Full Time Work and School for an 18 year old living on their own (HELP PLEASE!!!)

[jobestudios]

Okay, here's my situation, I'm 17 and will be 18 at the end of may. My mom and I have decided it would be best if I moved out on my own because of complcated matters. I am in the Automotive Technology program right now and will be going through it for the next 2 years.

The program runs Monday-Friday 8am-3pm, from what I understand it is a VERY low homework class because you can't work on cars at home, I will find out how much homework is involved though. School tuition will have to be taken care of via student loans, its not an incredibly expensive program, but it is still pricey.

Right now I am working at a Nissan Dealership on wednesday and the weekends, when I go into fulltime I will have to stop my wednesday shift. I work 15 hours on the weekends after break (Sat: 9-7 and Sun: 11-5 (open-close both days)) and I do not believe working a second job right after Nissan would be a good idea because I work very hard at my job and at the end of the day I couldn't see myself being able succesfully work another job.

So this leaves me to find a second job somewhere else. I would like to work Monday-Friday from 4 pm - 11 pm, but this would give me 9 hours off time, realistically giving me 7 hours to sleep each night excluding weekends where I would have a little more time to decompress and sleep longer.

Basically it all boils down to my schedule being this.

Sunday: Nissan: 11-5
Monday: School: 8-3 Second Job: 4-11
Tuesday: School: 8-3 Second Job: 4-11
Wednesday: School: 8-3 Second Job: 4-11
Thursday: School: 8-3 Second Job: 4-11
Friday: School: 8-3 Second Job: 4-11
Saturday: Nissan: 9-7
------------
35 Hours School
51 Hours Work

After Breaks/Before Taxes I would be pulling in around $1500 per month on minimum wage of $7.65. Lets say taxes is $150 out of each paycheck, so I'm down to $1350 already. My mom said she would be willing to give me $150 per month to help out and I have not discussed this with my dad yet, but I believe he would help a little bit as well. Now if I round a very bottom of the barrel 1 bdrm apartment I could probably find one for $350 a month including some utilities (cost of living is relatively cheap in WA), so I'm down to $1000 for food/clothing/gas/car insurance/phone bill/(what else is a big drain on funding in life?).


Cliffs.
If there are 168 hours in a week, I would already lose 86 hours to school/work. Is it possible to do what I am planning. If so, does anyone have any personal stories of such a lifestyle? If not, what am I missing that makes it possible for others to make it through college?

Please ask any clarifying questions you need, I dont have any other place I can think of where I can get such a variety of answers.

[citizen]

work less, get payed more. end

[jobestudios]

Believe me, I will be trying to find a better job by pulling in any favors I can. But it is extremely hard to find an above minimum wage job for an 18 year old in a college town full of students willing to do the same for less.

[DJPimpFlex]

quit school and move somewhere you can get paid more. Find a roomate so you can mod your car more.

[breakindrifts]

This sounds a lot easier on paper than it is to live out, Im 17 also man.

I'd go to 4 year University if possible and live there. Just take out big time student loans and apply for as many grants/scholarships as possible.

I agree with citizen, if you are 18 you should be making a LOT more than minimum wage. When Im 18 I'll be making roughly 12 bucks an hour, which still isnt nearly enough to take care of the cost of living in socal. But its better than working 2 jobs and trying to go to school full-time.

Is Nissan and this "other job" seriously going to be paying you minimum wage?
350 a month wont get you shit at least where I am, and 1k a month for expenses is feasible, but you wont be having anytime to spend money. No point in having T.V or any luxuries.

Is this automotive tech program going to land you a high paying career? If not, I'd rethink about going to something that will give you financial security. I dont see how you'd be able to concentrate on school working 50 hours a week. Most finiancial aid programs give you enough to take care of all tuition cost and most of the cost of living.

