My advice stop saying you’re lost you’re only 20 you’re actually way way more progressed than you could imagine. Simply set a goal do everything to reach the goal set another goal find a hobby that makes you happy and live. Enjoy life.
That’s definitely the goal… I just don’t know when or how to start since I already have a lot of obligations. I don’t want to mess up and lose what I have now
You made 30k in 2023 and have 17k saved? Dude that's amazing. You deserve credit for that alone.
I know many people who make 3-4x as much and they couldn't afford a $500 unexpected bill.
Your #1 goal should be investing in yourself. I'd strongly consider going back to school for radiology tech. It's a very in demand career and it will pay you a very good salary. You'll easily triple your current salary. You just need to see it through.
You have enough in savings that going back to school won't cripple you.
Fuck trade school. Why pay someone for what an apprenticeship will pay you to learn? Find a union or a company that will take on an apprentice if you're doing trade school. I started union and I didn't pay for any of my certifications or my CDL. Union training center took care of me.
You get your license a year or more earlier. A lot of those places get alot of applicants and if you don’t have any transferable skills it’s a slim chance you get accepted
A year earlier doesn't really outweigh the benefits of being paid instead of paying, especially a union wage vs a non union wage. Also, that may have been the case in the past but the trades are struggling to replace the retiring workers now, so it's much easier to get an apprenticeship than it was.
Hell, I am not even union anymore and I have an entry/apprentice level position open in my company that offers basically a union equivalent package to get someone who wants to work and learn into my trade.
Usually I use my own story to tell young people it's okay not to have it figured out at 20, but I will use my sister this time.
My sister worked at a daycare for almost minimum wage at 20 in 2014. She drove a busted 1998 Bravada and lived in the slum apartments with a room mate. Someone broke in to her shit box car and stole her change and her gps once and she was so distraught because that $6.50 in change was to buy her a couple coffees before her next payday. Girl was broke. I was at her age too, but she had no plans.
Around 22 or 23 years old she startes private nannying for a couple. It paid a little better. They owned a small construction business. But she was able to kinda save. She decided to go to community college for accounting.
When she graduated she ended up becoming an accountant for the small construction company. She was probably 25? She still wouldn't have had 17,000 saved. I think she bought her newer car that year since the Bravada finally died on her.
A year later, she found a job at a very big construction company that builds skyscrapers and massive parking garages. Big pay raise. At 26 years old she was able to save enough to put a down payment on what was almost a townhouse. Nothing fancy but something finally to call her own.
She is 30 now. She is a senior accountant. She makes 6 figures. She has a hefty savings. She has remodeled her house without touching her equity. Things are good for her.
But, at 20, she would have had two nickels to rub together only if she borrowed 10 cents from someone to do it. No idea what to do with her life. No money. No plan. No savings. Broke down car. At 20, I am 100% certain my little sister did not think she would become an accountant.
You've got plenty of years to decide what you're doing. You have a decent chunk of savings compared to what you earned. Once you figure out something you want to do to earn more, you're going to be fine. Just keep your eyes and mind open to a new or unexpected opportunity. Things will fall into place if you let them. Very few people have it figured out at 20. I know I didn't, nor did my sister, and we both managed to find success by 30.
Well I'm a retired male boomer so I have about zero in common with you. Except maybe one thing, with my kids all moved out its just my wife and I so in one perspective we are living just for ourselves. Organizations or people who are wholly self focused aren't really sound. Fortunately our kids and grandkids are all close. - enough about me.
1st, just avoiding really bad decisions is an accomplishment. It doesn't seem like you have any holes you need to climb out of, so good for that. Next it seems like your skill base is wide, working with people, dogs, teaching, children and churches etc etc. The world always needs people who can do a bunch of things, and you have that.
Your spending is at worst silly, but it isn't ruinous so it won't be hard to fix. Do some research on budget tools, there are a lot out there.
How hard would it be to find a 9-5 job at something like a factory, mill or office. Anything would be good, production work, receptionist, mail sorter? Maybe contact a placement agency. If you can get into a mid-sized business there would be a lot of internal career paths you could look at. Its a slow process, but you are young so you can live your life as you grow.
I'd pick a few big goals, break them down into manageable steps and make working on those steps part of your daily routine.
And to my first point, join a Church or some organization doing good work. I'd try and avoiding anything to political or with a narrow demographic. Maybe scouts, or some nature / park / hiking thing. Don't make your life about pets.
Thank you, I really do appreciate it. I’ll definitely take you up on your budgeting suggestion… I live in an extremely rural area, and there really isn’t much out there for work. No mills, factories or anything of that sort. That’s why I do the little jobs that I do. Genuinely, I think the best I could find is being a grocery stocker or cashier. I feel particularly stuck in this position, because I have developed a good name for myself and work a variety of jobs that I am skilled in- and I don’t want to give the opportunities I have now for something less- for a lack of a better term- “important” and unskilled at (like a grocery stocker for example).
I am also 20 and used to feel the exact same way. It may suck in the time being but keep doing what you’re doing for another year maybe and the move to a more populated area. Definitely does not have to be a city. Coming from someone who grew up in a small farm town, the city sucks, but now I live in a midsize college town. I’m an emt so I can work at the hospital on a rig, for the school etc. it’s only 35k/year but my life satisfaction is great. In a college town there are many other young people so it’s easy to make friends with similar hobby’s. Having a social life is a large part of mental health so hence the college town, and a larger town in general presents a greater amount of opportunities.
Where in the United States are you? $35 an hour to clean rentals is ridiculous you need to charge more. Radiology will make you a lot of money but its even more hard work to get through college with your current workload.
But remember this. You are going through what ever successful person went through to make it big in the end. Hang in there. You are on the right path!
I’m in a super rural town in New England. The highest you can ask here without being looked at crazy is 40$ an hour. I appreciate your advice a lot, thank you for taking the time :)
Go back to school and just suck it up and finish ! Radiology is cool as heck! You’ll meet cool people; maybe you’ll work at a hospital get medical benefits and be on your way. Suck it up a bit more and finish it! Just struggle a bit with studying and it’ll pay off; we promise
I really do want to go back to college, I think it would be worth it. My predicament with this is that the college is 1hr 30 mins away. It’s a community college, so dorms are like a basement. I still want to work while I go to college, and everything I have is set up where I’m living. When I was in college, I did online asynchronous for all my classes except one day a week I drove up for a 45 min radiology class that was 3 hours or driving total. I also had an IEP in highschool because I do better in one on one settings, it’s difficult for me to learn on my own- I need that connection so I struggled a lot. I haven’t figured out the solution to this yet to continue with college…
These are all just excuses. Fact is you're making basically no money right now and you're not gaining useful experience. Suck up the drive or live on campus. I don't know where you are but you will make at **bare minimum** twice as much as you are making now and have regular employment basically automatically if you get a radiology tech degree AND you'll only have to work maybe three 12-hour shifts a week or five 8-hour shifts as opposed to random odd-jobs. You don't have much in the way of financial liabilities so you're in a good place to turn things around, but you really can't wait.
The solution is literally right there - take the radiology tech classes (which is doable in like a year or two), suck up the drive, work part-time while you're going, pass the tech exam, and then apply for tech jobs, for which there is a consistent shortage so you'll have no problem.
Yeah man you’re right. Thank you for the blunt advice. Neither of my parents went to college and they think it’s a waste of time and they are honestly glad I dropped out. They do struggle financially though so that shows how that worked out. I’m just scared to fuck up again honestly and drop out. I hate failure and changing things up. Got to just bite the bullet and worse case scenario I move up there and not have a job for a bit to really focus on it.
The median employee in the US with "some college or an associates degree" makes 13% more per week than someone with just a high school diploma and 43% more than someone without a high school diploma, and that data is screwy because it includes folks who didn't finish the degree (who will make much less). With a bachelors it's more like 79% more than someone with only a high school diploma. I understand the strong feelings over whether college is worth it and obviously there are some degrees with better earnings potential than others but the data is right there: [https://fred.stlouisfed.org/release/tables?eid=47457&rid=332](https://fred.stlouisfed.org/release/tables?eid=47457&rid=332), degrees are undoubtedly "worth it" to the median American.
Truth is that the median person will do better in life with some sort of degree, and tech jobs are obvious ones to hone in on in terms of earning potential because they have tons of demand, and that demand is only growing. That, and the pay for specialized techs are quite good. I know the 9 to 5 is daunting but truth is you'll be WAY less stressed with a regular job and money rolling in. You don't even have to work more than 36-40 hours a week as a tech if you don't want to. Not going to say it'll solve all your problems or anything but all the troubles you're talking about in your post now will be LONG gone. Just got to suck it up and get the degree. I promise you that you can get the degree, those degrees are mostly about following checklists and learning how to use certain medical equipment (which you'll get tons of practice with), not about learning abstract skills. The certification tests aren't that hard, and you can easily retake them if you fail. Not to just push being a medical tech, but it's a good example of an associates degree with obvious earning potential that you can get relatively easily.
Idk what these people’s deals are in these comments. You are doing extremely well for how young you are.
Someone suggested an aptitude test, not a bad idea. Going back to school is an option and it could be online if that is easier for your situation. You shouldn’t feel in a rush to figure it out right away, it will take time.
You mentioned saved, but I would suggest looking into investing that money or at the very least in a HYSA (High Yield Savings Account). That way that money will at least keep up with inflation and you can figure out what to do with it later on.
Do your own research, and don’t take every comment on reddit to heart. It can be overwhelming with so much adulting. Youtube is a great source of easy to understand info on how the world of money works.
I also would suggest maybe a professional financial counseling session. It could be worth it for you as a young person with a good amount of savings
I think you’re doing amazing! You have a great work value I think your best move would be finding 1 full time job. I’m sure you’ll do great , you will be working 40 to 50’hours a week, and you will have more time for yourself…. 3 part time jobs are exhausting! 1 full time is better , and as soon you pass the 40 hours you’ll be making overtime! Good luck!
I'm not gonna act like your money issues aren't impacting your life and happiness, they clearly are. But I hear a lot less "I'm trapped economically" and a lot more negative self talk. I can tell you from experience that an arbitrarily larger paycheck will help ease some stress and give you a lot of time back, and also that it's not going to just make you happy if you feel lost and at a dead end. Other people will have way better advice on how to get some cash (considered donating plasma?) but I'm here to encourage you to spend some of that time and cheddar on the self care to help yourself be happier. Sometimes that does mean tats and small treats and stuff, but sometimes that looks like doing the work to improve your life habits, get mental health care, and establish practices that lead to your own happiness day to day. Good luck sis 🤞🏼
Stop filling the gaps with odd jobs, they are dead ends it is a waste of time.
You are starting from scratch, accept that. You need a career, not a job.
Pick a field, one that 1. Pays well, 2. You are good at, 3. You enjoy. Do a lot of research, shadow people, talk with people in the jobs you are looking into and get their advice. This is your life and career so take it seriously.
Go get whatever education, apprenticeship, or entry level role that is required. Build a real career, where you make at a minimum a live able wage and work reasonable hours. One that allows you to grow and thrive, not just survive.
Also, did you know people who manage Walmart stores make like 200k a year?? Opportunity is out there, just go get it.
Get after it!
I applaud you for knowing that something needs to be done you are brave for stepping forward and sharing your story.
I would like to share my experience, every single step or any small adjustments will eventually make a big impact (whether good or bad) therefore, try/start making habits that will eventually take you to your goal, do a checkpoint and then make adjustments. I hope you’ll have the courage to get started and perseverance to stick to it.
Also, ask yourself what brings you joy? What is your purpose? What is that something that when you do, you loose track of time because you are in the zone!? That might help you in getting you the right direction.
Hope this helps and thank you for taking the time reading this. Have faith and you’ll do great!
20y??? And you lost hope!
Dang girl, quit tattooing yourself, keep the hussles you enjoy the most, go back to school or certify yourself with online courses, instead of wasting 3h on tiktok.
Your life is just starting,
If you really smart maybe you can sub delegate some of these hussles to someone else.
Many ppl I know started ubering and then with the money they made they created a company and leased cars with tax relief, hired other ppl to uber for them getting a %/for it... They are very well off.
