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View Full Version : Is my budget reasonable?



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Laurisa
06-14-2010, 01:13 PM
ok, i only read the first page, but:

*the $35/week is doable for food. i spend about 100 a month. sometimes 75. however i also bake and grow produce (i live in a warmer climate too)
* it might help to learn auto mechanics. i fix my own car and this is a big $$$ saver. i drive an old car so parts are cheaper and repairs are easier. i dont recommend an old car with michigan's climate and that amount of driving though! investing in tools and a repair manual is worth it for me. however, i have the option of public transit, so i also drive less. it can be worth it to take a night off work to fix the car when you look at the cost of labor.
* as far as a cell phone, you can get cheap plans with tmobile (30/mo, 300 min, no text). i got a used phone and just hooked it up. pretty inexpensive.
* cloth diapers and homemade baby food. many of my friends who are parents poo pooed this until the really factored in the cost of everything.

are you able to move somewhere closer to your work? this will cut down on car repairs and gas. and give you more free time to care for the baby, etc.

hope that helped.

I do know how to do basic repairs on a car. I have a cell phone, being paid for by my family. That's the only bill I don't pay. I don't have a washer and dryer in my apartment so cloth diapers would be more headache than they are worth, and baby food isn't expensive enough to make me want to make it at home. WIC can help with that anyway.

Eventually I will move closer to my work, but not at least until our lease is up in March 2011.

Laurisa
06-14-2010, 01:16 PM
Not sure if you know this but fyi, you can't actually "apply" for a Pell Grant (specifically at least).

I'm going to be a college freshmen this fall and have already went through the financial aid process. So the year that you're going to school you must complete FAFSA.ed.gov around January (and make any corrections once you get your W2's, etc in the few months after that).

Then IF you quality for any federal financial aid based on your need...you will be notified through your college.

The types of government grants (money that you do NOT have to pay back- basically free money) that would be available would be the Pell Grant, the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG)- which is for extremely financially needy people, and also any scholarship your school may give you.

The types of government loans (money that you DO have to pay back-usually within 6 months of graduating, at a fixed interest rate for the most part) would be Subsidized/Unsubsidized Stafford loans, Federal PLUS loans, and also Federal Family Education Loan (FEEL).
What are you talking about?

http://www.collegeboard.com/student/pay/scholarships-and-aid/36318.html

(snip)
Students apply for not only Pell Grants but all federal, state, and some institutional financial aid programs by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Students can request a paper FAFSA from the Federal Student Aid Information Center (FSAIC) at (800) 4-FED-AID (433-3243). Students should check with their chosen institution to find out the college's preferred filing deadline for the FAFSA.
(snip)

xoAnnaBanana
06-14-2010, 01:21 PM
^That's what I was trying to say... YOU don't specifically "apply" for say, a Pell Grant. You fill out the FAFSA and then your college will let you know what types of grants and/or loans you qualify for (if any).

Laurisa
06-14-2010, 01:21 PM
I guess I get what you are trying to say but that wasn't anything I didn't already know.

xoAnnaBanana
06-14-2010, 01:23 PM
^Ok, my bad for trying to offer some help. :-X

Laurisa
06-14-2010, 01:41 PM
Sorry...I'm in a bad mood. Not your fault.

KS_Stevia
06-15-2010, 06:03 PM
.

The types of government loans (money that you DO have to pay back-usually within 6 months of graduating, at a fixed interest rate for the most part) would be Subsidized/Unsubsidized Stafford loans, Federal PLUS loans, and also Federal Family Education Loan (FEEL).

You don't have to pay them back within 6 months of graduating, don't scare the girl, haha! Interest begins to accrue 6 months after graduation on Subsidized loans. Un-sub loans accrue interest the entire time.

Laurisa
06-16-2010, 08:22 AM
I don't know anything about loans, and I don't want any. Just paying out of pocket and grants. Yeah, I'm pretty sure the interest starts 6 months after you graduate though.