How you can afford next gen systems when you're not rich

Now, let's assume you're some high school student with no experience (we're talking basics here, so anyone can do it!), starting at the very bottom of the employment spectrum.

*The following uses Canadian dollars, adjust depending on exchance rates to translate into your country's currency*

We'll use a PS3 asan example here, but the same reasoning applies to any expensive game system:

Gee, that shiny new PS3 looks awful spiffy... Too bad it costs a whole 550$ (630$ after 14% tax)!! (futureshop.com)

Hmm, lets see, a basic job pays a minimum wage of $7.50 an hour. Working part time (20 hours), you make 150$ a week.

Edit: I'm in ontario, taxes and pay rates might be different in other parts of Canada, I forgot that part, lol.

Lets say you get payed every twoweeks, but some ofthat is taxed (lets say tax is 10% just to keep things simple), you're left with 270 dollars on your pay check.

Of those 270 dollars, you might want to bank 100 of it for college, if you plan on going to school and your parents aren't paying for it. (170 left).

Now you likely have a social life, and friends, whom you do stuff with fairly often, so you're probably going to want to save another 70$ per check, so that when you do things you'll have money to spend. (100 left)

Now we have 100 dollars left, which we can save up.

See? You can afford something like a PS3 in a couple months, while maintaining a social life, AND saving for College!

BUT WAIT! IT GETS BETTER!!!

If you work full time during your summer vacation, which I think anyone should do, unless you have summer school or something like that, you make twice as much, meaning that in a single summer vacation you could afford a PS3, an Xbox 360, and games, and still save for college, and have a social life.

Isn't that amazing? You could actually work for that PS3 / Xbox 360, and then you wouldn't have to wait for Christmas to come.

Now I know what you're saying to yourself atm: "But gee golly Big Red Button, I have too muchteen angst to get a job! It's too conformist!!!"

Ok, maybe not ALL of you said that, but I'm sure SOME did...

Whats great is that I don't even count money from things like holidays, birthdays, contract killings, south Columbian oil deals, and corrupt cop blackmailing.

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER.

Now, let's assume you're some high school student with no experience (we're talking basics here, so anyone can do it!), starting at the very bottom of the employment spectrum.

*The following uses Canadian dollars, adjust depending on exchance rates to translate into your country's currency*

We'll use a PS3 asan example here, but the same reasoning applies to any expensive game system:

Gee, that shiny new PS3 looks awful spiffy... Too bad it costs a whole 550$ (630$ after 14% tax)!! (futureshop.com)

Hmm, lets see, a basic job pays a minimum wage of $7.50 an hour. Working part time (20 hours), you make 150$ a week.

Lets say you get payed every twoweeks, but some ofthat is taxed (lets say tax is 10% just to keep things simple), you're left with 270 dollars on your pay check.

Of those 270 dollars, you might want to bank 100 of it for college, if you plan on going to school and your parents aren't paying for it. (170 left).

Now you likely have a social life, and friends, whom you do stuff with fairly often, so you're probably going to want to save another 70$ per check, so that when you do things you'll have money to spend. (100 left)

Now we have 100 dollars left, which we can save up.

See? You can afford something like a PS3 in a couple months, while maintaining a social life, AND saving for College!

BUT WAIT! IT GETS BETTER!!!

If you work full time during your summer vacation, which I think anyone should do, unless you have summer school or something like that, you make twice as much, meaning that in a single summer vacation you could afford a PS3, an Xbox 360, and games, and still save for college, and have a social life.

Isn't that amazing? You could actually work for that PS3 / Xbox 360, and then you wouldn't have to wait for Christmas to come.

Now I know what you're saying to yourself atm: "But gee golly Big Red Button, I have too muchteen angst to get a job! It's too conformist!!!"

Ok, maybe not ALL of you said that, but I'm sure SOME did...

Whats great is that I don't even count money from things like holidays, birthdays, contract killings, south Columbian oil deals, and corrupt cop blackmailing.

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER.