Cliffnotes:
-Find a better job that pays more than minimum
-Work like 35-40 hours a week max in a better job.
-Take out bigtime student loans/scholarships/financial aid to help you out with cost of living (This is the secret to going to college if you are broke and living on your own)
-Decide if this is really worth the benefit of this "auto tech" program.
-Realize you will have no free time, be tired constantly, and always stressed financially and emotionally if you try to do your current schedule.

[jobestudios]

I only get paid minimum wage because thats all they need to pay me, until I get further seated into my job, they could pretty much replace me with another college student because there are thousands in my city. Working at nissan also serves as a benefit because my automotive costs go down significantly. I get a nice discount not only on nissan parts, but shops all around town, such as tires and other places.

In the long run I hope to be able to do this program for 2 years, then go to a 4 year photography school while being able to work as a ASE certified mechanic as my job.

In the end I will be a professional photographer, and if the clients ever start falling off I will still be able to work as a professional mechanic until the clients pick back up again.

Or at least thats my hope.

[breakindrifts]

Well if thats really what you want to do, go for it I guess. But a schedule like that is going to be hell, especially for 2 years. You need at least a day or two off work to take care of other problems. Good luck.

[jobestudios]

Thats what Sunday can be used for apart from nissan, doing laundry, buying food, relaxing. Sundays at nissan are relatively relaxed most of the time.

Please dont take my counter arguements as agressive, I'm just trying to work out your points in my head. I appreciate you bringing them forth.

[jdms14_silvia]

Dont Worry Jobe It Can Be Done. I Know From Experience, Try Doing That And Trying To Keep A Social Life And A Girlfriend Haha.. That Was Hectic.

Ill Help With Some Of Your Income Homie. Hahah Ill Be Hoping To Do Some Shoots In The Near Future! Haha

[Phlip]

Is there some really overriding issue that is forcing you to have to move out and live at or below poverty level in the face of 2 jobs, neither being fulltime (and therefore no benefits)?
If the situation at home can be worked to allow you to remain there while in school or until securing a better line of employment, by all means you should be looking into that, opposed to trying to work 51 hours a week and school 35, you'd be on burnout mode in no time flat.

[Jeff240sx]

Cakewalk. I went to highschool 40 hours per week, and then to my job another 40-50 hours per week, for 4 years straight.

Here are some flaws with your plan. Figure 18% taxes. Not a flat number. So, 18% of $1500 is just about $300 in tax. So you are starting at $1200. An apartment is rarely $350 per month. Perhaps in the ghetto. I understand that your area may be different, but places surrounding a campus are more expensive. First year of college I lived 15 miles, 35 minutes away from campus, had a studio apartment, and paid $460 per month in 2002. Currently I pay $560/month. You'll pay another $100 in electric/internet/water. I really, really doubt you'll get away with living for $350 per month. You say cost of living is low, but your minimm wage is $7.65. In Florida, where everyone knows the cost of living is low, the minimum wage *just* got raised a dollar, to $6.25/hour. And I pay $750 per month for rent, utilities ($80 for digital cable, so you could disregard that), and cell phone. That isn't including the $150 in gas I drive through going to work and school. Or the $140 insurance for said car. Or the $250 in food. My current output is just about $1200 to survive.
If you can find a place with bills included for $350, without living in a project-house... I'd die of shock.
-Jeff

[jobestudios]

Basically, my mom "strongly suggested" that I move out. I view it as kind of the last phase before I get the boot. So if I leave now I will recieve some financial assistance from her ($150 a month, maybe something from my dad too) but if I wait around I'll get kicked out flat on my ass.

I'm not expecting to find another gem as nice as that place but I am sure I can find a place in the $400 and below pricerange, especially since I will be entering an apartment as all the college kids are leaving.

I'm not looking for a place right next to campus nessecarily, I just want to remain inside the city, I can go all the way across the city in 15 minutes, so I'm not worried about commuting time. But it would be nice to live next to the school or next to work.

