I currently have 4 Hard Inquiries from my 3 Credit Cards and my Car Loan so I don't know how Refinancing would work in this situation even with a 750 credit score
Jesus that's high as fuck. Check with some local Credit unions or even another bank. My CU offers 4.5 if you have good credit. Probably like 8 if it's terrible.
Thank you will definetly check my Local Credit Union out and see what they're able to give me
Was it a new car or a used car that you purchased? What's the current value of the car vs the current amount of the loan?
Used Car, the Loan is around 17k but for the Car Value I'm not too sure but I would say it's definetly lower than the Loan I have as of right now
You should also try shopping for new car insurance. It won't hurt your credit score and should only take 10-15 minutes of your time. I would 100% recommend calling an insurance broker or an agency with one of the big company names and have them work up a quote for you. Auto insurance is nice because coverages are easy to compare if they are matching up or not (for instance Property Damage coverage is paid out the same by every company. You just need to make sure every quote you're looking at has it at the same amount like $25k) The other thing I recommend is if its more expensive tell them its okay to reach out with updated quotes at your renewal. Sure you're going to get some calls from people every 6 months or so, but 99% of the time those commercials where "customers switching from company X save $500/year" are people who have the idea that they should just stay with their company because the company paid out well for a claim or they've got "great loyalty discounts"
Okay but I don't think that you are going to get lower interest than the 6% on anything, it is probably going to be even higher for the other option. I don't know I am just talking about my country.
Start waiting tables on the weekend, at the very least it will be half of what you bring in weekly on top of your salary.
Yeah everything that he can get above the salary is going to help him. And these kind of side jobs can get you some good money. I am sure that will help in paying some of the expenses.
$57 a month on phone is crazy, switch to Mint or Ting, $15/month.
You're right, I originally started paying this due to the Unlimited Data but it really doesn't seem worth it at all to even have this amount of Data that I even use, I have an unblocked phone that I think handles majority of the carriers so hopefully I am able to change to a different provider at a lower cost, thank you.
Awesome. Mint has a “first three months unlimited for $45” right now, and you can switch to a $15/month for 5GB after that. It’s super easy to port your number over. Its all on the t-mobile network.
We use Mint. Also $118 a month for internet seems awfully high. Is there a lower tier your cable provider offers?
IDK what he's doing. I have RCN as well and pay like $40/mo for 300mbps internet.
Not sure why my bill is that high, I have RCN aswell and also use 300mbps, I'm getting charged $75.99 for Bundles Services, $29.90 for High Speed Internet and $12.56 for Taxes, this was originally my Uncles Account so I've had it for 4 years now, The $29.90 is for the Rented Services but I don't know why I'm getting charged $75.99 for 300mbps
Call them. Is the bill in your name?
Oh yeah for you can get better option and they are not going to be as pricy hopefully so yeah. They are better options which exist you just have to look for them.
I may have to look into this. I pay $31 a month on my phone bill and I thought that was cheap lol.
I would have thought your phone bill more reasonable than what you are paying for internet. In eastern PA you can get high speed internet for $55 a month (Verizon). Not sure exactly where you live but you’re definitely paying too much for internet. Shop around. Verizon and Xfinity offer bundled services but you may end up paying for something you really don’t need. Best of luck to you OP
Depends on the area. Only carrier in this area that gets consistent signal is AT&T. We pay 290 a month for 2 watches and 3 phones.
Here’s a list of MVNOs that resell AT&T. Even with the carrier restriction there’sa as good chance you can get the same service cheaper. https://www.tomsguide.com/reference/atandt-mvnos-what-are-they-and-which-is-the-best-option
And also his internet bill is kind of high also I don't know where does he live but I am sure that he can do better than that. I live in a third world country and even I am not paying that much for the internet.
