I think today was the day that I truly came into my womanhood. No, I didn't start my period. That happened so many years ago that I cant count – but I did come to a real grown woman decision today, and that, I owe to my desires for a better life. And, my love for the luxe.
Even as a child, my mother would always say that I had expensive tastes. Anytime we would shop for things (I mean anything from curtains to clothes), I would always pick out the most expensive things, without even knowing their costs. My mother would be like, "put that shit down, and lets go over the the bargain bin…" Because of this, I was motivated to start working at age 15. When I started getting my own money, my mother didn't really have any control over what I got and she wouldn't scold me for going to The Lark, or Fields and buying a $60 Nautica polo (I think that stage was the worst period of adjustment for her…well, her wallet anyway). Since then, I have always made a way for me to get what I want, without going overboard with it. I realized that $60 was waaaaaay too much for a fad. I learned to invest wisely, and search for cheap treasures. I still have champagne taste, with champipple funds - only not visible to naked eye, though. I like to have alot, but not for alot. I can pinch a penny until another little baby penny pops out, and then I will pinch that little heffer too. Trust.
Knowing this, I specifically sought out for myself a career that would allow me to make enough money so that I could still enjoy myself and take care of myself at the same time. Fact is, I love to shop, OK. I like to eat. I like to kick it. But I like to do them all in moderation (and I am like my mama with them bargains, so I dont pay full price for hardly anything). But even that moderate lifestyle is proving costly in this city of wind. I came back to Chicago with the idea that, if I could just maintain (with some slight comeuppance) the lifestyle the had whilst living in the cornucopia (pun intended) of Dekalb, I would be OK. Key word: maintain.
I currently work for a big name, downtown, semi-upscale social service corporation in my field (say some thing now, Kanye!?!), so I feel fulfilled in a way that proves to me that I didn't go to college for nothing. My job is pretty cool. When I take into consideration what the company is built on (comprehensive psychological service), I am happy that I landed there…
But when I look at my damn check, I am nearly comatose. I feel like Florida Evans.
Even as a child, my mother would always say that I had expensive tastes. Anytime we would shop for things (I mean anything from curtains to clothes), I would always pick out the most expensive things, without even knowing their costs. My mother would be like, "put that shit down, and lets go over the the bargain bin…" Because of this, I was motivated to start working at age 15. When I started getting my own money, my mother didn't really have any control over what I got and she wouldn't scold me for going to The Lark, or Fields and buying a $60 Nautica polo (I think that stage was the worst period of adjustment for her…well, her wallet anyway). Since then, I have always made a way for me to get what I want, without going overboard with it. I realized that $60 was waaaaaay too much for a fad. I learned to invest wisely, and search for cheap treasures. I still have champagne taste, with champipple funds - only not visible to naked eye, though. I like to have alot, but not for alot. I can pinch a penny until another little baby penny pops out, and then I will pinch that little heffer too. Trust.
Knowing this, I specifically sought out for myself a career that would allow me to make enough money so that I could still enjoy myself and take care of myself at the same time. Fact is, I love to shop, OK. I like to eat. I like to kick it. But I like to do them all in moderation (and I am like my mama with them bargains, so I dont pay full price for hardly anything). But even that moderate lifestyle is proving costly in this city of wind. I came back to Chicago with the idea that, if I could just maintain (with some slight comeuppance) the lifestyle the had whilst living in the cornucopia (pun intended) of Dekalb, I would be OK. Key word: maintain.
I currently work for a big name, downtown, semi-upscale social service corporation in my field (say some thing now, Kanye!?!), so I feel fulfilled in a way that proves to me that I didn't go to college for nothing. My job is pretty cool. When I take into consideration what the company is built on (comprehensive psychological service), I am happy that I landed there…
But when I look at my damn check, I am nearly comatose. I feel like Florida Evans.
Clutch the pearls! A negra is borderline poor.
I came at a crossroads last week, based on info that I received about my newfound employer, and I was really thinking about my current and future financial security. I was weighing pros and cons, and then I found myself thinking about shit that would have never crossed my mind last year, or the year before:
-my job insurance is too high, and if I plan on being here long-term these rates will increase
-my job does not offer medical leave, so if I get pregnant I don't get paid. As many kids as I want, I am looking at about a loss of 2+ years without pay
-my job does not offer financial assistance for employees' continuing education. I'm starting school real soon, so just shit on me…
-my savings account is depressing and my whole goal for moving in with a roomie was to save, and this job does not allow me to do much of that
-I am constantly worried about money and whether or not I can afford to do even the smallest things in life, and as a person with champagne tastes, that's pretty darn wack. I don't want to be worried all day about that damn dollar I spent on my green tea this morning
-the average rate for annual pay increase is 4% (compared to organizations of its kind, the rate is low…as hell)
I have a laundry list of other things, but you get what Im saying here. Im getting grown, and I need to (wo)man up and do whats best for me. I am still young, and I think I deserve to do me for as long as I can until I have a husband and 4.5 children to feed and clean up after. And although it was a pair of Marc Jacobs sunglasses that I couldnt afford that really got me to thinking about my monies, regardless, I know my earning potential is much more than what Im doing. I never would have really thought about this kinda stuff before, but unless I marry rich (Lord willing, lol….Im just playing…a little) I need to care about these things. So I felt like, hey, I need to make some choices. So today, I decided that Im gonna leave my job. Not this very day, but soon.