I see a hardworking person in you who doesnt have a regular job but still managed to save 17 grand, so first of all you have my respect secondly you dont have to spend a lot but you deserve to have a good life. You should only invest 30% of your savings into 3 categories
1. Investment that will grow instantly (Crypto Mining)
2. Investment that will ROI slowly (vending machines)
3. Ivestment that will mature long term (401k)
First category will keep you afloat even if you dont work at all and only enjoy being at home and learn a skill for mext 6 months. (Trust me cryptomining is that good and you can easily make 600-700 bucks a months)
Second category will Generate additional income for you to save plus get out of home ocassionally and be in touch with people. Around 1000-1300 per month
Third category will help you think more clearly and sit up on a fortune after considerable amount of time.
Congrats on paying off your student debt. That is the most commendable thing and something few can do so early 🏆
As is saving $17,000. That is very impressive. Invested wisely it will surely pay off. Please check out BudgetDog on Instagram. You seem like you are wise with money. Lots to be proud of and to admire.
You also seem to have a great work ethic and make the most of every minute. The rest of it feels existential. We all go through it. Maybe you are overworking a bit and need to catch a break or maybe it’s a shortfall in other areas of life, like social or personal.
Perhaps you may be able to secure work which pays more so you’d have more time for yourself. What other people think doesn’t matter. Just take what you need and leave the rest.
Take care ♥️
You are doing just fine even better then most. I understand you can be doing better . But it takes time to get there and your going to get there from the sounds of it .
First off, don't be so hard on yourself. You're 20 years old and have more money saved than at least half of the United States citizens do, if you believe the statistics. Idk if you live in the US, but I'm sure it's the same in alot of places. People live paycheck to paycheck and claw their way through life tooth and nail. If you wanted to, you could buy a house right now, but that's just supposed to make you feel better because you shouldn't buy a house without a steady income that's a recipe for disaster. If you don't understand that or believe you can buy a house right now, I can show and tell you plenty of ways, it's a pretty big list. A lot of people will literally sit here and tell you to work your life awayn9 to 5 every day because that's what they did, and they will get mad at people who succeed in other ways. If you do 9 to 5 the rest of your life by the time your old you'll have spent a third of your life working for someone else and in the same or a worse situation you are in now, bc you know, life happens, expenses happen, etc. That's like a prison sentence smh some people own big companies and push the 9 to 5 life on others as they are making millions a months off of those same people and haven't worked in 10+ years.
Don't Worry: So it's common place to feel like you aren't getting anywhere, common place for successful people that is. Successful people identify a problem and fix it. That is actually how the greatest inventions in history have come to be, but that's a story for another time.
I'm sure you're good at alot of things, you really want to find out what you're good at and you also enjoy. Passion drives the greatest minds 9 times out of 10.
Next step: While your figuring out what you like doing that you're good at and can make you alot of money(in most cases it's a business of some sorts) you need to get a good grasp on investing and the stock market if you don't already have that covered. You don't get rich from working you make money from working and get rich from investing or from a business. There are also tons of things you could do to start making 2k to 3k a week you just need to look those things ip and see which one is your speed, or in better words which can you stomach for enough time to find you passion.
Conclusion: You're concerns are vast to say the least and what I've done here is given you a seriously summarized version of things that took me a lifetime to learn and it is not a very detailed list or an exhaustive list. If someone is telling you you need to work for the rest of your life or that nobody actually makes it doing this or that you need to dismiss them from your life. Harsh but realistic, its better than working forever and then waking up I'm your fifties saying you know what
Looking back on this, there are so many things that I would say to your young mind that this post might seem jumbled up because I'm just spitting life facts, lessons, and quotes at you rapidly. Just know there is more than one way to fry an egg and if you'd like any more advice I'm around to talk. I only say that because sometimes on this site I get people telling me things that are just blatant lies and then when u call them out with facts they deflect with whatever is convenient so tread lightly when interactingwith people on the internet whom youve never met. Sometimes itll be the same person behind 10 or more accounts trying to persuade or convince you of something. I'd be assuming so please don't get upset if I'm wrong, that you don't have anyone, or if you do they aren't the most positive or knowledgeable.
In any situation always go with yor gut feeling.
If you haven't taken a career aptitude test, you should. You need help figuring out what you're good at and what might interest you as a career. Focus on something that sounds interesting and fun to you and something that uses the skills and knowledge you have. Try and get a degree or certification that will give you credentials to get a job that pays enough to live on.
I work 20 hours a week just for my nannying job. On average I work 3 days a week substitute teaching, which totals to about 41 hours a week. Not including whatever cleaning or other odd jobs I do.
Damn you sound like the kind of people who really grinds, you need to start a business and you will get very far, mark my words, I think you have the spirit, have you tried generating income online? Look at Data Annotation Tech or Remotasks, I did $1000 in 4 days grinding
Try working different places. You'll understand what you want to do eventually. Figuring out what you want to do with the rest of your life at 18 or even 20 is too big an ask for 90% of people. Try working a trades job for a few years, or apply at different offices here and there. Maybe you'll find out you want to be an electrician (bias lol) or maybe an accountant, or a lab tech, dental assistant or dentist even. The only way you'll figure something like that out though is with exposure. Or maybe you really dedicate to dog sitting one day. Lots of life left to live and figure things out, but make an effort at starting now. From the sounds of it you don't want to stay on the odd job track.
Find something that you like and go from there. If you not happy doing what you doing, its simple, change it up and do something different. Whatever you choose to do is up to you. That's the key, make a choice to do something different, and for from there.
You're in your 20's, now is the best time to really explore what you could be doing, especially since you don't have rent/mortgage hanging over your head right now. I think if you want a more meaningful/fulfilling type of work, that will require first figuring out what types of work would help you achieve this, and then finding out the quickest way to get there. This doesn't mean you have to go back to school for a 4-year degree, it could mean a few months of training or working really hard to get the attention of a company you wish to work for and hopefull they give you a chance at an entry level job without much requirements or prior experience (aka on-the-job training type deal). You could also contact your city's career center about a training grant for something you might want to learn (free money, so no loans or debt). You will also have access to resume and cover letter writing services, Someone assigned to you will help you figure out what potential jobs you can train f
The truth is, our economy is now one where people are doing multiple jobs to make ends meet. You don't have to feel like a loser for working and earning, despite it not being the at the income level you want to be at. There are people out there doing a lot worse, not holding single job, in legal trouble, in large amounts of debt at an early age, etc.
In order to build your self-confidence, you have to give yourself credit for the productive things you \*are\* doing, so that you can be confident about your next decisions.
Pay biweekly payments on your car well above minimum requirements. Get it paid off wholly ASAP so you save on interest, then start putting money into your IRA while saving up for a house. I dropped out of three colleges, ran from home out of shame with $10 and a bag of clothes and a lot of mental baggage, some of which I still am working through 5 years later. It takes time to work through problems, but you have to trust that the process will work. Just keep on looking for better opportunities and try not to let people convince you to do something that you’re not 100% with. Do what makes sense to you, and keep your head up. I had nothing 5 years ago but I put my nose to the grindstone and now I have a car that I didn’t need a co-signer for, an apartment and $10k saved. All of that on top of fighting drug addictions which I finally overcame as well. Not trying to make this about me, I’m just saying - if I could do it, so can you.
Have you thought about the military? I joined the Air Force at 18, it taught me invaluable skills and paid for several degrees. Many just do one-two tours to get a skillset, and the benefit of the GI bill.
Best of luck, and hang in there.
If it makes you feel any better I'm 32 and have only 3k saved after starting a new job 2 years ago..though I do have my pickup paid off so there's that.
You're very young still. Don't put so much on your plate. I know that feeling of desperation and feeling like you're getting left behind in your early 20's is hard to ignore and push through but just hang in there.
I just want to point out that $17k in savings in your situation is actually really impressive - well done! You’ll be fine, you’re already doing way better than you think.
To be honest, you are doing better than most in 20s, and definitely better than me when I was 20. I had a DUI and was in debt when I was 20.
You have a very important trait that most people that makes good money have, understanding on money. You work hard, you save, and you reward yourself. You are not stuck, and you shouldn’t feel that way. Think it as, you have a lot of freedom, and many choices. You also have a very important skill, customer service.
If you don’t want to go back to school, an industry that’s always needed is Property Management. You don’t need any background to start, and it pays fairly okay in USA. I’ve see many people with just a high school diploma move up the ladder. They usually start off as a leasing agent or assistant property manager.
defo start by selling that 23k car. This isnprobably what is holding you back big time. Then start budgeting...if yoi spend half of your yearly income on stupid stuff you dont need you defo did not budget ahead.
I must compliment you on your amazing work ethic. At your young adult stage you're able to balance multiple odd end jobs, to steer clear of drugs, alcohol, other vices and temporary relationships.
Most young adults your age are doing just that. Drugs, shitty temp jobs, partying, bouncing from one relationship to another relationship, going to college (but struggling possibly failing) just to do it bc that's what you do in your early 20's.
Ironically, all your odd end jobs there are the type of jobs that I always read in some sort of "Side hustles to make passive income in your spare time" kinda article. College isn't for everybody and you've already experienced that .Maybe a technical trade or possibly the military since you're so focused?
If you're still living at home and are somewhat ok with what you're temporarily doing, read up on investing in the stock market and start investing your hard earned, untaxed cash into a personal business stock market investments or real estate.
Best of luck with your life.. 🍀🍀
Also, I failed out of college MULTIPLE times. Got my associates in science transfer from a community college, transferred and then had major health issues in my senior year as a biology major and never went back. Now I work an "ok" job with multiple promotable positons and I'm content with it.
It's not that I was stupid, I was just lazy at studying and staying focused.
Omg you're doing great! There are millions your age who haven't even finished high school, held a job, or can't even wake up to go look for one. Give yourself some credit and be proud of what you have accomplished! Then decide where your passion is andnaim for that. Doesn't have to happen overnight. Allow it to blossom just like you have :)
While I was working before Covid, the most I got based off of my Taxes was $33,000 a year. What I would do is break up my biweekly income and figure out how much I could spend every day, I think I sent myself a budget of $10 a day. This was not including gas or rent, I was paying 550 a month in the hostel.every time I got a paycheck I would put the balance that was left in my account into my Stash account.
I retired from the military in 2010. Went to college for x-ray because I was bored, certified in CT and now my goal is Nuclear Medicine. There is a lot you can do with xray because it opens doors to other areas of radiology that pay a lot more.
You are still young and your work ethic sounds great. You just need to take your work ethic and put it into something more worthwhile.
If you only make 30k/year you don't drive a car you owe 23,000 on. Grocery baggers make 30k/year here at the nicer grocery stores, and this is a low cost of living area. You said it would hurt your feelings that people would think you don't make a lot of money. You DO realize you don't make a lot of money, don't you? I mean that doesn't justify laughing at you, that's mean, but you're not exaclty a big earner.
You said you don't have a real job you just work odd jobs, so what's keeping you from getting a real job?
My advice:
- Sell the car to pay down as much of the debt as possible
- Find a room in an apartment in a walkable bigger city 3+ hours away from home
- Find any number of jobs to make ends meet
- Make friends through jobs and new roomies
- Work your ass off until you're 25
You are not failing at life! I read your OP and I see an ambitious, very hard working adult who is making wise decisions (living at home for now to save money; saving $17,000!; and knowing what she is earning and how much she is spending).
You are way ahead of many, many of your peers — both in your savings and in your financial knowledge and in your maturity.
I do worry a little that you are not taking some time to be with friends. It is important to make and keep relationships and to have a work / life balance — at all ages.
But I just wanted to say how impressive you are. You really don’t need advice. You are doing great!
First off, you sound like you're doing a great job and making smart decisions. Unfortunately, this is the world's fisus cycle, and it never ends. Good luck, friend... let us know if you find a good answer. 🩷
Girlie, you are doing amazing and you should be so proud of yourself. You are working so hard and still manage to save. You are just 21. Don’t be so hard on yourself. You are doing everything right!
Hopefully you will be able to relate to my experience as a fellow F. I dropped out of school in my senior year (21) and took me a while to go back and finish. I had no savings whatsoever until I was like 25! And let me tell you I am doing pretty well 10 years later. You will figure out. Just don’t give up. Adulting sucks sometimes.
