Paycheck

Say I get paid $700 every two weeks. 700 divided by 14 is $50. So now I know I have to spend less than $50 per day to have some money leftover.

I've tried other methods like keeping spreadsheets and writing down everytime I spend money but it always gets overwhelming and I don't really understand the data.

I'm not good at math at all, numbers confuse me. So this method has really been easy for me to "visualize" so to speak.

It's been keeping me more aware too, I'll go days without spending any money if I don't have to.

For more details as to why this is noteworthy, I go into more detail about the circumstances behind my story in another post here: https://www.reddit.com/r/povertyfinance/comments/kz0wnl/just_hit_3000_in_savings_for_the_first_time_in/

Not interested in writing a lengthy post this time, I just felt like sharing that point. I just paid up on rent and have $5,076.46 in my accounts total with another paycheck coming through the weekend. My car is in the mechanic shop currently and will take a big chunk of my next check, but even after the final bill is done I should be able to maintain this $5k (or at worst, just under but very close to it until next week). My goals are twofold: first, to break my personal savings record of $6,200 from last year before the pandemic drained my savings, and second, to reach at least $10,000 in savings total. Based on my current trajectory I should be able to do both within the course of this year as long as I don't lose my job.

Considering I have no financial education or background, grew up in lower middle class only at the best of times when my family actually had money (most of the time we were poor and living paycheck to paycheck) and was actively taught very poor money handling by my parents who never learned how to manage it properly at all, I think I'm doing reasonably well. I'm not where I want to be yet, but that's okay because I'm doing better than I was before. It's the little things worth being thankful for.

Why YSK: Many of us college kids got screwed out of the stimulus payments because we were claimed as a dependent in 2019. If you meet the requirements for a stimulus check and were independent in 2020 you can file for a Recovery Rebate Credit on your 2020 tax returns using a 1040/1040-SR tax form. The worksheet to see if you qualify is here: https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i1040gi.pdf (page 59)

Yay!! YAY!! I couldn't help but tear up a little bit when he gave it to me!! And I even earned it with my own two hands!!! I'll really be able to save up now!!!!! I'm so happy!!!!!!!

I don't know what it is with my friends who are always broke making minimum wage living in the worst part of town because that's all they can afford, and they adopt the free dog/cat and then can't feed it or themselves. I get that poverty is hard, and having a special friend makes it easier, but anything that costs money when you are living paycheck to paycheck should be avoided at all costs. Imagine if you have one minor problem and can't pay your rent? Now you have this animal that is going to be put up for adoption, or worse, abandoned. I have seen it too many times that owners get tossed out and abandon their pets. It's heartbreaking. So, if you are two checks from being homeless, please do not get a pet.

I’m starting to put $100 a paycheck into BTC so $200 a month. So when I retire from USAF in 2031 I hope to have enough and the price be high enough to never have to work again when I cash out. I also invest 10% of my paycheck into TSP (50/50 S & C funds). This is so when I retire I have my military retirement pension, TSP and BTC to use as a retirement portfolio.

Maybe this belongs in a different sub, but I found this out the hard way. I used to have such a dysfunctional work environment that the stress and anxiety would follow me home and (though I wouldnt call myself suicidal) I would fantasize death as a form of escape.

I thought I was alone, and I thought I wouldn’t be able to support my family if I changed jobs.

I eventually sought a different position - one that makes $1,000 less per month, but entails a better work environment/lifestyle and habits - and after some counseling, I can finally say I can enjoy my life again!

I’m happy. My wife is happy. That makes my kids happier. We can enjoy the time we have together.

I’d rather look for creative ways to make ends meet than sit at home worrying about work and wishing I was dead. And in the end, it’s the time we have together that matters.

Anyways, I just want to tell you from experience that if your work life is unhealthy, the leap of faith will ALWAYS be worth it! Pursue health fiercely. You will NEVER look back and wish you had the cash instead.

Edit: I realize that not everyone has the privilege of getting to make this choice - but if you’re out there and youre suffering from abuse or mental health issues from your place of work, this post is for you.

This is probably like a common knowledge kind of thing for this community, but I really wanted to dig into it more than a cynical look at it.

As is common tradition, Churches usually advertise(read: enforce) tithing. Akin to like a second tax, the congregation is encouraged to pay 10% of their paycheck(we'll use take home for ease of argument) to the church for tithe.

Now tithing is usually given the connotation that should you tithe, God is going to "reimburse" you in some way. Most people give tithing credit for "blessing" them with a better paying job. An example would be NFL Raiders Quarterback Derek Carr who paid a huge tithe to his church.

So it stands to reason than many church members will tithe in the hopes that God will "bless" them with better living.

What bugs me is that most of the "blessings" these people get would most likely have happened without church or tithing regardless. The difference would be is they could've put that tithe into their savings and have a bigger savings account.

Now the lottery can have a bit of a bad reputation since it's essentially gambling, and a gambling addiction can be crippling and a severe problem.