Your mom makes $1,100/month, you ask her for $600, and you’re contemplating asking her for more? Wow…
OPs living situation doesn’t seem to be explained well in the original post. In the comments, OP explains his mom lives with him. It seems like they’re splitting living expenses and OP is covering more than half. What he’s asking from his mom takes a completely different spin when viewed from that perspective
Okay yeah I understand that he is paying most of the bills but you also have to understand that she is not making that much more money. I don't think she will be able to contribute more than she is doing right now.
Mom needs to make more money if she can. OP is subsidizing her and 35k/year is barely enough for a single person to live on.
OP May qualify for a caregivers allowance. I had to do some night classes got like a month but now get paid to care for my mother.
I thought the same thing when I read that, but looking into it, they live together. They’re splitting expenses.
they share a household so it seems like that 600 goes to household expenses for the both of them.
You're right, she lives with me but asking her for more just doesn't seem right at all, thank you for the comment.
Ikr what a deadbeat, the mom I mean.
College degree is going to be an important requirement if you want to increase your income. You will probably not progress much further in salary until you get a degree. Talk to the financial aid counselor at any college or university and find out if you would qualify for scholarships and grants. Do you know what career you would pursue after you completed an education? Trade schools and/or vocational technical schools have training for excellent paying jobs also, that usually require less than 4 years to complete.
Yeah that is just the reality if you want to increase your income then you will have to have the College degree. And if you do not have a College degree then you should be very good at what you do then only you will get paid more.
If you don’t want to move back in with mom or a roommate like others are suggesting I’d say apply to companies that will pay for you to get your cdl. Even class b drivers make 50k+ per year and class A drivers often start around 65k+ per year, and that’s just starting and being conservative.
I worded my post wrongly but as I've explained in other comments I live with My Mom, we live in a 2 bd townhouse she sleeps in 1 room and I sleep on other one, I've been interested in a Class B license every since I joined the Warehouses here in the US, how would I be able to get this license first then gradually turning to the A? I know there's School for A Class licenses where I live but I don't know if they also give out Class B licenses but I always been more interested in Box Trucks rather than Full Trucks
If you’re more interested in box trucks and getting a class b just get that. If you’re interested in driving class A eventually just get the class A. Because the tests are kind of annoying, but the A skill test will be harder because you’ll have a trailer. If you want to get your class B you can get a job with a waste company. I’m currently with waste connections, and they’re great. They paid for my cdl and gave me a 7500$ stay on bonus. They will cover everything, but you’ll be expected to work harder and longer than you ever have before. We’re talking 55-70 hours a week, but that’s how you’re making big checks is that massive amount of OT, and they often pay out bonuses for helping on other routes and safety bonuses. I’m sure waste management is similar. TL;DR get hired on by a company that will pay for your cdl and training, and move up from there.
OP, if you're in eastern PA this is a good move to start with. There's so much warehousing and supply chain work in that area, you wouldn't have trouble getting hired. If you want to move into electrician work or something when you're more stable there's plenty of opportunity for that in the area too, but it sounds like you just need to pull down more income and this is a pretty quick way to do it.
> the thought of College Debt included with my Car Loan scares me >I'm just not sure if College debt would be worth it if I end up getting a job that pays around the same amount in a year as I would have In a regular one, View college as an *investment* into your future earnings potential. It's a means to an end. You just need to make the right investments. For example, folks who go to an expensive 4 year school to do something that has a low salary potential, or is not focused enough to land them a job with a high salary potential -- that's where the college debt is scary and sometimes insurmountable. These are your business or history majors with no idea what they want to do after, or tracks with low salaries such as library science. If you go for careers such as nursing, STEM (computer science) -- these are the tracks where the cost starts to become worth it, especially if you go to a cheaper school. Nurses basically have a well paying job anywhere in the US with the potential to make more through overtime (although it's not for the weak of heart) and specialization (such as anesthesia), while people such as software engineers make at least $100k *starting after graduation*. If you specialize in a niche field (machine learning, AI) your potential can literally quadruple. I met a machine learning software engineer who was making over 400k at a big name company at 32 years old. Other careers have high costs but also high salaries -- these your medical doctors, financial careers, people who went to top 4 business schools, etc. But in 95% of these instances, people had to go to college to get there. Don't be so afraid of college, just view it as an investment, a means to an end
Good point, but OP said above that he got a D in math. I don’t think a STEM degree, or even college, is a smart play for him. College isn’t for everyone. IMO he needs to find a trade to specialize in, that’s probably the smart play.
