The Horse Forum banner
Status
Not open for further replies.

Saving money, not as easy as it sounds!! LOL

2K views 23 replies 10 participants last post by  Klassic Superstar 
#1 ·
Got to love being horse poor!
I'm 21 and have two jobs! I have been putting money away for my dressage saddle since summer! Even after that I need another set of stirrups and black leather and a girth!

Also starting to save and put away for clinics and shows!
Would love to get out to two shows this year, a jumping show and dressage! But if all I can affored this year is clinics to really get training and 1st level down without missing anything!

I'm working towards getting my training award through USDF, and that means saving more for membership fees!:shock: Also planning on getting Oliver his lifetime membership with USDF!

Exciting stuff but I'm sure as you all know saving money when you ride and own and pay board.....well not as easy as it sounds!

I'm working 39 hours a month as a caretaker and 8 hours a month cleaning my moms office building. Gets me through what I need to spend monthly on Oliver and my gas money, some food for me a little spending money if needed otherwise it goes into saving for the above listed! Haha

Luckily I'm having family help out when they can, helping pay for clinics lessons, tack money in gift cards and soon some cash coming my way. All that is going into savings pretty much!

Hopefully will be getting my new used dressage saddle soon!
In the works of putting together a dressage bridle for this year since I have some parts already and would rather put the $80-$150 into savings!

Might be able to pick up some odd jobs to contribute to the savings!
 
See less See more
#3 ·
Im glad you have the strength to save and not spend, haha. I work ~30hrs a week at a warehouse and I'm starting my travelling trainer and photography businesses.

I make about $800 or so a month with my actual job and it just doesnt pay the bills..and I just acquired another horse xD

I'm gonna quit smoking so that I can afford this second horse (was going to before and put it on the back burner, lol). But, I can't give up ST or Lucky..so my wallet will suffer for my happiness :p I have 4 cigarettes left until I never buy another.

I currently need:
Savings for truck/trailer
Savings for third saddle (and hopefully sell my extra)
Savings for shows
Savings for fair (2 horses this year.. :eek: )
Posted via Mobile Device
 
#5 ·
That's 47 hours a month. What are you doing with the rest of your time? School, I hope?

Collecting extra change and the few dollars that just wind up at the bottom of your purse and setting those ins jar can really add up too.
Posted via Mobile Device
 
#6 ·
DancingArabains-
I was enrolled for 9 credits, two classes but fincail aid didn't cover it and wound up having to drop out in the second week :( sad cause I was really feeling good about my class selection and was excited about the work I was going to do in both classes!

Everything happens for a reason is what I go by so with no school I have more time to pick up odd jobs to save and go to my week of training at work that they where going to let me do after this quarter and that will give me an extra $400 to stash away in all the areas I am needing to stash in! So I shouldn't say extra I should just say very hard earned money!

Leapoffaitfarn- yes too true we do only live once an better make the best of it in making ourselves happy to the fullest and if that means being poor to make your horse life as rich as possible why the heck not?!

I'm coming to this conclusion after the long bought of ending my three year relationship, he sadly somewhat gets my horse life but I truly think he believes I will walk away from that for him and he has shown no intrested to helping out, the occasional visit with me and that is fun! He loves Ollie but I have to make myself happy and Ollie will always come first and if I want to achieve the goals I have in mind it's only fair to everyone that the relationship comes to a close.

We have to make ourselves happy as this all we got for now and choices lead to consequences in everyday life, growing up and becoming an adult is so not easy to do but yes as pointed out earlier worth it and then I can be proud I didn't beg my mom or slack off. I knew what I wanted ad need so I got to it and made it happen through my own hard work and dedication!

Iseul- sounds like you have a lot of stashing of savings to do! I can't imagine the thought of saving for a trailer!! Later in life I'll have to do that but thankfully I am allowed to use my trainers...once I lean to haul!
Kudos to you though for having the ability to save!
On the up side selling something really helps!!!
I went to fair once in 4h, was a great experaince and for some reason I don't remember the cost at all! (that was the good old day back when mommy dearest was footing the bill! Hehe)

I'm glad you guys didn't see this as a vent about saving as its really empowering for me to think about it! Iv already busted my but or hat I have put away and in that given myself a pat on the back with getting a few things I need that are realistic and things I need, not want.

Just last night I was on Dover saddlery and picked out some items I must get ASAP, passier leaderbaslm, a crank noseband and reins and some nice white wood boots for our working trail rides, trailering, and when we go out new places.

