TLS c/o 2020 - In #Squad We Trust Forum

[R. Jeeves]

skert

[MrJD2020]

... you okay, bro?

Yeah. Just 500% ready for the next chapter of my life to start.

[S.Picquery]

Yeah. Just 500% ready for the next chapter of my life to start.

I get that. You'll do fine. Maybe not HLS, but almost definitely something from CLS. I wouldn't worry too much. There is still TONS of time left for them to get back to us (I know it doesn't feel like it).

[RParadela]

.

[MrJD2020]

Honestly, it is downright ridiculous that schools do not post decision dates ahead of time. There's no reason they can't do that, or at least say they only release decisions on one or two specific days of the week. This whole law school application process is needlessly frustrating, it's not designed terribly well, it takes too long and at this point it's just zero fun.

Exactly but this site makes it a lot better.

Yeah. Except for the fact that adcoms read these forums.

I'm not ashamed of anything I say on TLS and I don't say things that I think might impact my applications negatively if adcoms were to figure out my identity. But it's a shame that the one FREE place we all have to discuss, seek guidance, and vent about this long, disorganized, nerve-wracking process is also browsed by the people who decide our fate. For those of us without family support or significant financial means (me), there's no "safe" place to get advice during this process.

Bro you literally blew me away with that comment lol. I believe in you though. Getting the interview is a great sign. Top schools have so many people applying that it takes a while to get to all the people they want. It's really hard for them to put two and two together with all the people applying. I have faith in you and I feel that the good news will come. Good luck.

Thanks a lot. Trying to stay hopeful!

[JC2017]

Honestly, it is downright ridiculous that schools do not post decision dates ahead of time. There's no reason they can't do that, or at least say they only release decisions on one or two specific days of the week. This whole law school application process is needlessly frustrating, it's not designed terribly well, it takes too long and at this point it's just zero fun.

Exactly but this site makes it a lot better.

Yeah. Except for the fact that adcoms read these forums.

I'm not ashamed of anything I say on TLS and I don't say things that I think might impact my applications negatively if adcoms were to figure out my identity. But it's a shame that the one FREE place we all have to discuss, seek guidance, and vent about this long, disorganized, nerve-wracking process is also browsed by the people who decide our fate. For those of us without family support or significant financial means (me), there's no "safe" place to get advice during this process.

Bro you literally blew me away with that comment lol. I believe in you though. Getting the interview is a great sign. Top schools have so many people applying that it takes a while to get to all the people they want. It's really hard for them to put two and two together with all the people applying. I have faith in you and I feel that the good news will come. Good luck.

Thanks a lot. Trying to stay hopeful!

I honestly think a lot of the frustration stems from people applying to 20+ schools (especially T14 applicants) strictly for scholarship negotiation even if they have no intent of attending the school. I get the reasons why, but in the end it artificially inflates the amount of applications the admissions folks need review, making their jobs harder and forcing many of us that are truly interested in attending but are in the lower 50% onto wait lists, furthering the frustration. We (as a collective whole) are forcing this onto ourselves.

[waldorf]

I haven't not had a job since I was 14. The concept of three years without a steady paycheck (outside of summers, hopefully) is so nerve wracking to me.

[JC2017]

I haven't not had a job since I was 14. The concept of three years without a steady paycheck (outside of summers, hopefully) is so nerve wracking to me.

Become a budgeting expert. If you want to be truly thrifty, make it a goal to spend no more than $50 a week (or $200 a month) on food. It is absolutely doable if you're strong willed, as I proved to myself over the period of 3 years while I was saving up for a house. The hardest part for most people is being completely honest with yourself on spending habits and learning how to minimize.

[airwrecka]

I haven't not had a job since I was 14. The concept of three years without a steady paycheck (outside of summers, hopefully) is so nerve wracking to me.

Become a budgeting expert. If you want to be truly thrifty, make it a goal to spend no more than $50 a week (or $200 a month) on food. It is absolutely doable if you're strong willed, as I proved to myself over the period of 3 years as I was saving up for a house. The hardest part for most people is being completely honest with yourself on spending habits and learning how to minimize.

Amen. My husband and I finally got real about our finances, and it's a little daunting at first, but totally doable. What we have found to be really helpful is taking out cash for our weekly budget (specifically for "misc"/fun spending) and not spending any more than we've allotted for the week. Credit cards are so easy to swipe...but cash is much easier to pay attention to.