However, I sat and thought about how much the tithe takes out of one's paycheck vs a $2 (USD) lotto ticket.

So let's say you make $24,000 (USD) a year. 10% of that is is $2,400. Let's also say the "average" jackpot is $1,000,000. Again for sake of argument, we're going to ignore the smaller and larger prizes.

1,000,000 divided by 2,400 is 500. So it would take roughly FIVE HUNDRED years of FAILED lotto tickets for the funds to outweigh the worth, at least in the case of comparing to tithe.

Specifically FAILED, because within your life span; if you consistently spent 10% of your paycheck on lotto tickets, you could win the jackpot.

But spending 10% of your pay to those charismatic megachurch pastors to help furnish their private jets and lavish mansions literally benefits you in NO WAY.

If the church you pay tithe at is actually genuine in helping impoverished communities, then I would compare that to donating to charity. Which goes against tithing in hopes of reaping some kind of divine "blessing"

So please, put that money in the bank, or buy a lotto ticket. Stop making charismatic liars rich.

Or do, I can't make you live your life.

The Lion is on the prowl!🦁 Lol

https://youtu.be/IKsHcvBXt3U?t=263

Why do BMs think they have so much control of their ex's money? Outside of child support, what my husband and I do with our money is not her business at all.

My husband pays his child support reliably and without complaint. He provides insurance and helps with activities, extras and incidentals no problem and 2 teenage step kids want for nothing. He even pays half his son 16's car insurance and expenses because him driving is more of a need because in the 2 households dh and his ex's dad are the only other 2 who drive and her dad refuses to help with anything he deems " frivolous" which includes the kids' sports and anything social at all.

So, pretty much anything that happens in our house ends up getting shared by the step kids with BMs house. They mean well but they don't know when not to talk. Recently, we got my son (9) a new dirt bike and gear because he outgrew his old one. This is a huge hobby that both he and my husband share and they love it. We have also added an art studio in the back of our house for me. And we always do weekly date nights at nicer restaurants because we are kind of amateur foodies. None of these things take anything away from his kids.

Last not we got a fun phone call from bms DAD (I'm sure she was whining) just to remind him LOUDLY that he has children and that his money should not be going to his new "girl" and her "baggage" but if he has all that extra money it should be going towards more child support or into ss's college fund or sd's savings so she has "money to bring into a marriage". (Both kids have college funds. ExFIl INSISTS sd's is some kind of dowry instead like its 1762 or something but its a college fund).

Dh pretty much told him to mind his own business and that if bm has issues regarding the kids she should call herself but this isn't her business either and hung up on him. Now we are awaiting the inevitable official looking letter from his friend from church who is also a lawyer that we get every single time they have some crazy issue we don't just lay down and a please them over.

This is just me venting. I know all we can do is what we have been doing. These people just blow my mind.

So today I got the bonus payout and my salary for this year and it totalled to an amount i didn't think I deserved at any point in my life. And while the amount isn't much compared to my peers, I am glad about the money. A small win I needed because i feel like a dumbass and an imposter at my workplace.

My family treats me like I am some arrogant bitch when all I am trying to do is look out for them. So I can not share or celebrate such small joys like these with them

This is the moment i’ve been waiting for...to be apart of something!! WITH THE PEOPLE! FOR THE PEOPLE!

I live in New Jersey. At the start of December, I gave notice as I received an offer at a new job. My last day was Dec 24th. The employer sent me a termination letter and asked me to sign. The letter has a different non compete agreement compared to the agreement I did sign when I was hired. The HR person sent me a text stating they will be 'unable to pay me for December until the agreement is signed'. If I sign it, I will be in violation of the new non compete agreement (but not my original one). What should I do here?

Here is the text of the new agreement they want me to sign:

Employee is not taking up the job as an employee, officer, director, partner, consultant, agent, owner, or engage in any other capacity with a competing company, Customer, Prospects, and Vendor Partner of (Company Name).

And here is the text of the old agreement, which I did sign:

You acknowledge and recognize the highly competitive nature of the businesses of the Company and its affiliates and accordingly agree that while you are employed with the Company, you will not directly or indirectly, (i) engage in any business that competes with the business of the Company or its affiliates (including, without limitation, businesses which the Company or its affiliates have specific plans to conduct in the future and as to which you are aware of such planning), (ii) enter the employ of, render any services to, any person engaged in any business that competes with the business of the Company or its affiliates, (iii) acquire a financial interest in, or otherwise become actively involved with, any person engaged in any business that competes with the business of the Company or its affiliates, directly or indirectly, as an individual, partner, shareholder, officer, director, principal, agent, trustee or consultant, or (iv) interfere with business relationships (whether formed before or after the date of this Agreement) between the Company or any of its affiliates and customers, suppliers, partners, members or investors of the Company or its affiliates.

> literally a millionaire from inherited capital gains

> cuts themselves a $4,500 check each pay period anyway

> doesn't come in on mondays, wednesdays, and weekends

> takes at least five vacations a year