UNCOMMON CENTS 34

PAY YOURSELF FIRST BECAUSE YOU ALONE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR LIFE. FROM THE GREEK SOURCE MEANING "GOOD FORTUNE," I CAME ACROSS A WORD EUDEMONISM, A DOCTRINE IN ETHICS THAT SAYS THE BASIS OF MORAL OBLIGATIONS IS TO BE FOUND IN THE TENDENCY TO RIGHT ACTIONS TO PRODUCE HAPPINESS. YES, HAPPINESS LIES IN FOLLOWING THE RIGHT PATH. THE PATH TO PHYSICAL INDEPENDENCE FOR ADULTS STARTS WITH A SEPARATE DOMICILE AND A JOB, AS CLOSE TO 18 OR 22 (AFTER COLLEGE) AS POSSIBLE. PARENTS HANDICAP THEIR CHILDREN BY MAKING LIFE DEPENDENT ON AND EASY FOR THEM AFTER THEY HAVE 'GROWN UP'. THE PATH TO FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE BEGINS WITH PAYING YOUR WAY INTO AN EQUITY FUND BY SAVING, LET'S SAY, A DOABLE MINIMUM OF $50. A WEEK - $2600 A YEAR. IF YOU CONSIDER THIS A SMALL SACRIFICE FOR THE CAUSE OF WHAT'S RIGHT, PERHAPS THE DECISION TO NEVER BURDEN YOURSELF WITH AN UN-MARRIED PARTNER WILL BE A LARGER ONE. TWO CANNOT LIVE CHEAPER THAN ONE; NOR WILL IMMORALITY PRODUCE WEALTH AND HAPPINESS. NO OUTWARD FORCE, INCLUDING ANOTHER PERSON, SHOULD TEMPT YOU TO NOT PAY CASH OR TO SPLURGE ON ITEMS THAT DETRACT FROM YOUR GOAL FOUNDED IN EUDEMONISM. AN OBJECTION MIGHT BE RAISED THAT SHARING AN APARTMENT CONSERVES EXPENSES. I ANSWER THAT SELF-SUFFICIENCY, MORAL DISCIPLINE AND CAREFUL SPENDING WILL TRUMP THIS OBJECTION. BY PAYING YOUR OWN WAY AND ADHERING TO THE MORAL HIGH GROUND, YOU REMAIN DEBT FREE AND OBLIGATED TO NO ONE. SHARING GIFTS OR BILLS WITH A 'LIVE-IN' COULD WASTE HUNDREDS A YEAR BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT IN COMPLETE CONTROL OF YOUR ASSETS. JUST A WEEKLY TRIP TO THE TASTEE FREEZE, A MONTHLY NIGHT-OUT AT A RESTAURANT OR AN OCCASIONAL JAUNT TO A MOVIE THEATRE, EXAMPLES OF SHARED PLEASURES, MULTIPLIES EXPENDITURES AND COMPLICATES YOUR DECISION-MAKING ABILITY.

CHOICES LOOM FOR YOUNG ADULTS STARTING OUT. A WALK-UP AS OPPOSED TO A HIGHER-BRACKETED ELEVATOR APARTMENT COULD SAVE YOU $100 A MONTH OR $1200 A YEAR. AN AIR-CONDITIONED APARTMENT MAY SACRIFICE $200 A MONTH OR $2400 MORE A YEAR OF YOUR INCOME OVER A BASIC ACCOMMODATION. LIMITING YOUR WARDROBE BY NOT PURCHASING 2 ITEMS AT $20 EACH A MONTH COULD SAVE $480 A YEAR. TREATING SHOWERS AS NECESSITIES NOT NICETIES REDUCES SAVES ENERGY BILLS. NOT PASSING UP ALCOHOL AT A COST OF $6.00 A WEEK FOR WINE OR BEER, NEEDLESSLY WASTES ANOTHER $312.

HINT: LOOK OUT FOR YOURSELF FIRST, AT FIRST AND SIMPLIFY YOUR NEEDS.