[Stylnator]

I haven't not had a job since I was 14. The concept of three years without a steady paycheck (outside of summers, hopefully) is so nerve wracking to me.

Become a budgeting expert. If you want to be truly thrifty, make it a goal to spend no more than $50 a week (or $200 a month) on food. It is absolutely doable if you're strong willed, as I proved to myself over the period of 3 years while I was saving up for a house. The hardest part for most people is being completely honest with yourself on spending habits and learning how to minimize.

Is there a way to do this without cooking?

[JC2017]

I haven't not had a job since I was 14. The concept of three years without a steady paycheck (outside of summers, hopefully) is so nerve wracking to me.

Become a budgeting expert. If you want to be truly thrifty, make it a goal to spend no more than $50 a week (or $200 a month) on food. It is absolutely doable if you're strong willed, as I proved to myself over the period of 3 years as I was saving up for a house. The hardest part for most people is being completely honest with yourself on spending habits and learning how to minimize.

Amen. My husband and I finally got real about our finances, and it's a little daunting at first, but totally doable. What we have found to be really helpful is taking out cash for our weekly budget (specifically for "misc"/fun spending) and not spending any more than we've allotted for the week. Credit cards are so easy to swipe...but cash is much easier to pay attention to.

+1000 on creating a line item for misc/fun spending. I found it helpful to deduct going out to restaurants/bars/delivery directly from the fun item as opposed to the food line item, and not going over the fun budget. Another helpful trick is to force yourself to only make your own food during the week for all meals, and only go out on weekends.

And unfortunately no, you have to learn how to cook. Even basics like making eggs or PB&J go a long way!

[waldorf]

I haven't not had a job since I was 14. The concept of three years without a steady paycheck (outside of summers, hopefully) is so nerve wracking to me.

Become a budgeting expert. If you want to be truly thrifty, make it a goal to spend no more than $50 a week (or $200 a month) on food. It is absolutely doable if you're strong willed, as I proved to myself over the period of 3 years while I was saving up for a house. The hardest part for most people is being completely honest with yourself on spending habits and learning how to minimize.

Oh, absolutely. I'm a pretty fiscally conservative person already, so I'm not so worried about that, but it's just the concept of not working that is strange to me.

I did a budget on excel while at work yesterday and mapped out all of my required expenses to see exactly how much I'd have per year/per month/per week. It helped a lot. It's just going to be strange not having a steady paycheck - so maybe nerve wracking wasn't the best terminology.

[waldorf]

I haven't not had a job since I was 14. The concept of three years without a steady paycheck (outside of summers, hopefully) is so nerve wracking to me.

Become a budgeting expert. If you want to be truly thrifty, make it a goal to spend no more than $50 a week (or $200 a month) on food. It is absolutely doable if you're strong willed, as I proved to myself over the period of 3 years as I was saving up for a house. The hardest part for most people is being completely honest with yourself on spending habits and learning how to minimize.

Amen. My husband and I finally got real about our finances, and it's a little daunting at first, but totally doable. What we have found to be really helpful is taking out cash for our weekly budget (specifically for "misc"/fun spending) and not spending any more than we've allotted for the week. Credit cards are so easy to swipe...but cash is much easier to pay attention to.

+1000 on creating a line item for misc/fun spending. I found it helpful to deduct going out to restaurants/bars directly from the fun item as opposed to the food line item, and not going over the fun budget. Another helpful trick is to force yourself to only make your own food during the week for all meals, and only go out on weekends. And unfortunately no, you have to learn how to cook. Even basics like making eggs or PB&J go a long way!

+1. Meal prepping on Sundays has saved me SO much money. I usually make two different large meals for variety and therefore I don't eat out during the week.

I have really bad food allergies so I spend a little more than the average thrifty person might on food, but even on a strict diet it's easy to eat cheaply.

[Stylnator]

my food budget is $300/month for just me...law school is going to kick my butt

[Nightwing]

I just want one of the T13 already. Any one. I had favorites, but my new favorite will be the first one to end this unexpected misery. Is 2 months of nearly blanket silence (ie. no initial decisions or interviews at most places) at this point sufficient grounds for some justified LOCIs?

My phone says it's March, but that can't be right.

[R. Jeeves]

my food budget is $300/month for just me...law school is going to kick my butt

what is a reasonable amount? Im easily double this. i eat out a lot though.

