Wednesday, August 24, 2011

I'm not poor -- just economically challenged

So with my bank accounts dwindling + a significantly smaller scholarship this year + little to no regular income= realization that I was going to have to borrow money from my parents to get me through next August (or whenever I'd be starting a job). So I made up a budget, trying to account for everything, so that I could estimate what I would really NEED. After it was all said and done, I realized I forgot to factor in my chiropractic treatments. :(

When it came to gas expenses, I pretty much had to go with past history. But now that I'm going to be driving an hour to my Psych location once a week (about 90 miles round trip)...I started to get concerned.

So I just calculated all the miles I will travel to go to church, school, gym, clinical sites, and work. 248 miles a week.  And this does not include running any errands to grocery store or Target (which I'm hoping I will do on my way home from somewhere)!  My old car is not getting the gas mileage that it use to, so I'm looking at probably having to buy a tank a week now (now factoring in likely errands). I think this summer I've been able to go about 1.5 to 2 weeks - when I wasn't driving to my sister's for wedding plans. In my budget I planned for about 3 tanks/month...so it looks like I should've budgeted another $50/month. Anyone want to donate to my gas fund? ;D  Not sure how my friend's who commute out of town for work do it. Oh right, they have jobs that help pay for expenses.

I am hopeful that I will be able to keep working for the local artist about 4 hours/week. AND I really hope that the same place I worked last Christmas season will hire me back again this year. Not sure I can comfortably squeeze any pet-sitting jobs in with my crazy schedule, but the occasional one would be nice.

So it now looks like I'm going to have to be a lot more disciplined in saying no. No to dinner out with friends, no to new clothes (which I will want with continued weight loss) and no to anything not in my budget . . .  :(

I don't like to say no. I don't like to deny myself. But I also don't want to be in huge debt either.


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