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How do I make enough money to live? (lemmy.world)

submitted 4 months ago by TargaryenTKE@lemmy.world to c/personalfinance@lemmy.ml

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Yes, I do have a full-time job, and I even enjoy it, but it doesn't pay enough to survive in this hellscape of a world we live in. I lack the college degree required to get almost any decent-paying job (plus my last job hunt took MONTHS to get a lead), I don't have the skills or originality to become an online content creator, nor the artistry or patience to create and sell trinkets on Etsy (plus, that would require an initial investment which I simply do not have). Should I set up a GoFundMe? OnlyFans? I wouldn't really be offering anything except a charity basket/collection plate so that feels dishonest at best. Idk, I'm quite literally having a breakdown because I'm probably going to lose my car soon, and then my job, and then my apartment, and then my life. Any help at all would be appreciated. Thank you

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[–] sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works 20 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

You'll need to provide a lot more details for me to give a specific answer.

Cubicle job where I make just under $20/hour

That's... not great, but okay. What kind of job is it? Call center? Data entry?

I'm mostly looking for options to pivot into something more lucrative. I recommend looking at job postings in your company and area and seeing what it would take to get the skills needed to apply.

I don't have a SET budget, but I really don't spend that much

Here's my back of the napkin math with what you provided:

$20/hr should gross $40k and net ~$30k after taxes in Cincinnati, OH (random Midwest city for taxes, assuming single)
$30k == $2500/month
food for a single male should be ~$360/month, if you cook; let's call it $400
rent for a 1BR is $800-900
utilities $100-200 - wild guess
Insurance - $50-100/month, depending on if you're a good driver, have good credit, value of car, etc
fuel - $100/month assuming 10k miles/year, 30mpg
entertainment - you provided $60, so I'll round up to $100

So before debt repayment, you're looking at $1700/month minimum, so let's round up to $2k to account for incidentals (phone bill, clothes, etc). $500/month for debt will be tight depending on balances and interest rates. You say you can net $25-75/week, so that means you have $100-200/month to throw at debt.

I think a lot of your stress is coming from the debt, so I recommend using a tool like Unbury me to get a plan together to attack the debt. I recommend really looking at your spending to see what you can cut to get out of debt faster, because killing the debt will do wonders for your confidence and willingness to take risks (e.g. try a new career). Some ideas:

phone bill - look into Tello and Mint, they have great plans, esp if you can limit data usage (I pay $8/month for 1GB data from tello)
cut YouTube - Firefox + uBlock Origin may give a similar experience
learn to cook - look into meal prep to save time (e.g. bulk prepare food on weekends)

If you can increase that income, you'll make progress a lot faster, so keep your eye out for opportunities. But in the short-term, you can manage your spending. Try to cut those debts to free up cash so you have more options.