This Math is Not Mathing Right,, Struggling with Paycheck 2

[@christine1373]

Erika even where I live in the middle of Illinois you wouldn’t be able to find a decent place to live for $600! That’s not the reality we live in anymore and those old calculations should be thrown out with the trash! Paychecks don’t match the rise in food costs, gasoline, rent/mortgage. In December 2021 I was notified my SSD would be ending February 2022 because I was deemed healthy and could go back to work. I had a heart transplant December 2017 at the age of 55! Thank goodness in 2022 I was 59 so I could start receiving withdrawals from retirement or I would’ve been screwed!! Thankfully my budget is in better shape now! Keeping my hopes up that the republicans don’t raise the age limit for SS!

[@amphoteric]

can we all just be honest please? dave ramsey's methods and financial "advice" in general is aimed at people who have good jobs that pay above a livable wage for their area but those people just lack money management skills. financial advice is NOT aimed at people who have minimum wage jobs or people who are poor due to living paycheck to paycheck or whatever it is. i'm all for financial freedom but if i'm being honest here, the only way to do that is to work multiple jobs at once and to try to get a higher paying job year after year after year-- all of which is extremely exhausting!

[@notebooksandlife]

true, we shouldn't feel bad for needing to budget differently! job hopping is exhausting and it does seem like the best way to increase income rn. we got this though

[@PlanwithKaye]

I would be telling my sister that I can not do all the things. Because it sounds like you need the money she owes you more then her just paying for things you don’t need to do. Unfortunately we have to tell people we can’t do things. It sucks

[@EllieandGinger]

I feel like I have to take bits and pieces from different “financial gurus” and work it into my own personal life the way I can. The % for housing that DR gives is mind boggling. I live outside of Charlotte, NC. I had to throw that out with the trash and do what is best for my own family.

[@SaraHartman09]

Time to start saying I’m sorry but I can’t do this….

[@charmedkitten]

I’m glad you said that. Everything going up but our paychecks. Taxes eats the crap out of it, and yet we still have to have a place to live, and not starve to death. Ridiculous 😒

[@pitita585]

5 years ago I was paying $900 for rent in Central NJ. The landlords sold the home and moved to TN and I had to vacate. I was shocked to learn that I could not find anything decent for less than $1250. Now you can NOT find anything in a remotely safe area that includes a full kitchen and a window or two for less than $1425 per month and that is only for the first year as landlords/complexes raise the rent $50 per month+ each year. Few people here are paying less than 50% per month on housing. Never mind food and gas. It’s hard. Give yourself some grace. You’re being forced to live in a society where government is mismanaged and corporations and entire industries are GREEDY. The wealthy are always well cared for while we struggle to doggy paddle in the water alone.

[@glendaberka]

You’re not alone on the struggle bus. Inflation has hit hard and our paychecks have not been able to keep up. I do think rent needs to be capped everywhere. It’s ridiculous! Hang in there. We will get through this somehow.

[@jessicaallen7176]

One thing that helps me is taking my entire monthly total for bills and dividing by 2. This helps keep things even for me and not have so much due at one time.

[@TH0KH]

It also helps to look at a calendar and add up how much is due in each pay period. That way you can save some from pay 1 to use for pay 2 if there's more expenses then

[@lanessiacarrington8283]

Girl... Those of us who been rocking with you for a while understand your rent situation. Let the comments roll off. 😘😘😘

[@syd3724]

We are in the same boat. I just had to use my savings to pay off my credit card and the guilt is unbearable 😭

[@mayaedwards3620]

I’m not even 5 mins in your video, and I totally agree!! I’m literally in the same boat. It is ridiculous in cali

[@stephdane]

Girl I'm struggling too! You're not the only one. I got a new job interview coming up, gotta purchase a new car AND move into a new apartment where it's going to be $400 a month MORE than what I been paying. It's a lot all at once. Everything's temporary though. The math will math one day soon!

