Old Habits Die Hard
Ever since I got out on my own, I’ve basically lived paycheck to paycheck. And it’s not fun. It sucks when it gets down to a few days before payday and you don’t have enough money in your checking account to get groceries.
It hasn’t been that bad for some time now, but I’ve still been living paycheck to paycheck. I have managed to have money for groceries and other necessities, but when it comes to “fun money” … there’s not a lot of that sitting around. My main problem is the credit cards that I had and used during college … for books and food and other things that I didn’t need to use them for. I only have 2, but that’s bad enough.
The past couple years have definitely been better … ever since I started working as a web programmer. I’ve been make larger payments to my credit cards … definitely over the minimum payment. And I’ve gotten really close to getting one of my credit cards paid off. I actually made an extra payment today. My scheduled payment isn’t due until the 18th. I should be able to get that sucker paid off over the next 2 months. That will leave me an extra $200 a month … that’s what I’ve been paying for the past year or so. When that’s done, at least $100 of that will go toward the other credit card … maybe $150 of it. That would mean $300 or $350 payments on that sucker. And according to my calculations, I could get that one paid off in 7 or 8 months … depending on what I decide to send them. When both of those are all paid off, I’m getting rid of the second one but keeping the first for emergencies (and hope to NEVER have to use it).
This month, something has happened that has never happened before. You see, when I started the new job at the beginning of the year, I got a pay increase … a pretty decent one as well. My paycheck for Feb. 15th had 96 hours on it … so it was rather nice. And around that time, I got my tax refund back (not real huge, but still good enough). Those 2 things combined to leave me quite a bit more left in my account at the end of the month than I’m used to. Enough that I’ve been considering getting a new desk. I had thought about getting a new camera, but I’m not sure any more. It’s been so long since I’ve taken pictures. But I have enough in my account after bills to be able to get a desk and a camera.
Now … I’m not gonna get both … not even sure I’ll get one. I’m so used to NOT spending money. I’m always waiting for the other shoe to drop … either my car is gonna completely die or I’ll lose my job or something will happen. Yep … I’m a pessimist.
Where it’s most notable that I don’t spend money is grocery shopping. It’s gotten to the point that I HATE going grocery shopping. I just don’t know what to buy … especially when it comes to meat. Everything seems so expensive. It seems like the only meat I end up getting is hamburger or chicken or the occasional roast if they’re on sale. Now I actually have money available to buy better cuts of meat and better quality produce and other stuff. But I don’t. I look at the prices and leave it on the shelves. But I don’t have to now. How does one break a habit like that? I love to cook. I have money available to buy ingredients to make recipes that I’ve been dying to make. But I don’t. I think I need a financial attitude makeover … LOL.
I do know one thing that I’m going to be doing once the first credit card is paid off. I’m going to open a second savings account that is earmarked specifically for a house. I am so sick and tired of apartment living. I want my own house. I want to be able to paint the walls any color I want. And I want to be able to wash clothes any time I want to and not have to worry about the machines not being available. I want a SEPARATE room for an office since I work from home. I know that I’m probably at least 2 years away from being able to get a house, but at least I’m starting to plan for it. I also need to put more money in my current savings account. Getting my lappy depleted it somewhat. I want to build that back up for emergencies … so I don’t have to use a credit card. The biggest thing for that account would be car repairs. I really need to get my car looked over in the next couple months so that it lasts me a couple more years. I plan on doing that once the weather warms up.
Boy … this post ended up more rambling than I had planned … sorry. I guess I shouldn’t post when there’s NASCAR on tv … LOL.
Yeah, same here about living paycheck to paycheck. I didn’t realize how lucky I had it though, until I lost my job this past April, after my eyesight started to decline more from Glaucoma. Now I just get paid once a month thru Social Security, It didn’t bother me so much, because I didn’t want to work at a factory the rest of my life anyway, so I used that opportunity to go back to college, and I’m glad I did, because now I’m a Certified Internet Webmaster, A+ Essentials and A+ IT Certified, and soon to be Network+ certified, and I graduate this coming June with an Associates.
Anyway, have you checked out places like Century 21 or Remix? There are ways to buy a house without having to come up with a huge down payment. I bought mine at an auction a few years ago for $43 grand. Granted, its not any bigger then a 2 bedroom apartment, but its fine for one person. Since I’m disabled, I refinanced the house for next to nothing thru a special government loan, but before I did that, I was only paying $299 a month for this place. Since I didn’t have a down payment, Remix setup a payment plan with me, so when I got the down payment paid off, the house was mine. Granted it took a couple years, but places like Century 21 and Remax do that, so you don’t have to come up with a huge down payment.