Loan payments: Student debt: $49.50; car payment: $771.
Car insurance: $80.41
Hulu: $3.17 (I pay upfront yearly; Disney+ is monthly charge).
Apple storage: $0.99
Adobe Creative Cloud: $10.59 (for personal projects).
Spotify: $12.71
Reselling automation services: $51.42
Investments: ~$220 (post-tax).
Meal prep kit: $60-$100 per week.
Gas: ~$55
HYSA: moving and travel savings: $500; holiday fund: $60; local taxes: $21; portfolio website hosting: $18.
Was there an expectation for you to attend higher education? Did you participate in any form of higher education? If yes, how did you pay for it?
Yes, it was expected of me to attend higher education. I graduated with a bachelor’s of science in web design. I had around $30,000 in scholarships and grants, my parents paid for a portion, and I had a loan of around $30,000. Attending community college and transferring all those credits helped me cut costs and graduate early.
Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money? Did your parent(s)/guardian(s) educate you about finances?
My parents encouraged me to have financial independence starting in high school. Before then, I had an allowance/chores starting in grade school. Their goal was to teach me that work = reward.
What was your first job and why did you get it?
My first job was at McDonald’s in high school, after I got my driver’s license. It was so I could have my own spending money and pay for my car expenses. I always liked making my own money and discovered eBay reselling while I was in community college.
Did you worry about money growing up?
I didn’t worry about money as a kid. My dad was laid off a few times throughout my childhood but my parents always managed money well. We may have had to sacrifice taking family trips for a bit but we always had a roof over our heads and good food on the table. As I got older, I didn’t like having to rely on others to pay for things or ask for more money.
Do you worry about money now?
Not really, even despite the housing prices. I’m fortunate to work in the tech industry and the internet offers an expansive number of ways to increase income.
At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself and do you have a financial safety net?
I moved back home with my parents at 22 and that was when I became financially responsible for myself. It’s not ideal to spend my savings but I do have that if anything were to happen. PA has comprehensive unemployment laws so I wouldn’t have to dip far into my savings. If worst comes to worst, my parents would help me out, but that would be last resort/worst-case scenario.
Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income? If yes, please explain.
No.