[Stylnator]

my food budget is $300/month for just me...law school is going to kick my butt

what is a reasonable amount? Im easily double this. i eat out a lot though.

It looks like those who are extremely conscious do $150-$200 w/basically no eating out

[forum_user]

my food budget is $300/month for just me...law school is going to kick my butt

what is a reasonable amount? Im easily double this. i eat out a lot though.

I'm at about $250/mo (in a high COL market) making a moderate effort to rein in spending. Probably about $50 of that is restaurants/social outings and the rest is groceries. If I cut back on alcohol and junk food a bit and made an effort to get cheaper versions of food items (i.e. buying chicken or pork instead of beef or fish) I could probably get my total below $200. As someone mentioned earlier, it's all about making sandwiches and cooking for dinner rather than eating out during the weekdays.

[JC2017]

my food budget is $300/month for just me...law school is going to kick my butt

what is a reasonable amount? Im easily double this. i eat out a lot though.

my food budget is $300/month for just me...law school is going to kick my butt

what is a reasonable amount? Im easily double this. i eat out a lot though.

It looks like those who are extremely conscious do $150-$200 w/basically no eating out

A reasonable amount is $200/month for a single person. This requires cutting way back on eating out and having good shopping habits (using coupons, sales, and buying in bulk whenever possible). Learn how to cook 5 or so cheap meals, make your breakfasts and lunches every day, make your coffee every day, etc.

I'm a pretty big nerd when it comes to budgeting, so feel free to PM me if you (or anyone) wants other ideas.

[Stephylynette]

When you guys are budgeting and calculating how much you'll need in total for food and/or rent, are y'all using an academic year period (like 8 months total) or are you including the summer months (12 months total)?

I think I know the answer just wondering what others are planning for.

[ashrice13]

I haven't not had a job since I was 14. The concept of three years without a steady paycheck (outside of summers, hopefully) is so nerve wracking to me.

Become a budgeting expert. If you want to be truly thrifty, make it a goal to spend no more than $50 a week (or $200 a month) on food. It is absolutely doable if you're strong willed, as I proved to myself over the period of 3 years as I was saving up for a house. The hardest part for most people is being completely honest with yourself on spending habits and learning how to minimize.

Amen. My husband and I finally got real about our finances, and it's a little daunting at first, but totally doable. What we have found to be really helpful is taking out cash for our weekly budget (specifically for "misc"/fun spending) and not spending any more than we've allotted for the week. Credit cards are so easy to swipe...but cash is much easier to pay attention to.

+1000 on creating a line item for misc/fun spending. I found it helpful to deduct going out to restaurants/bars/delivery directly from the fun item as opposed to the food line item, and not going over the fun budget. Another helpful trick is to force yourself to only make your own food during the week for all meals, and only go out on weekends.

And unfortunately no, you have to learn how to cook. Even basics like making eggs or PB&J go a long way!

My boyfriend and I used to go out to eat a lot so we recently made a deal...we could go to one more expensive meal a week (sit down, non-chain type restaurant with drinks. Check usually around 80-100 for the both of us) or two smaller meals a week (take out pizza/Chinese, less expensive sit down chain type place where the meal is about 40-50 for the two of us). It's definitely helping. I like the idea of setting a misc/fun spending limit in cash, though. It forces you to not over spend when you literally don't allow yourself to use a credit/debit card. I mighty try that.

[JC2017]

When you guys are budgeting and calculating how much you'll need in total for food and/or rent, are y'all using an academic year period (like 8 months total) or are you including the summer months (12 months total)?

I think I know the answer just wondering what others are planning for.

Definitely include the summer months, as you'll still need to sleep and eat. Even if your situation drastically changes (move back with parents or whatnot), still factor in a budget and stick to it.

[R. Jeeves]

to the reasonable food budgeters ITT: how many hours per week do you spend cooking and shopping?

[chargers21]

Making your own coffee and not going to sit down restaurants are the easiest ways to cut the budget. Rice and beans is a cheap, filling, and nutrient diverse meal for the budget conscious

[waldorf]

Making your own coffee and not going to sit down restaurants are the easiest ways to cut the budget. Rice and beans is a cheap, filling, and nutrient diverse meal for the budget conscious

I add frozen corn, fajita veggies, and ground beef/chicken and I have Chipotle burrito bowls for lunch that week. Cheap, easy to make, and filling.