My Fiscal Rant - originally posted on my Myspace page :)

Okay, so lets say you drive to work and make...oh lets make you well off...$20 an hour. You work 8 hours.

That's $160 for the day.

Take out taxes = $30

Take out health insurance (required in Mass now) = $10

Take out other federal fees (SS) = $5

BUT it took you a gallon of gas to get to work = 2 gallons for the day = $8.

And you must eat, so...$10

SO now we have in our pocket at the end of the day = $97.

Sounds like a lot right?

But you gotta live, so shelter...food...and water.

Shelter = modest apartment will be $700 a month. that's $22.50 a day. Plus you have to have electric (part of the water in most cases) so let's say that's a modest $2 a day.

Uh oh, now we only have $72.50 from our pay.

OH boy ...how about heat? Let's budget out $3000 a year for heat (I know I know..but that's the truth of this coming year). You work about 260 days a year, so you pay about $11.5 a day for heat.

Hmmm, now we've got $61 from our pay.

Not too bad for a monk. You didn't want to go out anyway. But you'll need a phone right? That'll be $2...

Dangit. Down to $59 from that friggin lousy paycheck.

Fine fine. I just won't get sick. BAM - you got the flu. Of course there are other medical expenses throughout the year...dental cleanings (if you're lucky that's it)...copays...prescriptions...let's say its a good year at $1 a day.

$58 from the pay check.

Whoa whoa whoa - I am not just driving back and forth to work...SCREW that. Lets just say I average another two gallons each day. Cmon, you know how far the beach is from here...SO - $50 left????

OH SHIT. I forgot to pay my car payment. Crap crap crap. Alright...I financed ...10,950 for that piece of shit. So my payments per month are...$230???? DANG. That's $7.50 a day!

Fine. So I've got $42.50 left from that measley paycheck.

I think that paycheck needs a boost. Perhaps you try to find another job. Better get the internet to look...

BAM $1 a day for internet and buy a computer at $900 (remember we only work 260 days a year) so $3.5 a day.

WTF! I've only got $38 left!!!

And I still don't have cable. Well, I might as well get it considering I can't afford to go out = $1 a day, so now it's $37 from workin so hard.

Got Depression? You sit on your couch - oh wait, you don't get furniture - and realize there is nothing on TV. You jump up and say screw this I'm goin out.

Entertainment fee per month is around $200 (cmon, have you guys been to the movies lately?) so deduct $6.5 from your daily pay.

$30.5 dollars left for the day.Whew. I can live on that...



BUT - xmas gifts ($260 you cheap bastard) = $1 a day

Want a cell phone? $1 a day if you're lucky.

Need toiletries? $1 a day.

Furniture, printer, personal care (haircuts, etc) lets round to a modest $5 a day.

Clothes? You're hittin the salvation army at $1 a day.

Birthdays, gifts and those friggin school fund raisers people bring to work for their kids...$2 a day.

Miscellaneous emergeny expenses such as your car breaking down ($2000), ER visits ($500), or no coffee in the house so you buy some Starbucks...$11.5 a day.

Yup you guessed it.



A WHOPPING $8 a day for you're enjoyment.



NOW, did ya go to college? Okay, lets say a community college...$2.50a day for your loans.

BAM $5.50 a day.



Now tell me parents of my generation...do you still wonder why a vast majority of people still live with their parents?

Can't even buy a pack of cigarettes for that price.