Thursday, July 24, 2014
Week 2 ( makeup) sorry
But i sometimes lack motivation to finish them before the day its due. its something i need to work on.
I thought that I was very professional, as I arrived on time, completed my assigned work ahead of schedule, and acted in a responsible manner. I might of once arrive a couple min later, but it seems fine and understandable, but i will try to come on time or even earlier. I can work on communicating more effectively because I am sometimes shy on speaking up and don't like to bother people with little things and when it comes to meeting new people. Also, i dont think id am not outgoing when it a majority of girls and they mostly talk about girl things.
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
Week 5
Blog 5 (makeup)
What im grateful for, is that i was busy this summer than other summers with an awsome internship. In other summers i just relax and had more free time. It was a great experience and it felt like i was not on summer, in a good way. In my internship im grateful that i learned new experiences i thought i would never want to learn like phone interview, blogging, and creating radio stories. I had no idea how this internship would turn out. Journalism wasnt one of my options when deciding internship but it was a good learning experience and i hope for the future that i'd be willing to try new internship to knowledge myself with a career option. Lastly im grateful taking this summer career class to further my understanding on my future.
Tuesday, July 22, 2014
Blog #5 (makeup)
What I'm Grateful For
What I'm Grateful For
In terms of the class, I'm grateful that I learned practical career skills such as how to create a resume, cover letter, and LinkedIn. No one really teaches you those skills if you don't take a class like this, and it will put me at an advantage to already have knowledge of these things when I'm applying to jobs.
Blog #4 (make-up work, I was on vacation that week)
- The total of my future expenses each year are $41,712. I know this is logical because my primary sources for information are Zillow, and then the websites of the various services I'm paying for (Verizon, Xfinity, etc).
- According to the United States Bureau of Labor I can likely count on making $54, 820 each year in my future job as a journalist in New York City. My education/training to get that job will cost between $150,000 and $300,000 total for all four years of Undergrad education.
- I want to save $5,000 for my rainy day fund each year, and $10,000 for retirement each year. If I save $10,000 for retirement each year, by the time I am 65 years old I will have $400,000 plus interest.
- Comparing my future income and expenses makes me think that I am going to have to be very frugal, and possibly share an apartment if I plan to live in New York City. I also will need to consider living outside of Manhattan, such as in Queens or Brooklyn, as they can be much more affordable. I will need to also cut down on other expenses such as food expenses, and make sure I am shopping at affordable grocery stores and not going out to eat very often.
Blog #3 (Make-up work as I was absent for all of week 4)
Reporter
For a reporter, the average salary is $36,000 a year before taxes. However, in certain areas, the averages wage is higher. In California, the average salary for a reporter is $49,000, in New York it is $54,000, and in Massachusetts it is $50,000. However, in parts of the Midwest and South the figures are closer to the national average of $36,000, likely because living expenses in these places are lower than those in New York and California.
Only an undergraduate degree in a relevant field such as journalism, English, or communications is necessary, however, having a masters degree in journalism can certainly be beneficial, and can help in terms of being hired for a job.
Journalists must be open-minded, outgoing, persistent, skilled in multiple media platforms, and thorough.
Public Relations Specialist
For a public relations specialist, the average salary is $54, 170 before taxes. However, in Washington D.C., the average pay is $88,820, and in San Francisco it is $87, 730. In general, the average salary is higher than the national average on the West and East coasts, however, in the Midwest and South, the average salary is closer to the national average, and in some places such as Nebraska it is lower than the average. Again, this is likely due to the varying costs of living expenses in different places.
Only an undergraduate degree is necessary to be a public relations specialist. Usually, Public Relations Specialists have degrees in Communication, Journalism, Public Relations, Marketing, or other relevant fields.
Public Relations Specialists typically have strong verbal and written communication skills, are confident, are persuasive, are open-minded, and are able to think on their feet.
