My life has changed a lot since my 2019 Money Diary. I moved out of my parents' house, broke up with the boyfriend I was dating then, created and shut down a tech business (not my PR consulting business, a different one) and, of course, lived through — and continue to live through — a global pandemic. I hadn't written in a really long time when I wrote that Money Diary. Despite all the negative backlash in the comments (they're mean, but some are kind of funny?!), the Money Diary made me realize how much I missed writing. I now make time to write for publications, TV, and podcasts. I have the Money Diary series to thank for reminding me how much I love writing (even if it's just about my diarrhea). My financial situation is a bit harder than it was in 2019. Having moved out, I need to pay for rent, groceries, utilities, etc., which makes saving a lot harder. I'm lucky that my career hasn't changed much and that my income has stayed the same, but we live in a society where moving up and making more money is always the goal. I must admit that re-reading that 2019 Money Diary made me feel bad because my income has stayed the same, not increased. I know that's actually a good thing (I'm lucky my income hasn't decreased), but those feelings of shame, guilt, and lack still do come up.
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?
Absolutely. Both my mom and dad have multiple degrees, so it was assumed I would go to university. That said, there was a brief moment when my mom's fanatic Jewish orthodoxy overtook her mind, and she said: "Why would you go to university when you can get married and have babies?" I was 10 when she said this. The fact that my mother has a PhD makes this comment even worse. Luckily, even at 10 years old, I knew it was ridiculous, and my mom got over her anti-feminist phase. I attended an affluent public high school and am Jewish, so the expectations from those communities are also to attend university. That said, I really wanted to go to university and wasn't pressured into it. I read the Maclean's University Guide every year from Grade 10 onward and enjoyed school. Plus, I fashioned myself a Canadian Rory Gilmore and even almost applied to Harvard and Yale (a fun fantasy that stopped being so fun when I looked at these universities' price tags). I paid for my education myself with student loans ($30,000 to be exact) and worked four jobs throughout the school year, as well as multiple jobs every summer. It was exhausting, and I have no idea how I pulled it off. I'm not sure if all that stress and anxiety were worth the degree. I certainly wouldn't do it again.
Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money? Did your parent/guardian(s) educate you about finances?
I mainly heard about finances through my dad. He was a single dad until I was eight. We were often operating at the poverty line, if not lower. He was always worried about money and still is — even if he has it. When my stepmom came into the picture, our finances improved, but my dad and stepmom are artists, so money is never stable. I've never heard about money in a non-scary context at our dinner table.
What was your first job and why did you get it?
My first job was as a cashier at Shoppers Drug Mart when I was 15. I sold lottery tickets illegally (you needed to be 18) and always had trouble balancing the till. I got the job because I needed to save for university. I still left school with an absurd amount of debt, but that job taught me how to manage my time and how little minimum wage really pays for (and why it NEEDS to be raised).
Did you worry about money growing up?
For sure. I went to a private school on a scholarship, and it was very obvious that my family's income didn't match everyone else's. In Grade 3, the teacher instructed us all to write thank-you notes to our nannies. I was the only kid in the class without a nanny. I was so embarrassed that I lived in an apartment that I rarely ever invited anyone over. I was always imagining that I would grow up one day and become disgustingly rich and finally be able to go on vacations and wear a different colour of Juicy Couture tracksuit every day. Sometimes, I still have those fantasies.
Do you worry about money now?
To this day, I have a massive problem with a scarcity mindset. Even though I have money in the bank and can pay my bills, I never feel like I have enough. Sometimes, I try to imagine I'm Jeff Bezos (minus his whole personality, just his bank account) and wonder: Would I feel secure if I was a gross trillionaire? And frankly, I don't know if I would. I don't think I'll ever feel like I have enough money, which makes me sad. I try not to make life all about money, but sometimes it feels like that's all there is.
At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself and do you have a financial safety net?
That's a complicated question. The minute I went off to university at 18, I was paying for everything: school, food, rent, nights out. But when I graduated at 22, I lived at home for three years. I didn't pay for rent or food most of the time. At 22, my financial advisor encouraged me to create an emergency fund and contribute to a TFSA. I've grown both substantially since then, mostly because I was privileged enough to live at home and could save cash. I know that I can always move back home with my dad and stepmom if I need to, so I'm very privileged to have that safety net.
Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income? If yes, please explain.
At 23, I received a living will of $10,000 from my grandmother. Every cent of that went to my student debt.
"diary" - Google News
November 23, 2021 at 08:00PM
https://ift.tt/3DNDIZZ
A Week In Toronto On A $60,000 Salary - Refinery29
"diary" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2VTijey
https://ift.tt/2xwebYA
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "A Week In Toronto On A $60,000 Salary - Refinery29"
Post a Comment