Growing Up

Remember the days when your biggest worries were that boys had cooties and what game you'd play with all your neighborhood friends? Yeah... those were the days. 

Your parents always tell you you'll grow up, get a job, get married, buy a house and have kids. Simple enough! But what it can really be like is - grow up, get a job you hate for minimum wage, get married, maybe buy a house, or an apartment, most likely a cardboard box. Oh and pay car insurance, health insurance, grocery bills, electric bills, credit card bills,  student loans, taxes, cell phones, clothes, mortgage, and that's just to name a few. I can't even begin to think about kids, I'm 23 and life's a struggle.

Here is what I have learned in the past couple of months:

1) If you have the ability to live with your parents - do it. I know it's so much cooler to live on your own and in some ways I love it, but you can save so much more with them. Give yourself a chance to live comfortably and not worry about getting a third job.

2) Get a job you love if you can. I loved working at independently owned dog stores. I didn't even really consider it work and my days went fast because they were fun! It's not fun working and being miserable - life's too short for that BS.

3) SAVE! Luckily for me I realized at a young age I needed to save. I had nothing I wanted to do at age 16 other than buy a few clothes and make up here or there. I knew that if I wanted to be able to do what I want when I want I needed to save. I was always saving about 90% of my paychecks and I am so thankful I did. 

4) Don't spend money you don't have. I would love to get another tattoo, and I plan on it as soon as I can, but right now it's not in my budget. I love to buy people gifts for Christmas and more than one item, I like to go all out. What I like to do now is put all my change in a giant margarita glass and save that for the things I really want. 

5) Being an adult comes with responsibilities. You have to make big decisions and live with the results of the choice you make.

Take advantage of being young! Live life, enjoy it and do what you love! Work hard and life will reward you. Everyone deserves a beautiful life.

Taryn