Book Editor
The average annual salary for a Book Editor is $60,490 before taxes. However, in New York, where most of the book editors who work for major publishing companies are, the average annual salary is $81, 540. In California the average salary is also higher than the average, at $65, 730. However, once again, in the Midwest and South, the average salaries are significantly below the national average, and are as low as $39,500 in Idaho.
Only an undergraduate degree is necessary to be a book editor. Usually, Book Editors have degrees in journalism, communications, or English.
Book Editors usually have strong skills in comprehension/reading, communication, open-mindedness, precision, fact-checking, and logic, to name a few.
Week 4
- The total of my future expenses each year are $35,000. I know this is logical because my primary sources for information are various trusted internet sources.
- According to theartcareerproject.com I can likely count on making $70,000 each year in my future job as a screenwriter. My education/training to get that job will cost $180,000 total for all years of training.
- I want to save $8,000 for my rainy day fund each year, and $15,000 for retirement each year. If I save $15,000 for retirement each year, by the time I am 65 years old I will have $450,000 plus interest.
- Comparing my future income and expenses makes me think that I will need to start learning how to budget my finances wisely early on. If I don't, I may end up making poor decisions regarding how much money I spend/save annually.
Blog #5
Thank you for five weeks well spent!
College and Careers *absent makeup
One possible career involving creative writing would be a travel writer, which is generally one who publishes travel guides and descriptive reviews of foreign locations. The average annual salary for a travel writer is around $40,000, but much of the work is freelance so it's difficult to speculate an average as everyone has different work. The salary is roughly the same in most geographic regions, and it generally requires a bachelor's degree in english, journalism, or creative writing. The average personality type of a travel writer would be someone who not only enjoys traveling and discovering new things abroad, but also meticulously documenting such discoveries in their writing.
Another creative writing career is a screenwriter, which is one who writes scripts for independent/ large budget films. The average annual salary for a screenwriter is around $70,000, but much like travel writing, much of the work is freelance so salaries are often dictated by how much an individual writes per year (two scripts per year is a solid average for a successful screenwriter). The best place to make it as a screenwriter is Hollywood, which means that the west coast (or US in general) presents the highest geographical chance for success as a screenwriter. The average personality of a screenwriter would likely be extremely creative and diligent.
Similarly to screenwriters, novelists also earn an average salary of roughly $70,000 per year. Seeing as books can be published in hundreds of different languages, there is no one country with a geographical advantage for success when it comes to writing novels. The average personality of a novelist would be someone who does not mind spending large amounts of time in solitude, and also one who is equally as creative as they are driven to write.
Finance and Saving Interest
William, starts saving $4,000 a year (about $333.33 per month) when he is 20 and stops after 20 years, after having saved $80,000/155,224.76. His brother, James, starts saving $4,000 at 40, and does so for 25 years, for a total of $100,000/231,653.79 saved. They earn 6% on their savings. At age 65, William will have $666,290 in his account, while James will have $231,000 . Despite having saved less, William's nest egg will be almost four times greater because of compounding.
Savings and Credit Interest
Monday, July 21, 2014
What I'm Grateful For
I really liked doing the career management skills class because it made me think realistically about my career choices and introduced me to many cool new people. With the skills I gained from taking this class, I feel more confident in my ability to communicate and collaborate with my peers and teachers. Waybook helped me learn how to set goals for my future and reflect on how I can improve my work skills. This type of self-evaluation is extremely important because it helps you know how to use your strengths to your advantage and improve on your weaknesses.
I am so grateful for the opportunity to be a part of the Earthscope Media team and participate in the career management class. I will never forget this experience, and will take what I learned this summer and apply it to every situation in my future.
My Future Budget
- The total of my future expenses each year are $75,600. I know this is logical because my primary sources for information are my mom, Craig's List, and Glassdoor.com. I feel like this sum is very high, but most of it is because I said I would have to pay $3,000 a month in rent an apartment in a big city like San Francisco. I also gave myself a high salary, so taxes were a lot higher than some other jobs.
- My education/training to get a job as a journalist will cost $120,000 for an undergraduate degree from a state university. This is without any graduate education. I wrote that I would pay $200 a month in paying off student loans. I really hope to get some scholarships to go to school that could alleviate this cost.