Big_Red_Button

Jesus H. Christ, 14% sales tax?! Maybe free health care isn't all its cracked up to be...majadamus

:lol: That's exactly what I was thinking.

Now, let's assume you're some high school student with no experience (we're talking basics here, so anyone can do it!), starting at the very bottom of the employment spectrum.

*The following uses Canadian dollars, adjust depending on exchance rates to translate into your country's currency*

We'll use a PS3 asan example here, but the same reasoning applies to any expensive game system:

Gee, that shiny new PS3 looks awful spiffy... Too bad it costs a whole 550$ (630$ after 14% tax)!! (futureshop.com)

Hmm, lets see, a basic job pays a minimum wage of $7.50 an hour. Working part time (20 hours), you make 150$ a week.

Edit: I'm in ontario, taxes and pay rates might be different in other parts of Canada, I forgot that part, lol.

Lets say you get payed every twoweeks, but some ofthat is taxed (lets say tax is 10% just to keep things simple), you're left with 270 dollars on your pay check.

Of those 270 dollars, you might want to bank 100 of it for college, if you plan on going to school and your parents aren't paying for it. (170 left).

Now you likely have a social life, and friends, whom you do stuff with fairly often, so you're probably going to want to save another 70$ per check, so that when you do things you'll have money to spend. (100 left)

Now we have 100 dollars left, which we can save up.

See? You can afford something like a PS3 in a couple months, while maintaining a social life, AND saving for College!

BUT WAIT! IT GETS BETTER!!!

If you work full time during your summer vacation, which I think anyone should do, unless you have summer school or something like that, you make twice as much, meaning that in a single summer vacation you could afford a PS3, an Xbox 360, and games, and still save for college, and have a social life.

Isn't that amazing? You could actually work for that PS3 / Xbox 360, and then you wouldn't have to wait for Christmas to come.

Now I know what you're saying to yourself atm: "But gee golly Big Red Button, I have too muchteen angst to get a job! It's too conformist!!!"

Ok, maybe not ALL of you said that, but I'm sure SOME did...

Whats great is that I don't even count money from things like holidays, birthdays, contract killings, south Columbian oil deals, and corrupt cop blackmailing.

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER.

Big_Red_Button

$70 out of ur paycheck every 2 weeks is disgusting for social needs. For a teenager, an expensive week would be around 35$, unless you guys are seeing broadway shows and going to cubs games every night...

7.50 an hour. Good god Man!! Stay in school.

Jesus H. Christ, 14% sales tax?! Maybe free health care isn't all its cracked up to be...majadamus

Jesus H. Christ? H???

Where does that H come from??

how do you pay for your car? and electricity? and water? and food? and morgage? and insurance? and gas money?and cable TV? and internet access? What if you have kids?jack_russel

I was trying to use an average teenager as an example.

Most of those don't live on their own.

Why do kids think they are entitled to everything they want and right now? It doesn't work that way. When you are out of school and working full time, and maybe even working hard overtime for the things you really want, then you are entitled to them. Your day will come, just like all the working adults who had to wait until they were out of school to get what they wanted. Until then, you're going to have to make the best of what you can get with a part time job, birthdays, and holidays.Diva-of-Destiny

I think that for a kid, having a goal like a 360 or a PS3 to save for would be good at teaching them how to handle money and save...

It's not like a 16 year old has a buttload of bills to pay.

[QUOTE="majadamus"]Jesus H. Christ, 14% sales tax?! Maybe free health care isn't all its cracked up to be...frodnekcod

Jesus H. Christ? H???

Where does that H come from??

Jesus had a middle name..nobody knows what the H stands for though...

[QUOTE="Big_Red_Button"]

Now, let's assume you're some high school student with no experience (we're talking basics here, so anyone can do it!), starting at the very bottom of the employment spectrum.

*The following uses Canadian dollars, adjust depending on exchance rates to translate into your country's currency*

We'll use a PS3 asan example here, but the same reasoning applies to any expensive game system:

Gee, that shiny new PS3 looks awful spiffy... Too bad it costs a whole 550$ (630$ after 14% tax)!! (futureshop.com)

Hmm, lets see, a basic job pays a minimum wage of $7.50 an hour. Working part time (20 hours), you make 150$ a week.

