When I look back at my life over the last year I find that my life is carrying me on the same revolutionary road I talked about in the prequel to this article. Now that I have a job, it seems that there are these expectations I need to meet, “otherwise why do I have a job?” society is subconsciously saying.

Within the first month of working, I hear my co-workers badgering me, “With all that money you’re making, why don’t you have a car?” And my friends suddenly worried, “get a car, it’ll be convenient and easier”. I can’t help but think, there are so many people without a car why can’t I be one of them. Moreover, it’s not that I was completely against having a car, it’s just that I didn’t want to purchase one so soon. I wanted to do the rare thing, save!

Six months passed, I still don’t have a car. I wanted to purchase other important things that I also needed, and to get them out of the way. So when I have a car insurance that I’ll be paying til the day I die, I won’t have to feel pressured with all the bills I’m accumilating. I guess this is a clear sign that I am an adult, bills and debt are accruing! I have my own little apartment, so I have managed to create a monthly rental bill for myself. Recently someone jokingly said to me, “Buy a T.V!” My first thought was, “Why is everyone so concerned about me buying stuff?”  Apparently there are a few things we North Americans have to have: a house, a phone, a computer and a car. Within another 2-5 years, I will have to get a house because someone will remind me that I don’t have one. Why is society so bent on all of us having the same things? And normally people have all of these materialistic things, but never have money. Like every North American I also need those things we coined “necessities” because I find that it’s difficult without them. I’m glad that I went to work for 6 months without a car, because I did what most people wouldn’t have done.

Those people who tend to have those “things”, you can never ask them for money, because they never have any. There money is tangled up in all those debt they created. I’m doing well though, I actually plan and save for the future. I choose to do what’s best, not what people think is important to do. I’m learning to become financially responsible. The one debt I have is my student loan and I’m trying to keep it that way. Not because I live in North America means I need to have hundreds of debt.

Although I’m walking on the same road as society, I’m walking cautiously. Avoiding all the mistakes that too many people make- buying everything all at once and then realizing they can’t handle it, living pay cheque to pay cheque. I just don’t want to struggle financially. It seems harder with children and a family though. And I’m really thankful I don’t have that. I don’t have the additional bills that so many people have.  Every day, every year I’m learning and living something new.

This stage of my life is becoming interesting and exciting. I’m accumulating those materialistic necessities all on my own and I’m happy, because like I said, I chose to do it cautiously.