by Hope
Princess received her largest paycheck to date this past week and she was super excited! Until she saw it…
She makes $8 per hour and had worked almost 60 hours over a two week period. She was feeling good and had a plan for her money.
- She has learned to live on the $30 per week allowance I was giving her last spring. So she based her financial plan off that knowledge.
- She’s been saving upwards of 60-70% of each paycheck.
- And now that she will be responsible for her 1/2 of her car insurance and all of her phone bill, she worked out how much she needed to set aside each pay period to cover her $170 per month in bills.
- Princess was excited…
And then she took at a look at the taxes and other government monies taken out. So she came in with her paycheck, rushing to the bathroom and screaming “I hate the government.”
I just had to laugh. They only took just over $50 out for state income tax, medicare and social security. But she missed that money! There aren’t taking any federal taxes out, which surprised me, but maybe that’s common since she would get it all back anyways.
Either way, it led to an interesting discussion on taxes and politics and different views on government, etc. It was educational and a little bit funny.
Taking on Some Responsibility
Princess settled into the idea of needing to pay some of her own bills easily. This was expected after watching the twins begin to pitch in when they were her age. She’s always witnessed their responsibilities grow as they got older and more independent…well, at least a little. And like them, she knows that this is part of growing up.
It was just this year, at 21 1/2 that the twins began paying room and board here at home, got their own auto insurance policies, and just last week History Buff decided to get his own phone service.
I let Princess know that I would help her buy one more phone when she was ready, but after that she would be solely responsible for those upgrades as well. (She started making noise about her phone needing an upgrade a month or so ago, but when she realized that I wouldn’t be replacing it like I have in the past, that noise has quieted. I have told her how much I would contribute and they rest would be up to her.)
Because Princess is so far ahead in school, (if we had pushed, she could have graduated last year) one of her classes is work based learning. As a result, she is able to work more hours. She only has to be on the high school campus for one class every day and it gets out at 11am. Two days a week, she has two college classes, also on the high school campus. But three days a week, she is pretty free. She will begin working doubles a couple of days a week and is excited that she can maintain her working hours while going to school.
Hope is a resourceful and solutions-driven business manager who has spent nearly two decades helping clients streamline their operations and grow their businesses through project management, digital marketing, and tech expertise. Recently transitioning from her role as a single mom of five foster/adoptive children to an empty nester, Hope is navigating the emotional and practical challenges of redefining her life while maintaining her determination to regain financial control and eliminate debt.
Living in a cozy small town in northeast Georgia with her three dogs, Hope cherishes the serenity of the mountains over the bustle of the beach. Though her kids are now finding their footing in the world—pursuing education, careers, and independence—she remains deeply committed to supporting them in this next chapter, even as she faces the bittersweet tug of letting go.
Since joining the Blogging Away Debt community in 2015, Hope has candidly shared her journey of financial ups and downs. Now, with a renewed focus and a clear path ahead, she’s ready to tackle her finances with the same passion and perseverance that she’s brought to her life and career. Through her writing, she continues to inspire others to confront their own financial challenges and strive for a brighter future.
