oh ok opi - i never lived in a loft in downtown - i never taught in ESL - i am making it all up just to impress you...my take home was 24k a year (not 18) and my rent was 1k a month - that means i paid 12k in rent and power - and had 12k to pay for my phone, food, and paying off the low interest debt i have...i even afforded myself some expensive nights on the town (and did not save like i should have.)