zibazinski
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Post by zibazinski on Dec 25, 2014 9:34:34 GMT -5
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phil5185
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Post by phil5185 on Dec 25, 2014 10:42:18 GMT -5
Just for a reference - I can earn $65,000 driving an 18-wheeler. The prep, credentials, is way less costly/time consuming than a mlis. And you see jobs advertised on the back of half of the 18-wheelers on the highway. Ie, no waiting around for 6 months waiting tables while hoping for a librarian job.
My point - look for jobs that need to be done where someone is anxious to pay for that work product. Eg, 1000's of businesses need to have their goods hauled - very few need a librarian.
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Shooby
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Post by Shooby on Dec 25, 2014 10:45:26 GMT -5
Make your plan and start working it. Educate yourself financially. Money isn't really about numbers. It is more of a mindset. Once you start valuing financial peace of mind over things, you will make great strides. Think about all the overtime you have to work to pay for all the "stuff" you are choosing to buy your child? Well, that is TIME that you are taking away from your child. Would your child really rather have 13 pair of shoes or mom at home? You aren't enhancing your family life, you are actually taking away from it. Shopping should not be a recreational activity. And, if you really want to spend quality time with your child, get a box of cake mix and bake a cake together. A bunch of plastic toys are not that much fun. When I finally broke down and bought a Kitchen AId mixer, that really sent me into the kitchen. Now, DD and I spend a lot of quality time cooking and baking. It beats the heck out of any toys, electronic gizmos, etc. And for shopping, STOP bargain shopping. Seriously, look at your patterns. For me, the more time I spent putting myself in front of merchandise, the more I found I wanted. Now, I make a list and go get exactly what I want whether it is on sale or not. In the long run it saves me money because I don't buy as much. Look at your own patterns realistically.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 25, 2014 11:02:38 GMT -5
Just for a reference - I can earn $65,000 driving an 18-wheeler. The prep, credentials, is way less costly/time consuming than a mlis. And you see jobs advertised on the back of half of the 18-wheelers on the highway. Ie, no waiting around for 6 months waiting tables while hoping for a librarian job. My point - look for jobs that need to be done where someone is anxious to pay for that work product. Eg, 1000's of businesses need to have their goods hauled - very few need a librarian. To be fair, Phil, she isn't asking for career advice for her husband. He may not want to be a truck driver. Besides, you make it sound easy. I've known a few truck drivers, and they were anxious to move on to careers such as fire fighters, etc. You did it occasionally, but you were an engineer. Would you have enjoyed doing it for 30-something years?
I know it is just an example of another career, but I think her husband would just laugh at the advice and miss your point that there are other careers that pay better and require less prep/expense than a MLIS.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 25, 2014 11:08:03 GMT -5
With parents that are librarians he does have an in on the jobs. And the education is free through his work. It's funny how far having a plan will get you. He's not going into a field he knows nothing about.
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milee
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Post by milee on Dec 25, 2014 11:22:55 GMT -5
Just for a reference - I can earn $65,000 driving an 18-wheeler. The prep, credentials, is way less costly/time consuming than a mlis. And you see jobs advertised on the back of half of the 18-wheelers on the highway. Ie, no waiting around for 6 months waiting tables while hoping for a librarian job. My point - look for jobs that need to be done where someone is anxious to pay for that work product. Eg, 1000's of businesses need to have their goods hauled - very few need a librarian. To be fair, Phil, she isn't asking for career advice for her husband. He may not want to be a truck driver.
Yeah, but to be fair, approximately 99% of the advice we give on this board isn't what the poster wants to hear and wasn't what s/he was asking about.... ![](http://syonidv.hodginsmedia.com/vsmileys/nerdy.png)
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wonderland
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Post by wonderland on Dec 25, 2014 11:40:08 GMT -5
Just for a reference - I can earn $65,000 driving an 18-wheeler. The prep, credentials, is way less costly/time consuming than a mlis. And you see jobs advertised on the back of half of the 18-wheelers on the highway. Ie, no waiting around for 6 months waiting tables while hoping for a librarian job. My point - look for jobs that need to be done where someone is anxious to pay for that work product. Eg, 1000's of businesses need to have their goods hauled - very few need a librarian. I appreciate that there are careers that require less training, but this is the only remotely feasible thing he would agree to do. His other ideas were two get a master's in psychology but not get a doctorate, which would make the psych master's pointless, or to start a business, but he wasn't sure what to start. He is not a motivated person career-wise. The MLIS isn't costing us much overall, just books and incidentals, so at the very last he will have a master's degree to help his resume look better. And he won't be waiting tables for 6 months, he works full time now at a rehabilitation hospital doing the scheduling. He isn't lazy,just really unmotivated to further himself.
