YouLookFab Forum » Topic: Big Girl Math; Part II

YouLookFab Forum » Topic: Big Girl Math; Part II https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/big-girl-math-part-ii Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Mon, 27 Apr 2026 19:25:24 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 <![CDATA[Search]]> q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php Jules on "Big Girl Math; Part II" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/big-girl-math-part-ii/page/2#post-1136914 Sun, 12 Jan 2014 19:01:24 +0000 Jules 1136914@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I think you're going to be just fine, once you're ready :) I got my own place a few months after meeting DH and then left it to move in with him just over a year later. I didn't have my place fully furnished/decorated, but I did get a few cute things. I'm really glad I had a place that was just mine and was able to choose colours etc. Even incomplete it was cute and very me. Once living together everything has to be a joint decision (unless your partner lets you take the lead on that front, some do), so I suggest enjoying the fact you do have your own space while it lasts. Ikea is a good price point for this and I love your ideas so far lyn* on "Big Girl Math; Part II" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/big-girl-math-part-ii/page/2#post-1135852 Sat, 11 Jan 2014 03:08:14 +0000 lyn* 1135852@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Real estate is actually not bad here - you can get a pretty reasonable condo for 300K. Rent is about $1500 a month for a one bedroom Jules on "Big Girl Math; Part II" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/big-girl-math-part-ii/page/2#post-1135831 Sat, 11 Jan 2014 02:11:21 +0000 Jules 1135831@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ You don't need 25%. Also, there's a huge shortage of Canadian-trained doctors, right? You're not as vulnerable to job loss as most. You're a good bet for a mortgage and will be able to pay it off quickly if you want to. Is real estate even as inflated in your market as Toronto, Vancouver etc? lyn* on "Big Girl Math; Part II" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/big-girl-math-part-ii/page/2#post-1134570 Thu, 09 Jan 2014 23:33:10 +0000 lyn* 1134570@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ There's actually quite a lack of furniture places here that aren't super high end - like $300 lamps - vs. lower end options that don't look like they fell off the back end of a truck.  I also like Ikea because I have no patience. If I want something, I want it now :p My friend scored a beautiful set of leather couches from a resident who was moving out; but I think those are pretty rare finds. Liz on "Big Girl Math; Part II" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/big-girl-math-part-ii/page/2#post-1134532 Thu, 09 Jan 2014 22:53:47 +0000 Liz 1134532@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Before you buy furniture, how about going to some places other than IKEA to sit on and check out other furniture? Check out both high end and warehouse style places so you get a feel for the range. I'm wondering if it's possible that IKEA seems like the only "permissible" place to get furniture because that's what so many students/young grads do.  Like Sylvie, I fell into the "it's my first place, I'll just make do for now" pit with my furniture. Some of it, I'm still living with, too many years later.  Astrid on "Big Girl Math; Part II" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/big-girl-math-part-ii/page/2#post-1134314 Thu, 09 Jan 2014 19:10:09 +0000 Astrid 1134314@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I agree that there's a big difference between lower and higher priced Ikea stuff. My Ikea desk is now maybe 8 years old - it was a 200€ piece and it's still in a great condition and very sturdy. I really like it. lyn* on "Big Girl Math; Part II" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/big-girl-math-part-ii/page/2#post-1134305 Thu, 09 Jan 2014 18:57:18 +0000 lyn* 1134305@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Thank you everyone for your wisdom and your own stories - I guess life has really changed; my dad working an office job on his own was able to afford a condo when he graduated - and he was only 32.  I have mostly Ikea furniture, but I buy the higher end stuff and I really like it - I do have the $9 end table, but it's held up nicely over the last five years or so  - I suppose we don't really put the end table through too much! My study desk is also an Ikea purchase, but wasn't the $23 desk that the boy has that is falling apart, I think mine was about $200. My mattress is also one of the higher end Ikea ones - it's hypoallergenic and quite wonderful. It is the first bed I have ever had; I decided that sleeping in a nest of blankets is probably not appropriate for a doctor - and my dad agreed. The wing chair I like is also Ikea, but about $230 - I like the idea of a pair of wing chairs too; but maybe I'll get a different pillow for the "guest chair". No one gets to sit in my chair and mess up my bum imprint Sylvie on "Big Girl Math; Part II" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/big-girl-math-part-ii/page/2#post-1134234 Thu, 09 Jan 2014 17:46:34 +0000 Sylvie 1134234@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/  I lived for 7 years post-schooling with a futon, a desk, a chair, a filing cabinet that doubled as a tv-stand, a nightstand from a craft store and a mattress+bedframe.  