Dear Ilana and Jess: I’m a college student, and maybe it’s too soon, but I really want to save for a car and apartment. It feels like such a stretch, and I don’t even know where to begin. HELP! – Tyler
Dear Tyler: We have all know the American dream: a nice car and a pretty home, all to yourself. For millennials in particular, that dream has looked more like a fantasy, lately. Fortunately, there are some (realistic) steps you can take to get the ball rolling.
Let’s address the elephant in the room: Do you have a job that pays enough for you to save? If you’re working and not making enough money, you may need to stop looking at car and apartment ads, and check out Indeed or LinkedIn. Before you set to task, make a list of your most marketable skills – the things you know you’re good at – then use them as a springboard to jump into your job hunt. Learn how to monetize your talents, and find a job that will allow you pack some more pennies in your piggy bank.
Differentiate between what you want and what you need. You may want a car that turns heads when you drive by, but you don’t actually need one. What you do need is a car to get you from A to Z, and an apartment that provides a comfortable, clean, and safe living space. Keep in mind that home and car payments should take up no more than 25% of your income. (Hint: A very quick way to cut costs on rent is to live with roommates).
Save a little over time. You’ve seen the commercials that promise your dollar a day donation can save an abandoned puppy or kitten. If it works for saving animals, why couldn’t it also work for your own bank account? Plan ahead. If you know that in three years you’ll want to be out of the dorms and in your own apartment, put $5 into a savings account, every day. You’ll be pleasantly surprised by how much that adds up when you’re finally looking for a place.
Say This: (To your college Careers Officer) “This is a list of my current skills, which I have acquired through my education, professional, volunteer, and extracurricular experience, as well as through my personal areas of interests. Could you point me toward opportunities to utilize these skills, while also earning money?”
Not That: “It’s too much of a stretch.”
Say This, Not That is based on the work of Cognition Builders: a global, educational company headed by Ilana Kukoff (Founder & CEO) and Jessica Yuppa Huddy (Chief Learning Officer). Everywhere from New York City to California to Shanghai to Zurich, the Cognition Builders team is called upon by A-list entertainers, politicians, CEOs, and CFOs to resolve the conflicts that upend everyday life. When their work is done, the families they serve are stronger than ever. With their new book, Say This, Not That To Your Teenage Daughter Kukoff and Yuppa Huddy have selected the most common conversational mistakes parents make, and fixed them. For more information, please visit: https://cognitionbuilders.com. To purchase Say This, Not That To Your Teenage Daughter visit: http://publishing.andrewsmcmeel.com/books/detail?sku=9781449488055.
DISTRIBUTED BY ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION