A question about : Life as a perpetual teenager...
So, I'm 24, newly single and living in one of the most expensive counties in the country... And I'm getting tired of treading water all the time.
I am surrounded by friends who are getting engaged, buying houses, getting promotions and having children. A few are off travelling but are financially secure enough to do so five times over.
I live with my ex partner, who is moving back to his home town soon, in a flat that's being sold at the end of our contract in April. Soon I will be single, alone and possibly living with my parents again. None of this is ideal. But then when ever is life?
Accommodation wise, there's not a lot of options for me.
I am on a fixed term contract with work and have been since March last year, which has been renewed twice now, and my job position is such that I am quite useful and so it's unlikely (but not impossible I guess) that my contract won't be renewed again. That however obviously causes problems with rental places - especially as I'll be looking in April and my contract officially ends at the start of July this time. Add to that that really I don't earn enough to live on my own and my job has no promotion prospects apart from a tiny Ј300 increment every year, which caps out at 22k. After 7 years.
Rental wise there is very little in my area that isn't tiny and crazy expensive. There are a lot of tiny top floor studios in horrible areas that are being put up for the same price as I'm paying now for a one bed maisonette with a good sized bedroom, bath and kitchen in a good area. It feels hopeless looking through the listings.
I have ~Ј1.2k in a savings account, from my wages. This includes Ј500 left to me by my grandmother, which I want desperately to save, but may have to use to cover bills 
My monthly income is Ј1.2k depending on tax and what expenses I have covered. Overall at the end of the month I have about Ј20 to spare. Some months I have to dip into my savings, which then depletes them. It's a vicious cycle.
One thing I enjoy doing is fitness and working out. I'm off to a pole dance session in a bit - I pole dance once or twice a week, and I have a gym membership. My gym membership is paid yearly and was an absolute bargain at Ј220 for a 14 month contract, to a 24/7 gym. My pole dancing is quite expensive but I allow room for it.
I just want to start my proper, 'adult' life. I feel like I'm five years behind all my peers and always will be. Some days, I feel like a 15 year old who has no control over anything and no prospects at all.
Best answers:
- Well it's not been a good month, money is non-existent but I get paid on Thursday which is good.
I've been looking at other jobs, there's one in a town that's about 30 minutes drive away (an hour in rush hour). It's perfect. Basically what I'm doing now but Ј3k more a year, with more holiday and in a cheaper area. Really hope I get an interview. My contract with work is now until June but as my manager pointed out - if they're not willing to give me something permanent then why do I feel that I have to stay?
I have some work experience with the hospitals Occupational Therapy team coming up soon which I am very excited about. Almost all the university courses want at least two days work experience in an OT setting for their courses so this is just what I need to start down that path. The job I'm looking at is fixed term until June next year so if I got it I could do that, then go to Uni to study OT in September. Do a little traveling in the middle. That would be ideal.
I'm losing passion for my work. I think I'm just losing passion for everything though to be honest - Hi KMN9, I think that while you are losing passion, you are doing great. I'm in a situation that is a bit similar, unhappy at work, looking for jobs elsewhere, (living at home but I know you're only worried that you are going to) and am on the end of 24.
I really hope you get a new job soon and will be cheering you on with your journey. - Good luck with it all Kiss Me Now.
I feel for you. You have a lot going on what with relationship break down and job worries plus living worries.
But I agree with ZTD regarding your friends. They may be one pay cheque from disaster and you'd never know unless they told you. It's so hard to do and I am guilty of it myself but we must not compare ourselves to others because that is not useful.
I really hope you get a job interview for that position. It sounds great.
All the best
Bob - Weeeeeell, more annoying (rather than bad I guess) news today, my credit card that I barely use somehow has Ј850 on it since Christmas And I kinda forgot to pay anything on it twice so they stopped it. Luckily I only found this out when I phoned to pay the minimum and set up the DD to stop it happening again? Oh well. Going to have to go through the bill and see exactly what I've been spending on. I try and just use it online and for petrol.
I know I bought a new laptop, that was Ј300, but I have no idea what the extra Ј550 is.
Still filling the application for that other job in. I really do wonder what they'll do without me as again today I have been told that tomorrow and Thursday I'm helping out at evening events even though I was told last week I wasn't needed. And I've noticed that we have an event in two weeks on Friday that no-one clinical is attending (big no-no, we should have two HR attendees and at least one clinical at all events). Not that anyone seems to give a damn.
As every day goes on I become more and more weary of the culture I work in. I wanted to go into generalist HR (I'm in Recruitment atm) but honestly, I want to spend my life helping people, not shouting at them because their manager wants to overwork them and they don't want to. I have work experience with the OTs in two weeks which I am very excited about And if it goes well and confirms my inner thoughts about occupational therapy, hopefully I'll be applying for 2016 Occupational Therapy BSc
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