so i've been at my job 90 days and was up for review, which meant i got to ask for a much needed raise (i make $14K after taxes.  terrible).  so i asked for my review and got put off for 3 days.  then today, at 5 minutes until i got off, my one boss remaining in the office comes up and was like, 'well, M & F aren't here (again) so...here's your review!'  which totally took me off guard.

he went on to talk about how awesome i am and how everyone loves me there and how they're going to start having me do more stuff (finally) and then sneaks in: 'and we're giving you a thousand dollar raise' and then keeps on talking.  and i'm like WTF because i've done my homework and KNOW that that's bullshit (it comes out to about $65 a month...before taxes).  i mean..  i have a fucking MASTERS DEGREE.  and i do WHATEVER THEY TELL ME TO DO.  but since he just kept talking and made it sound very non-negotiable, i just kind of sat there, stunned. 

the average salary for my job in my area with my experience is like $18K (which still sucks).  i'm barely barely barely making it at $16K (this is before taxes).  my student loans are up in about 3 months.  i can hardly afford to LIVE at this point, let alone pay LOANS off!  and the main point is that i really want to start saving money, for, you know, my future.  which i will have none of at this point.  the thing is, they're really nice, and i somewhat enjoy working there now, but...  i can't afford to work there!

my dad said i should go back in in the morning and very nicely tell them that i got taken off guard and that i have done my homework and know what the average salary for my job is and that i was wondering if that raise is negotiable.  ok, so as if i wasn't terrified enough about just asking for a raise, now i have to look a gift horse in the mouth and say that the raise they're giving me isn't enough?  i'm so fucking upset right now, i can't even function.