Seagull Finance Thread

>>9199856

>Do you have a job? Part-time? Full-time? Salaried?
full time salaried, plus a part time side job
>How much of your income/spending money do you spend on cosplay/jfashion?
all of my part time money and a bug chunk of my salary. probably more than I should, but less than rent...
>Are you in debt? How bad?
nope! my fiancé has a fair amount of student loans to pay off, though... so that's coming
>Most expensive costume/coord?
I don't know off the top of my head, but my Halloween and Christmas coords tend to get pretty expensive...
>What are you saving for right now?
honestly? blouses. I need a bunch more and for some reason I'm really picky about them... I usually wind up dropping as much on a blouse as I would on a main piece...
>Saving for any other major expenses (emergencies, car, house, retirement, etc)?
I have a 401k at work, and some emergency money put aside. I should probably be saving for a house, but eh
>Budgeting tips?
buy used, keep a spreadsheet of expenses, don't go into credit card debit because interest=brand

>>9199870
*big
*debt

My boyfriend buys me all of my main pieces. I'm pretty fortunate. I buy all of my blouses and shoes and such and that in itself is too much for my part time job, but I'm also in school so I'm excited to get paid a full salary eventually and be more independent.

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>Do you have a job? Part-time? Full-time? Salaried?
I make money doing small odd jobs since I have problems keeping a regular job. Every time I've gotten a real job I just want chill part-time but then they give me basically full time and it stresses me out way too much since I also have anxiety/depression stuff going on. Right now I make a base of $400 a month and earn extra money on top of that occasionally


>How much of your income/spending money do you spend on cosplay/jfashion?
Close to 100% since I dont have bills

>Are you in debt? How bad?
Lol no, I never want to mess around with that. Although there was an AP release I splurged on when I didnt have the money. I'm married and so I just slowly paid my husband back for it.

>Most expensive costume/coord?
I've bought a few new releases and those where the most expensive dresses I've ever gotten. I've never bought an inflated after market dress. I think my Halloween coord this year will be my most expensive one. I bought the new Baby Halloween JSK and got the antique beast witch hat for it. I dont often buy expensive accessories and just go with off brand.

>What are you saving for right now?
I have about $500 saved right now and there isn't anything in specific I'm looking for. I like to have a pool of money in case there is a new release I like or I spot a dress I've been looking for second hand.

>Saving for any other major expenses (emergencies, car, house, retirement, etc)?
My husband and I are saving for a house one day hopefully but he has a well paying job so he's mostly the one saving. Even if I got a minimum wage job full time what I would make would pale in comparison to him, it wouldnt even help save that much for it.

>Budgeting tips?
Dont spend money on stupid rando shit you think is cute and save up for something you'll really want.

>>9199856
>Do you have a job? Part-time? Full-time? Salaried?
I'll finish my degree this week and I quit my job a few months ago (it was a student-tier one) to concentrate on my thesis. Hopefully I'll find a job soon, until then I'll be a housewife.

>How much of your income/spending money do you spend on cosplay/jfashion?
My boyfriend pay our bills and necessities and most things I want. But if I want something expensive for my hobbies like burando I need to either sell something or save birthday/christmas money until I start working myself.

>Are you in debt? How bad?
My boyfriend and I have some debts like my student loan, but he pays it off for me. Sadly with paying off our debt and car and such we're currently just getting by, but we expect some huge bonsus of his company and I'll get some kind of job eventually.

>Most expensive costume/coord?
I think Melty Ribbon Chocolate this year for almost $600 was my biggest splurge ever.

>What are you saving for right now?
I'm saving some money from sales for one of my wishlist dresses for $150. I'll probably get some good money from my family for my degree though, if it adds up I'm looking to buy Melty Cream Doughnut with that money.

>Saving for any other major expenses (emergencies, car, house, retirement, etc)?
Oh, well, no. I will once I get a job and we will pay off our debts once the bonuses come in.

>Budgeting tips?
Get yourself a guy who works in a highly sought after field and aim to be the same. Other than that I'm not good at budgeting. I hate to life the poor life, but I'm ready to work my ass off to justify it.

>>9199921
>>9199939
>>9199954
>mfw I enjoy sugar mama-ing too much to get me an s/o to pay for my brand

>>9199856
>Do you have a job? Part-time? Full-time? Salaried?
Not atm, since I'm taking a year off, but the money I get through my stipends is pretty much the same as my salary from the full time job before.
>How much of your income/spending money do you spend on cosplay/jfashion?
10-20% of my total income
>Are you in debt? How bad?
nope
>Most expensive costume/coord?
Around 800€
>What are you saving for right now?
Nothing in particular, just trying not to spend too much because I know there will probably come a dress that I absolutely HAVE to get on release day
>Saving for any other major expenses (emergencies, car, house, retirement, etc)?
Not saving up for something concrete, but I put some money on the side for emergencies or bigger holidays.
>Budgeting tips?
Really ask yourself what you need in your wardrobe, like a pair of shoes in a specific color, or a jacket that goes with everything, and don't do impulse buys. And buy 2nd hand!

>>9199856
>>Do you have a job? Part-time? Full-time? Salaried?
Full time salaried.
>>How much of your income/spending money do you spend on cosplay/jfashion?
... a lot.
>>Are you in debt? How bad?
I have pretty bad student loans from going for a graduate degree, but I'm fortunate enough to have my parents help me with that. I always pay off my credit card every month so no CC debt at least.
>>Most expensive costume/coord?
I paid $600 for soupir d'ange by JetJ. I later sold it though, but it's the single most expensive item I've bought that I can think of that wasn't a plane ticket, or my test prep materials.
>>What are you saving for right now?
I should save for my DD, but I don't.
>>Saving for any other major expenses (emergencies, car, house, retirement, etc)?
I have a Roth IRA fund which I have several thousand in, but I'm a bad person and don't save much for emergencies.
>>Budgeting tips?
I'm the worst person to go to for tips.

>Do you have a job? Part-time? Full-time? Salaried?
Self employed, and I put in a minimum of 40 hours a week.
>How much of your income/spending money do you spend on cosplay/jfashion?
I am one of those people who likes to put a lot of money into savings and only sometimes gives themselves spending money. It almost always goes to "kawaii" type shit on taobao/aliexpress which isn't always cosplay or jfashion. A lot of it is stationary and home goods. I do spend a bit on cons and cosplay, but compared to my income, it's not that much.
>Are you in debt? How bad?
Zero debt! Thank god.
>Most expensive costume/coord?
Probably $300 just for one costume. A lot are around $200 though. The cost of going to the cons are usually more expensive. One whole con experience, not including food, is probably 1k for me (I also pay for my bf).
>What are you saving for right now?
Not sure. Kind of got into an expensive hobby, so I do need to start saving hard again. I just started depositing money into my emergency funds this week, but my bf said he wants me to save for a trip to Japan now.
>Saving for any other major expenses (emergencies, car, house, retirement, etc)?
I just have over 10k in emergency funds plus several hundred already in a separate tax account. I kind of stopped putting into my emergency funds for a while because I saved hard and fast for 2 international trips this year. Oh, and I spent like 8k on ps this year too.
>Budgeting tips?
Ask yourself if you really need it?

>>9200056
For self employment, what do you do? I've always wanted to be self employed!

We already have >>9189787 ?

>Do you have a job? Part-time? Full-time? Salaried?
Yes, full time but not salaried. Currently looking for a salary job with benefits and time off

>How much of your income/spending money do you spend on cosplay/jfashion?
Average about $100 a month. Some months its like $50 or nothing, some months might be $200-$300

>Are you in debt? How bad?
Yes....about 18k from gradschool. I'm trying to find a job that will allow me to be forgiven for loans if I work there long enough.

>Most expensive costume/coord?
Ummm the coord isnt complete but my most expensive dress is the one piece of brand I didn't buy used. It's just a solid OP honestly but it fit me like a charm and I couldn't pass it up.

