Martha Johnson Research Paper

Martha Johnson
Final Draft
“Living at home”

Martha Johnson is an intelligent young lady from a working-class family in an average sized city. Her life has many obstacles, and the past few years for her have been rough, especially for her family. Martha’s father has worked the in a warehouse successfully paying off their house mortgage now for about 26 years, however her mother has suffered from poor health most of her life, and that’s starting to put a damper on the family’s income. Her older sister takes ballot-dancing lessons, which are also costly for them. Martha has always been interested in furthering her education to become a businesswoman. She has worked at fast food restaurants for the past three years, to save up money to pay for the beginnings of her education. Martha and her family have rarely been out of town on vacation because of their financial situation. They have, in fact been to Texas a few times to visit with Martha’s
grandparents and extended family. Unexpectedly, in her last term of high school she has received a small amount of inheritance from her aunt in Texas, which has just passed away.
She has several choices on what she could do with her money, they include; buying a decent used car, getting her own apartment close to the school she will attend, take a vacation trip with her best friend to Hawaii, or live at home with her family, with no job. She could also put the money back in a savings account to use for the future. I believe Martha should stay living at home with her parents, where she can commute to school and not have the stress over a job. She’s heard that the amounts of work in the classes are greater than those in high school; therefore she would barely have time for a job. To me, it seems like the best option considering her situation. Many teenagers, including me, have had this coming of age experience. There are many decisions that come with adulthood, it is vital to choose your option based on what resources you
have. First off, we all know money doesn’t grow on trees so the trip to Hawaii is not a smart idea. I understand it’s nice to go on vacation to let go and find yourself, but let’s think logically. When you go on vacation, you have to factor in all kinds of things; plane tickets, food, entertainment, hotels, gas, etc. If she went on this trip she would spend all of her money without having any left over to use for schooling. To me, this would defeat the whole purpose of using the money for school. Unless you’re fed with a silver spoon, this trip is most likely out of the question. Having a car would hold advantages like being able to go back and forth from school, to work, and the unlimited amount of freedom to drive where she pleased. Buying a car comes with disadvantages also. With a vehicle, especially a cheap one, you need to factor in gas, insurance, repairs, and regular maintenance. The money you accumulate throughout the monotonous labor of minimum wage jobs should not be wasted on a vehicle not worth messing with. Think of the money you earned through the sweat of your brow, as money that needs to be invested wisely. Out of all the things were factored in let’s remember the importance of peace of mind. If Martha were to stay with her parents, transportation, food, and rent would already be covered; she wouldn’t have to worry about buying a used car. It would be easier for everyone if she stayed home; where she could help her mother with her illness, and also have more time to study. The money she saved would increase rather than go to waste on less important things. This is not a matter of what leads to more freedom but a matter of what is more financially viable. This plan would surely lead to peace of mind. In conclusion, I understand wanting freedom. It’s natural to want to break away from your family and be your own host. Sometimes you need to think about what you can and can’t do. Martha has a lot of responsibility at home and at school, and I don’t think in Martha’s position she could support herself if she chose anything other than staying at home. Perhaps she will consider her budget when she faces times like these.