[kouki_s14]

my suggestion is to stop pissing off your mom, or stop whatever you're doing to make your own mother to "give you the boot". Do what she says, by all means, TRY. there has to be a pretty dam good reason why the person who gave you birth wants you out so strongly. no offense, but you gotta work things out. i go to school mon-fri then work fri-sun, never get a day off. im already burnt out and i dont work 51hrs or even go to school for 35hrs.

if you really must move out though, i suggest get a valet job and find a nice spot and stick with it. i used to make $60 a shift on a bad day and upwards to 100+ on a good one. i have a friend who still doesn valet that makes $1000 cash every weekend. before all he had was a yamaha R6, now he has a EVO and a 98 MKIV which is now being built to 700hp. its great money in short hours. work half the time, and you'll get just as much or more. but then again we worked in newport beach, not sure if you got any rich areas around there that need valet.

henry

[OptionZero]

If time and distance permit you to take public transportation or bike/board/skate to school and work, sell your car.

No maintenance, gas, or insurances costs FTW.

[supportTHEezln]

If you work more than 20 hours a week and go to school full-time, your chances of dropping out are extremely high. If you must move out, then I recommend going to school part time. There isn't really a difference in graduating when your 21 or when you're 25 (extremes). Honestly, you're going to still be pretty young anyway. And yea, worry about your car or whatever is costing money AFTER school if you're in a bind. I know personally, right now I am going to school full-time, and I only have my car parked - I only drive it when I want to drift - all other times I take MTA. It's cheaper - you can usually insure your car cheaper if you only drive it low miles per year, and gas will be waaaayyyyyy cheaper. Good luck.

[mjjstang]

I noticed you talked about homework and not having much, I assure you that learning about cars is not all hands on, there is a lot you will need to know that is often learned through text, at least in my experiences thorugh 4 years of high school automotive classes. sure there was a lot of hands on, but deffinitely find out how much time will be spent for homework.

[jobestudios]

Its not nessecarily that I'm pissing my mom off and she wants me gone, but through the semi-messy divorce, my relationship with my mom suffered. She wants me to move out so we can lose our past relationship of dominator/dominated. It's hard to explain but its not like I'm sneaking out to go party or anything, we just cannot get along with each other right now. Its mutual.

asked my teacher today how much homework we would do and he said we have less homework than his 2nd grader.
Also I just found out that we do an internship this fall quarter and a some quarter at the end. Most of the time this internship is PAID

I also asked about what his students did who were living on their own, he said that it varies between student but for the most part, if you work hard, it shouldnt kill ya.


As far as dropping out, if I were going to do that, I would've already done it, I realize it gets tough, but I'm not giving up when I've already made it this far.

Oh and I forgot to mention, I am in high school right now and I will be having two quarters paid, so I believe there is 5 quarters left which i will be living on my own, because he said it was 7 quarters total. So not as bad as I was originally told.

I just went and got my fafsa paperwork and am going to be filling that out soon.

[docrice]

OK, a couple things:
1. taxes takes a lot more than 10% of what you make...I lose $100 out of a $400 paycheck, so figure on walking with a lot less...esp. if you get health insurance through your job

2. Roommate. The cheapest way to live. Since the semester is coming to an end soon, find someone that wants a roommate for the next year. you can get a place a lot cheaper if you live with one or a few people, plus they help cover utilities. who cares if they can be annoying.

3. Dont waste your money. If you don't need something, don't get it. cut out tv, internet, phone, new clothes, whatever you can to save a few bucks. My girl and I have no cable, no home phone, and use the internet at the college, but we save about $90 a month doing it. Corners can be cut. Ramen noodles are your friend.

4. Try to find a better job. Work as little as possible to cover your cost of living. Helps to keep you from burning out. I have taken about 30 hours of class and worked 32 hours a week, plus homework, social time, and sleep...doesnt leave much. You can only do it for so long before you burn out. You could always do light semester/ heavy semester (work a lot one semester, cut back the next to get a break), but that only works if you're good with your money.


