Originally Posted by
Squawk_5543
Hats off to you being a year 1 f/o and being able to purchase stock. I'm just hoping to get bills paid when I start.
Don't live beyond your means. Pack a lunch, that $5-$10 a day on food counts up fast in a month. Take the longest days you can. I find I spend more money when I'm at home. At least on the road I get per diem. I had guys in my training class dog me because I wouldn't go eat lunch with them all the time because I didn't want to spend my $400 they gave me per week. They told me, "Dude the reason you have per diem is so you can spend it". They called me a tight-wad and so on. I get about $32.50 in per diem a day and I usually stay under $10.00 a day on expenses while on trips.
Learn to live within your first of the month paycheck. Mine sucks like no other but I've managed. When I get the per diem that $300-$500 is what goes into my investment account. A few months worth and then I make another purchase. Also when on the road you aren't running up the electric bill and aren't watching TV so might as well cancel the TV. If anything just get DSL and watch whatever TV shows you like on their website. I've found getting rid of the TV has made me do other things like start training for another marathon, read more books, and learn things better like investing.