During this project I realized that many of the things I would have to find on my

own, but the companies my parents used would be companies I find more comfort in.

Yet, there are cheaper alternatives. At home I had to eat what was given to me and did not

have a choice, but living on my own I would be able to decide what I want to eat and

spend my money on. My salary was low compared to the things I wanted. There was a

huge decision making between my wants and needs.

My monthly salary was $2,740, I had needs such as rent, groceries, electricity, and

wifi. In order to be able to satisfy my wants, I'd have to choose companies that provided

affordable plans. For groceries, I looked for cheaper alternatives, but I also focused on

meals that I know I would enjoy. Electricity and wifi are not things that can be

negotiated, but I looked for good affordable places such as Xfinity, and Cricket wireless.

My entertainment was based on things I wanted to watch, so I chose Hulu, since they

have a variety of choices. Which is something that the internet contributes to besides

potential work. I own a lot of books so that is also part of my entertainment. But, what

really created an impact on my budget was insurance. Since car insurance has a variety of

things that can affect the amount you have to pay, such as gender, age, car, and coverage,

I have to pay $394. While for renters insurance I was charged $31.34 a month.

If I had $200 less on my budget, I would still be able to get everything in my

presentation. Since I was too focused on having to get affordable items, I did not realize I

had $874 money left after paying loans and expenses. With $200 less I would have $674,

that I put into savings for a house. Although if I had $200 more, I would spend more on

groceries, and entertainment, and leave $874 in savings for a house. Because I don’t have
any other wants at the moment, and a house is a long term investment that I would love to

participate in.

Throughout the timeline I was able to find many opportunities that saved me more

money than I expected. Many companies had cheaper alternatives, but were also less

reliable than the ones that cost a little more. Plus taxes create a huge impact in finance. I

enjoy going out to eat, so I know my money would be spent on that a lot. But, making

grocery decisions on my own made me realize that many of the things I buy, I can make.