- I want to save $2,000 for my rainy day fund each year, and $2,000 for retirement each year. If I save $2,000 for retirement each year, by the time I am 65 years old I will have $80,000 plus interest. I know that's not a lot but I plan to invest my money wisely and hope the amount to the maximum possible. I would also like to write books to supplement my annual income. This additional income will go to directly to my retirement fund.
- Comparing my future income and expenses makes me want to rethink my job choice as a journalist, "the number one dying profession" my mom tells me. I love to write, but I also love many other things and would be open to pursuing other careers such as in international relations. I also realize that it is rough to be a single-income family, which makes me envision a partner in my future that I can share the load of building a life with.
Why I'm Grateful
I also really believe that taking the career management class helped me be more successful at my internship which made the experience greater. Learning skills that I needed to be aware of improving on made me more diligent, dedicated and a better communicator. These skills, and all the other ones I learned about will continue benefitting me, especially if I get the paid internship position at EarthScope Media I want.
When I looked at the discoveries I did at the beginning of the Summer, I found that my purpose is the same, my short term goals are complete, and I have a better chance of reaching my long term goals than I did before. I'm grateful that I was able to have this learning experience, and this hands on experience. And also I'm grateful that I've had the opportunity to help plan out my future to be successful.
Savings and Credit Interest
$39,500.23
$28,301.40
$19,938.10
$283,013.98
Interest and Money
5. If you put $5000 into a regular savings account in the bank when you are 40 years old, and add $500 each month, how much will you have when you are 68 years old (28 years later)?
$199,381.03
Interest
Sunday, July 20, 2014
Grateful
One of the greatest experience I had during this internship was going to see ABC7 news live. It inspired me to chase my dream of becoming a writer. It was a once in a life time experience that I will always remember.
I am grateful for the Summer Career Academy, as it has taught me the importance of resumes, cover letters, getting a reliable job, and how to be in control of ones finances for our future.
I am especially grateful for Waybook because it gave me the opportunity to reflect on myself, set goals for the future, and keep track of my growing self. It is hard not to become lost in social media especially as our community has become more adapt to it. But Waybook has created a way to use social media as a personal journal, to set goals for the future, and to reflect in depth on our lives which is way more than Instagram can do.
I am also grateful that my internship and the Summer Career Academy has not taken up so much of my time that I would not able to spend time with my family and be able to enjoy all of the relaxation that comes with summer.
Blog #5
I'm grateful that I got to go to the ABC7 News and watch Sheryl Jennings do the 11am news, because I learned so much and I got to see how things like that work and I got to learn more about the journalism career.
I'm grateful that for this class I got the opportunity to write a resume and a cover letter and everything that I normally wouldn't have done yet. I would be lost without these opportunities.
I learned so much from my internship and I could analyze what I learned by the knowledge I had from this career class - I found my strengths and my weaknesses and really worked to make my weaknesses into strengths. I don't think I would really appreciate what learned from my internship if I didn't have this class to give me many opportunities and much information.
Overall, I'm glad I had an internship and this class to teach me more about having a career, and I believe it was a very good start to give me a good background for my future career.
Gratitude Blog #5
What I am Grateful For
Throughout this summer career class, I was grateful to learn many things about myself and my future plans. We had a list of career readiness skill and I learned that I needed to be more comfortable efficiently communicating with my co-workers and boss. Learning how to make a google site, cover letter and linkedin account were also useful resources to help me get more prepared to join the work force. Although I want to major in biology, I realized that I probably also have to go to more school and get some medical training for the jobs I desire to have. Overall this class was a good learning experience and helped me understand that getting and keeping a job takes a lot of effort and skill.
My Internship:
I was grateful to learn a lot about the social media aspect to running a business during my internship at agingparents.com. I learned how to use mailchimp and linkedin to promote one's business and that social media plays a major role in getting one's business recognized. I am also grateful to have learned how to put together an e-mail campaign and learned that being organized saves a lot of time. My internship at agingparents.com was truly an eye-opening experience and I will continue to use the skills learned there in my daily life and my future jobs.
