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Best thing you've done with your $$
Well, we all know that one of the best things out of our jobs is the $$. Let's face it - the average american worker makes $20/hr. Even on our bad nights (say $250 for the night), that breaks down to $30/hr for say-an 8 hour shift! Granted, it's a job where we sacrifice more than a lunch break or ripped pantyhose - but it is still (IMO) better than sitting at a desk & answering phones for a few bucks/hr and have half of our earnings be taken out by taxes!
Anyway, my question is - what , so far, is the best thing you have done with your money? I'm proud to say that I've paid off all of my credit cards, and other than a school loan, am debt free (I'm working on that last debt, damnit!)
One of my friends bought 2 houses - one in Florida & one in NJ, and she's looking at a condo in Miami. I know another girl who paid off her mother's bills, which I though was really sweet. And another girl who saved & open up a spa...
My one girlfriend who got me into dancing paid off her Yale education. yikes! expensive.
If I could save more, I'd probably open an animal clinic in NYC that is fairly affordable- it's so expensive that some people cannot take care of their pets & I find it so sad. When I take my dog to the vet it's like $300 just for a checkup and to have a tooth removed - ugh! Worse than human healthcare. If not that, then a non-profit organization for homeless animals.
..what about everyone else? What have you done, or plan to do?
Jax :D
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Re: Best thing you've done with your $$
Oh Jacqueline, this is one of the best subjects I've read. I can't make any money in my area, but (ASAP) when I get the chance to move or travel, credit cards are my big issue. And sad to say, my CC debt is not on fun stuff. It's all on necessities due to low income. I did try to go to a club in Chicago, but it didn't work out. Needless to say, my first trip to Chicago ended up costing at least $600 for 2 nights. The 2nd thing I want to do is start my own business too. I'm not for sure what, there's so many things I want to do. Then I'll decide on buying a home. I soooo commend you on wanting to open an animal clinic. That is so much money for a check up. I don't know what simple tooth removal cost, but you'd think for that rate it would have included some type of surgeory. I paid @$65 for my dog's regular check up and shots last year. This is in the city too, when I use to take her to a country doctor, it was only like $30-35 for the same thing. But, I've heard how expensive NYC is. Still, with so many animals needing homes and cared for, it would be great if someone could do something to help. I'm looking forward to seeing what everyone has to say. :)
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Re: Best thing you've done with your $$
oh the money ive wasted. im buying a house right now that is very expensive and needs a ton of work. but i feel like at least my money will go into an investment and not shopping. i think if i have a responsibility like that i wont waste as much. anything that goes into property can be gotten back. unlike chanel and mercedes! i have been "going to" start my own business again for years but the last time i did i couldnt wait to get out. so instead of gonna gonna gonna im just putting my money in property and suck it up for a while. the house i just bought went up 100k in the last year(b4 i bought it) w no improvements and i live in a very sure place for real estate.
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Re: Best thing you've done with your $$
I think the best thing I did with my money I made was my best friend Fiona got pregnant and she was going to be a single mom, living on her own, trying to make ends meet at a 9-5. I helped her with the down payment for her new house and for her birthday I got her a car, since she didn't have one. Now given, it wasn't a very expensive car but something reliable and safe for her and her kid. I'm an extremely generous person, it'll be the death of me I know it.
Shayden :-*
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Re: Best thing you've done with your $$
great thread!
I'm like you Jacqueline. I'm almost totally out of debt except for a little student loan debt. This is so exciting for me!
I've also half-way paid off my house, which I will admit is a starter house, but it's still a nice feeling.
I'm also giving a lot more to charity, which makes me feel great too.
I love having money! :)
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Re: Best thing you've done with your $$
I've been dancing for a year and so far I've paid off all my loans and made the expensive move from Kansas to Las Vegas. I've been wanting to move out of KS since highschool, but could never afford it. As soon as I started dancing I started saving. Next I want to buy a house, than another, then another...
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Re: Best thing you've done with your $$
beforeI started dancing I was in serious debt of about 8 or 9k dollars. I paid it all off and right now the only debt I have left is my credit card which isnt much. Im getting so excited that it's almost over and the next thing I wanna do is of course buy a house, new suv and blah blah...
I also have about 3 different saving and checking accounts. I would save money for my retirement or for in case of emgerency. I never ever pulled that money out, it's for deposit only.
Hershey
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Re: Best thing you've done with your $$
I have a few things to show for the money I've made. I have a nice car, a dog who I love, a cute apartment in Boston and one in my hometown in Tennessee, a college education funded by dancing, two Gucci bags and a 5 figure savings account. Not too bad for a 22 year old!
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INVEST!!!! Have a cute home, and 2 cars. Did it all by myself. Now i want to rest!
Pamela :)
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Re: Best thing you've done with your $$
OMG- Shayden, that is so beautiful! You are a good friend.
I used the money I made from dancing to pay off my student loan, buy cars, houses, adopt a dog, travel, relocate clear across the country (with my dog),
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Re: Best thing you've done with your $$
Great Thread Topic NYCJack!
The best thing I've done with the money I've earned is to pay my son's way through college (he's a Fine Arts major) - one more semester to go!
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Paying for school.. Helping my grandmother buy a house in Trinidad.