>What are you saving for right now?
My Halloween coord.

>Saving for any other major expenses (emergencies, car, house, retirement, etc)?
Just trying to get a good chunk of money put away for emergencies/the future.

>Budgeting tips?
Just because your bank account shows you have X amount doesn't mean that's actually what you have. Keep a spreadsheet of what you spend so if money takes a while to come out of your account you know how much you actually have.
Don't buy fun stuff until you know for sure you have enough for bills.
Check for coupons, rebates, etc when grocery shopping.

>>9200078
Shit, I'm sorry. I thought I checked thoroughly.

>Don't start threads on mobile, kids.

>>9200068
I make small props for cosplay, actually. Honestly, I don't make that much. Part of why I am able to save is because I'm really frugal with a lot of things, don't ever eat out unless it's someone's birthday, don't really have to spend money on gas since I work from home, don't have a cellphone, etc.

25 years old for reference
>Do you have a job? Part-time? Full-time? Salaried?
Full time, salaried with 5 weeks PTO a year
>How much of your income/spending money do you spend on cosplay/jfashion?
~$300 a month, sometimes more sometimes less
>Are you in debt? How bad?
I'm not in any debt but my husband has student loans
>Most expensive costume/coord?
Spent >$400 on AATP Ragnarok to get it with the accessories
>What are you saving for right now?
Vacation to Japan maybe? I'm pretty bad at saving...
>Saving for any other major expenses (emergencies, car, house, retirement, etc)?
I usually have about $1000 in an emergency car repair fund but that's it
>Budgeting tips?
I'm literally terrible with money don't listen to me.

>>9200110
>5 weeks PTO at 25

I hate you

>Do you have a job? Part-time? Full-time? Salaried?
Part time plus YouTube
>How much of your income/spending money do you spend on cosplay/jfashion?
I'd say around one hundred a month on average
>Are you in debt? How bad?
I have some debt but that's because I collapsed on a train and was rushed to the hospital. My insurance covered maybe 5% of the bill and the rest is for me. Yay.
>Most expensive costume/coord?
Most of my stuff is pretty cheap but I did pay 350 for a JetJ piece that I've worn once.
>What are you saving for right now?
An emergency fund if a dream dress comes up.
>Saving for any other major expenses (emergencies, car, house, retirement, etc)?
Car mainly. I don't really need it right now but when I do need it I'd like to get a decent one.
>Budgeting tips?
I have a set amount that transfers into my savings every month the day I get paid. It helps prevent me from spending it before I need to. I also have a picture of Mana-sama tucked in my wallet so he can glare at me as I reach for my card. It's like he's judging me and it's surprisingly effective. Other then that I buy brand for cheap on mercari and fril. It's like people give it away desu.

>Do you have a job? Part-time? Full-time? Salaried?
Part-time; though I wish they give me full-time

>How much of your income/spending money do you spend on cosplay/jfashion?
I don't shop often, maybe once every 3 months and it would be for one item.

>Are you in debt? How bad?
No, not as far as I know.
>Most expensive costume/coord?
about $175 worth.
>What are you saving for right now?
Blouses, so I can replace my old normfag like ones. And accessories like jewelry and hair stuff.
>Saving for any other major expenses (emergencies, car, house, retirement, etc)?
No, sadly.
>Budgeting tips?
Second-hand stuff, get more items that are versatile (like stick to 4 neutral color blouses) than an item for one particular coord or dress

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>Do you have a job? Part-time? Full-time? Salaried?
I'm a freelance programmer doing a few jobs which makes some decent money. My fiance has a full-time corporate gig which pays really well.
>How much of your income/spending money do you spend on cosplay/jfashion?
Probably $600 or so monthly, not counting pretty frequent gifts from the fiance and friends.
>Are you in debt? How bad?
Fiance has student loans to pay off, and I don't come with any debt yet. It helps that he's super frugal and doesn't have expensive hobbies like some people (ahem)
>Most expensive costume/coord?
Over $500 on a dream dress and its accessories.
>What are you saving for right now?
I don't really save, I just get what I want when I see it. Haven't had any issues so far.
>Saving for any other major expenses (emergencies, car, house, retirement, etc)?
Retirement and emergencies like medical bills etc. We live in an apartment and the car is paid off.
>Budgeting tips?
Get what you want, within reason. Lolita is pretty fleeting and you don't know when you'll see that dress again. Don't spend what you don't have.

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>Do you have a job? Part-time? Full-time? Salaried?
Working odd on call jobs when my health holds up. I've been looking for more stable work though and might be working very soon.
>How much of your income/spending money do you spend on cosplay/jfashion?
I spend at least 50% and put 25% into savings and the rest for phone, transport, other necessities, etc.
>Are you in debt? How bad?
By the time I finish my degree I'm expecting a 40k student debt. Luckily the government here let's us pay it back as percentage of our income when we meet the threshold without interest.
>Most expensive costume/coord?
$350 for my dream dress. I'm going to get it altered it soon as it's way too big even at the smallest sizing for a petite gal like me e.g. the bodice of the dress is way too long, straps are shirred, back of dress is shirred. It's like they made this dress for landwhales.
>What are you saving for right now?
>Saving for any other major expenses (emergencies, car, house, retirement, etc)?
I have about 10k in savings. All of that is going towards a car. I'd like to save up to go on a trip to Japan since I've heard it's fantastic. Other than those, my long term goal is a house and mortgage.
>Budgeting tips?
Stay home a lot and cook rather than eating out. If you're going out to classes, bring food and water from home.
Bring tea bags to university and make your own tea instead. Don't drink coffee until you're desperate as it ruins your body (also cost - a cup costs $3.50 but is made from 30 cents of materials)
Buy fruit and veg from your local fruit barn and markets, rather than the big shopping chains.
Always check for coupons if ordering from fast food chain restaurants.
Car pooling is a saver.
Drink at home, and on very rare occasions at bars (as a social splurge).
Remember that saving money will have bigger bonuses later, and is worth the pain and suffering now.

>>9200183
>have a picture of Mana-sama tucked in my wallet
That's the best holy shit

>Do you have a job? Part-time? Full-time? Salaried?
3 part-time jobs plus the occasional commission

>How much of your income/spending money do you spend on cosplay/jfashion?
Usually $150-200 a month, but thanks to the terrible Canadian dollar I’ve been spending less.

>Are you in debt? How bad?
Oh yes, $15k student loan from uni.

>Most expensive costume/coord?
About $700 to make Akuma Homura, I used real feathers on the whole dress.

>What are you saving for right now?
A trip to Japan.

>Saving for any other major expenses (emergencies, car, house, retirement, etc)?
Not really, mostly chipping away at that loan. I do put aside a tiny bit every month for emergencies though.

>Budgeting tips?
Make a spreadsheet to document all of your spending in different categories, set a budget, and follow it. Try to always put aside some money each month for emergency savings.

>Do you have a job? Part-time? Full-time? Salaried?
Used to be full time but recently switched to a part time job when I went back to school.
>How much of your income/spending money do you spend on cosplay/jfashion?
Yikes, probably $100/month off season, up to $400 the month of a convention.
>Are you in debt? How bad?
Nope, got that going for me!
>Most expensive costume/coord?
Not sure? I usually don't spend more than $200 on a cosplay including wigs.
>What are you saving for right now?
Building my savings up, 2017 con season
>Saving for any other major expenses (emergencies, car, house, retirement, etc)?
I always try to have at least $2k disposable just in case.
>Budgeting tips?
If you don't buy food you'll lose weight AND have money for cosplay

20 here
>Do you have a job? Part-time? Full-time? Salaried?
I had a 35hr/week job about a year ago which funds my hobbies. I'm back in school now. I plan to work again in the summer.
>How much of your income/spending money do you spend on cosplay/jfashion?
A large portion of it, if not all of it. My parents pay my living expenses and tuition. My credit card bills range from 50$ to 700$(rarely), and average about 300$ or under.
>Are you in debt? How bad?
Nope.
>Most expensive costume/coord?
I got dinged about the third of the price by customs on my last new release AP dress. It ended up being somewhere around like 500$? I'm not happy about it.
>What are you saving for right now?
More basics. I really need blouses and socks, and another pair of shoes. I also am in need of a rain jacket because it's very rainy where I live.
>Saving for any other major expenses (emergencies, car, house, retirement, etc)?
I have a fund set aside for a down payment on an apartment. I throw about a quarter of each paycheck into it when I'm working.
>Budgeting tips?
Haha I'm not the person to ask. I'm kinda with >>9200241
though.