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zibazinski
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Post by zibazinski on Dec 25, 2014 11:43:14 GMT -5
Well, it a family there is usually one motivated and one not. Two motivateds might not mesh well and two unmotivateds end up being supported by those that are.
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wonderland
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Post by wonderland on Dec 25, 2014 11:44:33 GMT -5
DH ' S dad and stepmother work at a university library. One is a medical librarian, the other is a reference librarian. The job is changing more towards technology based, but there is still a need. And the current slew of librarians is set to retire soon, leaving jobs open. I am willing and hoping to relocate when he graduates. I don't like our current town. In the end, all we will have invested is books, because him employer reimburses him at the end of each semester, assuming he maintains passing grades. We both know that the field is not as promising as some others out there, but this is the best he was willing to do. He has a bachelor's in english, an associates in medical office management, and now he will have the MLS. I desperately need him to pursue a decent paying career and remove some of the weight from my shoulders. He wants me to home school the little one and I can't maintain my current work pace and home school too, it's too much, but his take home just won't support a family. I got my MLIS in 2008 but don't use it except within my English classroom. What I noticed about the people who were part of my cohort were that they were smart people in a wide range of fields who couldn't seem to find the right niche for them. It is like all the people who decide to go to law school for the same reason. It is a second chance field.
However, don't believe that line about the current slew of librarians retiring soon, leaving jobs open. They were spinning that back in 2006, almost ten years ago and the jobs aren't there. According to the Occupational Handbook, "Employment of librarians is projected to grow 7 percent from 2012 to 2022, slower than the average for all occupations." That would scare me a little.
However, you weren't really asking for career advice for your husband. I understand that. ![](http://images.proboards.com/new/smiley.png)
Slower than average growth is still growth, there are jobs out there, you just have to look and go where they are. In addition to working full time through grad school, he volunteers at the local library, and is involved in various networking organizations for library majors. I am confident he will be able to find something to get his foot in the door. And I have enough experience I can follow him and find a job anywhere.
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Phoenix84
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Post by Phoenix84 on Dec 25, 2014 11:45:54 GMT -5
Sounds like you already are on the right track by recognizing the problem and being willing to make changes. Just be sure to follow through.
That's really all there is too it, cut expenses and prioritize paying off debt. I know it's not easy, but I think you can do it. ![](http://images.proboards.com/new/smiley.png)
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phil5185
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Post by phil5185 on Dec 25, 2014 12:27:01 GMT -5
Don't know how open to adventure you are - but I see several ads for library work in Alaska, one in Barrow pays $60,000 plus living allowance, etc. A for RN's - one time when we were there DW was talking with a medical worker in the Airport, he tried to hire her on the spot - looks like there are RN jobs most anywhere in AK, even in the remote villages, ![](http://images.proboards.com/new/smiley.png)
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wonderland
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Post by wonderland on Dec 25, 2014 12:36:05 GMT -5
Don't know how open to adventure you are - but I see several ads for library work in Alaska, one in Barrow pays $60,000 plus living allowance, etc. A for RN's - one time when we were there DW was talking with a medical worker in the Airport, he tried to hire her on the spot - looks like there are RN jobs most anywhere in AK, even in the remote villages, ![](http://images.proboards.com/new/smiley.png) Haha, no, Alaska is not for us! We are trying to get AWAY from the snow and cold. My hope is that he finds a job in central florida, or anywhere southern except mississippi!
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wonderland
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Post by wonderland on Dec 25, 2014 12:37:33 GMT -5
Make your plan and start working it. Educate yourself financially. Money isn't really about numbers. It is more of a mindset. Once you start valuing financial peace of mind over things, you will make great strides. Think about all the overtime you have to work to pay for all the "stuff" you are choosing to buy your child? Well, that is TIME that you are taking away from your child. Would your child really rather have 13 pair of shoes or mom at home? You aren't enhancing your family life, you are actually taking away from it. Shopping should not be a recreational activity. And, if you really want to spend quality time with your child, get a box of cake mix and bake a cake together. A bunch of plastic toys are not that much fun. When I finally broke down and bought a Kitchen AId mixer, that really sent me into the kitchen. Now, DD and I spend a lot of quality time cooking and baking. It beats the heck out of any toys, electronic gizmos, etc. And for shopping, STOP bargain shopping. Seriously, look at your patterns. For me, the more time I spent putting myself in front of merchandise, the more I found I wanted. Now, I make a list and go get exactly what I want whether it is on sale or not. In the long run it saves me money because I don't buy as much. Look at your own patterns realistically. The shopping will be so, so hard for me. I am type a, and I get a vision in my head of how things should be/look, and it drives me crazy until I find just the right outfit/accessory piece of home decor, etc.