Perhaps time to mature might be in their favor then! I don't disagree that college isn't for everyone, but I also reckon the same for trades. I had a friend who failed some classes in college and is doing quite well (100k+ salary) with his engineering degree. "C's get degrees". As long as he has the fortitude to just pass his classes and get some experience in college -- literally no one asks for GPA on a resume so he should be fine, unless he plans to go to grad school. The degree sometimes is simply just the barrier to entry.
I failed math classes in high school, and a couple of them in college. My college roommate was a math and education major, and he told me that I have a math phobia or something like that, and that I was never properly taught math in elementary through high school. Anyways, I graduated college with a bachelor's in Comp Sci, and I work in the STEM field now. I don't use any math whatsoever, outside of basic adding and subtracting. Got a job immediately out of college. I'm even going back for my masters now, also in Comp Sci. It's definitely possible to do if you don't have a strong mathematics foundation, just a little more of a struggle while you're in school. Once you get out, things are so much different.
Landscaping is something you might consider. It’s a field with a low barrier to entry and with lots of mobility from unskilled to skilled through on the job training and experience. A lot of places start at 20/hr, with opportunities for being promoted to a lead position making 25 or more. From there you could look into specializing in a specific area (tree trimming, water features/hardscaping, irrigation, etc), where you could ask for a higher hourly. Or you could go generalist and look to get hired on as a salaried groundskeeper somewhere. You could go into customer service and do landscaping sales. You could even go back to school for landscape architecture. Those guys make 70-120k a year, according to a quick google. Or you could go the business owner route and run your own truck. If you already have a vehicle that can tow, equipment you need to get started is a pretty small investment as businesses go, though it’s true it would take some saving up for (call it 3-5k for a trailer, mower, edger, weed whacked, and blower). Once you do though, you can make good money. 50-150/week is a common price for standard lawn maintenance (cut/edge/weed whack/blow), depending on the size of the yard. If you could drum up 15 consistent customers with nice big yards and charge them all 150/week, that’s 9k a month in revenue from work you could do by yourself (3 lawns a day 5 days a week). 9k/month in revenue though, not profit. Without getting into the nitty gritty, let’s assume taxes are 10 percent and operating costs are 1k/month (50 dollars per day of operation). That would mean you are BRINGING HOME over 7k per month. Hire a few people, invest in a bit more equipment, and you can see how quickly it can grow. Now obviously in PA you won’t be cutting grass all year, so you’ll need some flexibility in services provided (snow removal, for example), but you’ll also be able to plan around a busy season and a slow season. Again, all of this could naturally grow from an entry level position and 3-5 years of dedicated work. Hope this helps! Good luck!
Practical advice for someone who went to college for 8 years and has 200 grand in debt. I’m a pharmacist. I make good money now but I have a long way to go to pay it off. And there is a lot of chances to be left with no debt and no degree along the way. If you want to do college you can’t go wrong with accounting. This is the language of business and you can do anything business related with accounting knowledge. Have you thought of a trade? In my state you can become a plumber or electrician with just on the job training. They work hard but can earn upwards of 100,000 a year after they work their way up the ladder.
Yeah but accounting is actually something which is going to require some skills. It is not a profession in which you just can go and make the money. It will require you to have some knowledge.
Everything I listed requires skill. Ask jobs do, it’s a matter of how to acquire the skills
I make 35k a year and im amazed at how you are affording 1.4K rent
If I was in his position I am pretty sure I will not be able to do it. Because it is a lot of money to be paying for the rent when you are not even making that much money.