Saturday, July 19, 2014
Week 5 - What I Am Grateful For
My summer reflection
While the internship helped me improve my interaction skills, it also helped me improve technical skills required in the workplace. For example, I had to learn to start, record, conduct, and end conference calls, which occur in almost any job. Also, I had to learn to use Audacity software, and edit, record, and complete my own radio stories, a skill that any reporter must master. I feel that the independence required of me in this internship will greatly help me earn a job as a reporter, as I have been fully immersed in the job and its responsibilities.
However valuable my internship was, though, I would not have been able to learn as much as I did without my internship class, which forced me to realize my strengths and weaknesses, and use this knowledge to become a better worker. For example, I did not realize before this internship that I was an shy person that was not great at communicating with others. But after learning that this was a weakness that could hinder me in the workplace, I made an effort to communicate with my boss as much as possible, and to volunteer to manage groups and lead interviews. Without a doubt, this has allowed me to become a better worker, and prepare me for my future.
Also, the internship class was valuable in introducing me to the world of adult finances. Before anything else, it taught me to become more sympathetic for my parents, who have to watch so much of their money disappear to taxes, mortgage, electricity, and countless other expenses. I was shocked into the realization that the majority of my money will go directly to responsibilities and necessities, but the very horror of this reality motivated me to become responsible with my money and strictly follow a plan when a grow up, to ensure that I save enough for retirement while maximizing my money available for traveling.
Lastly, both the internship class and the internship itself helped me to become more professional. Over the course of the school year, I was often late to school and other commitments, but working for an organization trained me to respect the time of others and show up early. This skill will not only help me in the workplace, but also with my relationships in the future.
Without a doubt, this summer was successful in helping me become a reporter, as well as helping me realize what I want to do in the future. I am grateful for this experience because it forced me to become more mature and it introduced me to the business world in a supportive environment. Honestly, I feel at this point that any employer would be lucky to have me!
Friday, July 18, 2014
Week Five Composition
am appreciative for is all of the invested time that my supervisor, assistants, and other volunteers have put into me. Without them, I wouldn't have known how to burn a CD or use an expensive camera.
Wednesday, July 16, 2014
My Greatfulness
Although sometimes I ponder my gratefulness, I tend to believe that all schools have similar programs to what we have here, just perhaps not as complicated or extensive, but still similar. I suppose that may not be the case, perhaps I will never know.
Internship
Although I was disappointed to not be strapping up my suitcase and heading to the big-city office building to work in a cubicle (I wanted to work in a large company), I am glad that I at least worked at a company rather than in a classroom (like the Earthscope kids). My business setting taught me what it is like to work for a real company and have my work depended on, and I have to say, I like it better than school. I am grateful my school had this program to make it easy to find an internship, so I did not have to scour the web for one.
Class
Although I was not ready to learn about finances due to the casual nature of our family in giving us money (and another class taught me), although I did not enjoy the "generic" value test too much (I already know a lot about myself), although the class seemed to give information that was not directly helpful for the internship (many of us could have guessed a majority of the desired work traits), I am still grateful for this class for two reasons. First of all, it taught me how to use many internet programs. For example, I may have never known about Linkedin had I not taken this class. And I would not have known about Google Blogger either. I am grateful that I can finally have a social media account to display to potential employers (I do not have a Facebook account). The second reason I am grateful is that this class is one of my few opportunities to meet new friends during the summer. Outside of the fair and this class, I have no chances to increase the small number of friends that I have. Without this class, I might have had to plan social events with my unreliable friend, and then have it turn out worse than expected. This class does not do that, and for that I am grateful. I may finally have friends.
Time
Finally, I am grateful for all the time that Summer has given me. I can finally play video games with my brother all day without as much homework to distract me. I can finally have a break. This was perhaps one of the things I am most grateful for in my summer. I do not have to work two full time jobs or go to constant sports activities.
