Adulting (Budget Edition)

I recently got a second job, and with the “extra” money that comes with having a second job my dad talked to me about budgeting my money. (I put extra in quotes because I’m pretty sure I’m going to consistently break even with the amount I had for working one job, while having two jobs). Let me tell you, I really dislike budgeting, but it’s really important to stay out top of your money and really put a name to every dollar. So the main reason I have a job is obviously money, but most of it I am saving for car insurance.

Not sure if you know this, but if you have a learner’s permit then you don’t have to pay car insurance. The second you get your license, though, you get immediate insurance fees. Insurance is, of course, very valuable and it keeps you safe yadda yadda, but it’s really expensive for new drivers. Which is logical, because if you are new to driving you’re probably more prone to accidents, so insurance has the money to be protecting you. The cost has little discounts though, so girls pay less, red cars pay less, and honor roll students pay less. The thinking is that boys are a bit more adrenaline seeking at this age, red cars being an aggressive choice of color, and if you’re honor roll then you’re responsible. All reasonable, but personally, with all of that in my favor, my monthly insurance fee, just for having a license is $170 a month or almost $1,100 every 6 months. That doesn’t even include if I wanted to get a car.

I am lucky enough to have a grandfather that put money in some kind of fund where it matures at some point, then there’s lotsa money... obviously I am quite educated in that, but basically I have money for a car and whatever is left over, I then get to use for insurance. The way to make insurance the cheapest possible, is even though it would be my car, is to have my parents as first owner and have myself as a secondary owner. All of that in mind, I’d be paying a whopping $280 a month or nearly $1,700 every 6 months. Which is why I am saving so much.

Originally the plan was for me to get a car sometime this Christmas, but I don’t feel the need to till maybe this time next year, because once I start paying bills, I will literally never stop until I die and I don’t feel like rushing. I also don’t want to put myself in a stupid money situation that I can prevent with just a bit more patience. If I’m going to start paying bills, I want to be financially responsible about it. I am not trying to set myself up for a lifetime of irresponsibility with my money, so the biggest help in that is budgeting.

One of my jobs has a very free “uniform,” it’s basically anything but crop tops and denim. So, me being a jean lover, I didn’t have much to wear, so recently I’e gotten really into spending money..... Which is no bueno. I totally need to nip that habit in the bud. The best way to do that, is to make a budget. I basically take my checks, and I’ve given myself $30 every pay period to use, and the rest goes into some type of savings fund. The $30 dollars, I spread thinly over a list of categories that include the following: coffee, makeup, clothes, food, calendars, room decor, concerts, shoes, devices, and books. So when I said thinly spread, It really is. The categories don’t have an even amount of money, it’s personalized to my own lifestyle. I made a graph on a google document and then printed it and filled it out. I then placed it into a specific budgeting binder. To be fair, this is week one, but it’s a step in the right direction. I hope to maintain this level of organization and drive to name every dollar. Even when it’s something I need to do every week until I drop one of the jobs.

If anyone has a question or needs help budgeting or organizational help or anything, feel free to drop a comment. Attached is my template for my budget.