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Shooby
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Post by Shooby on Dec 25, 2014 12:38:42 GMT -5
The good thing is that you can't be that deep in the hole. Your daughter is only 2 so it isn't like you have taken 20 yrs of elaborate vacations and buying stuff. Yeah, you might have blown through a bit of money since she was born, but that is certainly not going to be insurmountable. And, with some simple changes, you will be back on track in no time.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 25, 2014 12:43:36 GMT -5
Make your plan and start working it. Educate yourself financially. Money isn't really about numbers. It is more of a mindset. Once you start valuing financial peace of mind over things, you will make great strides. Think about all the overtime you have to work to pay for all the "stuff" you are choosing to buy your child? Well, that is TIME that you are taking away from your child. Would your child really rather have 13 pair of shoes or mom at home? You aren't enhancing your family life, you are actually taking away from it. Shopping should not be a recreational activity. And, if you really want to spend quality time with your child, get a box of cake mix and bake a cake together. A bunch of plastic toys are not that much fun. When I finally broke down and bought a Kitchen AId mixer, that really sent me into the kitchen. Now, DD and I spend a lot of quality time cooking and baking. It beats the heck out of any toys, electronic gizmos, etc. And for shopping, STOP bargain shopping. Seriously, look at your patterns. For me, the more time I spent putting myself in front of merchandise, the more I found I wanted. Now, I make a list and go get exactly what I want whether it is on sale or not. In the long run it saves me money because I don't buy as much. Look at your own patterns realistically. The shopping will be so, so hard for me. I am type a, and I get a vision in my head of how things should be/look, and it drives me crazy until I find just the right outfit/accessory piece of home decor, etc. I get that. But I found it has become something of a hobby to get that perfect look economically. It is huge sense of accomplishment to have things look good cheaply.
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Shooby
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Post by Shooby on Dec 25, 2014 12:45:53 GMT -5
Make your plan and start working it. Educate yourself financially. Money isn't really about numbers. It is more of a mindset. Once you start valuing financial peace of mind over things, you will make great strides. Think about all the overtime you have to work to pay for all the "stuff" you are choosing to buy your child? Well, that is TIME that you are taking away from your child. Would your child really rather have 13 pair of shoes or mom at home? You aren't enhancing your family life, you are actually taking away from it. Shopping should not be a recreational activity. And, if you really want to spend quality time with your child, get a box of cake mix and bake a cake together. A bunch of plastic toys are not that much fun. When I finally broke down and bought a Kitchen AId mixer, that really sent me into the kitchen. Now, DD and I spend a lot of quality time cooking and baking. It beats the heck out of any toys, electronic gizmos, etc. And for shopping, STOP bargain shopping. Seriously, look at your patterns. For me, the more time I spent putting myself in front of merchandise, the more I found I wanted. Now, I make a list and go get exactly what I want whether it is on sale or not. In the long run it saves me money because I don't buy as much. Look at your own patterns realistically. The shopping will be so, so hard for me. I am type a, and I get a vision in my head of how things should be/look, and it drives me crazy until I find just the right outfit/accessory piece of home decor, etc. Well, in my case, i discovered that i was chasing an illusion. The reality of my life is that my home is never going to look like a magazine. And, my life is never going to be as ordered as it should be. And, the vast majority of things that i envisioned would be enjoyed or used by my kids really were just a passing fad with a huge pile ending up in the basement in short order. My advice is to think about how you define "fun" as well. What is fun for you and your family? Do you envision fun as having the latest and greatest stuff and clothes and so forth? Or, can fun be as simple as packing some PBJs and going to the park? Once i removed recreational shopping from my fun list, i had to come up with other things. Going to walk and browse the mall became a reflex. So, i realized i could find better ways to spend my time. And, if you look into your local community calender, you will be amazed at all the inexpensive things there are to do just where you live. Focus on seeing local sites and branch out around you. You can have a lot of fun very inexpensively. We discovered a local community theater and they put on great shows for a very small admission fee. Going to High School or local College games is a blast and on and on. Check out the Library for preschool programs and so forth. Make shopping a chore and low priority. You shop when you need something. Also, i drastically cut down the list of stores i shop at. I generally shop at about 3 stores. One for groceries, one for toiletries and another for clothes, etc. Doesn't mean i don't check out other stores from time to time, but really limiting makes my life easier, it is easier to return things and it cuts down on the amount of time i spend running around. Value your TIME as a commodity as well.