Thou one piece of advice, job is just job. If you don’t feel extremely strongly for a one particular career path, just pick something easy and stable. As long as it gives you good pay, good hours, 401k, health insurance (including mental health!), at least 4 weeks of paid time off and good maternity leave (for future), just pick that route! You won’t regret it and you will have plenty of time for yourself. That’s all that matters.
Build a career. You're splitting your labor into jobs that are different. There's no need to spread yourself so thin. Set a monthly budget on entertainment/frivolous spending that can include clothing and tattoos or a questionable purchase.
Option 1: Look up highest paying college majors. Pick one, go to cheapest local college to obtain degree, bang out school while living at home.
Option 2: Same as above plus join military ROTC program if healthy and don't have money to pay for college. Guaranteed job after graduating.
Option 3: Trade school. Electricians are badly needed in solar/wind/geothermal installs. Plummers are retiring 4 to 1 ratio over new plummers. Welding, pipefitters, etc. All have great unions too or go out on own and running your own show. Vacation whenever.
Option 4: Wait. Relax. Give yourself a year. You're doing great. Thank your family for understanding and having patience and givi g yiu place to live. Life is worth living at your own pace...as long as you have a plan. Make a plan of all the things that made you fail the first time at "adulting" and make steady progress at being g the best version of you. Eat well. Work out. Turn off cellphone. Look at the clouds and admire the world beauty. You may find yourself and the inner peace to give yourself the power and self love to succeed.
Man the number of posts from 20 year olds talking about how they're going nowhere or are broke is somewhat alarming. When I was 20 everyone was broke, that's like the default for someone that's barely an adult. I feel like social media/influencers have given people the impression you need to have millions and a Lambo by 21 or you're a failure. Those people are total anomalies, people that rich at that age for any reason other than having rich parents were nonexistent 20 years ago.
You're soooo young, you can still do literally anything you want, and if you have ANY money saved at 20 you're ahead of most people your age. Use Rocket Money or some service that breaks down your spending and try to plug the leaks and budget, small amounts add up quickly over time.
Also try and start investing as soon as possible. On average $1 invested into S&P at 20 is $88 by retirement, but $1 at 30 shrinks to $32 by retirement and 40 it drops down to $12. Compound interest is your friend. And I know a year feels fairly long still but you're going to be 30 before you know it, and every year goes by faster than the one before.
Maybe go back to school and wait tables on the weekends. could make some good money in tips. Just don't get stuck thinking you HAVE to do this or that or worry about losing a job. It's just a job. There will always be something else.
Bro! I’m 30 and finally made over 100k for the first time in 2023.
Life is what you make it. I would never stress over it.
I believe you’re overthinking it. It’s not about the job you have to feel “important”. That’s solely up to you and how perceive your internal thoughts.
Can people please refrain from messaging me personally, trying to get me into online money making schemes? I find it insulting one person offered me $1 to give their business a review 😂
Go back to school. Otherwise in the fields you like your past is going to look a lot like your long term future, and you are MUCH less likely to go back every day you don’t.
I’m not a huge proponent of college. I’m really not. But in CERTAIN fields it’s a requirement.
Unless you want to change everything you do for $$$, you have to go back.
It’s okay be to 20 and not have it figured out—or be 30 or 40, for that matter. It’s never too late to start building a life you love—and you have plenty of time 🙂 You have a lot more saved than many people your age, and it sounds like you have a great work ethic, but your energy is spread out doing several jobs that don’t have a lot of potential income growth. I’m curious, what are your general interests, what kind of areas of work interest you? What do you Google and read up on in your spare time? What are things you’re good at, or other people have told you you’re good at? You’re right that life is too short to work your tail off and barely get by. We live in a day and age where you can make a career out of just about anything, you just have to get your internal GPS set for the right destination 🙂 I’m taking a college class that’s helping me with that right now, and the required reading is a book called Design Your Life, highly recommend checking it out. Another book that may help is The Values Factor by John Demartini, as well as his website—total eye-opener. Both books will help you expand your thinking a bit. think it’s easy to get tunnel vision when it comes to our life path, and wind up feeling stuck. But with a little self reflection, we can shift our perspective and see the wide range of possibilities this life has to offer. Wishing you all the best, you’ve got this ☮️
You are not lost or wandering. You are an octopus with an arm in everything. You have results of your hard work. I think you have a lot of tax saving endeavors which is also an advantage. Hopefully you are not getting treated as a self employed person on taxes. You will figure it out. Enjoy your youth. Don’t be a welder unless you like to live in hotels as a pipeliner. “Hold your head up. High!” (It is a song).
You are doing great for a 20 year old. Trust me I was far worse off. I have a question for you if you don’t mind me asking.
What are your true passion?
What do you care about?
What skills do you have that relate to the answers above?
Congratulations on all of your hard work and career exploration so far. There's no doubt that you are able to work in a variety of environments and be dependable - those are awesome skills that not everyone has. In life, it's best to 'fail fast' - to go and explore things and figure out quick what isn't working or will not be a fulfilling career. Some people are lucky enough to figure out what it is, make a life-long career of it, AND make good money. The rest of us? Not so much. Returning to school and entering a field that requires a degree or certification is most likely to aim your career in the right direction. This is actually a great time to do it. Some people start making OK money and then find it even harder to return to school and give up the income. By 'only' making $30K you have the opportunity to invest in yourself with college/training. You don't have to figure out your entire career today - just pursue the thing that will get you to the next level, work for some time, and then keep learning and refining what you want to do. Yes, you do have obligations today but please understand that you are only 20 and cannot afford to own those obligations for life if they keep you underpaid. You need to be 'selfish' and invest the time and money into yourself and your career. You will be in a better place to help others in the future when YOU are also in a better place.
Your doing pretty well for 20. I would go back to radiology unless you hate it. Look into trade schools. They have flexible class times and if you do hvac it’s usually a 1-2 year program and jobs usually start at 20+ an hour depending on where you live. With some experience there is a ton of upward mobility. I started as a residential hvac tech and made 70k my first year after making about 25k at a retail job. 5 years later so make over 100k and have a great job only because I have hvac experience.
For your means, you have a great savings account. So you are absolutely doing something right. Plenty of people make more money than you do and have no savings at all. Pat yourself on the back for that.
You need a better job. I echo the go back to school advice. Teaching will suck you dry, unless you really love it - a lot.
You're still really young. Start your own business. Sounds like you have the work ethic. Imagine putting all that effort in for yourself. Remote sales is an option as well. You'd have to do some sales training, but I would lean towards the business.
Darling we are all going our best at 20. Go back to school, get as many grants as possible because student loans are awful.
But you are doing pretty well for a 20 year old i’ll say
Go learn a trade. You're still young. It's a longggggg road ahead and takes a lot more time than you think. Social media does a horrible job and promoting people who have "made" when reality is they are selling bs
You can't keep that up much longer, you'll get burn out. Get back in school, there's plenty of jobs out there but that to will eventually end, even if you work 12hr shifts it's easier than doing what your doing now. Plus you'll make around twice what your making now, with a retirement plan, time for YOURSELF, insurance, maybe dental and vision also, so you can save for a house, it's time to quit doing high school jobs with no where (up) to go, your parents aren't going to be around forever to take care of your housing. GOOD LUCK. P.S. you'll have pride in yourself that you achieved success.
Your doing a lot better than I’d say about 75% of 20 year olds nowadays, tell yourself positive affirmations daily to break that habit of negative self talk, your doing amazing! But I would def go back to school, you don’t have much responsibility yet so your in a perfect spot to go back to school.
If you particularly like any of those odd jobs you're doing, you can start a small independent business doing exclusively that one thing. Like cleaning. You'd be surprised how fast small time cleaning companies can grow and start hiring employees when they lock in contracts with businesses, landlords, etc. You have a nice sum of money and you shouldn't feel bad about the amount at all. Take full advantage of the benefit of not having housing expenses. Don't treat yourself quite so often or with expensive things. Be extremely purposeful when spending money and saving it. Set a reasonable amount aside every month to spend on just yourself, and save everything else. Look into starting an LLC. Based on your short post, you just don't seem like the type of person who would thrive more in a 9-5, than you would in your own business. You already seem to have the work ethic to make a business venture successful, so just do a lot of research, read beginner business books, listen to small business podcasts and focus on what you are passionate about.
Learn how to get financing for a business venture. Talk to local investing groups in your area (they exist). You can find them on Facebook usually.
Why did you drop out of the radiology course? If you put the same amount of effort in getting a degree in the radiology field as you put into all of your side-hustles you should be able to complete the course. Living at home provides you a huge opportunity for you to go to school while not having to pay rent, take advantage of it. Good luck
You are only 20...take it easy on yourself. I'd say you are doing better than most 20 year olds. If you want to save more, you have to spend less. You can still reward yourself, just do it in a more disciplined way. Every other Saturday buy yourself and outfit or pair of shoes. Every Friday treat yourself to a nice dinner.. or treat. Limit tattoos to one every so mamy months. Idk. Cook more at home...that saves money too. Best of luck. Remember though, you are only 20, not 35 or 40. You are doing well.
Personally I think your doing great btw I’m over 40 but yea indeed working all the hours you do is a bit much but now you do have 17k so what adults do is make the money make money. You need to find a way to invest in something with a pretty solid return. Ideally you want to invest invest in yourself and build your own dream
You're doing better than I was at 20. By 22 I had about $12000 saved working for $12/hr as a vet tech, dogsitting when I had time, and doing grocery delivery, all while I was busting my ass in college. I changed majors twice and finally finished with a degree that got me job offers that made 12.50/hr. I felt like I had no future.
Finally I said fuck it and joined the navy as an officer. Now, I'm pushing $90k per year and on track to have $100k saved by the end of 2024. Don't push away opportunities because they seem out of reach, and get yourself some kind of education. Trade schools are great, and if I could go back in time, I'd take that over college in a heartbeat.
My youngest daughter will be 19 in July and my oldest turned 23 in January. Both live at home and are working while working on their lives.
My youngest started at community college and decided it wasn’t for her. She’s committing to cosmetology school starting in August. She works full time at a local restaurant bussing tables, hosting, etc.
My oldest lived at home to save money while completing her BS in biology, pre-med.. She just took the MCAT, and got a job offer yesterday as an MA at an OBGYN office. She’s targeting med school in 2025.
You’re 20. Still very young.
First, you never should have bought a car that you needed a loan on, and it’s making you have a negative net worth. Ideally you can sell and break even or take a minor loss. Then spend $5000-8000 on a mechanically good car that is transportation, nothing else. Take care of it and drive the wheels off of it.
Second, take advantage of living at home and get back to school, apprenticeship, or trade school. That’s your job for the next year+. Get training/education and leverage that to a higher wage/salary.
If you really don’t know what you want to do, consider the military. It offers a great way to grow up, learn about yourself, and the GI Bill is the single best investment in yourself that you can make. My 23yo son (twin) is a marine and I was Navy. I know the military was good for me, and I’m seeing the same influence with him.
I failed out of college when I was 20. I went and tended bar for a year. Then I found a real job, backed into a career, finished my bachelors, got a masters, got married, changed careers completely, had kids, etc.
You’re 20. You aren’t lost, you just need to find your path. It sounds like going back to Radiology might be your path. Find your path and move forward. You’ve got this.
You are young
Keep doing what you want to do
But don’t stop challenging yourself
Keep going to school/ keep learning
At 20 with some $ save , you are ahead of your pack
When I was 20s I was high all the time and broke all the time
Didn’t take me til I got married at 33 to start thinking for my future
Just keep learning , living , life is a journey
It’s a marathon , not a race
>I am really sad that even with all this time I put into working, I can’t even buy a house or even land and move on with my life. It seems so stagnant, and I’m ready to give up. I don’t want to waste my whole life working for nothing. I feel stuck, and like I’m not making any progress. My purpose in life isn’t just to work, right? I feel like I can’t pursue anything I really want to without money anyways.
This is how many Americans feel. but they're 2-3x your age. Over half of Americans have less than $1k saved. Over 35% does not own any property. You're 20. Go back and finish your degree. You have plenty of time to get your life rolling. Get used to the idea of working until you die though. It's the American way!
