[BornToFly]

I like my job at Outback and some of the people I work with, but I just don't think that once I have to start paying rent every month this job is going to cut it. (Rent is paid through Dec.)

Either I'll have to move into somewhere cheaper.. but probably also further away - if there even is anywhere cheaper - or I'll have to take less classes than I really need to so that I can work more.

Some nights I average $10-15/hr... some I average less than minimum wage. It doesn't actually seem to matter how hard I work, which is certainly not a motivator. I'm guessing I make around $8 an hour overall, but at just 10-15 hours a week, that's far from enough to even pay rent, nevermind other bills as well.

It might be hard, though, to find another job that will even work with my school schedule, which Outback has been really great with. I CAN also pick up shifts, but I have a TON of homework and studying, too, (I'm taking 5 classes / 16 credits this semester) so it's hard to find a shift that doesn't cut into that time.


Really not sure what to do here...

[Goodpasture]

Find a room mate to split expenses

[BornToFly]

I could do that, but it would involve moving, at least to a different apartment in this complex unless they want to share what is basically a studio apartment. I'd totally sleep on a futon in the "living room" if I had to, and give them the pseudo-bedroom area with the half-wall sectioning it off, but there'd really be no privacy if 2 people lived here. I suppose even with moving into a 1 bedroom that would still mean saving around $250/mo as long as the electric bill didnt go up too much. I'll have to look into it.

[Annemieke Roell]

What shifts do you work now?

[_redbird_]

Originally Posted by BornToFly

Really not sure what to do here...

Casino cashier. Bigger tips.

[karibear]

Doesn't the school have a student employment office? See what they can do to help.

[colleeng47]

BTF, 10-15 hours a week at ANY job would probably not cut it to support yourself. The roommate solution sounds good, but you have to make sure it's someone who will hold up their end of the deal or you may end up worse off than you are now.

Since rent is paid through December, that should take you through the end of the semester. If you can pick up a lot more hours duirng semester break, and put some money away as a little cushion that should help. Also, you may not be able to take so many credits next semester, but take some classes over the summer. Is that a possibility?

It sounds like you have the "poor college student" syndrome so well known to all of us former students. Ketchup soup and mayo sandwiches, my dear!

[karibear]

Originally Posted by colleeng47

BTF, 10-15 hours a week at ANY job would probably not cut it to support yourself. The roommate solution sounds good, but you have to make sure it's someone who will hold up their end of the deal or you may end up worse off than you are now.

Since rent is paid through December, that should take you through the end of the semester. If you can pick up a lot more hours duirng semester break, and put some money away as a little cushion that should help. Also, you may not be able to take so many credits next semester, but take some classes over the summer. Is that a possibility?

It sounds like you have the "poor college student" syndrome so well known to all of us former students. Ketchup soup and mayo sandwiches, my dear!

Top Ramen by the case.

[Annemieke Roell]

Of course you can rely on your city data friends for care packages ........

[BornToFly]

Originally Posted by Annemieke Roell

What shifts do you work now?

Whichever shifts they give me.. but there are a few days when classes cut into when they'd normally schedule me. Plus I need time to do homework, etc. I was up til four o'clock this morning doing math homework because I picked up a closing shift last night. I can't do that every day. And we were slow as heck so I only made $20... it's just not worth it to be tired and have my grades suffer for $20. I'll go live at a casino if I have to instead. Camp out in the bathroom maybe?

Originally Posted by _redbird_

Casino cashier. Bigger tips.

It might be too tempting to just put those tips back into the slot machines...

Originally Posted by colleeng47

BTF, 10-15 hours a week at ANY job would probably not cut it to support yourself. The roommate solution sounds good, but you have to make sure it's someone who will hold up their end of the deal or you may end up worse off than you are now.

Since rent is paid through December, that should take you through the end of the semester. If you can pick up a lot more hours duirng semester break, and put some money away as a little cushion that should help. Also, you may not be able to take so many credits next semester, but take some classes over the summer. Is that a possibility?

It sounds like you have the "poor college student" syndrome so well known to all of us former students. Ketchup soup and mayo sandwiches, my dear!

Gross!!!

I can't take any of the classes I need as prerequisites over the summer because I have to at least be in the process of taking them when I turn in my application and the deadline for that is this coming March. So the very least I can take will be... Anatomy & Physiology II, Physics, and U.S. History. I'll also have to take another class to keep my full-time status.

Originally Posted by karibear

Top Ramen by the case.

That stuff makes me ill... wayyyy too salty. Food isn't draining my bank account; I don't eat much or often. Some days I don't eat more than basically a few bites here and there of things that get messed up in the kitchen.

I just had to spend more than all of my financial aid this semester. I didn't have enough for the tuition, books, supplies, etc. for 5 classes, plus I needed a few bigger items (that I won't need to buy again, thankfully) - a printer and ink, microsoft office for submitting assignments online (not accepted in any other format), a graphing calculator, etc. The school in Maine I'm taking 2 courses online at is also charging me an extra almost $300 for accident insurance even though I'm probably never even going to see their campus again, nevermind set foot on it. It all has or will cut big time into the money I'd been starting to save up for when rent is due again.

Also, I'll have the same amount of financial aid next semester, but hopefully will be able to change my residency status and pay in-state tuition. I don't know exactly how that works, though, so I can't really count on having that extra money.