My girlfriend does work, but she doesn't earn much. It's not full-time work. It's underpaid, cash-in-hand, part-time work. She covers her half of the rent, but I'm usually the one to pay for the food everytime we eat out at restaurants, as well as the one to cover any major expenses like buying a new phone or laptop, or paying for plane tickets when we go travelling. She does the best she can, but her income is very low and she's been struggling to find employment. I don't blame her for any of this. I blame the economy. I blame the situation. But it is what it is.
We have been living together for almost 1.5 years. We often joke about how we're practically already a married couple: we live together, share a bed, share meals, share finances, etc. It's possible that we might get married in the next 1-2 years. But again, weddings are a huge expense, so it will depend on our finances.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rich Checkmaker
Don't spend so much money on luxury items you can't afford!
Maybe you should move into a van with your girlfriend?? Think about it...
A smartphone is not a "luxury"; it's an essential. You simply can't survive in the 21st century without one. That's like not having electricity at home. And since her last phone broke, it was essential that she gets a new one ASAP. There really wasn't much choice there. Money had to be spent. It was simply a choice of whether I spent the money outright or got a payment plan which involved heavy interest rates, and the former is definitely more +EV than the latter. What phone were you guys suggesting? A nokia brick? I think I did a good enough job bringing the cost down to $850 by buying an older version phone. I don't know why I'm receiving this much criticism for it when most of my friends go out and buy the latest model smartphones, even when they have significantly less money than I do.
Living in a van, are you kidding me? I can handle living in an overcrowded apartment for cheap rent, but I'll never resort to living in a van. That's a new low.