>Do you have a job? Part-time? Full-time? Salaried?
I'm a full time, in-house web designer making $2 less per hour than I want to.

>How much of your income/spending money do you spend on cosplay/jfashion?
I've spent about $350 this summer on itabag stuff. I've only spent about $150 on cosplay so far this year, mostly just upgrading and fixing things on existing costumes, not making anything new.

>Are you in debt? How bad?
Nope. Never have been never will - I worked full time & kept a 4.0 for scholarships in college so that I could stay away from that. It took me twice as long to graduate, it sucked, and I'm so glad I did it.

>Most expensive costume/coord?
I don't tend to make anything super complicated, I don't have a single costume over $300.

>What are you saving for right now?
Since I just finished my current itabag, I want to buy fabric to start a new cosplay project. I'd also like to buy a pink seifuku & accesories for casual convention wear, too.

>Saving for any other major expenses?
YUP. And this comes before anything convention related: the back shocks went out on my car, which I should be able to fix later this month.

>Budgeting tips?
Pay your bills, groceries, and savings account the first day your paycheck comes in. Then you don't have to worry about those anymore, and the rest of your money is yours for hobbies and fun.

>>9200111
If you live in the EU, that's pretty standard.

>Do you have a job? Part-time? Full-time? Salaried?
I'm currently trying to get a part-time job. I do some stuff on the side like art commissions, selling shit, online stuff for money etc but it's a small income. I'm a university student for reference.
>How much of your income/spending money do you spend on cosplay/jfashion?
Probably a good 80%.
>Are you in debt? How bad?
Nope. I'm lucky that my parents take care of my tuition and such.
>Most expensive costume/coord?
About $300. I generally get my clothes cheap though.
>What are you saving for right now?
Lolita accessories and winterwear, itabag stuff.
>Saving for any other major expenses (emergencies, car, house, retirement, etc)?
No.
>Budgeting tips?
I keep a spreadsheet of spending to limit what I buy per month.

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>Do you have a job? Part-time? Full-time? Salaried?
Salaried, though it's just starting out. I may try going back to school and taking a cut for two years.

>How much of your income/spending money do you spend on cosplay/jfashion?
8% on lolita. Probably another 5% on manga, artbooks, and doujinshi.

>Are you in debt? How bad?
10k student debt last time I checked, paying it off slowly. I can't believe I'm so willing to go back.

>Most expensive costume/coord?
By piece alone, I have a bunch $300~ dresses. Most of my other pieces were secondhand and $150-250 each. Most expensive coord $800~

>What are you saving for right now?
A trip to Japan and possibly Taiwan.

>Saving for any other major expenses (emergencies, car, house, retirement, etc)?
Jesus christ yes. I've had mad expensive and unexpected dental work these past few months. Put a halt to my Halloween coord, delayed my Japan trip, and canceled Rufflecon. My dentist is a great guy but the expense is killer.

>Budgeting tips?
Live with your parents until you can land a job that pays your bills. I bolted from my house at 18, tried to support myself and go to school, and in the end I was close to 12k in debt. (I still pay them some rent, but it's not even half of what I was paying on my own.)

Also cook your own food. Never stop your job hunt until you are satisfied.

>>9200330
*edit: I hate europeans

>Do you have a job? Part-time? Full-time? Salaried?
Full-time.
>How much of your income/spending money do you spend on cosplay/jfashion?
Besides rent, lolita is probably my next highest expense. But the amount I spend differs from month to month. If I buy one thing, I will buy a lot to send to From Japan to justify shipping.
>Are you in debt? How bad?
Just student loans. I have like 10k and only started paying them off. It's not bad, but I'm trying to pay off more than the minimum each month.
>Most expensive costume/coord?
I guess my most recent coord must have been around $800. The bulk of that is made up of shoes and main piece, though. I'm usually pretty frugal and have never paid more than $300 a dress.
>What are you saving for right now?
Rufflecon and Japan
>Saving for any other major expenses (emergencies, car, house, retirement, etc)?
Well, I'm trying to build up a savings fund, but that's not really going well. I might blow a chunk of what I've saved over the past year on Japan, who knows.
>Budgeting tips?
Don't have hobbies.

>>9200110
What job do you have anon? Since you don't have any student loans I'm curious

>>9200373
I would feel offended, as a european, but all this free healthcare and no student loans distract me too much.

>>9200402
>no student loans
Britain is in Europe too, anon. ;_;

Over here waiting to graduate with nearly £50,000 of debt, but I suppose that at least I don't have to pay it back until I'm earning over £21k (or the government change the terms of the repayment contract again). Not like America where loans can fuck you over with fixed monthly repayments even when you're unemployed.

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>>9200402

>>9200402
>study abroad in France
>can't get gubmint aid for rent because I'm a filthy America
>natives tell me how much they pay for school
I should've gone to school abroad.

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>Do you have a job? Part-time? Full-time? Salaried?
My jobs vary. I write freelance for click bait sort of things every now and again when work gets thrown my way. During the season I work a Haunted House as an actor manager. But my full time career is an English Teacher Abroad. Took a year off after college and my first internship to come home and look for jobs in east Asia. Found one but because of the Japanese school year schedule I don't start till spring.
Unfortunately, none of these really pay super well.

>How much of your income/spending money do you spend on cosplay/jfashion?
About... 50 precent I guess? I don't really have bills since I live at home taking care of my parents right now, and their house is paid off and they compensate me for buying our groceries. My money mostly goes towards gas, hanging out with friends, savings, and then my hobbies.

>Are you in debt? How bad?
Nope no debt.

>Most expensive costume/coord?
Probably my Cinderella cosplay. Lots of fabric.

>What are you saving for right now?
I want to have a good cushion of money when I make the move to Japan, so I've been putting stuff away to cover the initial moving cost.

>Saving for any other major expenses (emergencies, car, house, retirement, etc)?
Just retirement I guess.

>Budgeting tips?
Use cash not card. You are way less likely to spend on things you don't need if you have to lay down physical cash for it. Also keep a list of what you're bringing in and what you're spending.

>>9200405
Remember brexit anon!
Still, you don't need to pay it back immediately and it's not a lifetime burden, is it?

I'm always a little surprised when people say to spend with cash not card. I sometimes do it for grocery shopping alone, but for everything else I prefer using card, because it helps me to track my spending better. I tend to get a lot of unexpected/nonstandard expenses in a given month. If I'm using cash I'll have to get money out of an atm to pay them, then later if I've forgotten what I bought I get confused about where the fuck the money's going. If it's card I can just check my statement and go "oh yeah, I had to buy textbooks this month, better be careful".

>>9200435
that's actually the exact reason why I use cash. if I just take out my budget for the week, it doesn't matter wtf I spend my money on. I still stay under budget. if I pay with card I often wind up saying "I bought textbooks, better be careful" and then only spend slightly less but still go over budget. I find more value in limiting my spending then being aware of exactly where it's going

>>9200431
Just because we're not in the EU doesn't mean we're not in Europe.

