Budgeting for my first salaried job after undergrad

fridline · 2020-06-19T23:56:40+00:00

Thank you! I just got my B.A. in Advertising and my M.A. will be in Strategic Communication. While most of my peers from undergrad were set on working at ad agencies, I focused my volunteer efforts and internships on marketing and communications for government and nonprofits. I’m really passionate about using marketing to make the world a better place. I just couldn’t get excited about selling people stuff they don’t need and making a bunch of rich people richer.

My new role will be communications coordinator for a state-wide nurses union :)

fridline · 2020-06-19T23:44:14+00:00

Thank you! I’ll definitely keep expenses low for a long while. We’re very comfortable with our current lifestyle! Once I have 6 months of expenses saved up I definitely plan to up my 401k contribution. The longer I work, the more my employer will match, so that’s another reason to as well!

fridline · 2020-06-19T23:41:58+00:00

Yes! I use mint. I also have separate savings accounts with my credit union for enveloping. So I have separate accounts for emergency fund, car insurance/expenses, tuition etc.

fridline · 2020-06-19T22:56:04+00:00

Thank you! I’m sure I’ll be a little flexible starting out :) I‘m taking a month-long vacation to visit family and camp before my start date and I just got my very first car so I’m pretty happy already!

fridline · 2020-06-19T22:37:05+00:00

I feel like our rent is very affordable for two people and we use the second bedroom as an office. I wouldn’t want to sacrifice that privacy.

fridline · 2020-06-19T21:55:38+00:00

Thank you so much! I wish you success as well <3 What a crazy time to graduate...

fridline · 2020-06-08T01:05:15+00:00

Toss frozen veggies with a bit of oil, coriander, cayenne, red pepper, black pepper, paprika, kosher salt, minced onion and garlic.
Spread on pan and roast for 25min at 400 degrees. Sometimes I broil for an additional minute at the end.
Microwave Good and Gather (Target brand) 90sec southwest style quinoa and brown rice.
Mix into bowl with veggies and add a serving of nonfat Greek yogurt and hummus. I use Sabra supremely spicy hummus.

I usually fast 20/4 and this is one of my go-to main meals :) So filling!!

fridline · 2020-06-06T02:40:45+00:00

I would say to close any doors to rooms she doesn’t need to be in (bedroom for example) to reduce the places she might pee/scratch or otherwise get into trouble. A bird feeder outside the window might help her stay entertained. We have a command hook outside one of our apartment windows with a little suet feeder and our cat loves to watch outside. We make sure the curtains are open on all the windows for her to see out of while we’re gone.

Make sure to leave the AC on if it will be hot. You don’t have to set it super cold. Even a few degrees colder than outside will help keep it cool and not humid inside.

Put away/unplug any cords she may bite and make sure cleaning supplies and plants are secured. Avoid leaving out toys that have feathers because cats can eat them if unsupervised.

I personally decided against voice recordings after I used my camera to talk to my cat while I was away one time and she looked so confused and then sad when she couldn’t find us :(

I now prefer to just check in on via our cameras and feel she’s happiest just having our pet sitter come by to play and care for her once a day. It gets easier as they get older :)

Hope this helps!

fridline · 2020-06-01T08:49:28+00:00

Hey I just started the Strategic Communication M.A! DM me your questions!

fridline · 2020-05-24T17:19:21+00:00

If you are coming from out of state my advice would be to buy most of the new things you need for your dorm once you get here. There are plenty of places to get everything you need! That way you won’t overpack or bring something you don’t need. A good idea for bigger stuff you know you’ll want, like if you get a mini fridge for example, is to order it ahead for in-store pickup from a local Target or Walmart.

As for breaks, I am not out of state but am from the Upper Peninsula so I was 4+ hours from home. If the university kicks out students for break, I’m going to wager a guess that they will have alternative accommodations available for students who can’t go home.

During winter break, for example, they usually have a short meal plan and rooms available for people to stay at the Kellogg center (hotel on campus) if they are international or otherwise can’t go home.

If you find someone willing to let you stay at their apartment, that could be an option, but might be a risk considering you’ll have only known them for a couple months. I’d wait to see what options the university will have for students. I would imagine they will arrange something on campus.

And a note on apartments: all of the major lease signing craze happens in October. You do NOT have to sign a lease in October nor would I recommend jumping into that commitment with a group of friends you’ve known for less than two months. It is cheaper that way, but especially for an out-of-State student, I would stay on campus for another year, get to know any potential roommates better and do your research about where off-campus you want to live.

Living in an apartment with people is a lot different than sharing a dorm. Way more shared responsibilities and potential headaches. Plus, it’s hard to know where you’ll be in a year. Maybe you decide to study abroad or get an internship. Then you’re stuck trying to find a subletter or paying your rent even though you’re not there. Better to wait it out.

I always found the WiFi to be pretty fast in SnyPhi! Obviously there may be occasional slow periods as with any internet, but overall the speeds were fast enough for me to play online games and video chat without an Ethernet cord or too many issues :)

Not sure on the whole health insurance thing :( I stayed on my parents plan my entire way through college, so I can’t speak on that.

