(no subject)

The Eureka Moment:

WARNING - MATHEMATICS AHEAD

One of the biggest mysteries in Washington was my inability to get ahead financially. If I wasn't living hand to mouth, I was losing money hand over fist. I'd always blamed it on the cost of living. Turns out, it was that AND something quite different.

When calculating my finances, I'd always looked at dollars per hour, which was the basis for jobs I was looking for when I moved back. I wanted at least $15/hr which was what Nintendo was paying me.

I actually had trouble finding $15, but not for the reasons you might think. Apparently, around these parts, entry level jobs are about $12/hr, and Entry Level Tier II jobs start at $17/hr. So you either have to aim low and work up to $15, or aim high and hope your skill set is high enough. And most jobs didn't post an hourly wage, but a yearly pay.

So when I came across jobs that only posted yearly pay, I did some calculations to figure out my Nintendo yearly pay:

$15/hr * 40 hours = $600 a week * 52 weeks = $31,200 yearly

The jobs most interested in me were the $12/hr entry jobs and only a few $17/hr tier jobs. Considering the problems I had in Seattle working $15/hr and making it work, I was very hesitant to do that in Austin. The whole reason I moved back was because the Seattle cost of living couldn't sustain what Nintendo was paying.

Eventually I ended up landing a job that only paid $12/hr.

$12/hr * 40 hours = $480 a week * 52 weeks = $24,960 yearly

OR about $1920 a month. Most places around here won't rent to you if their rent is over a third of your monthly income. That leaves me looking for places at a Maximum of $640. That's HARD to come by in Austin. The cheapest I found is $790. San Marcos may be the way to go on that as my rent for a nice place there was $650.

But then, I was only paying $500 a month in Seattle. Why did my finances keep getting drained dry? What was going on there?

It was in the shower that it clicked. I was counting 40 hours a week at $15/hr at Nintendo. I RARELY did 40 hours. I usually did 32. I recrunched the numbers:

$15/hr * 32 hours = $480 a week * 52 weeks = $24,960 yearly.

The EXACT same number I was getting at $12/hr. I had, by calculating wrong, shorted myself $6,240 a year.

The mystery as to why Seattle ended up draining my finances dry was solved: The apparent $12/hr was disasterous for staying in Seattle. And while the cost of living in Austin is cheaper than Seattle, $12/hr won't cut it here either.

However...$14/hr may just do it. Average rent around here is $790. Multiply that by 3 for $2,370 monthly, or $28,440 yearly (aka $13.67/hr). Just gotta keep pushing, and aim for $14 or better

At least I have a new and slightly more attainable goal...

(no subject)

Growing up in the 80s, there were two women I looked up to as role models: Bonnie Barstow from Knight Rider and Theora Jones from Max Headroom.

Also, they were gorgeous, by 80s big hair, heavy makeup standards. ;)

(no subject)

Turned down the Dell job. It was temp work, and while the contract lasted a long time, I doubt I'd actually BE there the entire contract.

(no subject)

Huh, Donkey Kong Country Returns. Wonder why I never finished this. ::3 million inadvertent ground pounds/ground rolls/leaf blows later:: Oh, right. Motion controls.