article about "a year of penury"

[all_adream]

Frankly, this person made as much as anyone I know in Vermont who isn't a doctor or lawyer, but calls it "penury". Regardless, the simply-listed points are helpful, I think.

http://funny-about-money.com/2011/01/22/what-i-learned-during-the-year-of-penury/

Additionally, I made this blog into a feed, which you can find on my page, if you wish to follow it here.

Comments

[all_adream]

Yeah, I have no car or car loan, no cellphone, no tv or cable service, no credit card or even credit card debt, and I wouldn't drink that foul starbucks if it were free, so that cuts out most of the usual 'helpful tips'. I do not buy clothing really except maybe at the secondhand shop if it's a good bargain like Dior for five bucks, only go out to dinner when someone else is paying, and I buy some secondhand books and maybe good fabric on 50% off sale now and again, not on credit, walk to work, and am lucky enough to have a partner who lives here half the week who makes more than I do who buys the groceries and herbal medicines that I take. An aunt pays for insurance, or else there would be none. I am not the ideal candidate for "be less wasteful with those little extras like blackberry or special tv stations etc., or take a couple of ten-thousands out of savings to get by on". I have a school loan that they give me a bunch of grief about, and rent, and other than that have only combined phone and internet which is reasonable, and electric. A friend lives in New York City, and his horrible exwife wanted "ten thousand dollars a month taxfree" at their divorce. Crap, wouldn't we all??????!!!!!!? That's five-six times my annual income for five days' work a week! Still, the stoopid woman believed that since the guy has a job (but isn't Bill Gates) that *of course* he could come up with that. Actually, no, he can't. Get a job yourself, lady! But I digressed...!

[holyschist]

Yeah, my biggest problems are student loans (currently in the process of paperwork to get them adjusted to manageable payments) and unemployment (soon to be solved for the next 12 months, and then start the horrible job search again). I could pinch the hell out of my life and never have any fun and I still would not be able to manage my student loan payments on the standard 10-year plan. Dental care would still be tough. And...I like sometimes having fun.