(sage for offtopic)
The lifetime burden thing basically depends on who gets into power in successive governments. As it stands, they did the projections for the system assuming a better economy than we've actually had, and they've realised the system won't really save the government much money compared to the old system. Unless there's a huge economic upswing, future prime ministers are going to have to either accept that the system runs at a loss, change the repayment terms to try to help make it pay for itself, or decide that since the current system isn't self-financing they might as well scrap tuition fees anyway. They loans are supposed to be written off after 30 years, but they've already retroactively changed the repayment terms once (which no private company would be allowed to do) so I would not be at all surprised if some future government went "kek, we've realised the current system is financially unsustainable so now you have to keep paying until you die".

>Do you have a job? Part-time? Full-time?
Salaried?
Part-time. I am a full-time student these days.
>How much of your income/spending money do you spend on cosplay/jfashion?
None. Too broke. If I want to buy anything, I'll sell things I don't want anymore.
>Are you in debt? How bad?
Yes. I don't want to talk about it. I lost my job earlier this year. Severance package did not last and unemployment sucks. Once I get out of school, I'll be making enough money to pay off my student loans pretty quick.
>Most expensive costume/coord?
Uh, $500? I think.
>What are you saving for right now?
Nothing. I'm not looking to make purchases right now. School is my focus.
>Saving for any other major expenses (emergencies, car, house, retirement, etc)?
Gotta save up money for a trip to Honduras. It's a school research trip on the coral reef there. I want to go so I can beef up my college resume when I transfer next year. It's like $3,200.
>Budgeting tips?
If you can't afford it, don't buy it. I'm on a buying freeze for like the next 3 years.

All these student gulls getting help from their parents, meanwhile I'm sitting here paying the bills for my house and my mother's... fffs I love her and I know she can't work anymore, but I'm only 22.

>>9200435
The idea behind cash not card is that you prebudget: pull $50 out for groceries, and now you CAN'T spend more than $50 on groceries because you don't have the money on you. A lot of people have difficulty attaching value to numbers when all they're doing is swiping a card, but if they have envelopes with physical dollar bills in them, then it's easy to visualize how much is left in this month's budget.

>>9200442
Problem is that I don't really have a weekly budget as such. I keep separate budget for groceries etc, but if I was to try to split everything else week-by-week I'd never be able to afford big purchases, full stop. Say I have £50 a week after rent once you spread it over the year, and I stick to £15-20 for food each week, I then only have £30/week for other things. I have to make purchases over £30 pretty regularly (buying textbooks, household goods, etc), so if I was to try to do the cash thing I'd end up having to get ATM money out anyway, and then get confused. I just split my spending between rent/bills/groceries and everything else, and knock the cost of "everything else" items off my yearly/monthly disposable income spending limit instead of trying to sort it out cash week-by-week. I guess this is partly a weird thing of being a student and getting lump sums of cash every few months, which is different to budget for than if I was getting a weekly wage.

>>9200409

It doesn't work that way because you're not a citizen.

>source: studied in Ireland for six years

I didn't even qualify in their job match because I was a "foreigner." Their loss though. I have a pretty good job in the us and they have to import their workers from other countries.

>>9199856
>Do you have a job? Part-time? Full-time? Salaried?
Part time job on a shitty zero-hours contract.
>How much of your income/spending money do you spend on cosplay/jfashion?
~50% of all my income.
>Are you in debt? How bad?
Only student loans right now.
>Most expensive costume/coord?
Never totalled it up for individual coords but my most expensive main piece was ~$350 after shipping and tax.
>What are you saving for right now?
A few basics on auctions, wishlist gothic pieces, boring shit like normie shoes and furniture.
>Saving for any other major expenses (emergencies, car, house, retirement, etc)?
Trying to keep an emergency fund, and also saving for a holiday in the summer. I've been invited to stay with a friend abroad for free in the summer, but I still have to pay for plane tickets, food and so on.
>Budgeting tips?
Don't go without everyday normie stuff you need so you can spend money on lolita. Remember that it's just a hobby and essentials come first. Also, all the usual shit like cooking from scratch, not drinking or going out too much, yadda yadda yadda.

>Do you have a job? Part-time? Full-time? Salaried?
Part time and the glorious shithole that is Walmart.

>How much of your income/spending money do you spend on cosplay/jfashion?
It varies a lot because I have a lot of of expensive hobbies other than lolita but last month I definately spent all of my paycheck on brand.

>Are you in debt? How bad?
Nope

>Most expensive costume/coord?
Probably in the $500ish range?

>What are you saving for right now?
lol whats saving money

>Saving for any other major expenses (emergencies, car, house, retirement, etc)?
Supposed to be saving money for a car, house, wedding, etc. Supposed to be being the key phrase here.

>Budgeting tips?
Don't fall in love with every expensive thing you see for sale

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>Do you have a job? Part-time? Full-time? Salaried?
Full time job with 1.5X hourly rate overtime pay.
>How much of your income/spending money do you spend on cosplay/jfashion?
Currently not much, because I'm taking care of other expenses. Maybe around 5%.
>Are you in debt? How bad?
20k in student loans, and 5k left on my car loan which I am expecting to pay off at the end of this year.
>Most expensive costume/coord?
I'm pretty new still, so only 250 for a main piece.
>What are you saving for right now?
I'm saving up my extra monthly fun money to treat myself to a small haul at the beginning of November. Probably one main piece and some things to match.
>Saving for any other major expenses (emergencies, car, house, retirement, etc)?
I have 3k in savings now, and am not currently contributing to that because I'm trying to knock out the car loan. That will change after the new year. Probably will put 30% of my income into savings each pay period.
>Budgeting tips?
Write down all of your expenses, and cross them off your list after you pay them each month. Also, always make sure you have fun money, even if it's only 15 dollars a month. If you don't allow yourself breathing room when paying off big expenses, it's easier to stray away from your plan. That being said, don't prioritize unnecessary spending over being responsible.

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>>9200255
If you're curious this is the pic. I have to reprint it every now and then cuz it gets scuffed up, but I don't make unnecessary purchases so that's a plus.

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I have a sugar daddy. I end up just getting a lot of stuff without even asking. He just wants me to spend time with him, which usually just means watching anime together. He lives across the country so we won't ever meet, and he isn't a perv so it isn't anything sexual.

He's a really cool dude and I'd be his friend even without the financial involvement. He's kinda boyfriend material actually but I fear commitment and he knows that.

Maybe some day.

>>9200507
I feel your pain, I worked Walmart for four years. My brother and my room mate still work there now.

>>9200546
If he isn't a perv, is this actually technically a sugar daddy thing? Isn't this just a friend who buys you stuff?

>Do you have a job? Part-time? Full-time? Salaried?
Not for 2 years. disabled, but don't make a lot. Used to write articles/guides and sell on Ebay for money, but stopped because the writing gigs weren't worth it and I don't have anything else to Ebay right now.
>How much of your income/spending money do you spend on cosplay/jfashion?
After moving to a new state, none of it. Cosplay was a good therapy but I haven't been able to partake in it since all my money's been going to life expenses now.
>Are you in debt? How bad?
I have an ex housemate who thinks I owe him several thousand, but he's just trying to scam me.
>Most expensive costume/coord?
I don't let my cosplays exceed 200$ since I know I can't afford it. Closest I think I have was about 160$? And half of that is the wig.
>What are you saving for right now?
Nothing as far as cosplays go at the moment since there's no cons to go to until next Summer, but I'd like to get a Yiynova tablet before the holidays so I can try to make money through art.
>Saving for any other major expenses (emergencies, car, house, retirement, etc)?
Trying to save up to move to a cheaper apartment in an area that isn't so spread out.
>Budgeting tips?
Not much that hasn't been said already.
Before impulse buying something, wait a little but and see if you still want it. This applies to cosplay as well, make sure you really want to make a character before getting all the supplies. Also make sure you're at the skill level to do it.

Thrifting is your friend for cosplay. Thrift stores also now have accounts on Ebay and Goodwill has its own auction site. Find places that sell overstock, too. In my hometown we had a store like that called Tuesday Morning and you could find almost anything there. There's a shoe retailer on Amazon called Apparelsave that's my go to for cosplay shoes.

>>9200559
Also if anyone has any suggestions for online work that isn't a giant waste of time (like most online jobs) and isn't blatant sex work, I'm all ears. I don't need something that pays enough as a full-time job, just another hundred a month would be nice.

>>9200553
I worked at Meijer. They like to pretend they're better than Walmart, but they're really not. I got fired for fuckstupid reasons related to my disability.

>>9200546
I feel your pain with the whole commitment thing. I wish you luck for the future, Anon.

>>9200546
I'm in the same situation, except it's what >>9200554 said. Unless he's specifically paying for your time in money or gifts I wouldn't call him that. I just have a bunch of really generous friends, and most of them pay for my stuff because they themselves wouldn't suit lolita. I'd still be friends with all of them even if they didn't pay for my brand.

>>9200563
>online work that isn't a giant waste of time
What's your typing speed like in wpm?

>>9199856

>tfw pay for all my lolita stuff but whenever I visit my boyfriend I essentially end up mooching off him all weekend

It saves on some money and he takes me to really nice places.

I hope when I make more money I can buy him a nice car or something. Training period sucks.

>>9200569
not OP, but i average 160 and i want in on this

>>9200563
>>9200565
I dunno. He's told me he likes me and we've been at it for over a year now. Most people point it out as him being my sugar daddy if I explain how I get all my clothes despite being NEET.

>>9200580
Wtf, aren't those world record typist speeds?

>>9200569
Also not OP, and also want in on this if 80WPM is enough to be viable.

>Do you have a job? Part-time? Full-time? Salaried?
Unemployed. Trying to start of my career but seems like it doesn't want to start.
>How much of your income/spending money do you spend on cosplay/jfashion?
I don't really have an income so...
>Are you in debt? How bad?
Yes. My s.o. is paying my student loans and we are in debt because of some health issues. Health debt looks close to an end if expenses wont go keep adding up.
>Most expensive costume/coord?
Dunno, around 100$? I mostly wear offbrand and bodyline.

Passing other questions because of irrelevancy.

>>9200583
>>9200580
they probably mean cpm

>>9200569

How many hours a week does it take? I'm averaging 90 WPM.

>>9199856
>Do you have a job? Part-time? Full-time? Salaried?
graduate student, so i get a stipend
>How much of your income/spending money do you spend on cosplay/jfashion?
Maybe $300/month or so
>>Are you in debt? How bad?
None
>>Most expensive costume/coord?
~$500?
>What are you saving for right now?
I keep buying stuff, so not saving too much for hobbies. Should save to go to some cons though.
>Saving for any other major expenses (emergencies, car, house, retirement, etc)?
Automatically put away 15% for savings.
>Budgeting tips?
Build up a couple months of living expense as savings first. Then if you see something you really want, get it. You can always sell later on and not have to worry too much about floating the expenses. Don't go into debt for dresses though.

pls respond, online job anon

>>9200583
i don't think so? it's faster than average, but the world record is like 300 something. not that profound, anon. i'm primarily /g/ and a keyboard enthusiast so that probably has to do with it too

>>9200593
no, wpm my dude

>>9200581
unless he'd be okay with you calling him a sugar daddy i wouldn't say he is, it's disrespectful. he's a generous friend. take it for what it is.

>Do you have a job? Part-time? Full-time? Salaried?
I'm full time hourly right now, but I'm thinking of going to part time for a little while to focus on my health and start a store/do some freelancing.

Outside of my normal job I do a lot of random online stuff, like gpt sites, surveys, etc. I can make an extra $100 a month from that in my free time, more if I actually put effort into it. I also resell my old clothing for extra spending money, which usually comes to another $100-$200 a month.

>How much of your income/spending money do you spend on cosplay/jfashion?
Too much hah. After my bills, rent, and savings, my money goes straight to clothes.

>Are you in debt? How bad?
I'm not, thanks to my parents. My bf has some student loan debt but he's steadily working on paying it down and in the meantime I cover a larger chunk of the bills.

>Most expensive costume/coord?
Don't really spend a lot per item since I mostly wear general jfashion and compared to lolita or cosplay it's not that bad, but when I do taobao hauls they usually go $500+, often closer to $1000, though that's usually a once or twice a year sort of thing. Most expensive Japanese brand items I've bought are usually in the $200 range. Again, not into lolita so the price point is usually a little lower. I buy a lot of brand stuff secondhand so that's helps with the price.

>What are you saving for right now?
Nothing in particular. I usually save up a bit for each new season, and since fall has started I've already picked out the fall pieces I wanted and bought them.

>Saving for any other major expenses (emergencies, car, house, retirement, etc)?
I have an emergency fund that can cover about a year if I lose my job, a 401k, and we recently started to another account to save up for a down payment on a house, although that might need to be put on hold for a while if I do go part time.

>>9200639
>Budgeting tips?
I don't budget really, but I do use mint and it yells at me if I spend too much. So there's that. I do do a lot of little things to try to save money.

With your wardrobe practice a one in, one out policy. It held to keep your wardrobe under control and when you're in something like Lolita you can recoup some of the cost by selling your old items rather than just donating them like normie clothes.

When buying new items, try to think of how they'll fit into your current wardrobe. Don't just buy something because it's pretty. You might end up not wearing it later and that's a waste of money.

More generally:
If you're saving up for something get a high yield savings account. There are many online, and there are actually lots of local credit unions and such that offer good rates. I currently get about $20 a month in interest for doing nothing. Just remember you'll have to report that on your taxes, but your bank/credit union will give you a form.

If you can handle a credit card then get one with cash back rewards. If you buy a lot from overseas get one that doesn't charge foreign transaction fees. If you think you'll go spend crazy then don't bother.

Get a grocery app like Ibotta or checkout 51 to get cash back on groceries. Only use it for what you were going to buy anyway, don't get roped into deals. Use yaarlo to scan big grocery purchases for a little cash back. Not much, but it helps.

Buy discounted gift cards for stores you spend a lot of time at on a place like Raise. That's the only one I've personally used and trust.

I have more but I feel like this is getting too long now. 4chan already made me break up my comment. I read a lot of finance blogs since they're not blocked at my work so let me know if you guys want any more tips.

>>9200639
Except for the first answer bc my job situation is a bit different, finally someone I can kind of relate to! I wonder if we're not around the same age range though lol.

>>9200647
I'm in my mid twenties. You?

>>9200651
Actually same! (In the US but in a state with a really high cost of living no matter what portion of it.) Okay I feel a little bit more okay now lol. Thank you.

>>9200536
I don't think I've seen that one before! He looks lovely.

>>9199856
>Do you have a job? Part-time? Full-time? Salaried?
I have a salary job.

>How much of your income/spending money do you spend on cosplay/jfashion?
Less than 20%

>Are you in debt? How bad?
I'm in student loan debt. It's not an absolutely terrible amount, but it's not small at all either.

>Most expensive costume/coord?
Probably $400

>What are you saving for right now?
Saving for a trip to Japan a friend and I want to try and do next year, and a possible concert next year as well.

>Saving for any other major expenses (emergencies, car, house, retirement, etc)?
For a house one day and padding in my bank account. Just putting money into savings and see how much I can get in there.

>Budgeting tips?
Don't buy what you can't afford right at that moment. But also keep in mind any other things you'll need to spend money on later that month when deciding to buy.
And keep track of how much you are buying because you might be going overboard with it.

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>>9200639
What survey sites are you using? I've looked into that sort of thing before, but read many blogs that discouraged it, saying that it's not a viable source of side-cash.