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Shooby
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Post by Shooby on Dec 25, 2014 12:48:23 GMT -5
The shopping will be so, so hard for me. I am type a, and I get a vision in my head of how things should be/look, and it drives me crazy until I find just the right outfit/accessory piece of home decor, etc. I get that. But I found it has become something of a hobby to get that perfect look economically. It is huge sense of accomplishment to have things look good cheaply. Some people have a knack for that. My aunt can buy stuff at yard sales and she just knows how to arrange things in a way that looks great. Not everyone can do that. I could hire an interior decorator and I still would not get the same result as her.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 25, 2014 13:01:09 GMT -5
I get that. But I found it has become something of a hobby to get that perfect look economically. It is huge sense of accomplishment to have things look good cheaply. Some people have a knack for that. My aunt can buy stuff at yard sales and she just knows how to arrange things in a way that looks great. Not everyone can do that. I could hire an interior decorator and I still would not get the same result as her. I cheat, I find pics of rooms I like and copy them. Mostly.
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Shooby
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Post by Shooby on Dec 25, 2014 13:17:20 GMT -5
That's great. And, everyone should find their thing. But sometimes we just get on that speeding consumer train thinking we "need" whatever we are told we need. For instance, after I got pregnant with my first child, I ran out and traded in my perfectly good, paid off 4 door sedan for a 7 passenger minivan. In retrospect, did I really need a 7 passenger minivan to haul around my kid? lol. I did have 2 more children so it came in handy but I think I just kind of succumbed to the notions rather than truly looking at what I want. Now, I spend on what I want and what is important to me and my family, not what someone expert or media tells me I "need" to do.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 25, 2014 13:28:43 GMT -5
wonderland one thing I have learned about clothing, a person only needs 4 or 5 outfits they look great in. All people will remember is that they look great, not what the exact outfit is. Which is really lucky for me, I have a hard time finding more outfits than that that I feel really good in.
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Shooby
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Post by Shooby on Dec 25, 2014 13:32:02 GMT -5
And, as for family vacations, young children are very quickly overwhelmed. Do you want to have a relaxed vacation and enjoyable one or one with an agenda where you spent a lot of money and feel you must see xyz even if your daughter is exhausted or uninterested? A child that young might enjoy going to the local carnival for a couple of rides on the merry go round versus breaking the bank for Disney. Consider her age and temperament in a realistic way.
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giramomma
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Post by giramomma on Dec 25, 2014 13:41:40 GMT -5
Welcome- I skimmed. My kids go to a private school where there's lots of money floating around. Lots of kids wear Old Navy/target clothes. My DD1 from 4-7ish has worn gap, carters, children's place, and justice clothing. All bought, some new with tags, at goodwill or garage sales. We also never say "no" to a hand me down. Gap clothing holds up very nicely. As for vacations: We do them. I think it's important even if kid's don't remember them. I will, and it's enough for me. We alternate years: Every 2-3 years we do one big vacation (2.5 weeks or so). In opposite years, we do smaller vacations. Last year, we vacationed for 10 days for $900. The kids had an amazing time and have requested we go back every year. (We rented a cottage on a lake.) Kids do get more expensive. We're shelling out 8K for braces for #1, and that's after insurance. And, I know you are saying, but my kid is 2. My first got braces on at 9, not exactly a typical age for braces. I didn't expect to be paying for daycare and braces at the same time. (We spaced our kids out to spread the costs around. The last laugh is on me. ![](http://images.proboards.com/new/wink.png) ) In your situation, you seem to be already taking the steps you need: working on your depression/anxiety issues and taking steps to reign in your spending. Might I suggest you work really hard on one area for a month or two, and get then move on to tackle a new issue. For the grocery situation, to cut down my spending, I learned how to make french onion soup this year. I spend about $2/day for lunch in total, and it hardly feels cheap or like I'm deprived. But, I found an awesome recipe that includes wine in the broth. I only drink starbucks coffee, brewed at home.
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giramomma
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Post by giramomma on Dec 25, 2014 13:45:43 GMT -5
As for the MLIS, there's other things to be done with it: Records management, information/data management, archiving..These can also be transferred to the private sector.
Some companies also have libraries; and publishing companies also deal with copyright things..
Plus, we have someone working with me..I'm in online education, who received her MLIS last year.
