Wait, Harrisburg... Troegs? I can't find their stuff up here. I will PM you my address 
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Wait, Harrisburg... Troegs? I can't find their stuff up here. I will PM you my address .
Twin_Cam wrote: And I realize lots of autocrosses happen in that area haha. I'll try to be at some if I have the money. Plus a stock '00 Saturn SL2 isn't exactly a class killer..
we had a 91 SC2 come out and win PAX this year in HS
working the hllclimbs can be a good way to kill a weekend. At least at Polish, theres free T-shirts and FOOD for workers.
btw, mel, i gotta make it a point to find you and say hi at polish this year. (I was the guy camping out in the white explorer last year)
Twin_Cam wrote: Any words of comfort/wisdom/humor to cheer me up? Oh, at least my job is working at a brewery
Congrats on the job. for advice: BUY TOILET PAPER! that is one thing you DO NOT want to run out of.
Enjoy being an adult.
+1 on the cooking... since "separating" from my g/f, I've made a point of NOT eating out (unless I'm out with friends) and starting to cook again as well as bringing my lunch to work. Tonight: lasagne (which should feed me for most of this week).
A lot of people have jobs that have nothing to do with their education... I went to school for journalism... and work as an electrical engineer... My mother has a B.S. degree in art history... and spent 25+ years as a contract purchasing agent... 
Good luck and hopefully we'll see you at Carlisle and PA Hillclimb events.
I'm in the same boat as you, buddy. I'm literally about to quit my job and move to new York (in march). I graduated, got an entry level job, lived at home for a year and tried to save some money.
One thing I think that was missed is to put as much money into your 401k as you can afford and a little more. It's taken out pretax, and if you want to retire one day, now is the time to start saving. Student loan interest paid this year will be tax-deductible, but not until next year. I don't have a credit card but I'm going to get one to smooth over my finances and help in emergency situations (they're not evil unless you are careless).
It blows my mind how many people I've met who put themselves into INSANE credit card debt; educated, smart, clever people who somehow went bonkers at the idea of free money. One friend married a guy and found out after the wedding that he had something like $50,000-plus dollars in credit card debt, in addition to his medical degree debt. Crazy.
I had exactly one credit card from when I was 16 until I was about 23, and all I ever used it for was gas in my car. I'd pay it off every month, and they kept raising my limit, but I rarely went over $150 a month on the thing.
And yeah, don't worry about living alone, it's actually pretty fun. Friends and family are there to help ya when needed.
Be mindful of security, but not paranoid. I had a few stereos stolen out of my Volvo/Integra while living in Pittsburgh, don't spend huge cash on things that can get yoinked easily.
Dad always told me, "Don't get married 'till you're 30."
+11ty on the CC stuff. g/f is a financial analyst, and while she has been very careful with her cards, she works with quite a few people that have degrees in finance and work in finance that have rediculous CC debt. one guy said to her that he didn't like american express because they won't let you carry a balance, and that he would only get a card that lets you carry a balance because its like free money. thats a direct quote btw.
Someday, you will look back and laugh at how good you had it in that crappy little apartment, sitting on furniture you got from the curb and freecycle. These are the best days of your life in some ways, so enjoy them.
Work hard, pay attention, always look for that next opportunity to gain some knowledge or experience and try to stand out at work. Remember that without a Harvard Degree, you will gain promotions only because of what you actually accomplish, not because of what your degree is. No one owes you a promotion, you earn it.
As for the apartment, Craigslist, then Big Lots, then Value City. You also have more free-time than you think right now. If you work something part-time now and use the money for an investment property, or just a nest-egg, you will appreciate it when you have kids, spouse and commitments.
Troegs or ABC.
I buddy of mine was trying to get into ABC.
I'm so glad I'll only be $20,000 in debt after my Bachelors is done. And I'll have an Associates as well.
You know what's even more scary. Living with your girlfriend, and then watch her unleash the crazy. Everything else has been easy in comparison :)
Learn to like and eat Ramen Noodles. They are the cheapest food. Without them and peanut butter and jelly, I'd have perished long ago. Living on your own is very cool. Noone makes the rules but you!!
Apexcarver wrote: working the hllclimbs can be a good way to kill a weekend. At least at Polish, theres free T-shirts and FOOD for workers.
It is always thus. And twice a year:
"What happens in Weatherly...STAYS in Weatherly!"
RoadWarrior wrote: You know what's even more scary. Living with your girlfriend, and then watch her unleash the crazy. Everything else has been easy in comparison :)
Word. Going single after you've been out on your own is going to be like moving out on your own all over again.
MikeSVO wrote:RoadWarrior wrote: You know what's even more scary. Living with your girlfriend, and then watch her unleash the crazy. Everything else has been easy in comparison :)Word. Going single after you've been out on your own is going to be like moving out on your own all over again.
