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Hi all. It seems like a dumb and straightforward question, but I've gone from barely scrapping by to having the money to do whatever I want. I was barely making $150 per pay check with my last job. Now I could potentially make $1200 per pay check depending on over time and stuff like that. I've had only 1 paycheck so far, and I cried at how much it was. It was more than I was ever able to get in my savings over the course of years. I'm so relieved, but I'm also worried I'm going to overestimate myself and overspend and get lazy.

Over the past few months I have gotten engaged, graduated college, found this job, and moved in with my fiancé. Our original financial budget had him covering 85% of expenses while I searched for a full time job, and I also did 95% of the cleaning. We have been okay since he makes decent money as a warehouse supervisor and is about to get an entry level job in his graduating field (mechanical engineering). He's been so supportive and kept pushing me to stay positive while I applied to so many jobs and got rejected by many or offered pay/hours that wouldn't be better than where I was previously.

Anyway, I got picked up by a local financial institution, offered full medical benefits, guaranteed 40 hours a week, plus overtime on weekends if I choose to stay late or work extra days. I even get paid holidays and am required to take a 1-2 week paid vacation with my accrued hours during each 6 month period for their calendar. Again, just all around a blessing. It still hasn't hit me that I don't have to worry about whether or not I can afford gas, groceries, and insurance for the month (my only expenses I was responsible for).

But now with all this extra money, I can get myself new shoes and business attire for work. I can buy clothes brand new instead of scoping out 2-5 goodwills a week just trying to find pants that will only last me a few months. I can actually get a hair cut. And after all that I can help pay rent and utilities. And that's why I'm worried I will go overboard with this new monetary ability to get myself what I need and what I want.

In what ways should I be frivolous, and what ways can I afford to be more lax? Here's a break down for our monthly expenses:

Rent; $1120 Utilities: $120-150 Internet: $50 Car insurance: $60 for me, $100 for him Groceries: $160-$260 per month Gas: $20/week for me, $35/week + 1/2 for him

He has credit card debt, not sure how much, and no student debt. He paid off a huge chunk with an insurance check for his last car that got totaled in a snow storm. I also have CC debt of about $1400, as well as $28k in student loans. However, I spoke with my loan company and they granted me a year of $0 payments due to my previous financial situation. I know the interest is accruing, but the minimum payments are $217/month starting in June of next year, or sooner if I inform them things have changed. The representative said to get back to them by at least June.

We are also trying to save for our wedding for next year. I figured that both of us putting $100-150 per paycheck in savings could pay for our whole wedding by the end of August next year and we want to have the ceremony in September.

Our combined gross income before taxes is approximately $60k/year, and closer to $46k with taxes and insurance deductions. I feel that we can probably put more in savings, but I don't really know how much.

I'm not very good at writing so I apologize for unimportant info, ramblings and whatnot. Are we on the right path for doing well? Should we have a second savings? I know how important it is to have an emergency fund.

Any advice, help, or even just reading this is greatly appreciated. We're hoping to do well financially so that we don't have to worry about scrapping by anymore.

Edit: We live in Georgia.



Submitted October 15, 2018 at 07:26AM by Dominatrix13 https://ift.tt/2IYapII

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