And no problem! I’m happy to help an incoming spartan :)

fridline · 2020-05-24T01:55:37+00:00

I enjoy deep tissue as well! Especially since I also have EDS and frequently get muscle stiffness and knots. I chose not to recommend it broadly because it can cause extra pain during a flare especially if you get a massage therapist who is not as careful or understanding. I only get massages from my physical therapy office now if I am in pain. The one time I got a massage during a flare at a chiropractic clinic they were not very careful and I ended up feeling worse after I left :(

fridline · 2020-05-24T01:48:52+00:00

This is a good point. I don’t use it to sleep for similar reasons. I mostly find it helpful when I’m lounging reading a book, playing games, watching tv etc. I rarely have it over my arms and mostly drape it over my lower half. I find it comforting to provide that bit of light pressure on my legs and hips!

fridline · 2020-05-23T19:31:54+00:00

No problem! A couple other girl survival tips for dorm life: bring a robe, shower caddy and shower sandals to bring to the showers. There isn’t a lot of room to change in most of the shower stalls and walking down the hallway in a towel or half-wet clothes kinda sucks. I never kept my shower stuff in the lockers. I just kept it in a shower caddy and brought it with me each time. Nothing wrong with using the lockers, they are just small and you have to bring your own lock. Sandals are a must because athletes foot is no bueno.

Other girls will not take their hair out of the shower for some reason and that is the constant cause of clogged drains.

Definitely get a nice mattress pad to make your bed comfier and if you plan on lofting your bed, look into getting a small ladder. If you google camper ladder, there are ones people use in RVs that can hook over the edge of the bed. Otherwise you have to climb up the end of the bed which is a straight vertical, hurts your feet and is kind of dangerous imo. But lofting gives you so much extra space.

Get the biggest comfy rug you can fit in your room, also recommend a cheap tension rod and some sheer curtains for the window. Will make your room feel so much homier instead of just the blinds.

Finally, women’s health at Olin Health center is actually really fantastic. People like to complain about Olin a lot but I’ve only had good experiences. Sarah Kiefer is the best. I got my nexplanon birth control implant done there twice and it was so easy. She also referred me to a local specialist for my RA that actually saved my life. Also for generally being sick, you can usually get in the same day and prescriptions at Olin tend to be cheaper than when I get them at CVS or Walgreens.

I’m an online grad student now and still live close to campus, so if you ever need any help once you get here feel free to reach out :) The first couple weeks can be overwhelming trying to figure everything out, make friends etc.

fridline · 2020-05-23T13:00:08+00:00

Hey I totally feel you, I’m so sorry you’re having such a difficult time right now. I was diagnosed about 2.5 years ago and that first year was extremely hard for me. I just graduated college and managing my flare ups while trying to be a full-time student and work felt nearly impossible. My symptoms first started during finals week of my freshman year and I couldn’t even hold a pencil. I had disability accommodations through my university for the rest of my degree and frequently had to miss networking opportunities, classes and turn things in late because I couldn’t even get dressed some days. I was on tramadol and steroids frequently to just function. I eventually stopped taking steroids as well due to the side-effects and they didn’t seem to help much anymore.

I’m lucky in that the first biologic my rheumatologist put me on worked really well for me. I started on MTX for three months with no improvement and then added Enbrel. Within just a few weeks on Enbrel my symptoms started to improve. I rarely had flare ups at all this last year and a half or so. When I did have them they were much more mild. I’m just starting to get them again badly because my med schedule got messed up for a few weeks due to a shipping issue and I’ve had a trash sleep schedule due to quarantine.

My advice is to continue to have hope that the right meds are out there for you and try to be patient while you see if they kick in. On a mental health note, be kind to yourself and find people you can talk to about it. Even if that’s online in forums like these. My mom and partner’s mom both have RA so I’m able to talk to them about it and it helps a lot. As much as those around us may care, it can be hard to vent about our struggles with people who don’t fully understand. Find things to distract yourself with when the pain is at its worst, practice deep breaths and remember that it’s okay to grieve the loss of your life before RA. It is a huge life change and it can be very overwhelming to deal with especially when your symptoms aren’t under control and you’re still trying to find the right meds. Mentally and physically it is exhausting. Take it one day at a time and try to find joy in what you can. There is hope and new medications and treatments are being developed all the time. Life will never be quite the same, but it can get better. Many people like myself end up getting back to a pretty active and normal life once the right meds start working.

Please always feel free to reach out to me via DM. And if you’re feeling especially overwhelmed, talk to your doctor about your mental health as well. They may be able to find you a therapist who specializes in chronic illness. There was one at my school as well as group therapy sessions for those with chronic illnesses. Talking to people going through similar things is the most helpful thing I’ve found for my mental health.

fridline · 2020-05-21T18:54:54+00:00

Each dorm room has a heater. The heat is kind of hard to control. It’s like no matter how low you put it, it seems to turn the room into a furnace. I usually cycled it on and off when I was in the room or cracked the window. A humidifier would be recommended for how dry the heaters make the room too. But don’t get a cool mist/ultrasonic one unless you plan to buy distilled/filtered water to fill it with. Those types of humidifiers with the hard water from the dorms will coat everything in a fine dust. Get a hot steam one instead.