I assumed that when I got married/bought a place, I'd buy nice furniture. Meanwhile future husband (then boyfriend) bought a couch and dining table as soon as he graduated.  When we moved in together, I had to live with a couch I loathed with the fire of a thousand suns.  When we needed to buy more furniture, we bought ikea malm because we were transient. We bought a small place in 2013 (10 year mark) and we know it won't last us more than 5-10 years.  We are finally starting to purchase long term, nice furniture and we'll take it to our next place, whenever that may happen. I had major home buying fever between the between 2007-2010, but couldn't buy because I was transient.  Between 2011-2012, I was actively against buying because I'd realized renting was cheaper.  What pushed me back to the buying side was wanting to live in a place that was set up according to my needs +  the stability of not needing to move, and I was willing to pay the premium for it. But to address your life :) Please keep your money separate from the family.  Don't let family even know how much money you have/where it is. Buy some new furniture!!  There is no point in waiting for a house/partner and you don't want to be stuck with your partner's choice in furniture.  Buy yourself one nice piece every year. Buying a place doesn't necessarily save you money.  Buy when it's comfortable financially and you feel that having your own place enhances your quality of life. Diana on "Big Girl Math; Part II" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/big-girl-math-part-ii/page/2#post-1134210 Thu, 09 Jan 2014 17:24:15 +0000 Diana 1134210@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Buy a nice couch, and a nice mattress (if you don't have one already).  Everything else Ikea is fine for.  Astrid on "Big Girl Math; Part II" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/big-girl-math-part-ii/page/2#post-1134175 Thu, 09 Jan 2014 16:49:21 +0000 Astrid 1134175@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Cinnamon fern, I agree with you about Ikea, to a certain degree. I think it all depends on what kind of stuff you buy there. I'd personally buy a couch or armchair elsewhere if I had the money for example. And get a great quality rug and some solid woof furniture. But I think an inexpensive tv stand, some pillows, curtains or lighting can go a long way and because you don't expect to keep them for a decade they can be Ikea. cinnamon fern on "Big Girl Math; Part II" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/big-girl-math-part-ii/page/2#post-1134167 Thu, 09 Jan 2014 16:37:27 +0000 cinnamon fern 1134167@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I don't want to sound like I'm hating on Ikea.  At their price point, the design and quality are generally excellent.  And we still have some bits of Ikea floating around the house, like the grundtal hardware I'm very fond of.  I just wanted to say that furniture buying is a place where getting what's cheapest is often a false economy. cinnamon fern on "Big Girl Math; Part II" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/big-girl-math-part-ii/page/2#post-1134162 Thu, 09 Jan 2014 16:33:31 +0000 cinnamon fern 1134162@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Lyn, I am going along with the crowd in saying:  buy some furniture.   But what Carter said about the condo is true here too.  In a couple years your Ikea furniture will look shabby and you'll say, I can't invite my colleagues over to sit on this cheap crap, I need a real couch.  So why not buy the real furniture now?  Buy something you love, and then you'll happily find a place for it in your house. Of course there is a big difference from the situation Carter described too - that if you throw all the Ikea stuff out in a year you'll only have wasted a couple hundred bucks, which really doesn't matter.  But still - you can afford something better than Ikea, give yourself permission to buy what you really want. Janet on "Big Girl Math; Part II" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/big-girl-math-part-ii/page/2#post-1134145 Thu, 09 Jan 2014 16:23:51 +0000 Janet 1134145@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I haven't read all the responses thoroughly but I agree with Liz and IK. No need to rush anything, especially considering how wacky the housing market has proven to be over the last decade or so.  