Good luck dude. It ain't cheap, or easy, but thats life.

[jobestudios]

1) yeah, I just threw that out there to show I was trying to compensate for it
2) if I can find a roommate to help me save a few bucks, i will gladly, but I would much rather work harder and have a restful sleep than work less but be awake to a partying roomate. But I suppose that is everyones fears, and the roommate situation usually works out okay...
3) Hehe, yeah, I was already living the no-spending life for a while while I'm saving for sr20det, so its not going to be a massive change or anything.
4) Working on finding a better job, but its tough to come by.

[trsilvias13]

valet at night if you know a place hiring. Or sell drugs ( it makes money but i wouldnt do it). I never worked till I got out of college, but I see a lot of my friends doing it. Get cash jobs is the best advice. valet, Casino dealer (lots of money there), waiter/bus boy, bartender. If I had a choice I would go deal card at a casino at night and go to school in the day and then sleep. My friend gets $300 a night on a bad night and works 5 days a week. That is $1500 a week cash, plus he get mininum wage for $40 hours.

[MEisGQ]

reminds me of college:repost: ... that was just 1 year ago. I went to school full time and worked part time 19hrs/week. My parents lived 2000 miles away and I received virtually no monetary support from them... I survived four years by maxxing out on my grants/financial aid, living with room mates, maxxing out two $5000 credit cards, eating jack-in-the box and cooking. I worried about money but always had time to go out, sometimes clubbing, and eating out with the girlies every other day almost:w00t: . Use the financial aid to cover housing/necessary food, work money for play time, and credit cards for more play time. towards the end of the quarter, I was usually broke so i just sat in the apartment:jerkit: or went to the gym and played basketball :hyper: for hours to save money. about the financial aid, if you are really getting kicked out, you can probably petition to be classified as being independent and get more financial aid - talk to the financial aid office at your school/program.

one big thing to remember though.. that big financial aid check may tempt you to buy stuff for the car... BIG NO NO:hammer: ... a lot of my friends in college used their money for their cars and eventually dropped out or were kicked out because they couldnt afford to pay the necessities:cry:

good luck - zilvia folks are usually kind and sympathetic with these personal issues:hug: ... car issues are another thing :rant2:

[jobestudios]

Haha, thank you for excellent use of emoticons.

But yes, if i do this, my car is done for a long while, my hope is to only use financial aid as payment for school and my tools, thats it. Hence the reason why I would work so much. Once you start dipping into financial aid for school to go into personal areas, it all goes downhill.

[EchoOfSilence]

better get fafsa done with a quickness. priority filing was March 2nd.

You might want to get another job so you can work less

anyway, everyone said basically everything. I wish you the best, man. Good luck. Do what you gotta do; if the going gets tough, stop working on the car

[sncs14]

you can't work on cars at home

That's the only part I don't understand.

Financial aid, school loans, and living with your parents is the way to go. It took me four years to get through a two year program because I worked full time and didn't take classes during the summers.

[Siberian Husky]

:keke:

http://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=1558655

:keke:

[SiI40sx]

too much fucking reading....

basically you need at least $13 to live on your on comfortable enough for you not to go insane. Basically whatever your doing know make sure its so itll take you somewhere else in the future. You dont want to get stuck at the $13/hr range. By the time your 20 you should at least be making $2500 monthly. The way you wanna live is all up to you and what your comfortable with. It all depends what you want out of life and where you wanna be in 5 years. I was in your situation and now I have a dope job saving up money to develop my credit go to school buy a house in 4-5 years. Overall its very complicated and if we had like a good 1-2 hours to talk we can get down to it by detail and I can give you more options. Good luck

[BayS13]

i make 25 a hour flipping burgers and im 18. :fawkd:

[SiI40sx]

i make 25 a hour flipping burgers and im 18. :fawkd:

bullshit post up a pay stub and restauraunt name... you sure its not $25 a day??