[@n2wabbit]

I know this may not be something you want to do but my grand was in the same spot last year. She started picking up a shift on Friday or Saturday nights at of all places Olive Garden. It was nothing for her to make $200 a night or more for only working five or six hours. It helped her finish that last year of college. Plus, she was able to keep her troubles out of her head and meet some interesting people. Restaurants are begging for good servers that will show up and most allow you on your terms.

[@Jennafir]

I live in NY, in the outer suburbs of NYC. You can’t find a studio here for under $1200 a month. A lot of roommate/house share type of set ups cost, at the lowest, at least $1000. My favorite thing is when people to tell you to just move to a cheaper area. Those places don’t exist because if housing costs are lower then you can bet that local employers aren’t paying.

[@jenniferreynoso4255]

We moved from LA to Iowa almost 2 years ago. Our rent and car note now ($1550) don’t add up to our rent only in LA ($1700). I work with girls that have lived on their own (apartment/ house) since they were 18 and pay like $1000 for all their bills and rent. There’s no way they could do that back home and they don’t believe me 🤣🤣🤣

[@notebooksandlife]

I'm 2 minutes in, sis said make it make senseeeee and I felt that!!! lol we've got this!

[@notebooksandlife]

my struggle has been...I missed 3 paychecks after switching companies over the holidays. I just got my 1st paycheck from my new job yesterday! so that was a tight budget time for sure especially as a single parent in the Chicago area :) but 2023 is our year!

[@YourRav]

Loving you videos and happy I found your channel.

[@ksksjd]

Look over at Budget Mom,Jordan Page and Kate Kaden !😊

[@Wasjigcrmso35]

Big massive hugs my dear I’m struggling as well this month but I can’t budget as I get paid totally different so I know January kicks plenty of people butts like you said you hope February is a better month 😊❤🇬🇧

[@almarosa154]

Dave Ramsay's numbers are unrealistic to what WE are all going through... my mortgage went up its know 1200 in Dallas texas (we live in a small house) my son's rent was 1300 in a one bedroom. He had to move in with his dad. Trust me you follow what works for you. The math will not be the same for everyone. 🥰

[@TH0KH]

Smart to keep the emergency fund untouched. Better to have an emergency fund for yourself than give extra to debts. If shit hits the fan, at least you'll have shelter!

[@TH0KH]

Check the Budget Mom's system! Look at your budget for the whole month+first part of next month. Split the bills by when they're due AND move some around to make both pays have roughly the same amount due. Eg save half of rent from pay 1 and half pay 2.

[@tiffanyrebirth]

It’s going to get better as time progresses at your job ❤

[@KourttneyL]

I live in a small town where I have to drive 30 mins north just to work a job that barely pays good enough. So I understand the stress! Now a days, nothing is mathing right because of inflation for NO REASONNNNNNN 😢

[@zulmahernandez4111]

same 😭 to everything! the system is broken

[@TheDivaIsIntheDetails]

Hang in there. Sometimes, we get that paycheck, and it's accounted for as soon as it's deposited, but it will get better. I live in the DMV, which is HELLA expensive too. I am ashamed of my mortgage payment, but the market was straight 'Hunger Games' when we bought our home. Remember, you have survived and conquered this in the past. You've got this, lady!

[@jenniferreynoso4255]

What’s the DMV area? I hear about it a lot but don’t know.

[@TheDivaIsIntheDetails]

@@jenniferreynoso4255 Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia

[@elainesunflowermbraece]

Ohh babes!! I hear ya and feel you down to my soul. After what you’ve been through(trust me I’ve been there) mental and emotional health takes a toll. For me shopping was an emotional outlet. This year though I’ve made a conscious decision to be debt free and of course there will be road blocks I’m pushing through. I’d love to chat with you sometime, as support because honey I get you ! And after I’d tell you my story trust me you’ll completely understand. Just keep your head up baby girl and push through the obstacles one at a time

[@spf_500]

I live in Brooklyn. In a studio. That's almost 1400 a month. I'm almost 40 and even my 2 cats are to much of a roommate lol I feel your pain 😭

[@ruthiecarlson1917]

Hi Erika. I’m not an OG but close. I started following you before you started using stickers. You were in the negative at times back then too. But you figured it out and made it through. Suggestion: instead of splitting your rent 50-50 between checks, maybe do more of a 60-40. You had extra funds last pay check. So maybe do 800-600. I do believe using your emergency to pay those small debts would help too. You would have had $160.50 less needed this pay period with PayPal, affirm, and Apple Card gone. You’ve got this!