Aside of the extra cash I could use, it'd be nice to make use of my writing and research skills since it's not being used in minimum wage work.

>>9200838
Not that anon, but I do surveys just from YouGov because it's the most reputable where I live. I used to get maybe one survey every three days and it took me almost exactly a year to get my £50 payout, but I feel more secure knowing it's definitely not a scam and the questions are sometimes quite interesting.

>>9200838
Well, I only recently started doing surveys. They're not my favorite because it can be hard to qualify. Right now survey savvy is my favorite one. I've qualified for a couple of surveys and they have an extension you can download that will earn you $5 a month. Basically it's a data collection app. I figure my data is being collected all the time anyway so I might as well get paid for it. You can add it to your phone as well. Google has their own data collection at cross media panel. On my phone I also use panel app. You don't get much but you barely have to do anything. For surveys I also signed up for vip voice and I'm just trying that out. Like I said, surveys aren't my favorite but the tips I've heard from people who do them is to sign up for a few different sites, find out which ones work best for you and hit those first each day before making your way down the list. I'd rather find more passive stuff though so idk if I'll stick with it.

The things I have really been using are Earnhoney, apperwall, and the app make money.

Earnhoney is probably my favorite at the moment. They have videos that you can run continuously to earn points. I only run one window because my laptop sucks but some people run two windows and then run another two windows on another pc and manage to make quite a bit. The admin's of the site are apparently ok with this? I can cash out $5 every couple of days. I've made about $40 so far this month on this alone. People have questioned me about electricity with this, but It only costs about a dollar or two to keep your laptop charged all year so you come out way ahead. You can start with 100 points ($1) by using sign up code reddit3.

>>9200867
Apperwall pays you to write short reviews for phone apps, both iOS and android. Usually about a dollar each. It was really great at first since you got a new app everyday, but lately there haven't been as many offers. I still get some from time to time and it's so easy I still recommend it. I've made about $25 since the beginning of September.

Earn Money is like that fp crap that was going around for a while except with more offers. I made $20 the first day. After that the offers dry up until new stuff gets added but I still make about $5 a month.

If you want more stuff you can check out beermoney and workonline on Reddit. I try to avoid anything that looks like it will take forever to earn pennies.

You said you missed doing writing and research.... I'm trying to get into freelance writing now too. Just need to get some samples written. But there are also at home positions for researchers. I would have to look them up again since those jobs didn't interest me but you should be able to google some.

Whooo sorry for the block of text. I only just started with this so I'm also testing other things, but I tend to start and drop a lot when they take too much time/aren't profitable. You just have to find what works best for you. I'm good with whatever extra I get as long as it doesn't take me more than an hour or two a day.

>>9200872
Also please don't think I'm trying to be a shill janitor-san. Just trying to help others save up for burando.

>>9200867
>by using sign up code reddit3.
I put it in the "registration code" field when making an account and it said "Registration code does not exist"

>>9200431
I have a £3000 overpayment to pay off because I switched unis in first year and that uni is pretending I never attended, despite evidence in writing from my tutors etc. I called Student Finance to set up a repayment schedule in 2011 and it all seemed fine, then they told me they were recouping the money from future loan payments, then I called to check how much was paid off, they hung up on me half way through, then I called again and was told I was lied to and they haven't taken any of the money because I went to a different university rather than starting again from year one at the same establishment (acknowledging the fact I did actually attend so was entitled to the maintenance loan). Then they declined to release the recordings from when they told me what payments had been deducted on x days with a financial advisor from the university sitting in on the conversation. Then I gave up arguing I didn't owe the money because I was in school as I should have been and arranged to pay them £10 a month (I live on £250 a month), now they are STILL hounding me demanding I pay the full amount by October 1st even though I'm paying them back steadily. The interest just went up on the remaining £43k. I didn't even get my degree because I was forcibly hospitalised right before my final deadlines and had no more funds to resit. It's kind of hard to pay back the money with the degree I put 4 years and half a million words in my final year alone into.

>>9200405
I'm unemployed, disabled and still having to find the money to pay them.

I dropped out of uni due to severe depression. I'm getting help now but would still like to make some money in the meantime. What are some low-stress jobs you would recommend? I'd like to do freelance writing but I have no previous experience (in anything, never had a job before) and clearly no degree either.

I wanted to try some of the survey sites here but I'm not in the US so I'm not really eligible for most of them.

>Do you have a job? Part-time? Full-time? Salaried?
I have a part-time job and an extra job teaching low grad people. Not salaried, but I'm hoping for the best.
>How much of your income/spending money do you spend on cosplay/jfashion?
About 10% of my yearly income is dropped on cosplay materials and travel expenses.
>Are you in debt? How bad?
Not at all
>Most expensive costume/coord?
300€ for a comissioned costume years ago. Now that I make my own costumes I'd never spend that much.
>What are you saving for right now?
To be true, I'm saving to buy furniture for a new place I'm moving to.
>Saving for any other major expenses (emergencies, car, house, retirement, etc)?
Saving for emergencies and for getting a pet in the future
>Budgeting tips?
Don't buy shit you don't need. Really. You don't NEED a new costume or a new dress. You just want it. You don't NEED to make 7 new costumes a year. You don't NEED to eat out every weekend. Also, another major tip: buy one expensive thing that will last for a long time, instead of buying a ton of cheap things that will rip apart in a month.

>>9200952
Sorry. Damn. I thought it would work. I grabbed it from one of their own adverts. Maybe it's expired. Still it doesn't take too long to get there yourself, but I was hoping I could give you a start up boost.

>>9201052
You can try outsourced work like typing and proofreading etc through the usual online sites but you're competing with people in Mexico, Poland etc who can work for less than you. During a week of unemployment I barely covered the electricity bills caused by working those jobs. It could earn you a little beer/brand money at most.
Unless you're good at networking or selling yourself, or have some previous related online content to showcase, you aren't going to make any regular money writing online either. To make money doing "simple" things online you either need to be extremely dedicated (as in, able to commit consistently) or extremely lucky. Or cam.
If you're in the uk just suck it up and either be on the dole/incapacity or find a normal crap job like the rest of the neet population.

>>9201083
Completely missed the part where you are ok with actual jobs derp
Cleaning is good if you have a strong stomach, you don't need to interact with anyone or fake being peppy and can even listen to headphones if you get lucky

>>9201052
>>9201083
You can make regular money writing online, but you have to establish yourself first which can take a while. At first you'll be taking smaller jobs for less pay. Might not be what anon is looking to do right now.

If you can get into clickworkers uhrs (have to take a test but if you can speak English which you obviously can you'll pass) then you might make enough to squeak by but it's definitely not what I want to be doing for a living. Some people are also actually successful with mturk. Just search up things like "hits worth turking for" and get scripts to alert you of new hits. It's not enough for me right now but if you're desperate...

You could also look into tutoring people in English. There's palfish, italki, and cambly. I admittedly haven't tried them but you can make minimum wage.

Like anon said you could be on welfare for a while. For all the shit it gets its not a bad thing if you legitimately need it. It doesn't have to be forever unless you have no will to change. Are you working with a therapist or something on your depression?

You could try a part time job, maybe even an online part time job of dealing with people face to face is too much Look for things related to "work at home [your country]". Good luck!

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>>9199856
>Do you have a job? Part-time? Full-time? Salaried?
Part time
>How much of your income/spending money do you spend on cosplay/jfashion?
I like to budget $25 per paycheck(used to be 50 when I had more hours)
>Are you in debt? How bad?
None at all
>Most expensive costume/coord?
$200 coord, but everything can easily be reused in other ones
>What are you saving for right now?
VW rocking horse shoes in black
>Saving for any other major expenses (emergencies, car, house, retirement, etc)?
A car
>Budgeting tips?
I keep things to an extremely small budget, and I buy all used and lots of damaged items. Not to toot my own horn but I'm a pretty good seamstress and have been able to get some good deals that just needed some repair. Also the small gradual budget makes me really think about whether I want something or how much I can coord it.