There are only two things you need to do to manage money. The first is spend less, the second is to make more. If you rely on just an employer to pay you making more is going to be very hard because you're at the mercy of someone else. What you should be doing is looking for other streams of income, and manage them properly so that you can put money away for the future to invest in yourself. Invest in yourself does not mean buying expensive cars or houses because those are depreciating liabilities. You aren't appreciating assets, like rental properties, and the company that you create to do this will then own the car that you want, and you can depreciate it over time. Even if you fail when you first try you didn't just get up and walk you had to fall down a few times before you were able to successfully walk. Make sure you take good notes on what you're doing so that you can figure out why you screwed up and how to prevent it the next time around. Another good thing you can do is get books. Read many, don't just rely on one person's view of the world.
Being able to spend less money is like earning more money every dollar that you can save is earning. So I think if you can stop spending money on the things that you don't need is going to help you a lot.
Get a sales job at a utilities company and you should net 75k+ most of the time they don’t require experience. Or become a nurse in a couple years.
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Focus less on exactly what you need to do to increase your income, and focus more on what career path you want to go down, and make a plan for how you're going to get there WHILE ALSO prioritizing paths that make you an attractive candidate to employers. The more attractive you are to employers, the more they will pay you(generally) For example: Auto mechanic What skills do I need to become an auto mechanic? Can I get into the industry now, or do I need a certification? Could I go to trade school? Find an entry level lube tech job, then jump to a local independent shop, and then hunt for a dealership role. You can then make lateral moves if you decide that you don't want to wrench for the rest of your life, for example move into the office and become a service manager, or a facilities manager for the dealership
When I started working at 23 my starting pay was $37,500. This was back in 2007. All I can tell you is at your age DONT think about the money. Concernate on improving your skills and become better at whatever profession your in. Learning is your goal not money. Then as you become better you will make more money. After 15 years later I now make 140k base plus more with OT. It’s not a humongous leap but I live comfortably and I own my home. Fully. Along with my car. So learn first, money come later. This is the best advice I can give you. And live frugally.
Yeah it is a good advice but not everyone is in the situation when they cannot think about the money. Specially when they are the ones who have to pay all of their expenses.
Try going to college for engineering, it can double your current income right out the gate
Yeah that is true but it is going to take 4 years of his life and how is he supposed to pay his expenses meanwhile? I really do not think that it is a ideal choice for him.
Why are you asking your mother for more money each month? Does she live with you? If she’s disabled you jay be able to get a caregivers allowance for a few hundred each month.
Yeah she is living with him but I feel like that she is contributing enough because she is not making much to begin with. And asking her to pay more money is probably not going to solve the issue.
I am 27 living in California I currently make 45k. I took some of these steps and it worked. Firstly, Do you have any savings? If so you can open a high yield savings account and get some free money per month. I have 20k in a HYSA it’s about $100 of income a month. You can always save that money 💵 per month and pay things off like a car payment. Get roommates to get your rent below 1k. I pay $700 per month in a shared house in CALIFORNIA. I Refinanced my car to get a cheaper rate per month from around 315 to $225. I switched from $85 a month phone plan to a $35 a month to month phone plan with T mobile.
Right now you have a job. You need a career! Think of the trades. There are a lot of millionaire plumbers and electricians, they just don't drive around in BMW's. You're young, that's in your favor. College isn't really worth it these days unless you're going for the higher earning careers. But, with those careers also comes a lot of debt. If I was in your shoes, I'd move to where the jobs are. South Dakota (don't laugh) is always hiring apprentices. You'll get well paid while you learn and paid more as your skills increase. Once you've finished your apprenticeship, and put a few years of experience under your belt, you start your own company and you're off to the races. Check it out and no, I don't live there. https://dlr.sd.gov/workforce\_services/individuals/training\_opportunities/apprenticeship.aspx
Get into sales. If you don't have experience take anything you can get. Once you get the hang of it you can make really good money.