[@magpie9223]

I think paying a bit more for your own place is worth it. I would do the same, even if I had to do without in other categories.

[@anitabudgets131]

Stay strong. You got this. There is no way people can live with that amount in rent not in LA not anywhere. 🤦🏻‍♀️

[@xoxolorae]

So I moved to Upstate NY last year from Los Angeles and my rent currently is $1200 for a studio. People (the ones who always give unsolicited advice and live in a suburban house..) would always tell me that those in L.A. that live in a 1Br by themselves instead of renting a room with a roommate have no one to blame but themselves. And I lived in a studio that cost about $1800. Like where in L.A. do I rent a room that is reasonable enough for me to work from home with a good and professional desk setup, that is less than $1200 - aka what I pay to live in Upstate ass NY where there’s literally nothing but suburbs lol. Let a girl know 🤣

[@LuvliiJonesy]

I wish I could find a mortgage or rent for under 1500 - not in the DMV it's not happening! Everything is expensive whether you live in a house or rent. Let's not even discuss groceries. I adjusted my sinking funds. My bills are top priority right now. Trying to stay on top of that. 😢 it's definitely not like how it used to be. Back in 2006-7 when I rented my first apt- my rent was like $900 -$1000 bucks. I wish I could go back to that. Now in a house, it's double/triple and then some 😔 todays economy is no where near the same. So we understand no need to explain! We are right there with you.

[@tiyonnashearard2770]

I wanna purchase Stickers from your site but I’m curious on how the 7x9 stickers will work in a A5

[@bernieburciaga3279]

Price of living in CA is ridiculous.

[@shawnahoffman4940]

Hell I live in Indiana and you can’t even find rent that low here.

[@Rya18260]

I'm honestly looking towards moving to Costa Rica for the price issues. Medical and housing are crazy, and something has to give. If it isn't the U.S- then I might have to go just to afford to like live and have basic quality of life without my teeth rotting out and a roof over my head. I work in healthcare remote tech right now, so I'd have to wait for a branch to open in Latin America/ Central America but considering it heavily. Planning for it.

[@Rya18260]

You can get a small tico house for like.... 200-450 near the ocean. Or a nice furnished home for like 800? Sure there are more expensive places also but like, you can still find that type of renting situation in Costa RIca and not even have to have citizenship- just a visa. You can tell I've been thinking on this hard XD

[@BiankLL]

A paystub is required by law!!! 😮

[@Dognamedapollo]

Most Companies have it online and I think what she meant was to get it a day before she got paid. Companies usually don’t do this.

[@rebeccasuraci7666]

Also not sure what it’s like where everyone is feel free to jump in but here If you don’t qualify for the income requirements you can’t get a co-signer . You get a guarantor which is ONE person not two (your parents presumably ) and they then have to make five times the rent instead of the usual three (which corresponds to that old antiquated 30%ish rule) . My rent increased by like 400$ and I have to leave in one week and I got no place to go bc rents are increasing massively even into winter that even tho I’ve head three raises on the last two yrs I keep not qualifying . This week on a round of 20 some odd apartment tours I am finding Some are now making the guarantor rate 6! Let me make it make sense . I found a 1700 place . My mom would have to make 10200 a month to sign for me. This country sucks and the system is set up for everyone to fail. Wages need to go up rents need to be lower and be capped.

[@954giggles]

Could you live with someone for a few months after your lease ends?