I pondered buying a home a few times over the years. I came really close when I was in my mid 30s and got quite serious about a really cute end-of-group townhouse in Baltimore, but something made me pull back. Instead, I ended up moving into my parents' tiny beach house, which had been mostly sitting unused since my father's death some years prior. I lived there rent-free, fixing things up along the way -- by the time my now-husband and I moved out, the house had new windows and doors, new kitchen, new water heater, new washer and dryer, new insulation in the attic, new well, new heat pump, new carpet and tile, new bathroom... whew! But this allowed my mom to rent the house out for income after we moved out, and now that my mom has passed away, my sister and I rent it out.  But all that aside, the point I was getting to is that I didn't buy my first home until I was 41. It turned out to be a good choice for me (and my husband). We saved money for a long while and were able to buy pretty much our "dream home." Even though we bought it at what turned out to be the peak of the market (ouch), we have no real regrets since we found the house we want to stay in for 20 years or more.  I come from a family of real estate people. My mom, dad, sister and I all worked in real estate at one time or another. My mom was really smart about this stuff. Every time we moved out of one home to another, we kept the old house and rented it out. Because of this, my mom was able to collect some decent supplemental income in her later years, and then pass along four houses -- something with significant value -- to my sister and me. I will always be grateful for the things I learned from her and my dad.  Times have changed. Young people fresh on their first jobs used to be able to afford to purchase a decent house in a livable neighborhood. That time is gone, but I hope it changes back someday. In the meantime, I think it's wise to take your time and carefully weigh all the options when it comes to home ownership vs. renting.  Astrid on "Big Girl Math; Part II" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/big-girl-math-part-ii/page/2#post-1134141 Thu, 09 Jan 2014 16:21:13 +0000 Astrid 1134141@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I agree with Mo! I'd also make getting some furniture a priority. It doesn't have to be expensive but it will make a big difference. And I agree with what some others said about waiting and saving up. Lots of good arguments here. And personally I find 900 sqft plenty big enough even with one or two children. It all depends on how much redundant stuff you have and if you have a good floorplan. When I was a child we lived in similar sized flats with four to five people without any problem, with my brother later sharing his room with my sister. And who knows if you really ever need more space? And when you think long term you won't need that much space later on. My mum already talked of selling the house and building a small bungalow when my parents go into retirement (assuming none of us children want to move in with them). Because she's right, the house was good for eight people living in it, but two people? They'd get lost. Mo on "Big Girl Math; Part II" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/big-girl-math-part-ii/page/2#post-1134094 Thu, 09 Jan 2014 15:46:42 +0000 Mo 1134094@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Ooh, I love the cozy little seating area you are conjuring up!   Liz on "Big Girl Math; Part II" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/big-girl-math-part-ii/page/2#post-1133885 Thu, 09 Jan 2014 12:30:55 +0000 Liz 1133885@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Please, please, buy furniture. TWO chairs. A table. A TV stand!  You can even go wild and buy a couch. : )   (Yes, even if your boyfriend already has one. You just sell one of them or use it in a study or office.)   ramya on "Big Girl Math; Part II" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/big-girl-math-part-ii/page/2#post-1133818 Thu, 09 Jan 2014 08:33:41 +0000 ramya 1133818@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Lyn I am your age and yes we have 2 Condos(1 in India, 1 in Norway). But I didn't do it alone. The rates were so crazy in India that we moved to Norway to repay the loan (At least that's my story and I am sticking to it ;)). I am not sure,I would jump into buying a house in your situation . As you know things are tough the first few months. If you are already at the danger end of your investment when you jump into buying a home, then it doesn't make sense does it? So why not wait it out for couple of years? I like the idea f buying few stuff for the current house. These things donot need to be thrown out when you move to your own space :). Btw I was drooling over the pillow just yesterday. Hubby pointed out that we donot need more pillows in our home. lyn* on "Big Girl Math; Part II" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/big-girl-math-part-ii#post-1133801 Thu, 09 Jan 2014 07:26:29 +0000 lyn* 1133801@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Well, I talked about my furniture with boy today, and he was like, "Well, don't buy a couch because I have a couch." So we'll see. I'm willing to wait a little bit - although there is a beautiful armchair at Ikea that is calling my name that would make an excellent reading chair.  