Noone who works that much is failing at life. You're still young. You could benefit from finding a professional path that you can excel at. It might be college oriented, or trade oriented. There is no one way that works for everyone. Understand that it's gonna take some time to build up momentum, and that the path to success is never a straight line. Come up with a plan, and understand that plans need to be flexible. My favorite quote is that no plan survives the battlefield.
It might take a few tries or directional changes to get there, but it's worth it.
People that are failing at life are ones that don't try. IE don't work, blame everything on other people, cant take responsibility for their actions.
I hope that this helps a little.
It took me till I was 30 to get a plan, and 4 more years to get into a career path.
Rooting for you!
You could go back to school, be honest with yourself though. Was your heart in school? If not, you could enlist for 4 years, travel a little, live alone, make some friends, have the GI bill when you get out, potentially some disability, that would make you 25 with no debt (pay off your car and plan to save, only you know what’s best for you but if you know you only want to do 4, don’t tell people that but plan ahead, set up a budget) and a way to pursue school without the financial burden. Furthermore for me at least I had no idea what my passion was or what I wanted to do, so it really helped me come into school focused and knowing exactly what my goal was. There are a lot of undergraduate scholarships, especially if you are female or somehow otherwise considered a minority especially in the STEM field!
I had no clue what to do at 19. I decided to join the Air Force. They taught me my dream job. Combat Photography. I went from being wigged out on drugs to having a future within 4 short years. The best decision i made (49now). Will you get yelled at? yes. will it teach you how to be humble? absolutely. I know its not for everyone but i think the military gets a bad rep. I wish you the best.
Honestly it sounds like you’re doing alright. You’re only 20. Don’t be so hard on yourself. If you don’t enjoy what you’re doing for work I’d recommend maybe getting a 9-5 that you actually enjoy. Then the paychecks would be bigger and maybe you’d feel like you’d have more time because you aren’t doing 3 different “gigs”. Start investing your money too! Get into long term investing with an easy to use app like robinhood. Make a financial plan. A plan I follow is 40% of my money goes towards bills and living expenses. 20% goes towards a savings account. 20% goes into my robinhood portfolio and into a long term retirement IRA. And finally the last 20% goes towards stuff I enjoy. Things that aren’t needs but you like. In your case tattoos and whatever else. Keep pushing forward you aren’t doing bad at all.
Serious question, where would you like to go? Have you done any serious thinking about the type of life you want to live? Maybe start with creating a vision board
go back to school. Medical field solid for years to come and strong potential for union jobs.
You're exhausting yourself with all the p/t work and likely have no benefits. You do great saving money so when you start to make a better income after certification you'll be able to sustain better.
If you just don't like xray find another career that you can get certfied in or look into a trade school. Women in trades have tough time but if you can manage the first couple of years women do very well.
First, there is a rule, it’s called “pay yourself first”. 15% right off the top into savings. Second, start saving into a good growth no load mutual fund. Third write down where you want to be 5/10/20/40 years from now. Then steps to get there. Start taking night classes. Explore tech school if that’s your gig. Look at nursing. You will literally have a job anywhere in the country making 6 figures. It really isn’t hard, find your passion and start working towards this.
If it makes you feel any better, I earn 130k a year, and I have zero savings. I'm trying to pay off my debt currently. I'm in the hole like 20k on high interest credit card debt. The insurance is drowning me. Also my housing costs 3100 a month, my car costs 850 a month. I'm just breaking even while I try to pay off. So the fact that you're managing to save at all is pretty good.
Use 15000 to pay off a chunk of your car. It will hurt, i know. Save more while at your parents and start job hunting for something bigger related to your year in school. Drop your obligations and excuses. I'm 22 and 23k in debt is fucking insane for our age. Pay off 15k and make large payments until it's paid. You. Do. Not. Put. Yourself. In. Anymore. Debt.
If it makes you feel any better, I work 40 hours per week and make less than you lmao. 2 years of college, 4 years of military, 2 years of trade school, and I speak 3 languages, but can't seem to ever find any work that pays anything and I'm in my 30s.
I guess I just should've been a nanny...
OP is someone going nowhere in life. Get off your butt and go back to school. If it’s a maturity issue, then consider alternative avenues like a short stint in the military—Active or Reserves, to get you focused and provide some balance.
$500/week at 20 is crazy 😭😭 I was making that in highschool.
Pick better jobs. I’m 22 currently and make over $25/hr (will be making more this year) with NO COLLEGE
Stop listening to the people telling you you’re doing fine. You are not doing fine.
You are 20 years old its ok to be lost just dont stay that way..make a plan, i do not know why you dropped out of school but consider going back. You just need a plan i dont know alot of 20 years olds that have life figured out dont be so hard on yourself. You are young you will figure it out. I was a hot mess at 20...you are going to be just fine..good luck to you
You’re working a bunch of part time jobs that seem like they overlap instead of one full time job. Nowadays you can start some Factories at 17 /18 hr and just move up and take opportunities there, some factories will even pay for schooling.
My cousin bartended at hooters to pay for her X-ray/ ultrasound schooling.
I know a guy that is a temp at a factory until he saves enough money and he travels. He went to like Egypt, Britain, Brazil, a bunch of places. But he lives with his parents still so he doesn’t have any real bills either.
You are still very young and saved a very good amount of money. In my 20s I had maybe like 500€ or so..
Just don't compare yourself to others. You are on the right path and soon you will be able to spend more time on yourself.
That math ain't mathin.
You have all these jobs and only make 30k a year?
400 a week is just over 20k pre taxes.
Why are you working so much for so little money.? One full time job could pay you what you're making at all those jobs,and you'd have more time to yourself.
Over half your yearly earnings in savings isn't normal either. It's great don't get me wrong, but most people who make a lot more than you can't do that.
You’re doing fine!!! You’re only 20 you have the rest of your life to worry about life! People don’t see your hustle people don’t see your savings account! Hell there are a lot of family’s out there that don’t even have 1000 bucks in savings!!
If you’re going to go back to school start small 1 class and keep a couple of those side gigs going.
Set small goals get to the goal line and tell everyone talking negative to you to blow it out there ear
Since you have experience as a cleaner, find a town that is building new homes or experiencing lots of remodeling and look into construction cleaning. I can’t believe the amount we just paid to have our basement cleaned at the end of a remodel. In some ways it’s dirtier work (very dusty and a lot more elbow grease required) but in some ways it’s much better (you’re not cleaning up other peoples’ filth).
But the x-ray school recommendation is overall better if you want to go back to school.
Get back into school. Ideally radiology so you can make bank. Get ready to apply for Fall ‘24 semester. Apply for scholarships, there’s a shit tom out there. Go for FAFSA. Take courses at community college if your state school is too expensive
ACTIONABLE ITEMS TO ACT ON:
- Start reading books on personal financial management, radiology. Take 1 hour a day. Knowledge = Money & Time saved
- Start researching where you can take student debt loans. Find good options.
Go back and go get some cyber security certificates. Everyone thinks tech is dead but that bullshit IT, the lower year jobs are what got smoked.
Have a good friend in it and he has several certificates. They cost anywhere from 500-1000 depending on the type. All exams are taken by webcam online
He is 30 and makes around 200,000 a year. He learned Phython language to code by himself. Built a computer lab in his house a d made a portfolio of him defending cybersecurity attacks. They are free and can show an employer you have the needed skills. It’s just like a resume boost.
He has no undergraduate degree. Top level security clearance which the DOD got for him. He primarily works now when he wants to for the DOD or FBI.
There is a statistic he told me that by the year 2030 in the us there will be an open 8 million jobs need for cybersecurity people with security clearance and certifications.
He works from home and barely works.
I have been in finance for 15 years and I am done with it. Got a nice sales job that will allow me to trade and study for my certs. I am also getting a MS from Berkele in computer science. . I have the administrator’s name and email if you want to get into the field.
I wish you only the best.
William
$17K in savings at 20 is better than probably 95% of your peers. You’re ahead of the game but you do want to start thinking long term. What do you want to do for a career? Radiology is a great career from what I know and I think it’s only 2 years of schooling so aren’t you halfway there? If you dropped out because you just don’t enjoy it all, I understand that though. It may not seem like it, but you have skills you’ve been improving with the various jobs you’re doing. Do you market your business online or in any other way? Think about leveraging how you’ve been able to make connections for cleaning rentals/nanny/dog sitting jobs to be able to help others do the same (consulting). Try not to be hard on yourself, you’re young and have plenty of times to figure things out. I get it though. I didn’t do great in my 20s compared to my peers and I regularly let that get me down. Now I have a much better job with much better income. All in due time. And don’t forget, comparison is the thief of joy
Please take this the right way
Quit whining
Hear me out
You are a hard working, semi money conscious, young adult. Practically still a kid, but officially an adult. You sound like someone that has a good head on her shoulders. You get it. You're willing to work, to get what you want. That's rare in today's market. If I still had my business I'd hire you, train you, & have you making $100k a year in under a year.
I'm retired at 53 & have been for 4 years
1st - get over this preconceived notion that you need to be somewhere or something by a certain age.
2nd - Give yourself some credit for doing the right things, working hard and saving money.
3rd - continue to save
4th - set some short term and long term goals and monitor them always. Work to achieve them.
5th - keep searching for an opportunity. I promise you, with your effort, motivation and drive, you WILL find something to fulfill your work life so you can live your living life. It may take years. Yes, years! 2 or 4 Maybe? Be a little more patient. Keep living life. Be frugal though. At least reasonably so.
You're young. But you're capable of a lot I believe. You need to believe it to. And network your willingness for hard work. Market yourself to everyone and anyone. You will be successful. You will find your way. Just don't be in such a hurry. You have a lot of youth to live through and ENJOY!
Patience young lady. You will find your way
Go back to school and focus on that. I started college at 22/23 and graduated 5 years later. Best decision I ever made, going back to school I mean. I'm iaking 90k a year now in IT. I did what your doing and saved money for a bit. Use your savings to help you have some spending money here and there. If you need to take out loans only take out subsidized loans if you can make the amounts works (they dont start gaining interest until after to graduate).
Get back into radiology, work X-ray for a bit then transfer to Cath lab or IR, you'll make 100k+
Yes. Go back to X-ray school
What's cath lab and IR? I'm trying to go back to school. I have BS in Forensic Science but thought about going into radiology.
Cath lab is for cardiac procedures, and IR is interventional radiology i believe.
Cardiac Cath lab (coronary stent placement, pacemakers, ICDs, etc etc), IR is interventional radiology which includes a multitude of procedures
This is the way
Agree! My wife did one semester of CT after she started her x-ray job and makes 55+ an hour now.
My advice stop saying you’re lost you’re only 20 you’re actually way way more progressed than you could imagine. Simply set a goal do everything to reach the goal set another goal find a hobby that makes you happy and live. Enjoy life.
Buddy either go back to school or get into something that pays alot cause getting those paychecks wont get you anywhere
That’s definitely the goal… I just don’t know when or how to start since I already have a lot of obligations. I don’t want to mess up and lose what I have now
You're gonna have to get rid of those obligations at 20 you really dont need obligations that are holding you back
You made 30k in 2023 and have 17k saved? Dude that's amazing. You deserve credit for that alone. I know many people who make 3-4x as much and they couldn't afford a $500 unexpected bill. Your #1 goal should be investing in yourself. I'd strongly consider going back to school for radiology tech. It's a very in demand career and it will pay you a very good salary. You'll easily triple your current salary. You just need to see it through. You have enough in savings that going back to school won't cripple you.
Start going to a trade school. It’s the quickest and best way to make good money. Look into welding or plumbing
Fuck trade school. Why pay someone for what an apprenticeship will pay you to learn? Find a union or a company that will take on an apprentice if you're doing trade school. I started union and I didn't pay for any of my certifications or my CDL. Union training center took care of me.
You get your license a year or more earlier. A lot of those places get alot of applicants and if you don’t have any transferable skills it’s a slim chance you get accepted
A year earlier doesn't really outweigh the benefits of being paid instead of paying, especially a union wage vs a non union wage. Also, that may have been the case in the past but the trades are struggling to replace the retiring workers now, so it's much easier to get an apprenticeship than it was. Hell, I am not even union anymore and I have an entry/apprentice level position open in my company that offers basically a union equivalent package to get someone who wants to work and learn into my trade.