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Hrm, now that I finally started saving it? I'm paying for school, paying off my car I already had, putting it away for a house, and saving for a rainy day :)
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Started investment savings for me and my little sister - she's going to have more than enough money for college. Bought a house.
The best thing that the job has given me though has been the time to do the things I want. I go to school, I work with abused and neglected children as a volunteer, I have a dog training business. And because I know that I can always work an extra night for money, I'm able to do things that are important to me without worrying too much about the bottom line.
Lena
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Re: Best thing you've done with your $$
First off, in some parts of the country $250 is a really great night. I have to get away from the west coast :P
I have managed to pay for a divorce, pay off $30k in debt from said previous marriage, bought and paid for 2 brand new cars and am working on #3. I have also done some leisure traveling, taken a couple of tropical vacations (one on a cruise and another to Tahiti). I have also done some leisure traveling around the US, partly because of traveling to dance I have found some great, but unpopular, resort spots to visit. I have learned how to snow board and snorkel. I have a mountain bike and in line skates that I love.
The best is probably the purchase of my home. I have a brand new custom built home in a nice neighborhood with a view that I am enjoying right now ;)
My next savings project is some plastic surgery. Nothing major, may a little lipo and some laser skin resurfacing is all, but it all costs money. I am also looking into buying investment properties to help save for the future.
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I started a business with my dancer earnings and now i'm happily self-employed.
:D
I'm no multi-millionnaire yet, but at least i can do as i please and i love getting up to start work each day!
I loved reading about the wonderful things most of you have done, helping others out financially etc... makes it all worthwhile really, doesn't it? ;)
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Re: Best thing you've done with your $$
I'm still paying off my debt. :( If I had just been smart and began saving my $$$ right away when I first started dancing three years ago, I would be so much happier. Save save save!! That's my best advice for newbies. Something positive that dancing has helped me do was travel, and buy lots and lots of furniture for the house I hope to buy someday as well.
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Re: Best thing you've done with your $$
:oJees I've been dancing for almost 2 years and have wasted my money away! I'm always having a great time BUT I need to seriously start saving. I have great clothes,a great new jeep,great furniture, crap like that! I promise I'll start saving...er tommorow.
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Re: Best thing you've done with your $$
Shedevil- a house would be perfect for you....that way you can enjoy it and it's something that will appreciate.
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Bought my house, put a hot tub in the backyard ,my car, all new furnishings.
Put a down payment on my cottage.
Have put over 10,000 away for my daughters education.
Have started investing for my retirement.
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I am only a part time stripper, but itis stll regular work for me. I spend my $ on holidays to great places!(And paying off debts!)
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The very first thing I did with my dancing money, was pay off debt. I had $4500+ in credit card debt and I owed much much more than that to a lawyer for my past bad-doings and to my college for past tuition bills before they'd let me re-enroll in courses and finish my degree. I paid off all past credit card debt, paid my lawyer, paid my college, and completed my Bachelor's degree. I've also been using my dancing money to pay for my new sportscar...I put down $5000 in dancing tips + $1000 I won from a lawsuit towards the down payment, and have been making payments that average 3X the required payment amount. In essence, paying extra on my car loan is kinda like "saving" because the interest on my car loan is greater than the interest on my highest-yield savings account, plus it is helping me to significantly establish credit so that I will qualify for optimum mortgage rates in less a few years. I also bought a 1976 Volkswagen camper too, a car that I've wanted for nearly my entire life! Then there's other things, such as getting boobs for the first time in my life, being able to afford an apartment that's not in a bad neighborhood, and 60s designer furniture for it(LOL my roommate's mom says that my apartment makes her feel like she's in an Austin Powers movie!). I'm in the process of building up a very good savings cushion between my 2 savings accounts, too.
The only debt that I have now, is a student loan(barely in the 5-digits) and the remainder of my sportscar's auto loan...but I am planning to pay off that auto loan by next summer, well over 3yrs early. My next financial goals? To buy a 1978 Corvette for my 25th birthday(1.5yrs from now), then get a mortgage for a house by spring 2008. Oh yeah, and many more cars after that. :)
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hmm, there's my degree, and a second one on the way (I've got the bills for the first semester pretty much covered). I know I should work more, but life for me is like a destressed version of all my friends. I can work mostly when I want and be okay.
I think the best thing that the money has given me is this lack of stress. Do you remember what it was like when your car insurance payment was coming up and you'd be almost in tears trying to figure out how you were going to manage?
I think I've only felt like that once in the three years I've been dancing, and that was during Christmas when the area I was in had slowed down a lot.
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i always feel like i havent got anything to show for my time dancing.i always forget how expensive it is moving!
i moved to australia , then moved to japan, only to move to new zealand, and just this year,moved back to australia. its costs a good $5-$10 k each time to move.
i brought my boobs. twice, after having 5 months off work with broken boobies lol
i dont have much else of value. im a money waster. i like to blow money on travel (thailand,japan,nz and aussie) but this year,i have cracked down big time.
no drugs,drinking or shopping- and in 3 months i have already saved half of my home loan deposit,payed off 2 credit cards ($4k total) and am back in control of finances. :)
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Re: Best thing you've done with your $$