>Do you have a job? Part-time? Full-time? Salaried?
Full time and then some depending on the workload/scheduling. I get OT and shift differential though.
>How much of your income/spending money do you spend on cosplay/jfashion?
For income percentage, maybe 10% on average. I offset costs by selling older jfash items I don't wear anymore.
>Are you in debt? How bad?
Just my car loan, but I'm almost done with that.
>Most expensive costume/coord?
My most expensive coord is probably around $900 to $1000 just because the main piece I bought second hand at a markup a couple years after release. It is a dream dress that never comes up for sale and I would not pay that kind of money for other pieces.
>What are you saving for right now?
Blouses and bags. I need short sleeve blouses really badly and I don't have suitable bags for 3-4 of my coords.
>Saving for any other major expenses (emergencies, car, house, retirement, etc)?
I'm saving for retirement and just in general. I ultimately want to buy a condo, but that probably won't happen for a while.
>Budgeting tips?
Just don't look at auction/sales sites when you don't have any money set aside for fashion. And when you do have some, pick your top priority item in your wishlist. Set strict limits on yourself for markups and don't fall for scalpers. Sell things you don't wear. Don't worry about not having a lot of stuff if you don't yet have a full-time, well paying job. I only started my lolita wardrobe once I graduated and got a good job. It's possible to get brand on a budget, but I didn't want to pinch as many pennies as that would require. Make sure your bills are paid before you spend anything on lolita ofc.

>>9200183
Are you me? I collapsed on a bus last year and since I wasn't capable of interacting with EMTs due to being out cold, they took me to a non-network hospital. My insurance covered maybe a hundred dollars out of what was thousands. They deemed the situation "not an emergency".

Budgeting tips: Use "You Need A Budget". I fucking love that program.

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>Do you have a job? Part-time? Full-time? Salaried?
Sure do. I do tech support, and voice-act for commission. Tech support is not salaried, and voice-acting is by the work. I'm also a military wife, so I get "spousal income".

>How much of your income/spending money do you spend on cosplay/jfashion?
I limit myself to spending like... 200 a month on bullshit I don't need thats related to /cgl/.

>Are you in debt? How bad?
Medical debt, pretty bad from before I got married.

>Most expensive costume/coord?
My most expensive purchase was sugary carnival, because I was totally delusional and thought sweet would work for me. My most expensive cosplay was probably Hanna Anafeloz.

>What are you saving for right now?
Realistically? A vehicle.

>Saving for any other major expenses (emergencies, car, house, retirement, etc)?
see the above

>Budgeting tips?
Open a savings account, put some money in it every check, like at least 50 bucks. Dont touch it. Cook instead of eating out, and shop savvy. You don't need brand name food or normie clothing.

>>9199856
>Do you have a job? Part-time? Full-time? Salaried?
Part-time. Just out of college, and I wanted a part-time gig before going into a soul-sucking full time job.

>How much of your income/spending money do you spend on cosplay/jfashion?
I spent all my scholarship money on brand (not need based, it was merit-based and I'm great at writing essays). Now, I probably spend maybe $100 a month with my modest income? Trying to save up.

>Are you in debt? How bad?
Only 1k in student debt. I should have enough saved by November to pay it off in full.

>Most expensive costume/coord?
The first and only dress I've bought straight from a brand was Meta's Daydreaming Goldfish, and only because I A) had a $300 scholarship I counted as *extra money* at the time and B) I was afraid it would go for more than retail secondhand, which is does. I paid $330 for the socks and hakama JSK, though I plan to sell them one day (too lazy right now).

>What are you saving for right now?
Anything that pops up that interests me secondhand/on Taobao. I found my Holy Grail dress already, and I'm pretty intent on getting a good deal + cute dress over getting a cute dress + expensive at this point in my lolita life.

>Saving for any other major expenses (emergencies, car, house, retirement, etc)?
My mom grew up poor but worked her ass off, so I'm inheriting enough to make me stable as long as I can pay insurance. I need to save up for future children (I plan to adopt). I'm never going to be mega well off because I'm pursuing a career in nonprofits and/or academia.

>Budgeting tips?
Buy secondhand. Buy Taobao. Don't buy things just because they're cheap. Know what you like. Set a limit of how much you're willing to spend on a piece/in general BEFORE you go looking at auctions or browsing through stores.

>>9199856
>Do you have a job? Part-time? Full-time? Salaried?
I'm a housewife. I cook and clean and sew and all that stuff. I also occasionally get odd jobs.
>How much of your income/spending money do you spend on cosplay/jfashion?
Most of it. I get an "allowance" of $100 month to do whatever I want with, plus whatever I make if I happen to get a gig. Anything beyond that needs to be discussed with my husband.
>Are you in debt? How bad?
My household has about $11,000 in debt. That includes car, credit cards, and student loans (no mortgage yet). All of that should be paid off in a year.
>Most expensive costume/coord?
I've never bought a full coord at one time, but my most expensive dress was $160 secondhand.
>What are you saving for right now?
Vacation! I'll be near a brand store, so I'm saving some spending money for that.
>Saving for any other major expenses (emergencies, car, house, retirement, etc)?
We have an emergency fund, but most of our focus is on paying off all our debt as fast as possible while still living comfortably and having some fun.
>Budgeting tips?
... I really got nothing to add that hasn't been said in this thread. I guess watch out for annual expenses in your budget; they can be easy to overlook because you only pay them once a year. This is even more important if you have automatic payments set up. I've fucked this up twice (different things) and ended up in the red. Don't be an idiot like me.

>>9199856
>Do you have a job? Part-time? Full-time? Salaried?
Salaried but not particularly well-paid. Full time school and college.
>How much of your income/spending money do you spend on cosplay/jfashion?
Not much lately, i'm pretty busy. but sometimes i'll drop a few hundred here or there depending on my mood or if there's a con coming up.
>Are you in debt? How bad?
nope
>Most expensive costume/coord?
I don't usually tally, probably a couple hundred on lolita. I usually do secondhand or taobao. I've never spent more than $100 on a costume.
>What are you saving for right now?
I'm not really saving for anything in specific, rather I want a ton of things and have a difficult time prioritizing which one should come first so I end up never buying anything. I'm stuck between redecorating my apartment, redoing my wardrobe, and wanting to travel and can't decide which to do first. I'm toying with the idea of plastic surgery though, that might end up being something I save for if I decide whether I want to do it.
>Saving for any other major expenses (emergencies, car, house, retirement, etc)?
I'm thinking of buying another car but haven't decided. I'll start actually saving for retirement after college, my shitty default 401k from work will do for now. Hoping I can leave the country in a few years so no plans for a house right now
>Budgeting tips?
Read "the japanese art of tidying up" and learn how much shit you don't need in your house.

>Do you have a job? Part-time? Full-time? Salaried?
I just got an amazing Full time job where I work 4, 10 hour days.

>How much of your income/spending money do you spend on cosplay/jfashion?
I usually splurge once a year and spend about $800- $1200 on cosplay supplies over the course of a month or two.

>Are you in debt? How bad?
Yes, but not horrifically. I hope to have all my credit card debt payed off by December, and then me and the SO can focus on paying off our combined $18k in school loans. It could be better but I'm trying to make strides. My new job has been helping a lot.

>Most expensive costume/coord?
Probably my newest costume. The total is probably over $700. I don't want to think about it.

>What are you saving for right now?
I just started budgeting myself $150 spending money a paycheck, so I'm trying to save what I can for a future Sephora trip and some cosplay supplies.

>Saving for any other major expenses (emergencies, car, house, retirement, etc)?
We put away 20% of our income into a general retirement/emergency fund. It's sort of become partly our house fund, as we just started looking into buying a house.
We also have been putting away around $130 a month for a future trip to New Zealand. I figure by the time I've earned a week of vacation days in a year we will have a good amount saved towards plane tickets.