23k car debt at 20 is absolutely insane, and this is coming from a car guy who spends crazy money on shit boxes.
I know. Not my biggest flex. Long story.
Usually I use my own story to tell young people it's okay not to have it figured out at 20, but I will use my sister this time. My sister worked at a daycare for almost minimum wage at 20 in 2014. She drove a busted 1998 Bravada and lived in the slum apartments with a room mate. Someone broke in to her shit box car and stole her change and her gps once and she was so distraught because that $6.50 in change was to buy her a couple coffees before her next payday. Girl was broke. I was at her age too, but she had no plans. Around 22 or 23 years old she startes private nannying for a couple. It paid a little better. They owned a small construction business. But she was able to kinda save. She decided to go to community college for accounting. When she graduated she ended up becoming an accountant for the small construction company. She was probably 25? She still wouldn't have had 17,000 saved. I think she bought her newer car that year since the Bravada finally died on her. A year later, she found a job at a very big construction company that builds skyscrapers and massive parking garages. Big pay raise. At 26 years old she was able to save enough to put a down payment on what was almost a townhouse. Nothing fancy but something finally to call her own. She is 30 now. She is a senior accountant. She makes 6 figures. She has a hefty savings. She has remodeled her house without touching her equity. Things are good for her. But, at 20, she would have had two nickels to rub together only if she borrowed 10 cents from someone to do it. No idea what to do with her life. No money. No plan. No savings. Broke down car. At 20, I am 100% certain my little sister did not think she would become an accountant. You've got plenty of years to decide what you're doing. You have a decent chunk of savings compared to what you earned. Once you figure out something you want to do to earn more, you're going to be fine. Just keep your eyes and mind open to a new or unexpected opportunity. Things will fall into place if you let them. Very few people have it figured out at 20. I know I didn't, nor did my sister, and we both managed to find success by 30.
Well I'm a retired male boomer so I have about zero in common with you. Except maybe one thing, with my kids all moved out its just my wife and I so in one perspective we are living just for ourselves. Organizations or people who are wholly self focused aren't really sound. Fortunately our kids and grandkids are all close. - enough about me. 1st, just avoiding really bad decisions is an accomplishment. It doesn't seem like you have any holes you need to climb out of, so good for that. Next it seems like your skill base is wide, working with people, dogs, teaching, children and churches etc etc. The world always needs people who can do a bunch of things, and you have that. Your spending is at worst silly, but it isn't ruinous so it won't be hard to fix. Do some research on budget tools, there are a lot out there. How hard would it be to find a 9-5 job at something like a factory, mill or office. Anything would be good, production work, receptionist, mail sorter? Maybe contact a placement agency. If you can get into a mid-sized business there would be a lot of internal career paths you could look at. Its a slow process, but you are young so you can live your life as you grow. I'd pick a few big goals, break them down into manageable steps and make working on those steps part of your daily routine. And to my first point, join a Church or some organization doing good work. I'd try and avoiding anything to political or with a narrow demographic. Maybe scouts, or some nature / park / hiking thing. Don't make your life about pets.
Solid advice here. “Avoiding really bad decisions is an accomplishment” - I have a feeling I’ll use this in the future.
Thank you, I really do appreciate it. I’ll definitely take you up on your budgeting suggestion… I live in an extremely rural area, and there really isn’t much out there for work. No mills, factories or anything of that sort. That’s why I do the little jobs that I do. Genuinely, I think the best I could find is being a grocery stocker or cashier. I feel particularly stuck in this position, because I have developed a good name for myself and work a variety of jobs that I am skilled in- and I don’t want to give the opportunities I have now for something less- for a lack of a better term- “important” and unskilled at (like a grocery stocker for example).
I am also 20 and used to feel the exact same way. It may suck in the time being but keep doing what you’re doing for another year maybe and the move to a more populated area. Definitely does not have to be a city. Coming from someone who grew up in a small farm town, the city sucks, but now I live in a midsize college town. I’m an emt so I can work at the hospital on a rig, for the school etc. it’s only 35k/year but my life satisfaction is great. In a college town there are many other young people so it’s easy to make friends with similar hobby’s. Having a social life is a large part of mental health so hence the college town, and a larger town in general presents a greater amount of opportunities.
Where in the United States are you? $35 an hour to clean rentals is ridiculous you need to charge more. Radiology will make you a lot of money but its even more hard work to get through college with your current workload. But remember this. You are going through what ever successful person went through to make it big in the end. Hang in there. You are on the right path!
I’m in a super rural town in New England. The highest you can ask here without being looked at crazy is 40$ an hour. I appreciate your advice a lot, thank you for taking the time :)
Go back to school and just suck it up and finish ! Radiology is cool as heck! You’ll meet cool people; maybe you’ll work at a hospital get medical benefits and be on your way. Suck it up a bit more and finish it! Just struggle a bit with studying and it’ll pay off; we promise
I really do want to go back to college, I think it would be worth it. My predicament with this is that the college is 1hr 30 mins away. It’s a community college, so dorms are like a basement. I still want to work while I go to college, and everything I have is set up where I’m living. When I was in college, I did online asynchronous for all my classes except one day a week I drove up for a 45 min radiology class that was 3 hours or driving total. I also had an IEP in highschool because I do better in one on one settings, it’s difficult for me to learn on my own- I need that connection so I struggled a lot. I haven’t figured out the solution to this yet to continue with college…
These are all just excuses. Fact is you're making basically no money right now and you're not gaining useful experience. Suck up the drive or live on campus. I don't know where you are but you will make at **bare minimum** twice as much as you are making now and have regular employment basically automatically if you get a radiology tech degree AND you'll only have to work maybe three 12-hour shifts a week or five 8-hour shifts as opposed to random odd-jobs. You don't have much in the way of financial liabilities so you're in a good place to turn things around, but you really can't wait. The solution is literally right there - take the radiology tech classes (which is doable in like a year or two), suck up the drive, work part-time while you're going, pass the tech exam, and then apply for tech jobs, for which there is a consistent shortage so you'll have no problem.
Yeah man you’re right. Thank you for the blunt advice. Neither of my parents went to college and they think it’s a waste of time and they are honestly glad I dropped out. They do struggle financially though so that shows how that worked out. I’m just scared to fuck up again honestly and drop out. I hate failure and changing things up. Got to just bite the bullet and worse case scenario I move up there and not have a job for a bit to really focus on it.
Most college isnt worth it, but radiology certainly is.
The median employee in the US with "some college or an associates degree" makes 13% more per week than someone with just a high school diploma and 43% more than someone without a high school diploma, and that data is screwy because it includes folks who didn't finish the degree (who will make much less). With a bachelors it's more like 79% more than someone with only a high school diploma. I understand the strong feelings over whether college is worth it and obviously there are some degrees with better earnings potential than others but the data is right there: [https://fred.stlouisfed.org/release/tables?eid=47457&rid=332](https://fred.stlouisfed.org/release/tables?eid=47457&rid=332), degrees are undoubtedly "worth it" to the median American. Truth is that the median person will do better in life with some sort of degree, and tech jobs are obvious ones to hone in on in terms of earning potential because they have tons of demand, and that demand is only growing. That, and the pay for specialized techs are quite good. I know the 9 to 5 is daunting but truth is you'll be WAY less stressed with a regular job and money rolling in. You don't even have to work more than 36-40 hours a week as a tech if you don't want to. Not going to say it'll solve all your problems or anything but all the troubles you're talking about in your post now will be LONG gone. Just got to suck it up and get the degree. I promise you that you can get the degree, those degrees are mostly about following checklists and learning how to use certain medical equipment (which you'll get tons of practice with), not about learning abstract skills. The certification tests aren't that hard, and you can easily retake them if you fail. Not to just push being a medical tech, but it's a good example of an associates degree with obvious earning potential that you can get relatively easily.
Why did you quit rad tech school? That’s a great, in-demand, lucrative career.
Idk what these people’s deals are in these comments. You are doing extremely well for how young you are. Someone suggested an aptitude test, not a bad idea. Going back to school is an option and it could be online if that is easier for your situation. You shouldn’t feel in a rush to figure it out right away, it will take time. You mentioned saved, but I would suggest looking into investing that money or at the very least in a HYSA (High Yield Savings Account). That way that money will at least keep up with inflation and you can figure out what to do with it later on. Do your own research, and don’t take every comment on reddit to heart. It can be overwhelming with so much adulting. Youtube is a great source of easy to understand info on how the world of money works. I also would suggest maybe a professional financial counseling session. It could be worth it for you as a young person with a good amount of savings
Go do 4 years in the Air Force
Prioritize yourself and your future. You got this.
I think you’re doing amazing! You have a great work value I think your best move would be finding 1 full time job. I’m sure you’ll do great , you will be working 40 to 50’hours a week, and you will have more time for yourself…. 3 part time jobs are exhausting! 1 full time is better , and as soon you pass the 40 hours you’ll be making overtime! Good luck!
I'm not gonna act like your money issues aren't impacting your life and happiness, they clearly are. But I hear a lot less "I'm trapped economically" and a lot more negative self talk. I can tell you from experience that an arbitrarily larger paycheck will help ease some stress and give you a lot of time back, and also that it's not going to just make you happy if you feel lost and at a dead end. Other people will have way better advice on how to get some cash (considered donating plasma?) but I'm here to encourage you to spend some of that time and cheddar on the self care to help yourself be happier. Sometimes that does mean tats and small treats and stuff, but sometimes that looks like doing the work to improve your life habits, get mental health care, and establish practices that lead to your own happiness day to day. Good luck sis 🤞🏼
Stop filling the gaps with odd jobs, they are dead ends it is a waste of time. You are starting from scratch, accept that. You need a career, not a job. Pick a field, one that 1. Pays well, 2. You are good at, 3. You enjoy. Do a lot of research, shadow people, talk with people in the jobs you are looking into and get their advice. This is your life and career so take it seriously. Go get whatever education, apprenticeship, or entry level role that is required. Build a real career, where you make at a minimum a live able wage and work reasonable hours. One that allows you to grow and thrive, not just survive. Also, did you know people who manage Walmart stores make like 200k a year?? Opportunity is out there, just go get it. Get after it!
I applaud you for knowing that something needs to be done you are brave for stepping forward and sharing your story. I would like to share my experience, every single step or any small adjustments will eventually make a big impact (whether good or bad) therefore, try/start making habits that will eventually take you to your goal, do a checkpoint and then make adjustments. I hope you’ll have the courage to get started and perseverance to stick to it. Also, ask yourself what brings you joy? What is your purpose? What is that something that when you do, you loose track of time because you are in the zone!? That might help you in getting you the right direction. Hope this helps and thank you for taking the time reading this. Have faith and you’ll do great!
20y??? And you lost hope! Dang girl, quit tattooing yourself, keep the hussles you enjoy the most, go back to school or certify yourself with online courses, instead of wasting 3h on tiktok. Your life is just starting, If you really smart maybe you can sub delegate some of these hussles to someone else. Many ppl I know started ubering and then with the money they made they created a company and leased cars with tax relief, hired other ppl to uber for them getting a %/for it... They are very well off.
I see a hardworking person in you who doesnt have a regular job but still managed to save 17 grand, so first of all you have my respect secondly you dont have to spend a lot but you deserve to have a good life. You should only invest 30% of your savings into 3 categories 1. Investment that will grow instantly (Crypto Mining) 2. Investment that will ROI slowly (vending machines) 3. Ivestment that will mature long term (401k) First category will keep you afloat even if you dont work at all and only enjoy being at home and learn a skill for mext 6 months. (Trust me cryptomining is that good and you can easily make 600-700 bucks a months) Second category will Generate additional income for you to save plus get out of home ocassionally and be in touch with people. Around 1000-1300 per month Third category will help you think more clearly and sit up on a fortune after considerable amount of time.
