::cues The Cure::

[fredericks]

Gah. It's difficult to post this without feeling an instant swelling of unnecessary self-importance, but whateverthehell. I've been reading LJ but I haven't felt much like posting and/or responding lately. For the best, I'm sure, as most of my posts would be rants about LI's shoddy public transportation, the black hole that is my love life, and my hatred of the USPS, and my comments to posts would prolly read "eat more fiber!" You think I kid but oh, oh no.

When I look at my life I get a sense of stagnation and that's no good, but overall things aren't too hideous. I'm just in one of those funks I tend to get into. I figure it's either an all-out withdrawal or start climbing clocktowers. At this moment I wonder whether it's more important to pay my bills or to strike off on my own. Being at home has its comforts, but would I experience more growth if I lived in my own apartment? I could say I'm staying here more or less rent-free (I do give the mom-dukes a sum of money every month, but that was my own decision and if I'm late with it on the occasion the enforcers aren't let loose) to pay my loans and save money for a house, but while I've been aggressively paying my notes the saving hasn't been going too well. Perhaps it would be *better* for me to move out and take the full ten years to pay off my loans. Maybe it would give me the opportunity to branch out socially and experience things I've been avoiding all these years. Or it'll allow me to crash and burn while still giving me a place to return so I can lick my wounds. I dunno.

In summary: I'm here, I'm reading my FL, I'm just emo at the moment.

Comments

[pr-spin-girl.livejournal.com]

I was in the same position you are right now, and moving out was the best thing I could have done. While I didn't live with my parents (I had my own apartment above them in the duplex), I still felt like a kid. While my social life hasn't improved much, I'm feeling more self-sufficient (and I also took the whole 10 years -- well, 9.5 years -- to pay off my loans). One tip on the loans - send half the payment in the middle of the month, and the other half near the due date -- will pay less interest and more of the principal. :)

[fredericks.livejournal.com]

My worry about the loans? it's my intention to return to school for at least one graduate degree. Managing tuition and loan payments will be difficult. And while deferral is sometimes an option when one returns to school thinking about the interest piling up gives me the cold sweats. But I do think moving out will help me feel less like a child. I still occasionally go "Jesus, I'm 27??" And saying you live with your 'rents is such a mood killer.

I didn't know that repayment tip. Does paying a little less than twice the amount due help as well?

[(Anonymous)]

Most definitely it helps, maybe more than paying half and half, but then you're shorting yourself extra money, so I guess you just need to decide if not having that extra money is more important. It will still take awhile to pay your loans off regardless. I sent a penny more a month than my minimum, and I think I paid mine off 7 months early.

[anogete.livejournal.com]

Compared to most, my loan payments aren't that bad. I'm still paying back the student loan from hell (despite never sticking around to get my degree), but I've resigned myself to the fact that it won't be paid off until 2016. We'll be setting up a colony on Mars when Sallie Mae finally gets all their money back from me. If I didn't buy so much shit, I could probably pay it off in two or three years, but I really like buying stuff. Where would my life be without DVD boxed sets, right?

You should do what you want you think is best for you. If the money situation is the main reason you're sticking around your mom's place, then you might be able to still work out an agreeable money situation in your own place. Unless you're crazy with the credit cards, the money stuff usually works itself out.

[fredericks.livejournal.com]

If I'd known then what I knew now, I would have avoided Sallie Mae. It's impossible to figure out how much I've paid off every month from the website (does it subtract the amount paid monthly or yearly?), and the customer service calls get routed overseas to people that have a hard time understanding English syntax. Grr.

I'm not optimistic to think that the money will necessarily work itself out now, but I figure I'll take stock again in a year's time and see where I'm at.

[sibyline.livejournal.com]

i highly recommend living away from the 'rents... roommates are fun too if you like them. :)

[fredericks.livejournal.com]

Roommates are a no-go for me. I needs my space, particularly when it comes to my home. But moving out? Yes, so very necessary.

[1x2foralways.livejournal.com]

I can definitely give some advice on a personal level here. When I moved to TX in 2004, I had about $500 in my pocket. I managed to luck out finding a job within 2 days of moving down there, and I also managed to snag a car without a down payment and with my dad co-signing on it. I was fine for the first few months, but everything started to go downhill. I overspent and found myself struggling to pay my rent each month, until I finally decided moving back home was my best bet.

But your situation is a tad different. You wouldn't be moving thousands of miles away, and I'm 100% positive you're better with money than I was.

As for the loans, while paying more each month is nice, it really isn't necessary, you know? 10 years is not too bad to be paying off the loans, and it'll pass by before you know it. (: If, by sending the loans a minimum payment, you'd be able to get your apartment, I say go for it! If you really want to save for a house, then I say go for that too, but at your age, owning a home definitely isn't necessary. I hope I'm making sense.

I know whatever you decide to do will, in the end, make you happy, because that's all that matters. I definitely think it's time you moved on your own, though, because it sounds like you'd be much, much happier, and that's all that matters, as I've said in the beginning of this paragraph. I tend to get repetitive, I know. *blush*

*hugs* Best of luck to you, and just know I'm sending good vibes your way.

And sorry for the extremely lengthy comment, I tend to ramble sometimes. I just hope it's helped. (:

[fredericks.livejournal.com]

By paying ahead and paying more I'm actually looking to save myself money in the long run. If I can pay my stuff off in 5-6-7 years and save myself 5-10k, is it worth it to live every adult's nightmare? *shrug*

At the moment, because I work out in LI I'd have to live somewhere in Queens to make the commute reasonable. So a big objective at this point? Learn to drive. Then get a car. Work at this facility for two years, then look for a job in Manhattan somewhere. Which would make the car useless, but I'd really love living in Manhattan somewhere. And blah. Now I'm wasting your comment space/time. :) Thanks for the advice/words of wisdom.

[1x2foralways.livejournal.com]

Oh, wow, I didn't realize it would be that much. I don't blame you for sending them more.

*hugs* I hope everything works out for you. I'm sure you'll find a way to get your own place. Let me know if I can be of any help.

[jenjiyana.livejournal.com]

well you could always set yourself a deadline. Say, save for 18 months and pay down as much debt as possible then move. Of course if that's really the only bill you have, you're probably in good shape credit-wise and maybe you could leave say within 8 to 12 months. Having a goal to save and pay down debt may help you focus your energies. If you do have credit card debt, pay that down asap and then with only student loans and rent/utilities things would be a lot easier.

[fredericks.livejournal.com]

I was thinking about that. More like a two-year timeline. Thirty is NOT meeting me in my parent's house. My credit card debit is minimal as I only have two cards; I use my debit card for almost every purchase. I'm half-way tempted to reduce my contribution to my 403b so I can focus on my repayments until I decide to move out, but I don't want to end up regretting that loss later on.

[modpixie.livejournal.com]

take care of you, girlie.

[fredericks.livejournal.com]

I do. I'm quite self-centered. But which path?!? We all need a gay talking cricket giving us advice, sez I.