Then I could get a reading lamp, and a small table for my tea, and a cute little rug; and there are curtains that match my little cushion... and a pretty vase for flowers. And some pretty wall art. *SQUEE*  SO EXCITED FOR REAL FURNITURE!!!  DonnaF on "Big Girl Math; Part II" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/big-girl-math-part-ii#post-1133710 Thu, 09 Jan 2014 04:52:08 +0000 DonnaF 1133710@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I'm so so sorry about the loss of your nest egg.  I know you are quite a budgeter and obviously actually do (instead of just plan!) because you said you've owned several condos.  Like others have advised, I wouldn't be too quick to bite the bullet and buy.  That would be jumping the gun!  (So I have this image of you with a bullet in your mouth jumping over a gun.)  Continue to live frugally, but think about spending a little for furniture just to make your place a bit more comfy.  It doesn't have to be a lot; maybe something cast off by an ex-resident moving elsewhere to be a staff doc? anne on "Big Girl Math; Part II" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/big-girl-math-part-ii#post-1133630 Thu, 09 Jan 2014 03:44:24 +0000 anne 1133630@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Dana beat me to it!!  Lyn* just spend one weeks savings on some furniture at ikea or second hand and your place can seem much more homelike! I do pity younger people these days with the price of housing. I live in one of the most expensive cities for housing in the world, and there is no way I could buy a house on my own if I was starting our now. And the rent here is so expensive that it would take nearly half my weekly income to rent the place we have bought, which is just crazy since I am supporting 4 other people. (Happily in our case we bought cheaply in the 90's and had some family help, so were able to buy) ironkurtin on "Big Girl Math; Part II" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/big-girl-math-part-ii#post-1133596 Thu, 09 Jan 2014 03:26:53 +0000 ironkurtin 1133596@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I personally think ownership is greatly overrated. Not only can real estate be tricky but there is maintenance and taxes and utilities and insurance - a house costs far more than just the house. I would not rush into it. Also, buy some furniture. Not having furniture because you'll move in FIVE YEARS is just nuts. Mo on "Big Girl Math; Part II" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/big-girl-math-part-ii#post-1133465 Thu, 09 Jan 2014 01:55:23 +0000 Mo 1133465@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Just to jump back in, I deleted earlier that my brother and his wife bought a condo in CA shortly after getting married.  I thought it was frivolous info on first post, but want to say that they raised 2 kids in that same condo, who are still sharing a room (gasp, in America!) and they are happy and well adjusted.  My niece is just now 21 and soon to move out permanently, while her younger brother is just starting high school.   Also the BF and I had his best friend and wife, with their young daughter, living in his condo when we were dating.  5 people in 1100 sq ft.  Oh, and I lived with my mom and her BF in my last years of High school with my younger twin brothers (again 5 people) with under 1000 sq ft and just one bathroom.  3 teenagers with one bath.  And we all survived just fine.   I think the keeping up with the Joneses 'American Dream' if you will is overblown and overrated.  People live beyond their means way to cavalierly (rant over) EDIT: all that to say, you may love, and cherish for years, a $300K condo!  lol Diana on "Big Girl Math; Part II" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/big-girl-math-part-ii#post-1133385 Thu, 09 Jan 2014 00:47:47 +0000 Diana 1133385@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ OK, so I don't own a home (and I am almost 34, and married) so maybe I'm not the best person to counsel you on this but ... if I were you, I would wait.   From my own experience, there are several reasons why I don't own, even though I do think about it from time to time.   -- I may possibly be moving in a year or two.  In my field and the current job market I can't guarantee that I'll find a job in this area (or a job at all).  Yes, there is the possibility of renting it out if we move but that's not a hassle I want to deal with.   -- Although the market is stable in my area, there are some things that always help your resale value.  Here, it would be things like more than one bathroom, parking spots, updated kitchen, etc.  We can't really afford a condo with these features and definitely wouldn't want to spend the time/money fixing one up to sell.   -- (Not an issue anymore since I got married, but before it was definitely a big one).  I make a postdoc salary (i.e. peanuts).  This means that no bank will give me a good interest rate, even if I make a big down payment.  