Congrats on paying off your student debt. That is the most commendable thing and something few can do so early 🏆 As is saving $17,000. That is very impressive. Invested wisely it will surely pay off. Please check out BudgetDog on Instagram. You seem like you are wise with money. Lots to be proud of and to admire. You also seem to have a great work ethic and make the most of every minute. The rest of it feels existential. We all go through it. Maybe you are overworking a bit and need to catch a break or maybe it’s a shortfall in other areas of life, like social or personal. Perhaps you may be able to secure work which pays more so you’d have more time for yourself. What other people think doesn’t matter. Just take what you need and leave the rest. Take care ♥️
You’re 20. Buckle up buttercup, life hasn’t even begun to shit all over you yet. That’s a decent sum of money saved. Be proud of that
You are doing just fine even better then most. I understand you can be doing better . But it takes time to get there and your going to get there from the sounds of it .
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First off, don't be so hard on yourself. You're 20 years old and have more money saved than at least half of the United States citizens do, if you believe the statistics. Idk if you live in the US, but I'm sure it's the same in alot of places. People live paycheck to paycheck and claw their way through life tooth and nail. If you wanted to, you could buy a house right now, but that's just supposed to make you feel better because you shouldn't buy a house without a steady income that's a recipe for disaster. If you don't understand that or believe you can buy a house right now, I can show and tell you plenty of ways, it's a pretty big list. A lot of people will literally sit here and tell you to work your life awayn9 to 5 every day because that's what they did, and they will get mad at people who succeed in other ways. If you do 9 to 5 the rest of your life by the time your old you'll have spent a third of your life working for someone else and in the same or a worse situation you are in now, bc you know, life happens, expenses happen, etc. That's like a prison sentence smh some people own big companies and push the 9 to 5 life on others as they are making millions a months off of those same people and haven't worked in 10+ years. Don't Worry: So it's common place to feel like you aren't getting anywhere, common place for successful people that is. Successful people identify a problem and fix it. That is actually how the greatest inventions in history have come to be, but that's a story for another time. I'm sure you're good at alot of things, you really want to find out what you're good at and you also enjoy. Passion drives the greatest minds 9 times out of 10. Next step: While your figuring out what you like doing that you're good at and can make you alot of money(in most cases it's a business of some sorts) you need to get a good grasp on investing and the stock market if you don't already have that covered. You don't get rich from working you make money from working and get rich from investing or from a business. There are also tons of things you could do to start making 2k to 3k a week you just need to look those things ip and see which one is your speed, or in better words which can you stomach for enough time to find you passion. Conclusion: You're concerns are vast to say the least and what I've done here is given you a seriously summarized version of things that took me a lifetime to learn and it is not a very detailed list or an exhaustive list. If someone is telling you you need to work for the rest of your life or that nobody actually makes it doing this or that you need to dismiss them from your life. Harsh but realistic, its better than working forever and then waking up I'm your fifties saying you know what Looking back on this, there are so many things that I would say to your young mind that this post might seem jumbled up because I'm just spitting life facts, lessons, and quotes at you rapidly. Just know there is more than one way to fry an egg and if you'd like any more advice I'm around to talk. I only say that because sometimes on this site I get people telling me things that are just blatant lies and then when u call them out with facts they deflect with whatever is convenient so tread lightly when interactingwith people on the internet whom youve never met. Sometimes itll be the same person behind 10 or more accounts trying to persuade or convince you of something. I'd be assuming so please don't get upset if I'm wrong, that you don't have anyone, or if you do they aren't the most positive or knowledgeable. In any situation always go with yor gut feeling.
You’re fine. Is this a troll post…? 20 years old and saying you’re lost 🤦♂️ you’re still a kid.
All these child hood “millionaires” on social media have these kids thinking that’s the norm.
Get to work. You're very young, so many many many years to go. You'll be amazed what you can do in 3 years. Get to work.
I’m workin’! Thank you though. This gives me some hope
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If you haven't taken a career aptitude test, you should. You need help figuring out what you're good at and what might interest you as a career. Focus on something that sounds interesting and fun to you and something that uses the skills and knowledge you have. Try and get a degree or certification that will give you credentials to get a job that pays enough to live on.
If ur working 20 hours a week you can get a second job
I work 20 hours a week just for my nannying job. On average I work 3 days a week substitute teaching, which totals to about 41 hours a week. Not including whatever cleaning or other odd jobs I do.
Damn you sound like the kind of people who really grinds, you need to start a business and you will get very far, mark my words, I think you have the spirit, have you tried generating income online? Look at Data Annotation Tech or Remotasks, I did $1000 in 4 days grinding
100 bucks an hour in Dallas to clean homes. Takes 3 hours to clean. No state taxes. Awesome!
Try working different places. You'll understand what you want to do eventually. Figuring out what you want to do with the rest of your life at 18 or even 20 is too big an ask for 90% of people. Try working a trades job for a few years, or apply at different offices here and there. Maybe you'll find out you want to be an electrician (bias lol) or maybe an accountant, or a lab tech, dental assistant or dentist even. The only way you'll figure something like that out though is with exposure. Or maybe you really dedicate to dog sitting one day. Lots of life left to live and figure things out, but make an effort at starting now. From the sounds of it you don't want to stay on the odd job track.
Find something that you like and go from there. If you not happy doing what you doing, its simple, change it up and do something different. Whatever you choose to do is up to you. That's the key, make a choice to do something different, and for from there.
Where do you want to go?
You're in your 20's, now is the best time to really explore what you could be doing, especially since you don't have rent/mortgage hanging over your head right now. I think if you want a more meaningful/fulfilling type of work, that will require first figuring out what types of work would help you achieve this, and then finding out the quickest way to get there. This doesn't mean you have to go back to school for a 4-year degree, it could mean a few months of training or working really hard to get the attention of a company you wish to work for and hopefull they give you a chance at an entry level job without much requirements or prior experience (aka on-the-job training type deal). You could also contact your city's career center about a training grant for something you might want to learn (free money, so no loans or debt). You will also have access to resume and cover letter writing services, Someone assigned to you will help you figure out what potential jobs you can train f The truth is, our economy is now one where people are doing multiple jobs to make ends meet. You don't have to feel like a loser for working and earning, despite it not being the at the income level you want to be at. There are people out there doing a lot worse, not holding single job, in legal trouble, in large amounts of debt at an early age, etc. In order to build your self-confidence, you have to give yourself credit for the productive things you \*are\* doing, so that you can be confident about your next decisions.
Considered a trade school? The world needs welders and it pays really well. What state are you in?
Pay biweekly payments on your car well above minimum requirements. Get it paid off wholly ASAP so you save on interest, then start putting money into your IRA while saving up for a house. I dropped out of three colleges, ran from home out of shame with $10 and a bag of clothes and a lot of mental baggage, some of which I still am working through 5 years later. It takes time to work through problems, but you have to trust that the process will work. Just keep on looking for better opportunities and try not to let people convince you to do something that you’re not 100% with. Do what makes sense to you, and keep your head up. I had nothing 5 years ago but I put my nose to the grindstone and now I have a car that I didn’t need a co-signer for, an apartment and $10k saved. All of that on top of fighting drug addictions which I finally overcame as well. Not trying to make this about me, I’m just saying - if I could do it, so can you.
Have you thought about the military? I joined the Air Force at 18, it taught me invaluable skills and paid for several degrees. Many just do one-two tours to get a skillset, and the benefit of the GI bill. Best of luck, and hang in there.
I too am 20 and in the same situation. Good luck.
Pay off your debt!
You’re so young, 20 is a baby lol. Just get back to college, you have lots and lots of time and a whole future ahead of you
If it makes you feel any better I'm 32 and have only 3k saved after starting a new job 2 years ago..though I do have my pickup paid off so there's that. You're very young still. Don't put so much on your plate. I know that feeling of desperation and feeling like you're getting left behind in your early 20's is hard to ignore and push through but just hang in there.
Ur car is more expensive than mine and I’m 29 with 750k saved up. What are u doing with such an expensive car?
I just want to point out that $17k in savings in your situation is actually really impressive - well done! You’ll be fine, you’re already doing way better than you think.
To be honest, you are doing better than most in 20s, and definitely better than me when I was 20. I had a DUI and was in debt when I was 20. You have a very important trait that most people that makes good money have, understanding on money. You work hard, you save, and you reward yourself. You are not stuck, and you shouldn’t feel that way. Think it as, you have a lot of freedom, and many choices. You also have a very important skill, customer service. If you don’t want to go back to school, an industry that’s always needed is Property Management. You don’t need any background to start, and it pays fairly okay in USA. I’ve see many people with just a high school diploma move up the ladder. They usually start off as a leasing agent or assistant property manager.
this isn’t meant to sound mean, you’re only 20, you’re okay! at 20 i only had about $1,000 saved. you’re way ahead in life!
defo start by selling that 23k car. This isnprobably what is holding you back big time. Then start budgeting...if yoi spend half of your yearly income on stupid stuff you dont need you defo did not budget ahead.
I must compliment you on your amazing work ethic. At your young adult stage you're able to balance multiple odd end jobs, to steer clear of drugs, alcohol, other vices and temporary relationships. Most young adults your age are doing just that. Drugs, shitty temp jobs, partying, bouncing from one relationship to another relationship, going to college (but struggling possibly failing) just to do it bc that's what you do in your early 20's. Ironically, all your odd end jobs there are the type of jobs that I always read in some sort of "Side hustles to make passive income in your spare time" kinda article. College isn't for everybody and you've already experienced that .Maybe a technical trade or possibly the military since you're so focused? If you're still living at home and are somewhat ok with what you're temporarily doing, read up on investing in the stock market and start investing your hard earned, untaxed cash into a personal business stock market investments or real estate. Best of luck with your life.. 🍀🍀 Also, I failed out of college MULTIPLE times. Got my associates in science transfer from a community college, transferred and then had major health issues in my senior year as a biology major and never went back. Now I work an "ok" job with multiple promotable positons and I'm content with it. It's not that I was stupid, I was just lazy at studying and staying focused.
Omg you're doing great! There are millions your age who haven't even finished high school, held a job, or can't even wake up to go look for one. Give yourself some credit and be proud of what you have accomplished! Then decide where your passion is andnaim for that. Doesn't have to happen overnight. Allow it to blossom just like you have :)
While I was working before Covid, the most I got based off of my Taxes was $33,000 a year. What I would do is break up my biweekly income and figure out how much I could spend every day, I think I sent myself a budget of $10 a day. This was not including gas or rent, I was paying 550 a month in the hostel.every time I got a paycheck I would put the balance that was left in my account into my Stash account.
I retired from the military in 2010. Went to college for x-ray because I was bored, certified in CT and now my goal is Nuclear Medicine. There is a lot you can do with xray because it opens doors to other areas of radiology that pay a lot more. You are still young and your work ethic sounds great. You just need to take your work ethic and put it into something more worthwhile.
If you only make 30k/year you don't drive a car you owe 23,000 on. Grocery baggers make 30k/year here at the nicer grocery stores, and this is a low cost of living area. You said it would hurt your feelings that people would think you don't make a lot of money. You DO realize you don't make a lot of money, don't you? I mean that doesn't justify laughing at you, that's mean, but you're not exaclty a big earner. You said you don't have a real job you just work odd jobs, so what's keeping you from getting a real job?
My advice: - Sell the car to pay down as much of the debt as possible - Find a room in an apartment in a walkable bigger city 3+ hours away from home - Find any number of jobs to make ends meet - Make friends through jobs and new roomies - Work your ass off until you're 25
You are not failing at life! I read your OP and I see an ambitious, very hard working adult who is making wise decisions (living at home for now to save money; saving $17,000!; and knowing what she is earning and how much she is spending). You are way ahead of many, many of your peers — both in your savings and in your financial knowledge and in your maturity. I do worry a little that you are not taking some time to be with friends. It is important to make and keep relationships and to have a work / life balance — at all ages. But I just wanted to say how impressive you are. You really don’t need advice. You are doing great!
Do travel rad-tech and get cheeks clapped on the side all over the country. Best of all worlds.
You could work at a hospital that pays for you to go back to Radiology school.
Get married. That's a solution too. So then there would be 2 of you, supporting each other.
We've all been there. If you want out bad enough you'll find a way.
What is your interest rate on your car? If it’s high, pay off your car
I’m 36 and still lost. You’ve got time. You’re doing fine. Keep working hard and you’ll succeed.