What I Am Grateful For
Internship: I am extremely grateful that I was able to meet the amazing people who have become my friends through my internship. They have each taught me different things that I never knew - both about myself and about the world. I will never forget some of the people I had the opportunity to meet.
I am also grateful for the chance to interview so many experts in their fields and become more comfortable with the interviewing process. It was also cool to produce three radio stories because it's something I've never even considered doing.
Class: I really solidified my goals and plans for my immediate future through this class, and I think that if I hadn't taken it, I would still be questioning how to move forward. It was also useful to learn about finances, since this is not taught in school.
Week 4
According to eHow I can likely count on making at least $80,000 each year in my future job as a Communications Director. My education/training to get that job will cost $237,280 total for all years of training, but not including likely scholarships or finacial aid.
I want to save $10,000 for my rainy day fund each year, and $15,000 for retirement each year. If I save $15,000 for retirement each year, by the time I am 65 years old I will have $450,000 plus interest (this is if I start as a communications director at age 35, I would have to work my way up after I graduate from college, but I will still be making money, just less).
Comparing my future income and expenses is really hard to think of right now because I'm not ready for this and everything I will want or need in the future will be much more expensive than it is now. Communications director is not my first choice, but I could find the most accurate salary by using that as my future career. I will probably need to evaluate every year as my salary could change each year as well as inflation rates are to be considered.
Tuesday, July 15, 2014
Week Four Composition
My Internship Experience
Monday, July 14, 2014
Blog #4
Week 5 Gratefulness Blog
That is how I felt about my internship this summer. I believe my internship was a positive stepping stone to a greater future career, and for that I am grateful. Even though my internship wasn't what I expected, I learned a lot of things that will serve me well in the future. Although it was hard because I felt like the stupid one, it was good for me to be immersed with people and in situations that used technology tools I was unfamiliar with. Having good computer literacy is a great skill to have for the working world and I think it will give me a "leg up" when applying for jobs in the future. Using Waybook, I also became more in touch with myself. Some things I already knew about myself and others I discovered. For example my #1 value in my values survey was relationships which I thought was definitely true, but my #2 value was logic. I guess I didn't know I was a logical thinker so it was cool to find that out. In this internship I also believe my dedication grew. Once I dialed down and agreed to continue my internship I noticed myself trying harder, getting work done faster, and receiving better results. In addition, this internship and class was a great way to grow in my professionalism. Before this class I never really learned about being professional. I was never somewhere where they taught me the dos and don't s of the working world. This class and internship gave me experience and opportunities to act and dress professionally. I always thought I gave a nice firm and respectful handshake but during class apparently I held on for too long so that is good to know for meeting potential bosses in the future. For my internship I also grew in my communication skills. I sent and received countless emails through my 5 weeks and learned how to communicate effectively. I can always work with everyone, but this class made me appreciate every-ones different personalities. If we were all the same the world would be so boring. I'm grateful to have met kids from everywhere around Marin that I otherwise probably wouldn't have met. The Linkedin account will also help me find a job in the future. There are so many things to be grateful for in life and above I have just listed a few, but its important to always be grateful for every little blessing. I am grateful for being able to add this stepping stone on the path to my future.
Blog #4: future budget
According to Glassdoor, I can likely count on making at least $55,000 each year in my future job as a San Francisco Chronicle reporter. My education to get that job will cost $247,000 total for 4 years of college (based off the price of Pitzer college), but because my parents are paying for my college education, I don't have to factor the price into my future budget.
I want to save $626 for my rainy day fund each year, and $626 for retirement each year. If I save $626 for retirement each year, by the time I am 65 years old I will have $26,292 plus interest.
Comparing my future income and expenses makes me think that I will have to do a lot of planning and adjusting in the future, especially if there is an unexpected event, I decide to have kids, or my salary isn't as high as I hope. But, I think that whatever happens, I am well equipped to manage and will hopefully never go into debt.
Week 4 - Future Budget
- The total of my future expenses each year are $40,000. I know this is logical because my primary sources for information are the online website Zillow, and information from my parents.