So either I'd have to settle for the terrible interest rate, if they would even give me one, or I'd need to have someone (i.e. my parents) as co-owners.  Which is not really something I wanted to do (I am sure you understand, having your own Asian parents...) -- Because we rent, we can live in a great neighborhood.  Our rent is definitely high, but we can afford it.  We can't afford to buy anything in this neighborhood, so if we bought we'd have to go either to the suburbs (ugh) or a less nice part of town.  At this point in our lives (no kids, just married, etc) living in a great, safe, and centrally located neighborhood is a priority for us.  I definitely do not want to live in the suburbs right now.  And honestly for me buying something in an "up and coming" neighborhood is NOT an option, because I would not feel comfortable living there. lyn* on "Big Girl Math; Part II" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/big-girl-math-part-ii#post-1133365 Thu, 09 Jan 2014 00:36:14 +0000 lyn* 1133365@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Thanks so much, Carter - I definitely have run into this difficulty even now in my little 650 sqft place - I don't have furniture (I figure it's pointless to buy furniture if I'm going to move in 5 years) for the living room or the dining room. I have a study desk, a bed, and a wardrobe. My TV is on top of a cardboard box all taped up.  I feel embarrassed to invite my friends over. I know that they all have really nice places with leather furniture, and it's like inviting people here to ... what? I have a lovely granite kitchen, but that's just for me to cook in and enjoy. I don't really have a built-in area to entertain, unless everyone wants to take turns sitting on my bed and watching my TV on top of the cardboard box :p I am pretty thrifty now and I am okay with not inviting people over - we are generally way too busy anyhow to have guests over too often. I am thinking of getting some arm chairs and use my living room space though (right now it's empty and my sister uses it as an exercise studio) - maybe I should put some money into that first. Man, an $850K house must be nice - drat, I need a cardiology boyfriend. carter on "Big Girl Math; Part II" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/big-girl-math-part-ii#post-1133346 Thu, 09 Jan 2014 00:25:14 +0000 carter 1133346@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Lyn, perhaps I shouldn't have told you what *you* will want but instead tell you what my clients have experienced. I have a cardiologist client who moved here for his residency. He bought a house for $350k. It was plenty large for a someday wife and kids, but 3 years later he reached his first real salary level and got engaged. He wanted to move up so he felt comfortable inviting his new colleagues for dinner. The new house was $850k. Even though we sold the old one for more than$350k, he was still out money after fees, closing costs, moving costs, etc. Another client wanted to buy early in his sales career. He paid $250k. Four years later he's killing it at work and hates that he's stuck in a low-end house because the market just won't pay him what he has in it. Yet another client bought a townhouse as a single mom. Now she's marrying a man who comes with a live-in son and a visiting daughter. She is dreading having her house on the market and is kicking herself for not buying the 4 BR unit in the first place. I guess all I'm trying to say is that the only thing you really know for right now is that you will have a large increase in income in the not-too-distant future. What you don't know is where you'll be in your life (and head) when you get there. lyn* on "Big Girl Math; Part II" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/big-girl-math-part-ii#post-1133319 Wed, 08 Jan 2014 23:58:23 +0000 lyn* 1133319@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ @ Mo - One of my friends went to a dealership to buy his car in folding cash, attache case with handcuff and all - he also got two of his coworkers to escort him. Hahaha; I wish I had been there to see that - he is a strange boy. :p I am banking on getting a job here, which is not true - you guys are right, I should probably wait to get a contract before anything else happens. At least a 5 year deal. @ Amiable - Thanks for the advice; there is enough in my condo that needs to be fixed up all the time (and there is only 650 sqft of stuff to break!) - and that has me scratching my head often enough. @ Carter - Thanks for your professional opinion; do you  mean that I'd want to live somewhere worth more than 300K? - I agree that a condo isn't great for kiddies though; and I guess if kiddies are going to happen they will happen in the next five to seven years (that would put me in the 33 to 35 year range) - and I can always make a big decision after that. I did grow up in 1000 sqft with the four of us - and that was considered quite large, so I am used to the teeny tiny space - may not be true for boy.  