Posts Tagged ‘money’

Did you know that coupons are, like, free money?

Yeah. Apparently you can get them online, in newspapers, and when you hand them to the cashier at Publix they’re all “You saved $16 and bought fantastic red hair dye.”

This is almost as exciting as that time I discovered Wal-Mart.

I’ve led a very sheltered life. Don’t judge.

Seriously though, R.J and I have been prepping to take the plunge (No, not that plunge. The lets-sign-a-lease-together plunge) and trying to figure out how to afford rent and food. Coupons happen to be quite an excellent solution that dilemma.

I’ve been using www.familysave.com to get my coupons for right now. They have a big directory and then they mail them to you– Which is a good thing, because I tend to rip the barcode every time I pull them out of the Sunday section.

I’m most excited about the foundation I got the other day. The store was having a 2-for-1 special and I had two $2 off coupons. Which means that I got two bottles of foundation for the price of one, and on that price I got $4 off. INCREDIBLE. I’M WOWED—ARE YOU WOWED? Well, I’m wowed. Maybe coupons aren’t your kink, but they’re certainly my new thing.

I even bought a snazzy organizer. To be snazzy and also organized in a money-saving fashion.

Man. I’m going to be the coupon saving girl.

And when we’re all moved in, our friends will visit us at our new apartment and they’ll be all—WOW! How did you afford that giant flat screen TV and fancy, but useless four option toaster? And I’ll be all like, “Our food bill this month was like negative zero dollars.” And they’ll be all, “Gosh, that’s why you’re so thin! Let us take you out to dinner, you stylish-yet-destitute child!”

Yeah. This is going to be great. I can feel it in my $0.50 off Lactaid milk.

Growing up, the advice I got from most authors was: Don’t do it for the money. There is no money in the publishing industry.

It was that sort of disheartening advice that almost made me want to stop writing, because no matter how passionate I was about the art—I was more passionate about having clothes on my back and food on my plate. I felt concerned that I would do the work I was passionate about, only to fall deeply into debt. Or worse, I would move away from this field and do something I didn’t enjoy, simply to maintain a semblance of my lifestyle.

I chose to keep writing. During the first four years of my career I worked my butt off writing articles, books, and doing interviews and during those four years I made exactly $20. (Which was really only because I sold an ad alongside a review I did in a teen magazine!)

Twenty measly dollars. Was this going to be my yearly stipend as a professional writer?

The problem, I realized all came back to that advice I’d been given to not expect money. If I didn’t expect money, I couldn’t receive it. More importantly, if I placed so little value on my talent—how could I expect to incur any monetary value from it?

The fact that so many young and talented writers suffer from the delusion that their work isn’t worth being paid for—either because they enjoy doing it, or believe  it isn’t equal to a dollar’s value—is the very reason that they won’t get paid.

Not being paid for writing pieces is a cycle in this industry that has to be stopped. Writing is a profession just like any other. We work to produce a product. Just because we enjoy making it, or it is cathartic for us doesn’t mean that it should go financially unvalued.

For me, the obstacle that stopped me from getting paid was not asking for payment. When I sent out introduction letters to editors and publishers I never mentioned a rate. There was no discussion about it.

I was so excited to have the opportunity to be a published author (an excitement that dwindles magnificently in the face of rent, grocery, and gas bills) that I never sought any further payment besides my own delight. Big mistake!

Once I started valuing my work, the more valuable it became, and thus the more indignant I became when I was asked to do work without pay. Writing is one of the hardest professions. We are asked to synthesize information and output it in an organized way. This is not a monotonous, repetitive job by any means. It’s mentally laborious, and driven by focus.

To operate under the mindset of “Well I like to write so I don’t need to ask for money to do it,” Is the same as watching your housekeeper scrub your bathroom floor and when you go to hand her the check she says, “No, it’s alright! I enjoy bloodying my knees to keep your tiles clean!”

Many people derive pleasure from their jobs, but a job is still a job.

Consider this: For every writer who does their work for free, a writer who seeks payment is denied. (Why pay for what you can get for free?)

I urge all young writers to invest in the future of their careers (as possible sources of income) to stop accepting non-paying jobs.

The publishing industry doesn’t have to be a thankless one, and writers don’t have to be penniless and destitute–Which is a relief; because $20 doesn’t even begin cover my Skittles and Chex Mix addiction!

What can I say?

The last few weeks have been difficult, but fun and exciting and new. The new job is great. Scary, some might even say terrifying at times—but really, really great. I think I’m only terrified because when it comes right down to it, I’ve never had a “job.”

I’ve had gigs. I’ve had website “jobs.” I’ve had consultation “jobs” but never have I been receiving a steady paycheck. Never have I been given a company email.

I’m twenty. Sometimes I still think I’m sixteen and sleep in a loft bed. But I don’t. I sold it on craigslist. I can legally drive.

One day you just wake up and you’re in a bed that has all four legs on the floor and you really can just fall out of it if you roll the wrong way.

I never really thought too much about money until I had it. Now I realize this was a great hindrance on my ability to do any type of math. Now I can calculate a twenty percent tip in my head– because it’s coming out of my checking account.

And I’m saving my money—really, actually saving it. In a savings account. Sure, I’ve had a saving account for a few years now. There was just never anything stable in it. Now I put money it and it stays there.

Like permanently.

I’m even starting to do my own taxes.

When do these things start happening? Next thing you know I’ll have my own apartment and insurance plan. Next thing you know I’ll be graduating with my degree. I realized today I only have about one more semester left! When did that happen? Why didn’t anyone put it on my Outlook calendar?

2010: You Become a Grown Up Around 8:30 AM Every Morning.

I have a lot of growing up to do still. I’m sure there is lots of time left to make mistakes and watch the Disney Channel. It just sneaks up on you, I think, being an adult. One second you’re flipping the remote to Hannah Montana and all of a sudden, you find your other hand is paying your Visa bill.