Budgeting

So I have a job offer. I am excited BUT it is about a 25% pay cut and has no benefits so I have had to take a close look at my expenses. Let me tell you, my expenses are way more than I even thought they were. Really if I was tithing like I should and paying all my bills on my own I would've needed to be making about $5,000 more than I was. And now I am going to be making $16,500 less than my break even point. Isn't that crazy?!

So how was I making ends meet before? Well, I wasn't tithing like I should. My mom was paying for my gas and car insurance. And I was only contributing 2% to my 401K instead of 5% like I think I should be. (Probably the 401K contribution should be even more than that, but baby steps people).

I want this job. It will be doing marketing and listing coordination for a local real estate office. I don't have to activate my license (which would have cost me about $350-$400) but I can still get a taste of the Real Estate career I have been craving! And I still get to do marketing which I love! And I wouldn't be sitting behind a computer all day. I would actually get to go out and take pictures of their listings and maybe even some other tasks outside of the office. And the head of this office is a really good agent in the area. I recognized her name immediately because I see her signs everywhere. She is really nice and straight forward which I love and I think I could learn a lot from her.

The only downsides are the pay (obviously) and there are no benefits so I would have to continue my COBRA coverage and have no 401K for now. And she only offered me 1 week paid vacation. When I call her tomorrow to accept the position it will be on the condition of 2 weeks paid vacation. I just cannot do only 5 days off per year. I have weddings and holidays, and I have learned I have to have at least one yearly trip to make it through working full time. At my last job I had 17 paid time off days and 10 paid holidays. So I'll be going from 27 days off to 10. That is if she accepts my counter-offer. I just can't do 5. It would never work.

Plus I had to do a lot of budgeting and make a lot of sacrifices to make this salary work. I'll have no money for savings. My mom is going to pay for my gas, car insurance, and yearly pet exams. I have to cancel my at home internet service and switch to Direct TV for my cable. I had to cut my food and miscellaneous expenses budget back to $425/month. I think that will cover my food and the pets food. I guess no more new clothes, haircuts, or pedicures for me. (By the way, I had no idea what I was spending before but I was estimating $725 and that includes pet expenses, so I'm cutting out about $300!) And I have to cut my tithe back to 2.8% (it was probably at like 5%. I have no idea how I am going to ever make it to 10%, but like everything else it will be a process. At least I am trying.)

I looked at a lot of different options when trying to figure out how to make this work. Another option was getting a roommate. That was the best scenario. It would have cut at least $600 from my expenses and I would get to keep my internet. But I just can't do it. No one I know is looking for a roommate situation and I wouldn't want to live with someone I didn't know. Plus, my house is kind of like a zoo with my dog and cat and it is very much my house- all my furniture, my pets, my style. I don't know if a roommate would feel comfortable here. I don't know if I would feel comfortable here with a roommate. You married or co-habitating people don't know how well you have it splitting those bills with someone!

But I think I can make this work with those other sacrifices, so yeah I am excited. Now I just have to see if she accepts my counter-offer with the extra week of vacation. Keep your fingers crossed for me!