Edit: I'm in ontario, taxes and pay rates might be different in other parts of Canada, I forgot that part, lol.

Lets say you get payed every twoweeks, but some ofthat is taxed (lets say tax is 10% just to keep things simple), you're left with 270 dollars on your pay check.

Of those 270 dollars, you might want to bank 100 of it for college, if you plan on going to school and your parents aren't paying for it. (170 left).

Now you likely have a social life, and friends, whom you do stuff with fairly often, so you're probably going to want to save another 70$ per check, so that when you do things you'll have money to spend. (100 left)

Now we have 100 dollars left, which we can save up.

See? You can afford something like a PS3 in a couple months, while maintaining a social life, AND saving for College!

BUT WAIT! IT GETS BETTER!!!

If you work full time during your summer vacation, which I think anyone should do, unless you have summer school or something like that, you make twice as much, meaning that in a single summer vacation you could afford a PS3, an Xbox 360, and games, and still save for college, and have a social life.

Isn't that amazing? You could actually work for that PS3 / Xbox 360, and then you wouldn't have to wait for Christmas to come.

Now I know what you're saying to yourself atm: "But gee golly Big Red Button, I have too muchteen angst to get a job! It's too conformist!!!"

Ok, maybe not ALL of you said that, but I'm sure SOME did...

Whats great is that I don't even count money from things like holidays, birthdays, contract killings, south Columbian oil deals, and corrupt cop blackmailing.

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER.

Koalakommander

$70 out of ur paycheck every 2 weeks is disgusting for social needs. For a teenager, an expensive week would be around 35$, unless you guys are seeing broadway shows and going to cubs games every night...

Illegal drugs and partying can be pretty expensive....

Why do kids think they are entitled to everything they want and right now? It doesn't work that way. When you are out of school and working full time, and maybe even working hard overtime for the things you really want, then you are entitled to them. Your day will come, just like all the working adults who had to wait until they were out of school to get what they wanted. Until then, you're going to have to make the best of what you can get with a part time job, birthdays, and holidays.Diva-of-Destiny

[QUOTE="Big_Red_Button"]

Now, let's assume you're some high school student with no experience (we're talking basics here, so anyone can do it!), starting at the very bottom of the employment spectrum.

*The following uses Canadian dollars, adjust depending on exchance rates to translate into your country's currency*

We'll use a PS3 asan example here, but the same reasoning applies to any expensive game system:

Gee, that shiny new PS3 looks awful spiffy... Too bad it costs a whole 550$ (630$ after 14% tax)!! (futureshop.com)

Hmm, lets see, a basic job pays a minimum wage of $7.50 an hour. Working part time (20 hours), you make 150$ a week.

Edit: I'm in ontario, taxes and pay rates might be different in other parts of Canada, I forgot that part, lol.

Lets say you get payed every twoweeks, but some ofthat is taxed (lets say tax is 10% just to keep things simple), you're left with 270 dollars on your pay check.

Of those 270 dollars, you might want to bank 100 of it for college, if you plan on going to school and your parents aren't paying for it. (170 left).

Now you likely have a social life, and friends, whom you do stuff with fairly often, so you're probably going to want to save another 70$ per check, so that when you do things you'll have money to spend. (100 left)

Now we have 100 dollars left, which we can save up.

See? You can afford something like a PS3 in a couple months, while maintaining a social life, AND saving for College!

BUT WAIT! IT GETS BETTER!!!

If you work full time during your summer vacation, which I think anyone should do, unless you have summer school or something like that, you make twice as much, meaning that in a single summer vacation you could afford a PS3, an Xbox 360, and games, and still save for college, and have a social life.

Isn't that amazing? You could actually work for that PS3 / Xbox 360, and then you wouldn't have to wait for Christmas to come.

Now I know what you're saying to yourself atm: "But gee golly Big Red Button, I have too muchteen angst to get a job! It's too conformist!!!"

Ok, maybe not ALL of you said that, but I'm sure SOME did...