Yeah....I kinda ended up back with family for a bit. Luckily, forced me into a position to rethink my life and stop making excuses. Been traveling all over the place for the past 3-4 months (Colorado a lot, Iceland, and Tokyo Auto Salon last week)
Hmmm I maybe having the opposite problem here soon. Sounds like my mom might be losing her job so she might be moving in with me for a bit...
ncjay wrote: Learn to like and eat Ramen Noodles. They are the cheapest food. Without them and peanut butter and jelly, I'd have perished long ago. Living on your own is very cool.
Make a double batch of Carrol Shelby's Texas Chili on Sunday night and you have lunch and dinner to get you through 'til Thursday.
Twin_Cam wrote: Any words of comfort/wisdom/humor to cheer me up?
you can pick your friends, and you can pick your nose, but you cant pick your friends nose...thats all I got
The 1st year isn't hard. The 2nd year is hard, because then you've gotten comfy with "hey, this isn't bad, i can afford this!"
Keep your place CLEAN. It does wonders for your mood.
Save some money, get back to the basics for entertainment. Play music/movies ALL the time.
Cook.
You'll be dumbfounded when you find out how much extra time you have working a 40/hr week. Try not to spend money when you're bored. That was always my biggest problem. "Hrmm... what should i do? I think i'll head to Fry's and check out electronics. Or maybe i'll start perusing Ebay."
Hasbro wrote: Billions have gone before you. If they can do it...
NYG95GA wrote: Enjoy. Embrace. Own it. You'll do fine.
I made it, you can. Trust me, I am an idiot.
Twin_Cam wrote: ... a stock '00 Saturn SL2 isn't exactly a class killer...
Thats not really the piont, is it? If you have a goal, it makes savings/budgeting easier.
The advice about kepping the place clean is priceless. I lived on my own for years before I figured that out. If you make your place a pleasant place to be, you'll stay there and not spend money on things becuase you're bored.
Any words of comfort/wisdom/humor to cheer me up?
Be excited, not scared! No more homework!
Credit cards, schmedit cards. Don't borry money from ANYONE, unless it's to purchase an APPRECIATING asset (i.e. "house.") - at which point it should be borrowed from a bank...not relatives.
Your priorities (I left religion out as to not make an ass outta "u" and "me") should probably go something like:
Eat.
Pay the rent/mortgage, bills.
Girlfriend/boyfriend, whatever.
Everything else.
If you don't have a TV or Cable, keep it that way. It'll force you to spend your spare time doing something constructive, or at least socially interactive.
Try to scrape together some cheap recording equipment (if you haven't already.) If that's what you want to do, do it now. "In a few years" comes at you insanely berkeleying fast.
Travel the country. GO all over the place.
Buy all the cars and motorcycles you want NOW. It is harder when the kids need braces and are headed to college. Paying for dance classes blow too.
Woody wrote:ncjay wrote: Learn to like and eat Ramen Noodles. They are the cheapest food. Without them and peanut butter and jelly, I'd have perished long ago. Living on your own is very cool.Make a double batch of Carrol Shelby's Texas Chili on Sunday night and you have lunch and dinner to get you through 'til Thursday.
No, no, no. Learn to REALLY cook.
You can do Ramen type things for 1) less money, 2) better taste, and 3) better for you.
Think bread is expensive? 5lb of flower is cheaper than most loaves of bread, and will MAKE A TON. Oh, and if you want- home made pizza rocks.
Shelby's and anyone else's premix is a ripoff once you know what's in them.
Find you local farmers market. Typically, it's MUCH cheaper to buy from them.
Seriously, it's also one of the best of the best ways to attract a parnter.
ncjay wrote: Learn to like and eat Ramen Noodles. They are the cheapest food. Without them and peanut butter and jelly, I'd have perished long ago. Living on your own is very cool. Noone makes the rules but you!!
The possibilities are endless with this. Try mixing things into the Ramen. Dice up hot dogs (or other meat) and/or potatoes, mix with chili, melt in some cheese, drop an egg or two in while it cooks. Or any combo of above. Make up some of your own recipe, try your own favorite. It makes for variety rather than the same thing every day. We still do this for something quick occassionly, eggs & hot dogs are my fav.
rebelgtp wrote: Hmmm I maybe having the opposite problem here soon. Sounds like my mom might be losing her job so she might be moving in with me for a bit...
Now you can bug HER to keep her room clean...!
Josh wrote: Wait, Harrisburg... Troegs? I can't find their stuff up here. I will PM you my address
Troegs it is. I filled 56 sixtels and 47 half kegs just today...my back hurts haha.
Speaking of living with a girlfriend, mine has been dropping hints like crazy that after I get settled somewhere that she wants to move in with me. Though she's not a typical girl: she likes cars (the first time we met we were driving somewhere with friends and she correctly named an Aston Martin DB9 as it drove by), beer, football, and the crazy "screaming" music I like. I suppose I'll keep her.
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