A $258 Christmas Miracle!!!

I've been feeling a little under the weather today. Nothing to do with finances but those weren't so hot either. Yesterday I discovered that the $30 check I wrote for my hobby trip just cleared the bank. This is in addition to the $15 fee the organization running the event was not supposed to cash. Granted, thirty bucks isn't enough to get upset about but when your budget is as tight as mine is it means that something essentially has got to give. And I know I should keep an old-fashioned check register but I am just not that organized - yet.

I also realized that it costs about $30 to take the bus back home for Christmas if I intent to leave Tuesday like I planned. And where is that money going to come from? I suppose I could charge it since I just paid extra to my credit card but that wasn't my first choice option. Or I could wait to take the bus until I get paid on Wednesday, a.k.a. Christmas Eve, but that wasn't my first choice option either. Believe me, the bus is already crowded enough on a regular day.

Alas it seems that Santa Claus has solved my problems for me because I checked my mail today and received a $258 check! Now this is where the story gets a little hairy - exactly two Christmases ago I got a call from a telemarketer asking me if I wanted a free vacation. She said I had a week to cancel the "vacation club membership" but that the vacation coupons were mine to keep! Long story really short, I got ripped off. I took my complaint to the BBB, my bank, the Florida Attorney General, you name it. And now I finally get my money back! [Word to the wise: don't be an idiot and give your bank account number over the phone.]

Now, I can't go all crazy with this check since a) I don't know how long it will take to clear my account and b) I still have the following un-budgeted items to pay for:

1. Hobby Christmas party BYO and optional grab bag item ($10 + cost of beer)
2. Ghetto Christmas Office Pizza Party ($5)
3. Boyfriend's Condo Party Optional Gab Bag ($10?)
4. Bus home for Christmas $30
5. My share of joint gifts with Boyfriend ($60)
6. Professional Association annual dues ($50)
7. Might as well pay the dentist finally ($25)

That still leaves me with a little left over so I may purchase one small Christmas gift. I'm pretty psyched to be getting my money back, especially since I had pretty much written it off at this point. Merry Christmas to me courtesy of a class action law suit!