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phil5185
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Post by phil5185 on Dec 25, 2014 18:13:53 GMT -5
In the over-all scheme of your life, $15k or $20k debt is not a large issue. You guys earn about $120,000/yr, you live in a LCOL region, and you're only age 30, lots of time to enjoy.
Don't make debt the issue, instead focus on the wealth-building side of the equation. Invest $7500/yr no matter what. Put it in an 11%/yr 401k, 403b, IRA, etc, and never miss for 30 yrs - not for a new car, not for new flooring, not for a college fund - that will be about $1,650,000 at age 60. Put that $7500/yr away even if you have to borrow to do it (BTW, that gets you a extra $1500 tax break, so it's really only $6000/yr)
Whether or not you're carrying $15k or $20k of debt along for awhile will be of little importance compared to the $1,650,000 account. (That is life-altering). Let nothing derail your $1.65M plan.
But you might tone down your 2015 money burn-rate a little - your earlier plan seems kinda aggressive for a single year.
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wonderland
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Post by wonderland on Dec 26, 2014 7:29:14 GMT -5
In the over-all scheme of your life, $15k or $20k debt is not a large issue. You guys earn about $120,000/yr, you live in a LCOL region, and you're only age 30, lots of time to enjoy. Don't make debt the issue, instead focus on the wealth-building side of the equation. Invest $7500/yr no matter what. Put it in an 11%/yr 401k, 403b, IRA, etc, and never miss for 30 yrs - not for a new car, not for new flooring, not for a college fund - that will be about $1,650,000 at age 60. Put that $7500/yr away even if you have to borrow to do it (BTW, that gets you a extra $1500 tax break, so it's really only $6000/yr) Whether or not you're carrying $15k or $20k of debt along for awhile will be of little importance compared to the $1,650,000 account. (That is life-altering). Let nothing derail your $1.65M plan. But you might tone down your 2015 money burn-rate a little - your earlier plan seems kinda aggressive for a single year. I know very little about investing. DH has a retirement account with about $22k in it, but it doesn't seem to grow very much each year, even with his employer matches. I don't have a retirement account because I don't qualify for benefits, and I keep telling myself I have to pay off my debt first.
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Shooby
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Post by Shooby on Dec 26, 2014 8:11:32 GMT -5
Why are u not getting benefits? If u work 36 hrs could you not go 40 and be considered full time? But u may not need bennies if u can purchase thru your DH. Since u can pick up extra work at $40 / hr then pick up some extra work and start paying down your debts and / or contribute to a Roth.
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zibazinski
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Post by zibazinski on Dec 26, 2014 8:21:31 GMT -5
36 is considered full time where DD works. I'm not sure what you mean by no benefits but you might profit by either putting your income and expenses here or go to Women in Red. I'm sure cutting fat will be easy once you see it in black and white.
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resolution
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Post by resolution on Dec 26, 2014 8:53:45 GMT -5
At age 30 it is more important to start putting money into investments than it is to pay off all your debts in one year. The biggest benefits of investing is compounding of gains, and you need to start early in life for that to work well.
If you don't qualify for benefits at your employer, you can always go to Vanguard or Fidelity and just open an account there and start investing on your own. You will need to do some research before you start, but please consider changing your resolution from paying off 15k to paying off 5k and investing 10k. At least that will help you get started.
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Shooby
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Post by Shooby on Dec 26, 2014 8:56:48 GMT -5
I would get started on investing. I agree. A Roth, a mutual fund, something to get going. It doesn't have to be a lot, just be consistent. ANd, you can accomplish multiple goals. Stop the spending hemorrhage. Pick up some OT and then start chipping away and realigning your approach to life. You are really going to be on track very quickly, you are not that much in the hole.
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resolution
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Post by resolution on Dec 26, 2014 9:17:35 GMT -5
I know very little about investing. DH has a retirement account with about $22k in it, but it doesn't seem to grow very much each year, even with his employer matches. I don't have a retirement account because I don't qualify for benefits, and I keep telling myself I have to pay off my debt first. It is possible that your husband's retirement is in slow growing investments or that his employer has chosen a bad plan with high fees. My husband was stuck in a plan like that at his former employer where the fees sucked out all the gains. Once he changed jobs, we moved the money to a Vanguard Target Retirement fund and it is doing much better. Don't let one bad plan turn you off of investing.
I would recommend the book "A Random Walk Down Wallstreet" for getting some basics of investing in index funds. It's kind of complicated but you don't need to make it all the way through the book to get the general idea. If you aren't into investing books, you can read on the internet about "couch potato investing" or "lazy portfolios" to get an idea of how to jump into the market in a low maintenance sort of way.
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