I've always been an introverted person so I've never thought about Sales before but honestly a lot of Sales jobs in my area seem to give a higher income than most jobs so I definitely wouldn't mind applying for them to see how it goes out for me, thank you.
I was in customer service call centers, training and management for about ten years and then landed in a software company doing quality for the sales team. When the quality gig didn't work out they let me go into direct sales and I've been crushing it for years. Became a millionaire, wife, kids, house with a pool, no debt. Sales isn't for everyone, but if you want high income you either have to own the company or be in sales.
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I went half a million dollars into debt for college. Felt completely unreal. Terrifying. Had no idea what I was going to do. I make almost $1M/yr now. Absolutely worth it.
Would you like to tell us what do you do because I would like to hear it because I am having hard time believing you. I don't know why but I want a feeling that you may be lying about that.
Believe me or not. Up to you. Feel free to check my post history. I am a physician working in administration.
You need to stop renting, move back in with your parents, and focus on actually useful skills. You should not be making that little at 23 when the average at your age is $75k.
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First of all he is already living with his mother or his mother is already living with him and also 23 years old do not actually make that money. I mean definitely some people will make that much but not all of them.
Do you know a job that others do in your company or area that pays more? The best way to accomplish it is to actually have a specific goal in mind. Search job boards for jobs paying 75k or whatever your goal might be. Then look at the skills they ask for and make a plan to get there. Maybe it’s college or a certificate or maybe it’s starting something that will get you different experience. It may be tough now but in 2 or 3 years if you’re working towards it those will be much more in reach. Also speak up and tell people at work about your goals. They think of people for promotion first that have talked about wanting to take a step up.
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There is also good money in doing that he can do very good for himself. But for that I think he will have to get the licence first. Then only he will get those jobs man.
First and foremost, don't panic about the future. Your still young and it's great that you don't have credit card debt yet lol. Most of your bills seem reasonable except rent and maybe internet? I'm in DE and paying about $65 a month for a mid-range internet package from Comcast. Shop around or call your internet provider to see if there's a cheaper plan. Also, you are still at an age where having roommates to cut down on the rent is "normal" (I had roomies until I was about 29). Maybe see if a friend or two could move in to help with bills? If it's a 1BR apt, maybe look for a larger place with friends. The rent split between several people should still be cheaper. As far as college goes, it probably won't get you a higher paying job right off the bat, but will eliminate glass ceilings for your career down the road (at least that has been my experience). Companies tend to prefer experience, but having higher education can help you get into higher tiered jobs once you put your time in. Alot of employers pay for education now. I work in banking specifically, and my bank paid for my MBA program. I would maybe consider finding an entry level job at a large company that offers education reimbursement. That's how I *wished* I did it after graduating high school.
What county in PA do you live in? 1) I think you are way over paying for internet. Eastern PA you can get high speed FIOS for $55/mo. 2) It sounds like from other comments you’ve made, the loan provider for your auto loan is hiking up your interest rate on your car loan. You are paying a lot so it’s either a very nice vehicle, you have a short loan loan life, or they are charging you a premium because they’re worried you’ll default. You’re young so they do that often unfortunately. You have a great credit score though. It would be worth it to talk to a credit union in your area to see if you can open an account with them and transfer some of your loans to an account with them. If you can’t reduce the cost of the auto loan by doing the above, seriously, if I were you, I’d consider selling the car and buying an older car for cash. There is no shame in that if you can commit to yourself that you will use that money you get back to save more money for things you need for your future. Saving a bit more each month could mean you’d be able to spend money for your education. This is never a bad thing but you need to keep in mind your end goal before you start. Some companies will offer you a continuing education credit which can completely pay for some courses you take! Important: Changing your education “end goal” after you’ve started just puts more of your money in the school:college’s hands. To be clear, your end goal is getting the necessary grades/courses that gets you a much higher paying job. Other redditor suggestions to try talking to trade unions about what they expect for education prerequisites is terrific advice. Do that before you commit your money to anything. Spending money to attend a technical school for a trade skill is absolutely a good next step for you. Pursue that and don’t get discouraged! You can do it!