Also just realized in my savings I'll have to keep in mind a couple more pairs of fullseats, new tall boots and a show outfit...not looking to saving or trying the outfit on!

That's all for now!
Maybe it would be fun to post pictures of what we are saving for, this can be a mini support savings group!

Oh and before I forget!!
Iseul- good job on quitting!!!
 
#7 ·
maybe you could pick up some work hours if you arent in school this semester ?

i feel ya, im always saving ! i try to put at least $50 away from each paycheck. im in school full time right now and work 3/4 time and have 2 horses. busy busy ! but its all worth it to me lol
 
  • Like
Reactions: Klassic Superstar
#9 ·
i work at a stable for my horse and i earn 20 dollars a month not to much right? and i am saving for breyerfest but the tickets are like 70 bucks and i only have like 10 i also have to pay for bored so you know you get a good pay oh and not including the saddle i still have to buy lol 8D
 
#10 ·
Why not just pick up a full time job? I work one full time job, one part time job, taking 13 credits in college and still see my horse everyday and weather permitting ride as often as the weather holds out. I am now adding 5am gym workouts at least 3-4 days a week. I still have time to go out on weekends just not during the week.

I'm not sure how the job opportunites are where you are but it might be worth while to try to find a full time job or something as close to it. You work the amount of hours in one month that I do in one week. Plenty of time to pick up more work. But I still have a hard time saving up money as the horse always seems to suck it away.
 
#16 ·
I ride an hour give or take 15 minutes on either end per ride. But spend a good chunk of time (45min) getting him groomed and tacked up before and after too, then I clean paddocks and set feed.

I'm also starting to teach lessons, a friend isn't able to keep up with her lessons with her trainer so I'm stepping in and coaching for an hour 2-3 times a week and getting some $ for that, not much.

I am hoping to be getting some house sitting gigs from local horse people if needed.
For work it's very demanding and draining so it really doesn't make me want to look for more real work at the time cause I would for sure burn myself out. I don't get up super early, 8 is about my wake up time, work in the afternoon so I ride and do chores in the morning. I live on a island and my 2nd job is a ferry ride away and two busses into downtown, I do that on a weeked evening ussally (since I have no social life lol)

So by the end of the day in usually pretty pooped but the days are getting longer and staying lighter out for longer and that sure will help!!!

I'm going to see about a fence washing gig down the road from me and see if that pays :)
 
#18 ·
No kidding, I am saving
$900 for hay,
$150 for annual vet,
$200 for lime (pasture care),
$1500 to buy and fix my trailer (mobile store)
$150 for a clinic and fun show this summer if I can
$500 in vendors fees
Plus savings in general, that I don't want to live at home longer than I have too
And a business has a million and one expenses to pay

I am not is school (I'm 20) mostly because I barely got by in high school (I tried but it didn't work), so I don't have loans to pay, nor do I have a car to pay for.

Saving isn't easy.
 
#19 ·
I'd love to do that!!
Love teaching, I'm working long term on my resume so wanting to get the money for my USDF fees so I can show and get my rider awards as that will be a chunk of my teaching resume!

There are not a lot of people so to speak to teach...if they want lessons they have trainer. Here on the islad we have a few good solid trainers....
 
#22 · (Edited)
I should point out though, I don't have a job but run a small business (which is giving me no income at the moment) on my own and those expenses come from a different accounts. Personal and horse stuff comes from another, and savings into another too.

My tips for saving, write it down, don't pay with cards unless you really need too (it's easy to forget that you spent it, not like a $50 bill in your pocket and when it's gone, it's gone), preplan big expenses and figure out whats more important (vet, hay, lime, and business, vendors fees, stock, trailer).

Also odd jobs can come from any where, I found two gardening jobs from two well off familys just because I knew the woman loved her garden, hated the work, was paid $10 an hour, one heck of a farmers tan but payed for my new saddle. I baby sit, people like a 20 year old over a 12 year old (be careful some places have different laws on this), animal sit, walk and train. Grooming horses, clean tack, blanket repairs, braiding, don't knock a job because it's below you. Also write recipts and keep them for taxes (if needed) I don't know US taxes, if not they are a good way to keep track of your income for yourself.
 
#24 ·
Oh it will be so nice to just know I earned anything I worked hard for!
I'm looking forward to April, my trainer and I are moving the horses down the road and I will get to pay less in board and work out there more! That's an extra $100-$150 to put into savings!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
You have insufficient privileges to reply here.
Top