[sr240mike]

If burgers means cocaine like in this link (http://cocaine.org/cocainenews/index.html) then I believe you.

[gotta240]

LISTEN TO ME...

IT CAN BE DONE. Social life=GONE Play money=gone


I've been going to college FULL TIME(not bs classes either) and working 40 hours a week for the past 3 years.... It IS possible. But be prepared to be TIRED all the time.... i mean ALL THE TIME.

Here is the BEST tip i can give you.... Find a job(wether you like it or not) where you can STUDY and get paid for it. Be a parking lot attendant....be a nighttime security guard....Do something where you have free time after completing your job....ie. get shit done at work, then get paid to do homework...that will be your best bet.

So...YES it is possible.

also- Dont try to be some dumbass baller retard. DONT try to get your "OWN" place. Look for rooms in ESTABLISHED places.... Try to rent a SINGLE room in a house where the people are responsible...RENt will be cheaper than "living on your own" and you wont be tempted to do stupid shit other young people do.

[MEisGQ]

hahah... some people make 25/hour 'tossing salad' :wiggle: :boink: but flippin burgers??? unless you mean 'flipping burgers' :naughty:

[BayS13]

no i mean..i wake up, dont take a shower, go to a burger place, work and get a big paycheck that says pay rate per hour 25$:fawkd: :fawkd: :fawkd:
みんな　しんじわれないてる　やん。。。。

anyways lets not talk about my highly paid simple ass job....help this poor chap out :naughtyd:

[Phlip]

Do it like I did:
8am - 2pm - classes
2:30pm - 9:30pm worked fulltime(-ish) in a clothing store in the mall, made connections, sold weed and got at bitches in the mall.
9:40 - 4am(-ish) - sold crack, more weed, a little dust, some X and God knows what else I could get off for cash, all in time to get home (usually only a few blocks away) and in the bed ASAP.
... rinse and repeat.

I paid moms as best I could the whole way through the first time, and being an "adult" I beckoned her to not ask questions. I learned that what I was doing was extra dirty, fell in love and ditched the narcotics for a job and some common fucking sense, graduated and still (7.5 years later) have yet to do sheeit with the degree, since I REFUSE to teach highschoolers english. I recently accepted a job with a 3-5k/year payCUT, still more than a newly starting high school English teacher and I am still less than angry with my choice of direction, given potential for incentive and/or advancement.


... being 3.5 months short of my 27th birthday, I ask you to PLEASE think of the long term. I left summer 2001-2003 from my story

[kazuo]

If you're concerned about benefits, work for a company that provides them to part-time employees.

Like Starbucks.

Of course, the issue here really isnt benefits as much as it is you earning enough to get by.

I strongly suggest beginning a search for a better paying job.

[jobestudios]

Apart from Rent/Food/Auto Insurance/Gas/Phone what else is a major expenditure?

[ALTRNTV]

Nothing really after what you mentioned. A big part is "spending" money, but it seems that you have that under control.

Good luck man.

[jobestudios]

$1100 Per Month After Taxes
+$300 ($150 mom, $150 dad hopefully, i think that should work out tho)
-----------------------
$1400 for each month
-$500 Rent
-$300 Food
-$100 Insurance
-$100 Gasoline
-$50 Phone
=$350 leftover for "rainy day" fund

As far as spending money, my only problem I forsee is the desire to buy 1$ sodas out of the machine, but I can conquer that. Apart from that, I wouldn't nessecarily say no to maybe going to a movie on saturday night or going and hanging out with freinds, because it is only one day and I would need some recreation to keep myself sane. But I'm sure for the first few weeks at least, all I will be able to do is sleep until I break myself into this schedule. The cool part about this, is Fall quarter will hopefully be a paid internship, meaning I will be getting paid for school. BUT, I heard something mentioned about how I can't recieve student loans if I'm on a paid internship... something like that.