- According to usnews.com I can likely count on making $87,730 each year in my future job as a Public Relations Specialist. My education/training to get that job will cost $237,168 total for all years of training.
- I want to save $10,000 for my rainy day fund each year, and $20,000 for retirement each year. If I save $20,000 for retirement each year, by the time I am 65 years old I will have $600,000 plus interest.
- Comparing my future income and expenses makes me think that I must really start preparing now for the challenge later on in life of managing these finances. As I get older I need to have a clear plan so that I can get a steady job that will allow me to spend and save as I need to. This starts with getting into a good college and making good connections.
I plan on going to college. While I'm there, I'm going to have to make a decision between starting a career in bio-technology (or pharmaceutical development) or some sort of Information Technology Job, hopefully at a small startup.
Three possible college majors:
Bachelor of Information Technology:
The basic vanilla computer related degree, it covers a small area of just what makes computer hardware and software works. It is easy to obtain, but this means that everyone and his mother has one.
Biotechnology:
Radio Broadcastin
My Budget Plan
I want to save about $10,000 per year for my rainy day fund, as well as about $10,000 for retirement each year. If I save $10,000 per year for retirement, I should have about $350,000, plus interest, by the time I'm 65 years old.
Comparing my predicted future income and expenses makes me hopeful for my future. I do not desire a large apartment, and I rarely spend money on the luxuries of excessive clothes, movies, restaurants, or electronics. Having about $20,000 per year after all expenses would be quite ideal, as I wish to spend all of my free money on traveling. I know that this ideal scenario will likely not be achieved, but it does make me realize that my goals are obtainable and a near-ideal life and career are quite possible with adequate planning and disciplined spending, not to mention the comforting support of substantial rainy day and retirement funds.
Sunday, July 13, 2014
My Budget Plan
According to U.S. News & World Report I can likely count on making $120,000 each year in my future job as a veterinarian. My education/training to get that job will cost $300,00 total for all years of training.
I want to save $6,000 for my rainy day fund each year, and $18,000 for retirement each year. If I save $18,000 for retirement each year, by the time I am 65 years old I will have $3.2 million plus interest.
Comparing my future income and expenses makes me realize that the earlier I start saving, the more money I will have once I have retired. I can also see that if I am ever in an emergency before or after retirement, I will have plenty of backup money.
Future Finances
Budget Plan
- The total of my future expenses each year are about $41,000. I know this is logical because my primary sources for information are zillow.com, my parents, Kaiser, AAA, and PG&E.
- According to http://money.usnews.com I can likely count on making $116,670 each year before taxes in my future job as a pharmacist. My education/training to get that job will cost $ 187,4448 total for all years of training according to University of Southern California School of Pharmacy. I estimate that with the current average salary I will be able to pay off my student loans in 2 to 5 years.
- I want to save $2,000 for my rainy day fund each year, and $4,500 for retirement each year. If I save $4,500 for retirement each year, by the time I am 65 years old I will have $171,000 plus interest.
- Comparing my future income and expenses makes me think that I need to be careful on what I spend my money on and prepare for the future just in case there is any financial emergency. Also when I plan to start a family of my own, my budget plan will have to alter and adapt to my family's needs.
Friday, July 11, 2014
Finance Blog
The total of my future expenses each year are $35,840. I know this is logical because my primary sources for information are my parents whom I trust. According to cacareerzone.com ,I can likely count on making $67,390 each year in my future job as an elementary school teacher. My education/training to get that job will cost about $70,000. I want to save $3,000 for my rainy day fund each year, and $2,000 for retirement each year. If I save $2,000 for retirement each year, by the time I'm 65 years old I will have $80,000 plus interest(assuming I start this career when I'm 25). Comparing my future income and expenses makes me think that life is much more expensive than I thought. Simple, little things add up so it's good to plan ahead.
Wednesday, July 9, 2014
Finance
- The total of my future expenses each year is $71,564. I know this is logical because my primary sources for information were my parents, Zillow, finance websites, Comcast, health websites, and entertainment websites.
