Ambitions...

[Yoshi]

I've come to a point in my life where I've reached my current life goals, and that is that I bought everything major that I wanted at the moment. Since I've had a big problem with saving money as well as buying and selling my items, that kept me from reaching this goal for the longest time. I recently realized that the two also go hand and hand, and if I stop spending money on material possessions, I will stop selling them as well.

However, I need to climb a bigger plateau. I don't have very many ambitions in my life, but one thing I want to accomplish now is sustaining myself, at least under my immediate family's roof for now. For that to happen I need to set future goals for myself again, including money management. Any advice?

 

[Ruffles]

I know for me, my mental and emotional well-being take precedent over financial well-being. That is to say that I need to have those things in order before I can even consider wanting to make money and succeeding in life.
I know you didn't address emotional needs, but that is something you may want to think about as well, if it's applicable to your situation.

I had a conversation with my dad about this sort of thing the other day, and he gave me some advice that I think is really useful.

Think about how you want to live. What do you need in order to live comfortably?
Next, how much money do you need to make to afford those things?
Find a reliable way to make that much money

For example: here's what it looks like for me.

Spoiler: lotsa text

I'd like to move out of my parent's house.
I'm rather utilitarian in what I like in a living space. I only need enough space to hold the things I regularly use, so a one-bedroom apartment would do just fine.
How much are apartments going for in my area? Major cities are expensive, so I'd probably go with a suburb. How much does rent cost on average in those areas?
I'd write down an approximate amount per month.

How do I like to eat?
Well the cheapest option is to buy groceries and eat at home, and I don't mind that.
Let's say I have cereal every day for breakfast (which i do in real life). One box and one gallon of milk could probably last me a week and a day or two. How much is that? Multiply by 3 and that's roughly the amount I'd need for breakfast in a month
Similar steps with lunch and dinner

what about medication?
gasoline?

and just kinda whatever else i feel like i need, I try to determine how much I would spend on that in a month.

At the end I add it all up and I know how much money I would have to make each month to live like that, and I can use that information to look at job postings and such.

Ideally I'd make a bit more than I need, so I can save up for things I might want, but aren't essential.
And also medical bills but I'm not opening that can of worms right now

 

[jane]

yeah breaking down expenses is where you'll wanna start, make a spreadsheet or something and always round up instead of exact calculations. open up a savings account and get a credit card assuming you haven't already, as shitty as it is to have more debt, unfortunately having a good credit score is going to help you in the long run. try to use it as often as you can and take advantage of the deals.

 

[Vermiform]

My ambitions change with the times.

I gave a portion of my health and strength towards building the future I wanted only to find that the future, being non-existent at that point, tends to not care about ambitions or sacrifices only that you are alive to greet it.

And before you try and think I'm being dramatic, edgy or just plain pessimistic I actually am not, I'm neither a realist nor an optimist as well, I am whatever I need to be for the day, week, month etc. Life is change and we all need to be as flexible as possible without snapping like a twig the moment the winds get a bit rougher.

That being said... I'm gonna get my ant farm before I die and there ain't a force of nature to stop me!

 

[Goth Boy]

I have nothing