[silvia_s14]

$1100 Per Month After Taxes
+$300 ($150 mom, $150 dad hopefully, i think that should work out tho)
-----------------------
$1400 for each month
-$500 Rent
-$300 Food
-$100 Insurance
-$100 Gasoline
-$50 Phone
=$350 leftover for "rainy day" fund

As far as spending money, my only problem I forsee is the desire to buy 1$ sodas out of the machine, but I can conquer that. Apart from that, I wouldn't nessecarily say no to maybe going to a movie on saturday night or going and hanging out with freinds, because it is only one day and I would need some recreation to keep myself sane. But I'm sure for the first few weeks at least, all I will be able to do is sleep until I break myself into this schedule. The cool part about this, is Fall quarter will hopefully be a paid internship, meaning I will be getting paid for school. BUT, I heard something mentioned about how I can't recieve student loans if I'm on a paid internship... something like that.
throw away phone and that gets u . 50+350=400 four hundred dollars left over for "rainy day" fund.another thing you could do 4 food is eat what ever is on wendy's dollar menu. maybe another 150 in ur pocketmight even find a finger in ur 1.00 chili

[jobestudios]

Yeah, the 300 for food is just precautionary. I understand that I can eat cheaper, and I will, but I cant budget too little because I dont want to be on the 27th and have no money for food.

[Delano]

i make 25 a hour flipping burgers and im 18. :fawkd:


this guy sucks cock for a living, hes lying!

[DoriftoPnoy]

So this is the kind of thread I find if I enter the keyword security. Anyways, what I did to find me a job was post my resume on Monster.com. People WILL call/email/mail you based on your resume. I only had one job workin at baskin robbins (i really miss eatin the ice cream) and an agency called me up to work at Countrywide and I get $15/hr. Hell I already go promoted. And from what i've been hearing summer is gunna be crazy (supposedly the time when people actually start buyin homes and loans). So we're required to work over time.... so that's time and a half which is $22.50/hr. Well I can't wait. But yea check out monster.com or some other website like that which you have people look for you instead of the other way around. And living at home does help.... a lot.

[lowviscosity]

Trust me at 18 right after graduation I moved out... Went to a technical school. Lived every bit on my own with a room mate getting paid $10 an hour doing technical support for a Tax Firm for IBM. Move to a bigger city you get paid more cost of living is just a little bit higher but you have more oppurtunities in the long run. Right now I am in my profession without a degree just 20 and graduate tech school this year. I am a CAD Operator for and Electrical Engineering company doing CAD for the Engineers. Now I am going back to school and working a full time job (only 40 hrs a week but pulling in a lot more money) I have lots of play money and don't plan on quitting college until I get my electrical engineering degree (another 4 years) Although I will already have an Associates in CDD.

You can do it, I financed myself through college, filled out all my own paperwork, taxes are a reward to me being a full time student on my own. My parents weren't aware of me moving out although they knew I wanted to be in Dallas (its one of the fastest growing cities with many suburbs that are growing even faster) this means more work for me in the job field I am in since we work on many buildings. Just stay in school your job comes second...think of it this way. Stay in school this means more modding for you in a few years... your a young kid just like me no need for tons of mods on a car. In a few years you will triple your money if you stay in school thus making it easier on you to get a house, afford all the mods you want, and puts you on a concrete stable slab for your life.

[rabid_monkey]

Just to let you know... taxes are closer to 25% maybe even 30% of your paycheck if you start making $12-14 an hour.

Also, I dunno about over there, but in MD, if you are a full time student and on your own, you get a ridiculous tax return back. So it may hurt you month to month, but expect like half your tuition back for the year come tax time. I knew guys getting like $5000 tax returns cause they go to Univ of MD full time and work like part time at Lens Crafters and shit.

