I’m in my 30s so I should be used to this by now, but this shit is getting so stressful guys. I have no savings, my checking account is drained every month with rent, and if there’s ever a serious emergency I have no safety net, I’m legitimately fucked. I’m one unplanned expense away from absolute ruin. Those in the same boat as me, how do you deal with this?
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Yep good advice, some services have no investment value loss e.g. short term insurance, life insurance, etc. You can switch elsewhere for a cheaper rate and lose nothing.
Unless you have a family or dependants, I’d cut out life insurance and focus on the essentials for now to recover. I also learn long ago to pay my credit card off every month to not have to pay interest on it…
lol me, every month at the end of the month.
I’m glad to read that! I hope it helps. I would also recommend joining a credit union if you’re eligible and not already a member. They will typically have much better rates and lower fees on various services. Also, doing this math can be depressing - I remember having weeks where I had like $30 to cover gas and food. If you find yourself in that situation, dried beans and a second-hand pressure cooker are a much healthier alternative to the usual ramen packets.
There’s a lot more column B on the personal finance lemmy if you want to go further!
Consider finding a budgeting tool to help. I use YNAB (though it’s gotten kind of expensive at $15/month) that keeps me in line. It’s a cash spending budget model that keeps me focused and away from credit card debt and ultimately saves me far, far more than the $15/month fee. It’s especially helpful if you have shared finances with a partner.
There are lots of good options out there from free to more expensive than YNAB, but a good tool can go a long way to helping you maximize what cash you do have.