I am not the average nineteen year old working for little pay. I see them everyday; people my age living alone, getting by on the same salary as myself. I've talked to them in school, at work, and I am completely baffled at how they do it. I still live at home; I can't afford to pay for rent on what I make. The rent in my area of town is crazy; one bedroom apartments going for at least a grand a month. Once you add in cable, Internet, and other utilities, I would be spending a big majority of my income on rent, leaving nothing for everything else.
The other factor holding me back from moving out is simply the lifestyle changes I would have to make. Now let me say, I like nice things; who doesn't? The difference for me as opposed to others, I believe, is if I want something bad enough I just buy it. I don't think of the monetary costs; it's simply not an option not to get it. Now, that doesn't mean that I buy EVERYTHING I want; I really have to find it essential in order to get it. The difference for me is that I have a somewhat morphed definition of "essential". For example, I will not, I repeat will not, take the bus. If I am left without a vehicle I generally take cabs, even if it drains my bank account fast than a hole in my pocket. A vehicle is an essential item for me. When it comes to communication, I must have my Blackberry. I am currently paying a fortune (even my friends and family think I am getting royally ripped off) for that one little piece of technology every month. When I decided I wanted a laptop, I went out and bought one just like that. If I am pressed for time or just feeling lazy, I go out to eat.
I have no problem borrowing money from people, although I prefer not to. Yet if I want something bad enough, I will find a way to get it. When I think back over the years, there's very few things I've wanted that I haven't gotten. From the age of sixteen I've had my own vehicle (actually I've somehow managed to get and lose four in three years) because after years of taking the bus across town to school, I simply couldn't do it anymore. Some may say that I'm spoiled. Well that may be true, considering my age and such, I simply view it as I had to have those things. In my eyes, it's not a luxury to have a vehicle; it's a simple right. A lot of people thought I was crazy when I told them I was paying so much for a car; in insurance that is. After losing my Smart car, virtually everyone I know told me I shouldn't drive; I should give up and take the bus. Well, I'm sorry guys, but while you may not mind the bus, it simply causes to much stress in my life to go without a vehicle.
When it comes to food, I make certain concessions. I stopped buying all organic items over a year ago when I realized how expensive they were. If I have the time, I will shop around to get the best price on certain food. Yes it sucks, but before I was paying fifthteen hundred a month for food. I have managed to get that down significantly since finding cheaper stores and brands. Yet that doesn't mean I worry about the price of something if I'm in a hurry, and I do enjoy the causal meal out every now and then. I am a huge fan of Capers/Whole Foods Market. The food they have there is all natural and ohhhh, it just tastes so f**king good. Their prepared foods section is huge and the food is mouth watering. In fact, if asked where I would like to go out for dinner, with the exception of a few fine dining restaurants I'm fond of, I would most certainly go to Capers. Even a simple salad and sandwich there is heaven. Their soup is amazing, and they have these fresh made wraps from their burrito bar that are to die for. While it's not anywhere close to what you'd pay for a fine dining restaurant, a good sized meal will cost about ten dollars. If you choose to go to their hot food bar (which just thinking of it makes my mouth water), you will be paying around twenty. When you think about it, that's getting up there to rival a sit down restaurant. Yet I am addicted now and go there at least once a week, if not more.
When it comes to clothes, I'm not as picky as everything else; although I do like nice brand names. Yet out of everything, I have the most trouble paying for expensive items. My mother has bought my clothes for me all my life, just kinda sorta stopping now that I'm almost twenty. Yes I know, your mouth dropped open when you read that. I realize that I'm in the minority when it comes to this subject, most kids buying there own clothes from their early to mid teens. Yet that's the way it's always been, and as they say; "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."
of somewhat heated discussions with the librarian over the issue. We were in a four month long disagreement; they wanted to charge me ten dollars for every book I "wrecked", which in the end came up to around a hundred and fifty dollars! Well, after trying to figure out how to rectify this problem (i couldn't afford to buy a new book every two days for ten to thirty dollars), I just went out and bought an Ereader. I was shaking my head as I forked over almost three hundred dollars for the thing and everyone said I couldn't afford it, yet it wasn't worth the stress of continuing with the library.
I don't like spending boatloads of money on things that in reality, I can't really afford in the long run and shouldn't be buying, yet I am a shopaholic. Funny thing about me is I won't go into a store just to browse and come out with a few hundred dollars full of stuff; I must really want it and know I'm going to use it before I buy it. Once I've made up my mind that I need it though, I must have it. Simple as that, for now anyways. It'll certainly be interesting when I am living on my own and have a extra thousand dollars to pay in rent. But for now, I don't see the point in saving. Life is short, things are nice; you might as well have them if they spice up your life!
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