>Budgeting tips?
An emergency fund has saved my button more times than I can say. I started by saving just 10% of my paychecks, then 15, now 20. If you make it a rule that putting that money in your savings account is the first thing you do not matter what and you can never touch that money, you will find you learn to live without it. Even months when I though it was save the money or buy groceries I still managed to establish well enough. Once I had about a thousand dollars saved I was able to borrow small amounts from myself and pay myself back instead of a credit card company.

>Do you have a job? Part-time? Full-time? Salaried?
Full time salaried
>How much of your income/spending money do you spend on cosplay/jfashion?
Not as much as I used to; a lot of it goes on travel and I'm not one to buy that many new releases. I'm mainly into lolita, and this year I've bought 1 dress new from brand, 5 second hand as well as blouses, jewellery, shoes etc. to complete outfits. Cosplay wise hardly anything. At a guesstimate I'd say $4000 this year on j-fashion and cosplay.
>Are you in debt? How bad?
Student loan but that's 2/3 paid off and comes out of my tax. I also owe my parents for my car but that's just sitting in a separate account
>Most expensive costume/coord?
Co-ord easily around $750 - costume probably has never gone over $100 because I've only done basic bitch bought cosplays.
>What are you saving for right now?
Nothing in the short term
>Saving for any other major expenses (emergencies, car, house, retirement, etc)?
I have a car and retirement savings plan already, I want a house but have nowhere near enough for a deposit, and I guess my current savings would cover emergencies (plus I have income insurance)
>Budgeting tips?
Saving is good because life always throws curveballs - some are opportunities that cost money, some are just shit things that cost money. Also, necessities first, and don't be afraid to seek financial aid if needed.

>Do you have a job? Part-time? Full-time? Salaried?
Full time office hours weekday job, thinking of getting a part time position on the weekends for more spending money
>How much of your income/spending money do you spend on cosplay/jfashion?
Averaging about $200 per month across the board. That means if I blew that $200 on lolita, then I won't buy any cosplay or other fun stuff. Last month I blew it all on a convention, so I didn't get anything else.

>Are you in debt? How bad?
I have one credit card that has a $500 limit and I tend to max it out every month... I'm horrible with cards. I have about $2k of my education loan left to be paid to
>Most expensive costume/coord?
One of the special sets from Meta a few years back when the yen was fucking high against my country's currency, so it cost like almost twice of what it does now. (Well, before Brexit I guess)

>What are you saving for right now?
Another Japan trip next year, a new desktop rig, and a 3DS.

>Saving for any other major expenses (emergencies, car, house, retirement, etc)?
I guess I should start saving for a house, but it seems kinda pointless without a SO.

>Budgeting tips?
I have lots of saving bank accounts that I spread my money around. Idk about elsewhere but debit bank accounts are free to setup for most banks in my country. There's the big saving account with the highest interest rate that I put the do-not-touch money in. Then the rest of the money is spread in the others. I then pretend that I have only one bank account and try to stretch that bank account for as long as I can. When I'm totally dry in one, I'll go to the next one.
Before, I'll be spending a lot after payday since I'll check my bank balance and think that I have so much money in there I could totally buy a new dress (or three). Now when I check my bank balance I'll see its a smaller number and try to make it last longer. Its just a silly way of tricking my brain.

Sorry if that didn't make sense, I'm not good with words.

>>9205327
Apartments are good as well, the point of a house is not to have somewhere to live yourself necessarily but to have financial security (assuming you live in the UK rather than somewhere that has a culture of lifelong renting) because that's basically how the economy works unfortunately.

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>>9199856
>Job
Full time, 40 hour work week. 13.48/hr with a .25 cent hourly bonus for working second shift.
I often work less than 40 hours since my workplace lets people take voluntary hours off. I often call off hours, or my whole shifts, because of the stress or having too much to do domestically (I get no help w/ household matters).
>How much of your income/spending money do you spend on cosplay/jfashion?
Considering the last few months I've had an emotional breakdown and have been heavily guilted for spending money on myself, most months it's $0. This month I went ham and put a collective $300 odd dollars in purchases on my credits. I just wanted to be happy. If I don't buy myself things then nobody ever does.
>Are you in debt? How bad?
Yeah. Tolerable, but it's never good to have debt:
>student loan from M.A. is $42k, manageable monthly payments and I'm a few months paid ahead
>$800 in paypal debt, again manageable
>~$300 in medical debt paid down from $1.1k since Jan., having to dispute the charges at this point because my bills say the correct amount but when I call the office to pay they're quoting me higher and claiming I only started to pay three months ago, THE FUCKING LYING CUNTRAGS
>$3k in credit card debt--most difficult bill
>Most expensive costume/coord?
Would have to go with my fur trim Sugar Dream Dome jsk in sax, just because I bought it for a scalped price when it first came out. It's so ridiculous I'm ashamed to admit I paid so much..
>What are you saving for right now?
Will probably save for AP's Cirque print since their website won't accept my credit card.
Maybe it's for the best...
>Saving for any other major expenses (emergencies, car, house, retirement, etc)?
I have no savings except for my 401k.
I have no budgeting tips bc nobody should follow in my footsteps.
If I'm not the worst ITT I'd be shocked.

Also would help if I had a bf who didn't make pennies, had his own car, and could actually support me so I could buy nice things.

>>9199856
>Do you have a job? Part-time? Full-time? Salaried?
I work casual at a restaurant atm. I make about $20 an hour, and I'd estimate I work minimum 20 hours a week? I pick up at least one extra shift a week though so it varies between the 20-35 mark.
>How much of your income/spending money do you spend on cosplay/jfashion?
My spending money goes towards cosplay materials, makeup, ita-bag merch and figurines. I'm pretty content with that as they're all hobbies of mine. I also generally put away about half of my pay, though I only started this job recently so half of my pay goes to working off debt i accumulated while job seeking!
>Are you in debt? How bad?
My mum covered car expenses/bills for me while I was looking for a new job, so i'm in debt for about $500 + to her. I've paid off a few hundred of it so far though, mostly just fixing up car rego and a parking ticket now.
>Most expensive costume/coord?
I'm really not sure as I suck at keeping track of how much my cosplays cost overall... I'd probably say my Monster Hunter cosplay though, even though it isn't even started. I spent a ton just on the fake fur for it.
>What are you saving for right now?
I'm currently saving for a new PC as well as a trip to Japan. The trip will be pretty expensive as I plan to shop like crazy, and I'd like to go twice- Once with my boyfriend, and again with some girlfriends.
>Saving for any other major expenses (emergencies, car, house, retirement, etc)?
I wouldn't mind a new car eventually, though I'm pretty content with what I have now. Otherwise, I'm just planning to save a little on the side of everything else to prepare for moving out and rent.
>Budgeting tips?
I suck at budgeting, but I suppose I'd say this- Aim to put away at least half your pay each paycheck (if you can), and always budget for under what you currently have saved! So if you have $10,000 and want a new car, set your budget at around $7000 and find yourself something nice while still having a bit left over.

>Do you have a job? Part-time? Full-time? Salaried?
Working full time and salaried
>How much of your income/spending money do you spend on cosplay/jfashion?
About 50% (have my own flat, so very little living expenses)
>Are you in debt? How bad?
No.
>Most expensive costume/coord?
Close to 1000€ for a full JetJ set.
>What are you saving for right now?
Winter boots, and a new dsrl body
>Saving for any other major expenses (emergencies, car, house, retirement, etc)?
I have about 4.000€ emergency funds and 15.000€ invested money that I have access to in about 1 year.
>Budgeting tips?
I don't touch my savings and would never exceed a set amount from my monthly income. Otherwise I'm not the best person to ask, since I'm quite generous with my spendings.