One thing lots of people are not telling you. DO NOT, I REPEAT... DO NOT GET LOANS IF YOU CAN AVOID THEM. CC Debt and Loans are the worst things wrong with American education today. You will be in debt forever and end up paying 3x the amount you initially charged up. Get grants or scholarships wherever you can, anything that doesn't have to be paid back. Half my girlfriend's tuition is grants, half is loans, so her actual debt is pretty low. Unless you are gonna be a doctor or lawyer, and even then its not a sure bet, having $80k-120k of student loans take a lifetime to pay off. It's like having another car each month for the next 20 years, even tho interest on student loans is usually low. Credit Card debt is definately the worst debt to have ever. Stay away best you can, pay off your card balance every month.

I was fortunate to have my parents pay my school, for that I was grateful because I have no debt as of now... car is paid off, no CC debt, etc... but I had expensive habits and tastes and got no spending money from parents, so I went to school full time and worked like 20 hours a week. Its all about not wasting time and managing your time well. I still went out a bunch, and went drifting at events and shit all the time, but I would only sleep like 3 hours a night then crash all weekend. You do what you gotta do. I am footing the bill for Grad School this fall myself, but then I make up for those loans by not moving out just yet, and saving on rent. Just gotta work the angles how ever you can. Good luck man. No Credit Cards.

[ranisron]

I agree on the part not getting credit cards... well, CC are EVIL! I was stupid enough to spend the money which I didn't have, so... the end results - I am still recovering from stupid things I have done 4 years ago. STUPID STUPID!

As far as the student loan story. If you can manage your money well, student loan is a great alternative to pay for your education. you can actually use your loan to do things outside of school (well, as long as the interest rate is low enough. Worst case scenario, consolidate those loans). My good friend uses his student loan as cash flows to support his family's business every once and while. He makes positive investments and returns from student loan money. It is in the hand of your, whether you could use this money appropriately.

Public education... forget about out of state tuition / private school.

[<3MyRiceRocKet]

that is sooo true, homework at workk...hahaha 30 miles to work, 8.25 a hour..full time school...good thing i didnt try living on my own. GOOD LUCK! I give you A LOT of props for doin it.

[CaoBoY]

why not live with your dad? im assuming your parents are divorced, since they are each giving you 150 per month. that sucks. you dont have a granparent/aunt/uncle, or girlfriend/friend to live with? honestly, you cant live on minimum wage. its pretty much damned near impossible.

[dannyboi]

this guy sucks cock for a living, hes lying!

No.. he still flips burgers.... WHILE sucking cock.

I keed, I keed.

Anyhoo (to original poster), for your second job is there a way you can find a work study job? I don't know about techinical schools but i know university work study jobs you do nothing and collect a paycheck.

As for food: don't eat out (unless there is a great sale) and buy knock off food (forget "Fruit Loops"... its all about "Fruit Rounds".
Rent: you could save money rooming with someone, but they may be a dick.
Clothes: Hanes 3 packs to the rescue!
Insurance: find some ghetto insurance=save money

If all else fails: become a man-whore.

[ALTRNTV]

http://www.craigslist.org

They have alot of job listings, alot are "off-the-wall" jobs, which you won't find at the mall, or any typical place you would normally look for a job.

[theicecreamdan]

I have 2 roommates and a pretty cheap san diego apartment, I make almost 1200 a month after taxes and get another 600ish from my parents for help, I work fulltime at honda and there is room to fit another class in to make my current 9 units a "full time" 12, you can do it, but you will NEED roommates.

[Silverbullet]

how are you making so little at the dealership? anyways, yea like everyone else said, get another job. You kno certain banks pay for tuition right? You should look into benafits of certain jobs. They will do you good. I even know a couple ppl that buy a couple extra text books and sell them and sign up for a couple extra classes, then drop out to get a little more money from their benafit ;)

[theicecreamdan]

I'm a lot attendant in an area flooded with cheap labor.