Debt.. Jobs.. Education Options

[stephen_lee]

I'm now 18, as of February 2nd, and I see my mother, sister, brother, and even grandparents in debt. I'm truly afraid of owing any money aside from buying a house. As of now I probably won't even buy a car unless I have the cash for it. Once in the last two years have I ever been in the negative. The only reason that happened was because, when i worked at Little Caesars, my pay check had bounced, so they took around $490 out of my account w/o any notice throwing me -$19 and then the $31 overdraft fee. I talked to my employer though, and got $670 back. A nice gain of $149 after the fees. But in all honestly it was.. quite bone chilling seeing that "-" on my account. Anyway, i now work at AutoZone, with a chance to work building engines for an oil drilling company starting at $12/hour while average wage is $35/hour. But then again, I'm really good w/ computers and am already a certified tech. So I think I'll be fine as I have something to fal back on no matter which way I choose to go. I know one will be a great choice in the long run, and I will have great Job security. The other, though, will start paying off much quicker, but not as much in the end, with less security. But the former requiring college and therefore debt since I don't have the cash to pay for it as of now. *sarcasm* I love decisions...

[Random_Stranger]

^x2


The last thing you want is to get stuck in the real world with a job that pays good, but you have grown to hate. Going to school can give you a chance to find out what you really want out of life and be proficient in it, and that degree will be valid so long as you live. My friend Chris did pretty good for not going to school. Got a job at the Nestle Factory here and made $45k a year (Eventually). 4 years later, he began to have trouble with his knee. Now he has been out of work for over a year and not even sure if his job will have him back once he has recovered from knee surgery. They have fired so many people for people in Los Angeles from another plant since Dryer's stepped in for a bit and took over as part of their ending contract before they completely sell out to Nestle.

Had he gone to school, he could look for another place to work making the same if not more. But he has nothing to fall back on. Now he will probably have to take a job that pays minimum wage. Be smart kid. Go back to school, if you need money, take an easy part time job, but focus on school. You will find that it will be the best thing you ever did. Our generation and generations to come cannot afford to NOT go to school. High school diploma isn't good for us anymore like it was our parents.

There was a time where the house you could afford was based off of how much you made. So if you made $10k per year, your house costs $10k. Now, the dream of having a house wife is almost completely ruined as it now takes two incomes just to get a home.