I know that I was well organized in terms of a budget and longer term planning but this was also born out of circumstances.

My parents helped with my first year and then it was part way through my second year that I started to think about my resources… I had done a couple things right:

1. I made a budget once I knew my tuition and residence fees
2. I had saved most of what I made waitressing during the summer

At the end of first year, I said good-bye to Totem Park residence (could not face another year of cafeteria food) and moved back home for the summer to work and save for second year. Another waitressing job allowed me to save approximately $1,000 each month. That combined with some interest on an investment (thank you Aunt Margaret) added to $6,000. My revised monthly budget for living out included:

• Rent $250 (It was not a pretty place!)
• Utilities $20
• Food $100
• Entertainment $80
• Gas $20

* Don’t forget that all this is in late 1980’s dollars!

Add tuition and books $1,700 to $3,760 (8 months at $470) and add a little for gifts, a couple days skiing and extra gas/toll for trips home and I could just about make it. Problem was, ‘just about’ didn’t work very well.

Granted it was back in the days (yes, the late 80’s) when government student loans were available but other student credit was not which made it difficult to get debt.I wasn’t eligible for student loans because of my parents’ income level. Neither were they prepared to foot the bill unconditionally.

So, I memorized over 400 fruit and vegetable cash codes and got a job a Produce City Plus. That covered me until the end of the year. Then I was back home for the summer…I could save a lot more without paying rent. The problem was….getting home. I think the car just made it on fumes. I picked asparagus until I got a waitressing job. The car insurance $750 came from my first month’s earnings. It may seem like an extravagance to have a car however, it got me to my job, regularly drove 4 or 5 of us (Toyota Tercel) home to the Okanagan for $5 each – albeit squished like sardines.

And so it went over the 4 years of university. After 3rd year, I didn’t go home for the summer, instead working 2 jobs in Vancouver and keeping 1 during the school year. I realized towards the end of 4th year that I would reach my goal of earning a university degree but if I went back to Armstrong, it would be difficult to find an entry level career job. I submitted my resume to a bank and began work before I’d finished my final exams. I remember being VERY surprised at what entry level jobs paid and I was very glad I didn’t have student loans to repay.

That job led to a 7 year career and the decision to do the CGA program. I recognize that I was very lucky to have parental and Aunt Margaret’s contributions but I won’t short sell my ability to live on a tight budget and earn the income required to pay my bills.