Angry Young & Poor

I've been thinking a lot about debt lately.

Sometimes I wish I could say, "the hell with it! I'm opening up another credit card." It's been tempting. I already have so much debt, so what's wrong with a little more? I'll deal with it later. I'd love to go crazy and be able to eat and pay my bills each month.

What keeps me grounded is this: Buying things is like fleeting sexual expeditions. I'm all for the pleasure, but a fling three years ago means nothing to me now. In conclusion of this analogy, the uplifting feeling of spending money is only temporary.

In any case, my generation deals with more than $20,000 worth of college loan debt alone. I feel like I'll have debt the rest of my life.

There's a great website that has tips on living frugally. It's called AndThenWeSaved.com. I've read a lot of her articles and she seems legit. Here's a lovely post on making easy meals on a budget: 98 Cheap and Easy Foods for Under 5 Bucks.

The Top 10 Lessons I've Learned Since Graduating College

10. You can't survive on cereal alone.

9. Wash your dishes right after you use them. There's hardly any scrubbing involved. It takes way less time than you think it will.

8. Constipation is one of the worst feelings ever. Eat fiber or else.

7. Pricks and jerks actually exist in the real world. Whether they are an acquaintance or coworker, treat them as if they were having a bad day. There is a reason why that person is a prick to begin with.

6. Your metabolism is going to start slowing down. You'll notice. The trick is to find an active hobby like dancing or rock climbing so it doesn't feel like exercise. Also, more people exercise than you originally thought.

5. Deal with responsibilities head on. Problems get worse with time.

4. Not making a choice counts as making a choice.

3. Customize solutions for situations that you regularly encounter. For example, I feel better the second I start writing. It'll be a rough start, but it's sure to work.

2. Time is a limited resource, even if it doesn't feel that way. If you spend it all on playing the Sims 3, you're going have a bad time.

1. It takes a true effort to maintain friendships and make new ones. In school you were thrown together and easily fell into becomes friends. It's not like that anymore. Your acquaintances have no way of knowing you want to be friends with them. Invite them out, talk to them, and schedule group activities in advance.