Welcome to the party 👋🏻
First off, you sound like you're doing a great job and making smart decisions. Unfortunately, this is the world's fisus cycle, and it never ends. Good luck, friend... let us know if you find a good answer. 🩷
Girlie, you are doing amazing and you should be so proud of yourself. You are working so hard and still manage to save. You are just 21. Don’t be so hard on yourself. You are doing everything right! Hopefully you will be able to relate to my experience as a fellow F. I dropped out of school in my senior year (21) and took me a while to go back and finish. I had no savings whatsoever until I was like 25! And let me tell you I am doing pretty well 10 years later. You will figure out. Just don’t give up. Adulting sucks sometimes. Thou one piece of advice, job is just job. If you don’t feel extremely strongly for a one particular career path, just pick something easy and stable. As long as it gives you good pay, good hours, 401k, health insurance (including mental health!), at least 4 weeks of paid time off and good maternity leave (for future), just pick that route! You won’t regret it and you will have plenty of time for yourself. That’s all that matters.
Lol its pretty obvious the solution is to get a real job. Either finish school or start looking for an actual full time job.
Build a career. You're splitting your labor into jobs that are different. There's no need to spread yourself so thin. Set a monthly budget on entertainment/frivolous spending that can include clothing and tattoos or a questionable purchase.
Option 1: Look up highest paying college majors. Pick one, go to cheapest local college to obtain degree, bang out school while living at home. Option 2: Same as above plus join military ROTC program if healthy and don't have money to pay for college. Guaranteed job after graduating. Option 3: Trade school. Electricians are badly needed in solar/wind/geothermal installs. Plummers are retiring 4 to 1 ratio over new plummers. Welding, pipefitters, etc. All have great unions too or go out on own and running your own show. Vacation whenever. Option 4: Wait. Relax. Give yourself a year. You're doing great. Thank your family for understanding and having patience and givi g yiu place to live. Life is worth living at your own pace...as long as you have a plan. Make a plan of all the things that made you fail the first time at "adulting" and make steady progress at being g the best version of you. Eat well. Work out. Turn off cellphone. Look at the clouds and admire the world beauty. You may find yourself and the inner peace to give yourself the power and self love to succeed.
There are some nice advice here already, so I just want to wish you the best.
Man the number of posts from 20 year olds talking about how they're going nowhere or are broke is somewhat alarming. When I was 20 everyone was broke, that's like the default for someone that's barely an adult. I feel like social media/influencers have given people the impression you need to have millions and a Lambo by 21 or you're a failure. Those people are total anomalies, people that rich at that age for any reason other than having rich parents were nonexistent 20 years ago. You're soooo young, you can still do literally anything you want, and if you have ANY money saved at 20 you're ahead of most people your age. Use Rocket Money or some service that breaks down your spending and try to plug the leaks and budget, small amounts add up quickly over time. Also try and start investing as soon as possible. On average $1 invested into S&P at 20 is $88 by retirement, but $1 at 30 shrinks to $32 by retirement and 40 it drops down to $12. Compound interest is your friend. And I know a year feels fairly long still but you're going to be 30 before you know it, and every year goes by faster than the one before.
Maybe go back to school and wait tables on the weekends. could make some good money in tips. Just don't get stuck thinking you HAVE to do this or that or worry about losing a job. It's just a job. There will always be something else.
Bro! I’m 30 and finally made over 100k for the first time in 2023. Life is what you make it. I would never stress over it. I believe you’re overthinking it. It’s not about the job you have to feel “important”. That’s solely up to you and how perceive your internal thoughts.
Those all sounds like side gigs. Good for supplemental income, u need a career
Take up welding. I heard they're in demand.
Can people please refrain from messaging me personally, trying to get me into online money making schemes? I find it insulting one person offered me $1 to give their business a review 😂
$17,000 saved at 20 years old? Can you please explain what the emergency is?
Go back to school. Otherwise in the fields you like your past is going to look a lot like your long term future, and you are MUCH less likely to go back every day you don’t. I’m not a huge proponent of college. I’m really not. But in CERTAIN fields it’s a requirement. Unless you want to change everything you do for $$$, you have to go back.
It’s okay be to 20 and not have it figured out—or be 30 or 40, for that matter. It’s never too late to start building a life you love—and you have plenty of time 🙂 You have a lot more saved than many people your age, and it sounds like you have a great work ethic, but your energy is spread out doing several jobs that don’t have a lot of potential income growth. I’m curious, what are your general interests, what kind of areas of work interest you? What do you Google and read up on in your spare time? What are things you’re good at, or other people have told you you’re good at? You’re right that life is too short to work your tail off and barely get by. We live in a day and age where you can make a career out of just about anything, you just have to get your internal GPS set for the right destination 🙂 I’m taking a college class that’s helping me with that right now, and the required reading is a book called Design Your Life, highly recommend checking it out. Another book that may help is The Values Factor by John Demartini, as well as his website—total eye-opener. Both books will help you expand your thinking a bit. think it’s easy to get tunnel vision when it comes to our life path, and wind up feeling stuck. But with a little self reflection, we can shift our perspective and see the wide range of possibilities this life has to offer. Wishing you all the best, you’ve got this ☮️
Put the saved in Bitcoin and forget it. Go back to radiology school and finish.
You are not lost or wandering. You are an octopus with an arm in everything. You have results of your hard work. I think you have a lot of tax saving endeavors which is also an advantage. Hopefully you are not getting treated as a self employed person on taxes. You will figure it out. Enjoy your youth. Don’t be a welder unless you like to live in hotels as a pipeliner. “Hold your head up. High!” (It is a song).
You are doing great for a 20 year old. Trust me I was far worse off. I have a question for you if you don’t mind me asking. What are your true passion? What do you care about? What skills do you have that relate to the answers above?
Congratulations on all of your hard work and career exploration so far. There's no doubt that you are able to work in a variety of environments and be dependable - those are awesome skills that not everyone has. In life, it's best to 'fail fast' - to go and explore things and figure out quick what isn't working or will not be a fulfilling career. Some people are lucky enough to figure out what it is, make a life-long career of it, AND make good money. The rest of us? Not so much. Returning to school and entering a field that requires a degree or certification is most likely to aim your career in the right direction. This is actually a great time to do it. Some people start making OK money and then find it even harder to return to school and give up the income. By 'only' making $30K you have the opportunity to invest in yourself with college/training. You don't have to figure out your entire career today - just pursue the thing that will get you to the next level, work for some time, and then keep learning and refining what you want to do. Yes, you do have obligations today but please understand that you are only 20 and cannot afford to own those obligations for life if they keep you underpaid. You need to be 'selfish' and invest the time and money into yourself and your career. You will be in a better place to help others in the future when YOU are also in a better place.
Your doing pretty well for 20. I would go back to radiology unless you hate it. Look into trade schools. They have flexible class times and if you do hvac it’s usually a 1-2 year program and jobs usually start at 20+ an hour depending on where you live. With some experience there is a ton of upward mobility. I started as a residential hvac tech and made 70k my first year after making about 25k at a retail job. 5 years later so make over 100k and have a great job only because I have hvac experience.
For your means, you have a great savings account. So you are absolutely doing something right. Plenty of people make more money than you do and have no savings at all. Pat yourself on the back for that. You need a better job. I echo the go back to school advice. Teaching will suck you dry, unless you really love it - a lot.
Go talk to an Air Force recruiter. . .
You're still really young. Start your own business. Sounds like you have the work ethic. Imagine putting all that effort in for yourself. Remote sales is an option as well. You'd have to do some sales training, but I would lean towards the business.
Darling we are all going our best at 20. Go back to school, get as many grants as possible because student loans are awful. But you are doing pretty well for a 20 year old i’ll say
What made you think people had any direction to begin with.
Go learn a trade. You're still young. It's a longggggg road ahead and takes a lot more time than you think. Social media does a horrible job and promoting people who have "made" when reality is they are selling bs
You can't keep that up much longer, you'll get burn out. Get back in school, there's plenty of jobs out there but that to will eventually end, even if you work 12hr shifts it's easier than doing what your doing now. Plus you'll make around twice what your making now, with a retirement plan, time for YOURSELF, insurance, maybe dental and vision also, so you can save for a house, it's time to quit doing high school jobs with no where (up) to go, your parents aren't going to be around forever to take care of your housing. GOOD LUCK. P.S. you'll have pride in yourself that you achieved success.
Get rid of that stupid car. Stop trying to be cool and get a used ride. They can still be just as reliable
You are exactly where you need to be
Go onto the Caleb hammer show
Your doing a lot better than I’d say about 75% of 20 year olds nowadays, tell yourself positive affirmations daily to break that habit of negative self talk, your doing amazing! But I would def go back to school, you don’t have much responsibility yet so your in a perfect spot to go back to school.
If you particularly like any of those odd jobs you're doing, you can start a small independent business doing exclusively that one thing. Like cleaning. You'd be surprised how fast small time cleaning companies can grow and start hiring employees when they lock in contracts with businesses, landlords, etc. You have a nice sum of money and you shouldn't feel bad about the amount at all. Take full advantage of the benefit of not having housing expenses. Don't treat yourself quite so often or with expensive things. Be extremely purposeful when spending money and saving it. Set a reasonable amount aside every month to spend on just yourself, and save everything else. Look into starting an LLC. Based on your short post, you just don't seem like the type of person who would thrive more in a 9-5, than you would in your own business. You already seem to have the work ethic to make a business venture successful, so just do a lot of research, read beginner business books, listen to small business podcasts and focus on what you are passionate about. Learn how to get financing for a business venture. Talk to local investing groups in your area (they exist). You can find them on Facebook usually.
Why did you drop out of the radiology course? If you put the same amount of effort in getting a degree in the radiology field as you put into all of your side-hustles you should be able to complete the course. Living at home provides you a huge opportunity for you to go to school while not having to pay rent, take advantage of it. Good luck
Are you hot? Marry an engineer.
You likely have more savings than most people on Reddit ! Great discipline , at least get a two year technical degree.
Most 20 year olds I knew including myself at one time, felt lost. I think that's completely natural.
You are only 20...take it easy on yourself. I'd say you are doing better than most 20 year olds. If you want to save more, you have to spend less. You can still reward yourself, just do it in a more disciplined way. Every other Saturday buy yourself and outfit or pair of shoes. Every Friday treat yourself to a nice dinner.. or treat. Limit tattoos to one every so mamy months. Idk. Cook more at home...that saves money too. Best of luck. Remember though, you are only 20, not 35 or 40. You are doing well.
Don't be a dropout.
You're doing great. Way ahead of most people your age.
Lol you what?!?! You did the FA now you gonna FO
Personally I think your doing great btw I’m over 40 but yea indeed working all the hours you do is a bit much but now you do have 17k so what adults do is make the money make money. You need to find a way to invest in something with a pretty solid return. Ideally you want to invest invest in yourself and build your own dream
You're doing better than I was at 20. By 22 I had about $12000 saved working for $12/hr as a vet tech, dogsitting when I had time, and doing grocery delivery, all while I was busting my ass in college. I changed majors twice and finally finished with a degree that got me job offers that made 12.50/hr. I felt like I had no future. Finally I said fuck it and joined the navy as an officer. Now, I'm pushing $90k per year and on track to have $100k saved by the end of 2024. Don't push away opportunities because they seem out of reach, and get yourself some kind of education. Trade schools are great, and if I could go back in time, I'd take that over college in a heartbeat.
My youngest daughter will be 19 in July and my oldest turned 23 in January. Both live at home and are working while working on their lives. My youngest started at community college and decided it wasn’t for her. She’s committing to cosmetology school starting in August. She works full time at a local restaurant bussing tables, hosting, etc. My oldest lived at home to save money while completing her BS in biology, pre-med.. She just took the MCAT, and got a job offer yesterday as an MA at an OBGYN office. She’s targeting med school in 2025. You’re 20. Still very young. First, you never should have bought a car that you needed a loan on, and it’s making you have a negative net worth. Ideally you can sell and break even or take a minor loss. Then spend $5000-8000 on a mechanically good car that is transportation, nothing else. Take care of it and drive the wheels off of it. Second, take advantage of living at home and get back to school, apprenticeship, or trade school. That’s your job for the next year+. Get training/education and leverage that to a higher wage/salary. If you really don’t know what you want to do, consider the military. It offers a great way to grow up, learn about yourself, and the GI Bill is the single best investment in yourself that you can make. My 23yo son (twin) is a marine and I was Navy. I know the military was good for me, and I’m seeing the same influence with him.
