So I have ONE MORE DAY to make it til the weekend when I will be going home to see my parents for Mother's Day and will therefore not have to worry about feeding myself, spending money, etc. So far, I'm doing pretty good.
Yesterday I spent $17 on:
1. Mother's Day Card ($3) - I had to laugh when I heard a teenage boy ask the clerk where the $0.99 Mother's Day cards were because I was thinking the same thing!
2. Lunch - Mexican Border Bowl at the work cafeteria ($7) - I overspent at lunch a bit but I thought there would be a craft fair outside the cafeteria where I could get a Mother's Day present for cheap. There was but it was no good. Anyhow, once I was there I really couldn't resist the Border Bowl.
3. Cigarettes ($5.40) - I know, bad habit, but one I'm not ready to give up just yet.
4. Megamillions ticket ($1) - I hardly ever buy lotto tickets and when I do I never spend more than $2. Even the guy in the store said "You're just going to buy one?" Hey, one is all you need!
Today I have bought my usual Diet Coke from the vending machine for the price of $1.50 but I brought my yogurt with me and I expect to go home for lunch.
Which leaves me with $27 in the bank and $20 cash on hand.
This much would be plenty IF:
1. I get a ride home tomorrow with my boyfriend; or
2. I spend absolutely no money until tomorrow and take the bus home ($38).
I'm not sure how things are going to pan out for various reasons but it's helpful to know that I at least HAVE enough money to take the bus home. Last time I went to visit my parents (a whopping three weeks ago) I had to borrow it.
2 comments:
First off, welcome to the PF blogosphere! Student loans are one of the largest burdens a lot of us 20 something’s are going to face well into our 30s and even 40s. Between my wife and I, we have 127k left to pay, so I can relate to your situation.
It sounds like you're on your way to wanting to do something about your student loans. If you do not qualify for economic hardship, the money you’re making should be able to support the payments on what you borrowed. Ignoring them doesn't make them go away, that's why the collectors are calling. Inform those people of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. That lists your rights and you can tell them to only communicate with you in writing, no more calls. It sounds like you have to get a handle on this 28k first.
I know the idea of focusing on debt is new, but you also need to know where your money is going before you wonder where it went. Consider what you’re spending every day and ask how you could reduce it. Smoking is a bad habit and can be really expensive over time, hope you can reduce it. Bringing lunch to work or going home is a great idea to cut down costs. Vending machines will rip you off at $1.50 a pop (pun totally intended here) which adds up. I don't play the lottery, don't know anyone who has won, and honestly consider it tax on poor people.
I'll add your blog to my blogroll and come back from time to time. Blogs can be motivational in that we can write down what we're going through, but also moral support to continue to fight the good fight.
Thank you Jim! I have been trying to work out a budget for a while now and am vigorously tracking my spending. I know what you're saying about the lottery being a tax on poor people, I have said the same thing! You should see the lines in my lobby at work of people who spend $20 a day buying scratch-offs, it's sickening! But I figured $1 every now and then can't hurt too much!
The more I read about debt collection practices, the more I think these people are just trying to intimidate me. I wish I hadn't let it get this far, but in the meantime I am going to focus on my other goals of tracking spending, paying other bills/debt and living frugally.
Thank you for reading!
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