Whats great is that I don't even count money from things like holidays, birthdays, contract killings, south Columbian oil deals, and corrupt cop blackmailing.

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER.

Koalakommander

$70 out of ur paycheck every 2 weeks is disgusting for social needs. For a teenager, an expensive week would be around 35$, unless you guys are seeing broadway shows and going to cubs games every night...

I guess you've never heard of a little something I like to call gas. You know, the stuff that fuels your car......

I know what you mean. Up until a few months ago I was making $7 p/h, working only 8 hours a week. That was fine for my basic needs, only bill I had to pay was my cell phone. During that time I would only buy one game a month, maybe one every two months. I think the best thing to do is conserve, do you really need to buy 4 games a month? For me the answer is no, get a game you like, make sure it has online MP and play it a lot,lol.

Now I finally have an internship in college and I'm making double what I did before, 40 hours a week, so there's much more cash flow. Yet do I now buy more games a month? Not really, I'm sorry but $60 is still a lot to spend on one game. However having that extra cash does make it easier to buy a game when I want to, rather then having to wait a few extra weeks.

It just takes hard work, I pretty much made $7 p/h for 3 years all the way into my 2nd year of college. Sure it sucked, it was a manual labor job, yet that makes me appreciate my internship that much more. Now I have extra money to do what I want with, know I'll be returning for next summer, and have a career at that company one day (hopefully!).

[QUOTE="frodnekcod"]

[QUOTE="majadamus"]Jesus H. Christ, 14% sales tax?! Maybe free health care isn't all its cracked up to be...majadamus

Jesus H. Christ? H???

Where does that H come from??

Jesus had a middle name..nobody knows what the H stands for though...

[QUOTE="Big_Red_Button"]

Now, let's assume you're some high school student with no experience (we're talking basics here, so anyone can do it!), starting at the very bottom of the employment spectrum.

*The following uses Canadian dollars, adjust depending on exchance rates to translate into your country's currency*

We'll use a PS3 asan example here, but the same reasoning applies to any expensive game system:

Gee, that shiny new PS3 looks awful spiffy... Too bad it costs a whole 550$ (630$ after 14% tax)!! (futureshop.com)

Hmm, lets see, a basic job pays a minimum wage of $7.50 an hour. Working part time (20 hours), you make 150$ a week.

Edit: I'm in ontario, taxes and pay rates might be different in other parts of Canada, I forgot that part, lol.

Lets say you get payed every twoweeks, but some ofthat is taxed (lets say tax is 10% just to keep things simple), you're left with 270 dollars on your pay check.

Of those 270 dollars, you might want to bank 100 of it for college, if you plan on going to school and your parents aren't paying for it. (170 left).

Now you likely have a social life, and friends, whom you do stuff with fairly often, so you're probably going to want to save another 70$ per check, so that when you do things you'll have money to spend. (100 left)

Now we have 100 dollars left, which we can save up.

See? You can afford something like a PS3 in a couple months, while maintaining a social life, AND saving for College!

BUT WAIT! IT GETS BETTER!!!

If you work full time during your summer vacation, which I think anyone should do, unless you have summer school or something like that, you make twice as much, meaning that in a single summer vacation you could afford a PS3, an Xbox 360, and games, and still save for college, and have a social life.

Isn't that amazing? You could actually work for that PS3 / Xbox 360, and then you wouldn't have to wait for Christmas to come.

Now I know what you're saying to yourself atm: "But gee golly Big Red Button, I have too muchteen angst to get a job! It's too conformist!!!"

Ok, maybe not ALL of you said that, but I'm sure SOME did...

Whats great is that I don't even count money from things like holidays, birthdays, contract killings, south Columbian oil deals, and corrupt cop blackmailing.

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER.

Koalakommander

$70 out of ur paycheck every 2 weeks is disgusting for social needs. For a teenager, an expensive week would be around 35$, unless you guys are seeing broadway shows and going to cubs games every night...

Illegal drugs and partying can be pretty expensive....

thats why i said no. my friends on the other hand, are always broke.