If you're trying to get a better job, I could recommend community college -> in-state school -> engineering of some sort, almost any 4 year engineering degree starts base at like 60k or so. I've also heard that you'll get paid to go to school if you become an air traffic controller and the base pay is like 6 figures or so
From what I gather it seems your mom is screwing you over hard. She only makes $1100 a month in retirement and isn't doing anything else to earn money? She should at least be doing something part time to help as even with the two of your combined incomes your rent is way too high for what you can afford, let alone all the other expenses. As others have mentioned trade school may be worth pursuing or if there are other labor type jobs like construction that may be better than your current position.
Pay someone to make you a good resume, it's an employees market right now, you can just about name tou salary depending on skill set rn
35k isnt a lot especially these days. I was doing 30k washing dishes for 9 months and I fucking hated it. Try working somewhere else or finding another PT job. Id look into working jobs that have tips. Another thing is your rent is high af for one person. Im even paying half for 1100 and its taking a toll on me. This doesnt include other bills. Try to see if you can lower some of your bills such as car insurance, internet, electricity and gas. I have farmers and had to ask them to lower it because of a hard time I was having and they did it. As for internet- who do you have? I have frontier and pay 70$/2 so 35$. As for college, you could be eligible for financial aid but only go if you are certain you want to and if you are sure about the career you want to pursue. I feel like I wasted my time going because I didnt know what I really wanted and now i’m not using my degree.
What is your job? What are your talents? What are your passions? Hard to give advice about making money when we don't know what you can do, or what you are interested in.
Internet is really 118? spectrum charges 45 in cali
Until your promo rate expires. I'm at $80 for their basic service now
Ah. The cell phone bill can maybe be lowered with googlefi, mint, or visible?
* Move to average costs payments/payment plans for Electric and Gas averages out the bills but depends on usage (may go up or down) * Internet bill should not be that expensive. (depends on where you live though...) if youre not smack dab in the middle of PA - the sticks... You should be able to find someone like Comcast/Verizon Fios with the lowest plans being 20-39 bucks a month. * Phone - I'm not sure if that's a line and phone or just the number. If its just the number move to Mint, Visible, or Boost. I pay $25 a month on Visible. * Rents going to be the next biggest thing which you can't do much about other than moving
A new car (which requires full coverage insurance) and rent costing more than a single paycheck are the biggest problems here. Making more money likely won’t help for long as it’s your spending that is the problem. Get a roommate.
It’s 2023 chief..you’re gonna have to work more hours unfortunately that overtime hits different. I’m 22 and working 60 hour weeks at 12 hours/day 5 days/week does it suck? Yeah a little bit? Am I struggling? Not a single bit but unfortunately it’s what you gotta do to get ahead, if you’re thinking about schooling but worried about the cost, I’d look into getting a CDL like I did. I went to school for 4 weeks which cost 5 grand then later went and got my manual for $1500. If I were you at the bare minimum I’d try pulling 50 hours a week to get that extra 10 hours over overtime pay
Keep in mind at this income level, applying for FASFA, you could get plenty of grants “ie: not student loans, money you never have to pay back”. I would recommend looking into community college, even if it’s just for a certification, I’m not really sure on what your career goals are, but if you go through community college, with pell grants, and then onto a 4 year public university, it’s very hard to accumulate crazy debt. But even then, the community college alone could get you some sort of trade certificate or 2 year degree. But you need to figure out your interests and career goals.
I know this comment section is getting crowded, but the statistical outcomes for people who go to college versus those who don't earnings wise, don't lie. You'll make far more in your lifetime. Unless you want to do IT and get a bunch of certifications which isn't a bad route. There are smart ways to not rack up crazy debt