My 2000 (model year) car I bought in 2003 (actual year) for a song - I'd totally do it again. Love my car, and so much nicer than I could afford new - it was a car coming off someone's lease (one of those rich attending staff docs wanted a new car, perfect for me!). I have looked at a few just coming off a 3 to 5 year lease, and if I only have to drive it for the next 3 years, then that's perfect. I get a little scared once my car turned 10. carter on "Big Girl Math; Part II" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/big-girl-math-part-ii#post-1133308 Wed, 08 Jan 2014 23:47:56 +0000 carter 1133308@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Lyn*, I sell real estate for a living, and my advice is to wait. Save as much as you can now, and keep it in YOUR control, but don't push to buy before you've reached your initial full salary. Once you're making $200-$350k, you will NOT want to live in a $300k condo, no matter how great it may sound now. Once you're married, 900 sf will get VERY SMALL very fast, plus there is no room for bambinos. Save every penny that you can comfortably save now, and save even more when your full salary kicks in. But wait to buy until you can very comfortably afford a place that will serve you well for at least 5-7 years (through marriage and a toddler or two). As a side note, hooray for you for wanting to pay cash for a car! A car loan is the fastest way to be upside down on an investment since the car's value is guaranteed to drop substantially the first couple years. Pay cash and buy a 2 year old car if at all possible. amiable on "Big Girl Math; Part II" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/big-girl-math-part-ii#post-1133306 Wed, 08 Jan 2014 23:46:45 +0000 amiable 1133306@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I haven't read all the responses, so this may be a repeat.  But I'd like to suggest that there's nothing wrong with NOT owning a house.  Houses are a big responsibility, and really, a big liability - something's always breaking or needing improvement, they're super high priced, and they pretty much tie you down to a location for a long term.  There's also much less guarantee that you'll get your money back out of it when you sell than most people imply.  Please don't feel like you're not a real adult if you choose not to own a house - it's better to rent something you can comfortably afford than own a house that you can barely afford and have to stress out every time some extra work needs done on it. That said, I own two houses - I get the draw.  (Those two houses are eating me out of house an home, so to speak....) Mo on "Big Girl Math; Part II" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/big-girl-math-part-ii#post-1133293 Wed, 08 Jan 2014 23:32:02 +0000 Mo 1133293@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Lyn, people do that all the time!  My BF often comes home looking like a drug dealer from a late car sale after the office ladies have gone home and he has the wad of cash to look after until the next business day. As for the house hunting . . . my own parents didn't own until after 40 but with N. California real estate that wasn't unheard of.  I honestly never thought I'd own my own place, and my mother still never has in her 67 years.  The BF owned his place when we first started dating, but we didn't move in together for almost a year, and we'd known each other socially for over 5 years before dating.  I'd just go slow with planning an entangled financial future with a somewhat new man in your life.   lyn* on "Big Girl Math; Part II" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/big-girl-math-part-ii#post-1133189 Wed, 08 Jan 2014 21:56:45 +0000 lyn* 1133189@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ To be fair, my mother was the primary individual in the whole investment fiasco, so I still talk to my dad about it. My mom has been essentially avoiding any contact with me for the last few months - it's really too bad, I'm not going to hound her for the money or anything. They have money, it's not like they need it, but my mother has a bit of a greedy streak, so it's a bit annoying that way. I feel that they feel that they need a lifestyle upgrade because now that I have my own salary. I think they do (in that they don't support myself or my sister) - I ask them for a certain amount of money every month for my sister, but that's about it - these are for her personal expenditures (i.e.: she needed new glasses last month) - and not for things like rent or food. I am currently not living at home - I couldn't stand living at home because of the rules are just insane - i.e.: I have to be home by the time the sun goes down. I am 28 years old. I can stay out the WHOLE NIGHT if I want - okay, parents? But no, they say I have to be home by sunset which is like 5 pm in the winter. I am barely done work! They are fairly nuts. I kind of redefined my financial goals - I hope to have enough to purchase a replacement car by my next birthday. I have enough now to finance a car, but I'd like to be able to purchase a car in cash. I have dreams about going to the dealership with a box (or maybe a briefcase!!!) of folding bills. HAHHAHAHA. I kind of want to do that for laughs.