- According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, I can likely count on making $182,660 each year in my future job as a psychiatrist/psychologist. My education/training to get that job will cost $251,535 total for all years of training.
- I want to save $10,000 for my rainy day fund each year, and $15,000 for retirement each year. If I save $15,000 for retirement each year, by the time I am 65 years old I will have $495,000 plus interest.
- Comparing my future income and expenses makes me think that I will have leftover money to spend where there are emergencies or where I decide to splurge on something.
My Budget
| Steady Cost? | Variable Cost? | Payment Frequency | Category | Item | Amount/ Payment | Rationale | Amount/ year |
| √ | — | Monthly | Housing | Rent | $595 | Zillow's Listing | $7140 |
| — | — | — | Property Tax | $0 | Renting means no taxes. | $0 | |
| √ | — | Monthly | Home Maintenance | $116 | The difference between the Zestimate® and the actual rent. | $1392 | |
| — | √ | Weekly | Food | Groceries | $81 | USDA stats, mid-cost, adjusted | $4212 |
| — | √ | Monthly | Utilities | Gas | $100 | This site (average). | $1200 |
| — | √ | Monthly | Electricity | $79.38 | Average for Austin. | $953 | |
| — | √ | Monthly | Water | $44.42 | Water Calculator (3100 gallons/month). | $533 | |
| — | √ | Monthly | Waste Management | $25 | This site (average). | $300 | |
| √ | — | Monthly | Telephone | $85 | AT&T 1GB and unlimited text. | $1020 | |
| √ | — | Monthly | Internet | $34.95 | AT&T "Elite" plan. | $420 | |
| — | √ | Yearly | Transpor-tation | $300 | Bikes are not expensive. | $300 | |
| — | √ | Yearly | $150 | A good U lock and one or more cables. | $150 | ||
| — | √ | 4 Months | $85 | 2 tires plus a little extra. | $255 | ||
| √ | — | Monthly | Public Transit | $35 | Monthly Pass. | $420 | |
| √ | — | Monthly | Health | Medical Insurance | $252 | Healthpocket Prediction | $3024 |
| √ | — | Monthly | Dental Insurance | $28.82 | Healthpocket Prediction | $346 | |
| — | — | — | Fitness | $0 | Bike provides this. | $0 | |
| √ | — | Monthly | Vision | $19.58 | Healthpocket Prediction. | $235 | |
| √ | — | Monthly | Education | Loan Repayment | $280 | This site. | $3360 |
| — | √ | Monthly | Protection | Clothes | $100 | Basic shirt, pants, and other things. | $1200 |
| — | √ | 3 Months | Shoes | $100 | I glanced at the price tag. | $400 | |
| — | √ | Yearly | Leisure/Luxury | Computer | $1000 | Cheap iMac or hardware/apps. | $1000 |
| — | √ | Monthly | Multi-purpose | $200 | For any desired event. | $2400 | TOTAL: $30,260 |
According to Naviance, 75% of people living in Texas made at least $54,910 as a Computer Programmer. That income will be taxed $8,034 according to this calculator (assuming no deductibles), so my actual income will be $46, 876. The sample apartment I chose was located in San Antonio, Texas, in a semi-walkable area. My total expenses, as predicted by a variety of sources in the table above, is $30,260. I want to save a lot of money for emergencies and other things, possibly $11,616 per year. Meanwhile, I could save $5,000 a year for retirement, which, assuming I am 30 at the time, would grant me $175,000 by the time I am 65 years old.
Researching my income and expenses makes me wonder how someone earning minimum wage could survive well. I also wonder the validity of my estimations. I tried to make them pessimistic, as prices are usually higher than expected, however I am still not sure. Thinking in terms of my family's worries about budgets compared to my surplus, my estimates seem low. But when thinking in terms of people who are rich enough to buy their own RVs and minimum wage earners, my estimates seem high. I just hope that I can live without a car while still not paying too much for a big city apartment.