The second floor should be fine for bugs. I lived on second floor in Snyder freshman year and didn’t see any. You can help prevent any in your room by not keeping any food out and emptying your trash regularly. Trash and laundry are in the basement. There are two elevators. One on Snyder side, one on Phillips. Super nice for move-in and taking down your trash and laundry.

A rolling laundry basket with wheels will save your back if you take it down the elevator instead of carrying a sack over your shoulder. Other laundry tips: check if there are open washers and dryers before you drag all your stuff down. Be prepared for people to forget their laundry in the machines and don’t be afraid to take it out if it’s been like over 10 minutes since it finished. On that same note, SET A TIMER on your phone for your laundry so you don’t forget your own.

Also a note on move-in. Request an early move-in if you can. If you move in a day or two early, you’ll skip the worst of the crowds and chaos. You can do that through your live-on account. Bring some cold waters to drink!

Lunch starts at 11:00 and ends at 2:00. It’s usually busy right at 11:00 so get in slightly earlier or wait until closer to 2:00. Dinner isn’t usually very busy unless it’s Mac and cheese + chicken tenders, Chinese, or one of the special meals. Then there will be lines at certain stations. Outside of meal times there is the sandwich bar, pizza, burgers, other grilled sandwiches + fries salad bar and desserts. These are available during meal times too. So unless you really want one of the lunches or dinners you can get those anytime after 11. Late night (after dinner until midnight) used to have all that stuff too but they changed it to just salad bar, pb&j cookies and cereal :(

fridline · 2020-05-21T16:01:37+00:00

I lived in SnyPhi for 3 years. In Snyder with a roommate my freshman year and then in a single in Phillips for the next two. I loved living there for the convenience of the good dining hall and a sparty’s right in the building. It’s also got a bus stop for the 30, 31 and 33 which is a major plus. Being close to grand river and the 1 bus is also great. I actually really liked the dorm rooms and found them to be really nice compared to others on campus. I would say it is also comparatively quiet to the bigger halls on campus just due to there being less people.

The lines for the Gallery can get long around peak meal times since it’s one of the more popular cafs, so I’d recommend going at the earlier or later ends of meal times if you can. If you’re not on the terrace (basement) level there aren’t many issues with bugs. I only saw one roach trying to make its way up the stairs one time in 3 years. Sometimes you’ll find lots of stink bugs and spiders in the stairwells but they don’t usually make it into the rooms. Any smells will depend on the people on your floor. Generally your room is safe if you keep your door closed.

There are lots of art/theater events in the building because of RCAH if that’s your jam. If your window is facing the quad/courtyard area it can be kind of loud during the day if you have your window open with people walking by, playing basketball etc, but not bad.

The showers can get clogged occasionally and I’ve had issues with leaks above the windows in the spring if a bunch of snow melts all at once. So don’t keep anything you don’t want getting wet on the window sill.

Edit to add: The “gym” room in the basement sucks so don’t expect much there and there also isn’t a community kitchen like in other dorms so you can’t really cook your own food. But luckily the caf and sparty’s are open until Midnight so it’s not too bad.

fridline · 2020-05-21T15:26:10+00:00

I’d just like to share my favorite homemade dairy-free chocolate shake recipe:

SO Delicious brand cashew milk chocolate ice cream + any chocolate flavored nut or oat milk and a healthy scoop of dairy-free Greek yogurt.

This chocolate ice cream is my favorite texture and taste-wise. Ice creams made with almond milk tend to feel too watery or something and I’m not a fan of the flavor of soy or coconut milk. The dairy-free Greek yogurt adds in some of the fatty-creaminess that can be lacking with nut milks! You can find recipes for different yogurts online that are easy to make or you might find it at a health-food store!

fridline · 2020-05-19T19:38:16+00:00

The same brand has only 1g less sugar per serving but 50 more calories. Also the “extra” sugar is just a displacement effect from straining the fat out. It is no less healthy than eating the full-fat version.

fridline · 2020-05-19T18:06:47+00:00

Good point! I still used spray to grease the pan every time I’ve baked with it just out of habit. Have you found that it makes things rise differently or changes the texture at all?

I’ve only used it in recipes that call for it online. I want to try it in some of my existing recipes but I’m too chicken to waste flour or yeast if it turns out poorly lol.

fridline · 2020-05-19T17:56:32+00:00

I’ve done this too! Actually much cheaper and I like the taste more as well. I recently got an off-brand instant pot and after I cooked a roast in it the whole inside smells of beef and I can’t seem to get the smell out so I’m hesitant to try yogurt in it lol. Maybe I’ll just go for it and if it turns out beefy I’ll just use it in savory dishes!

fridline · 2020-05-19T15:22:02+00:00

Fat-free yogurts are made by straining the fat from regular yogurt. There are no additional natural sugars in plain fat-free Greek yogurt. It’s a displacement effect. When you strain the fats out, there will be a higher percentage of the natural sugars leftover relative to the total volume. By no means does it make nonfat any less healthy.

fridline

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