[@mm4847]

I own my home four bedroom double lot four hundred a month mortgage

[@thearbitrarylife]

I follow Dave Ramsey very loosely. I never thought $1,000 was enough. It's a nice goal but not to stop at and start a next step. I live in a much smaller area than you and rent is close to yours.

[@TH0KH]

That advice just doesn't work anymore for most people who don't have very good jobs or locked in a mortgage or rent controlled place years ago. I live in one of the lowest cost of living cities in my province and the average 1 bed rent is still 50% gross 63% net for someone on min wage (15.50).

[@roxyjinks9643]

It’s a struggle for alot of us right now!

[@TheTalldiva]

You got this! That 25% of your pay towards rent is not realistic for everyone!

[@briannanight8395]

It is expensive either way and that is honestly the hardest part for me when dealing with housing in America. My fiance is from Togo and he bought land for 8,000 dollars 4 years ago. I don't know the equivalent of acres but if he put a tent or a 10 bedroom house when he finished building the land cost the same. They typically pay cash although a lot of returning people like him could get a loan since they have american jobs but the interest is much higher. Since it is a vacation/retirement/rental. We can go at our on pace so we are doing cash. They don't have property taxes and yes there are cons with that but older people lose their homes because of property taxes in america and that is ridiculous. For people who rent the longer you stay owners do not increase your rent and they are more flexible when you need more time to pay rent. I couldn't see myself living there full time for more than 3 months as the national language is french and it is not a decent American presence at all. The expat community is european/asain and is not immersive into the local community at all. Therefore eveytime i am there i have to have a chaperone at all times. His sister lives in ghana and I could definitely do 6 more months there and just come to the states for 3 months. But I definitely want to have a condo once our kiddos are adults. We just bought a house and the principal and interest is 2000 but just with the insurances and property taxes bumps it up to 3000 that is including nothing else. My fiance was set on having a home for our kiddos and I am too so in that since it is worth it but looking at the amount it had me sticker shock not gonna lie. There are always alternatives and other options within renting/buying such as a older community/home, roommates, location, etc. But some of those compromises aren't realistic so I understand. For the most part my fiancé had amazing roommates. All of them he didn't know much about them except they were all african like him when they moved in together. The last one made him not have roommates anymore after that because it was very stressful so I understand. Surprisingly enough when he was coparing moving or getting a place by himself he said it would be cheaper to stay but i also mentioned he would have to get a new roommate and he night not enjoy them. We decided with a new build because we are both book smart we are not handy at all. Our primary languages are different and we have enough difficulty with day to day communication that doing major/critical renovations to our living space would not be the best idea. Customizations would be our best bet if we decide to change out anything. Since I am the primary English speaker I would be the lead on any of it and I don't want to do all that work. 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@hrcubsgirl]

Stay strong girl. Those numbers are so outdated. People would love $1400 in rent. I live in South Florida and you can’t find a one bedroom for no less than 2k. House to rent is like 4K and up. Hoping things die down but it doesn’t seem it’s going too

[@Grizzler231]

Math is always right

[@amyfletcher4749]

Get you some beans and rice ...lol

[@tyresseferguson2462]

I wish I could find somewhere decent to live for $600 and I'm in the Midwest. I can't follow those percentages for what you should spend in each category because inflation has truly outpaced wage increases and many businesses did a wage freeze around 2009/2010 but inflation kept happening. Hell minimum wage is just getting to $10.25 which no one and I mean NO ONE can live off of as an adult. I was in the red when I did my January & February Budget and I was like welp guess I have to do overtime to make sure I'm not actually in the red 😅 Congratulations on the promotion 🎉🎉!

[@brianneholmes6547]

I will say it again….. DR is so out of touch!

[@theropesofrenovation]

I'm sorry you are struggling so much. Your rent of $700 is less than in Florida. I know you hate using savings but..... that's what it's for.

[@carolinebrown3243]

u got this! i believe in u! you are doing everything u can. Things will get better. Thank you for sharing. 🫶🏻