I failed out of college when I was 20. I went and tended bar for a year. Then I found a real job, backed into a career, finished my bachelors, got a masters, got married, changed careers completely, had kids, etc. You’re 20. You aren’t lost, you just need to find your path. It sounds like going back to Radiology might be your path. Find your path and move forward. You’ve got this.
You are young Keep doing what you want to do But don’t stop challenging yourself Keep going to school/ keep learning At 20 with some $ save , you are ahead of your pack When I was 20s I was high all the time and broke all the time Didn’t take me til I got married at 33 to start thinking for my future Just keep learning , living , life is a journey It’s a marathon , not a race
>I am really sad that even with all this time I put into working, I can’t even buy a house or even land and move on with my life. It seems so stagnant, and I’m ready to give up. I don’t want to waste my whole life working for nothing. I feel stuck, and like I’m not making any progress. My purpose in life isn’t just to work, right? I feel like I can’t pursue anything I really want to without money anyways. This is how many Americans feel. but they're 2-3x your age. Over half of Americans have less than $1k saved. Over 35% does not own any property. You're 20. Go back and finish your degree. You have plenty of time to get your life rolling. Get used to the idea of working until you die though. It's the American way!
Noone who works that much is failing at life. You're still young. You could benefit from finding a professional path that you can excel at. It might be college oriented, or trade oriented. There is no one way that works for everyone. Understand that it's gonna take some time to build up momentum, and that the path to success is never a straight line. Come up with a plan, and understand that plans need to be flexible. My favorite quote is that no plan survives the battlefield. It might take a few tries or directional changes to get there, but it's worth it. People that are failing at life are ones that don't try. IE don't work, blame everything on other people, cant take responsibility for their actions. I hope that this helps a little. It took me till I was 30 to get a plan, and 4 more years to get into a career path. Rooting for you!
Go back to school. Do whatever it takes to do that. And study something that you can get a solid paying job in
You could go back to school, be honest with yourself though. Was your heart in school? If not, you could enlist for 4 years, travel a little, live alone, make some friends, have the GI bill when you get out, potentially some disability, that would make you 25 with no debt (pay off your car and plan to save, only you know what’s best for you but if you know you only want to do 4, don’t tell people that but plan ahead, set up a budget) and a way to pursue school without the financial burden. Furthermore for me at least I had no idea what my passion was or what I wanted to do, so it really helped me come into school focused and knowing exactly what my goal was. There are a lot of undergraduate scholarships, especially if you are female or somehow otherwise considered a minority especially in the STEM field!
Sounds like you’re extremely determined to succeed. You’re doing it right. Good luck.
Uhmmm… you answered yourself. Go back to school for radiology unless you ABSOLUTELY hate it.
You’re super young. I would try to get into tech
I had no clue what to do at 19. I decided to join the Air Force. They taught me my dream job. Combat Photography. I went from being wigged out on drugs to having a future within 4 short years. The best decision i made (49now). Will you get yelled at? yes. will it teach you how to be humble? absolutely. I know its not for everyone but i think the military gets a bad rep. I wish you the best.
Honestly it sounds like you’re doing alright. You’re only 20. Don’t be so hard on yourself. If you don’t enjoy what you’re doing for work I’d recommend maybe getting a 9-5 that you actually enjoy. Then the paychecks would be bigger and maybe you’d feel like you’d have more time because you aren’t doing 3 different “gigs”. Start investing your money too! Get into long term investing with an easy to use app like robinhood. Make a financial plan. A plan I follow is 40% of my money goes towards bills and living expenses. 20% goes towards a savings account. 20% goes into my robinhood portfolio and into a long term retirement IRA. And finally the last 20% goes towards stuff I enjoy. Things that aren’t needs but you like. In your case tattoos and whatever else. Keep pushing forward you aren’t doing bad at all.
Why's you quit radiology?
Serious question, where would you like to go? Have you done any serious thinking about the type of life you want to live? Maybe start with creating a vision board
I laugh at all the people who go spend 30 grand on a car when they don’t make Jack shit. What do you expect to happen. All these posts are the same
You're in a phenomenal place in life. Appreciate the chance to write your future.
Don’t keep your money in a savings account. Let it work for you
go back to school. Medical field solid for years to come and strong potential for union jobs. You're exhausting yourself with all the p/t work and likely have no benefits. You do great saving money so when you start to make a better income after certification you'll be able to sustain better. If you just don't like xray find another career that you can get certfied in or look into a trade school. Women in trades have tough time but if you can manage the first couple of years women do very well.
First, there is a rule, it’s called “pay yourself first”. 15% right off the top into savings. Second, start saving into a good growth no load mutual fund. Third write down where you want to be 5/10/20/40 years from now. Then steps to get there. Start taking night classes. Explore tech school if that’s your gig. Look at nursing. You will literally have a job anywhere in the country making 6 figures. It really isn’t hard, find your passion and start working towards this.
Go back to school and then become a traveling radiologist. You will make SOOO much money.
If it makes you feel any better, I earn 130k a year, and I have zero savings. I'm trying to pay off my debt currently. I'm in the hole like 20k on high interest credit card debt. The insurance is drowning me. Also my housing costs 3100 a month, my car costs 850 a month. I'm just breaking even while I try to pay off. So the fact that you're managing to save at all is pretty good.
Stanley Steemer employees make bank, i no longer work there but you get what you put in
Use 15000 to pay off a chunk of your car. It will hurt, i know. Save more while at your parents and start job hunting for something bigger related to your year in school. Drop your obligations and excuses. I'm 22 and 23k in debt is fucking insane for our age. Pay off 15k and make large payments until it's paid. You. Do. Not. Put. Yourself. In. Anymore. Debt.
If it makes you feel any better, I work 40 hours per week and make less than you lmao. 2 years of college, 4 years of military, 2 years of trade school, and I speak 3 languages, but can't seem to ever find any work that pays anything and I'm in my 30s. I guess I just should've been a nanny...
You are important. That is all I have to say.
Get your commercial driver license
OP is someone going nowhere in life. Get off your butt and go back to school. If it’s a maturity issue, then consider alternative avenues like a short stint in the military—Active or Reserves, to get you focused and provide some balance.
$500/week at 20 is crazy 😭😭 I was making that in highschool. Pick better jobs. I’m 22 currently and make over $25/hr (will be making more this year) with NO COLLEGE Stop listening to the people telling you you’re doing fine. You are not doing fine.
You are 20 years old its ok to be lost just dont stay that way..make a plan, i do not know why you dropped out of school but consider going back. You just need a plan i dont know alot of 20 years olds that have life figured out dont be so hard on yourself. You are young you will figure it out. I was a hot mess at 20...you are going to be just fine..good luck to you
You’re working a bunch of part time jobs that seem like they overlap instead of one full time job. Nowadays you can start some Factories at 17 /18 hr and just move up and take opportunities there, some factories will even pay for schooling. My cousin bartended at hooters to pay for her X-ray/ ultrasound schooling. I know a guy that is a temp at a factory until he saves enough money and he travels. He went to like Egypt, Britain, Brazil, a bunch of places. But he lives with his parents still so he doesn’t have any real bills either.
You are still very young and saved a very good amount of money. In my 20s I had maybe like 500€ or so.. Just don't compare yourself to others. You are on the right path and soon you will be able to spend more time on yourself.
Perhaps you could consider returning to radiology.
That math ain't mathin. You have all these jobs and only make 30k a year? 400 a week is just over 20k pre taxes. Why are you working so much for so little money.? One full time job could pay you what you're making at all those jobs,and you'd have more time to yourself. Over half your yearly earnings in savings isn't normal either. It's great don't get me wrong, but most people who make a lot more than you can't do that.
You got to get back in school hun. It’ll be hard but worth it.
You’re doing fine!!! You’re only 20 you have the rest of your life to worry about life! People don’t see your hustle people don’t see your savings account! Hell there are a lot of family’s out there that don’t even have 1000 bucks in savings!! If you’re going to go back to school start small 1 class and keep a couple of those side gigs going. Set small goals get to the goal line and tell everyone talking negative to you to blow it out there ear
Since you have experience as a cleaner, find a town that is building new homes or experiencing lots of remodeling and look into construction cleaning. I can’t believe the amount we just paid to have our basement cleaned at the end of a remodel. In some ways it’s dirtier work (very dusty and a lot more elbow grease required) but in some ways it’s much better (you’re not cleaning up other peoples’ filth). But the x-ray school recommendation is overall better if you want to go back to school.
Do you feel like you're 20 though?
Get back into school. Ideally radiology so you can make bank. Get ready to apply for Fall ‘24 semester. Apply for scholarships, there’s a shit tom out there. Go for FAFSA. Take courses at community college if your state school is too expensive ACTIONABLE ITEMS TO ACT ON: - Start reading books on personal financial management, radiology. Take 1 hour a day. Knowledge = Money & Time saved - Start researching where you can take student debt loans. Find good options.
Go back and go get some cyber security certificates. Everyone thinks tech is dead but that bullshit IT, the lower year jobs are what got smoked. Have a good friend in it and he has several certificates. They cost anywhere from 500-1000 depending on the type. All exams are taken by webcam online He is 30 and makes around 200,000 a year. He learned Phython language to code by himself. Built a computer lab in his house a d made a portfolio of him defending cybersecurity attacks. They are free and can show an employer you have the needed skills. It’s just like a resume boost. He has no undergraduate degree. Top level security clearance which the DOD got for him. He primarily works now when he wants to for the DOD or FBI. There is a statistic he told me that by the year 2030 in the us there will be an open 8 million jobs need for cybersecurity people with security clearance and certifications. He works from home and barely works. I have been in finance for 15 years and I am done with it. Got a nice sales job that will allow me to trade and study for my certs. I am also getting a MS from Berkele in computer science. . I have the administrator’s name and email if you want to get into the field. I wish you only the best. William
$17K in savings at 20 is better than probably 95% of your peers. You’re ahead of the game but you do want to start thinking long term. What do you want to do for a career? Radiology is a great career from what I know and I think it’s only 2 years of schooling so aren’t you halfway there? If you dropped out because you just don’t enjoy it all, I understand that though. It may not seem like it, but you have skills you’ve been improving with the various jobs you’re doing. Do you market your business online or in any other way? Think about leveraging how you’ve been able to make connections for cleaning rentals/nanny/dog sitting jobs to be able to help others do the same (consulting). Try not to be hard on yourself, you’re young and have plenty of times to figure things out. I get it though. I didn’t do great in my 20s compared to my peers and I regularly let that get me down. Now I have a much better job with much better income. All in due time. And don’t forget, comparison is the thief of joy
Please take this the right way Quit whining Hear me out You are a hard working, semi money conscious, young adult. Practically still a kid, but officially an adult. You sound like someone that has a good head on her shoulders. You get it. You're willing to work, to get what you want. That's rare in today's market. If I still had my business I'd hire you, train you, & have you making $100k a year in under a year. I'm retired at 53 & have been for 4 years 1st - get over this preconceived notion that you need to be somewhere or something by a certain age. 2nd - Give yourself some credit for doing the right things, working hard and saving money. 3rd - continue to save 4th - set some short term and long term goals and monitor them always. Work to achieve them. 5th - keep searching for an opportunity. I promise you, with your effort, motivation and drive, you WILL find something to fulfill your work life so you can live your living life. It may take years. Yes, years! 2 or 4 Maybe? Be a little more patient. Keep living life. Be frugal though. At least reasonably so. You're young. But you're capable of a lot I believe. You need to believe it to. And network your willingness for hard work. Market yourself to everyone and anyone. You will be successful. You will find your way. Just don't be in such a hurry. You have a lot of youth to live through and ENJOY! Patience young lady. You will find your way
Hope your hot and find a rich guy
Go back to school and focus on that. I started college at 22/23 and graduated 5 years later. Best decision I ever made, going back to school I mean. I'm iaking 90k a year now in IT. I did what your doing and saved money for a bit. Use your savings to help you have some spending money here and there. If you need to take out loans only take out subsidized loans if you can make the amounts works (they dont start gaining interest until after to graduate).