I have been reading many a blog lately regarding saving money (Gail Vaz-Oxlade anyone?) and watching shows like Til Debt Do Us Part. It's unfortunate for us single folks that there will never be a single person on that show to help people like me, but it's still a good lesson. Some of them have had such extreme budgets that 2-3 people are living on what I spend alone for groceries. Guess they don't eat a lot of vegetables.
Anyway, I have this terrible habit of blaming my spending on other people:
"Wow, these Kelowna trips are killing me!"
"I have too many friends in Kelowna"
And not saying things like:
"Wow, I spent way too much! That lunch out wasn't necessary, nor should I have had all those drinks"
"I should have let my roommate and his GF go there without me, it cost me too much!"
So, I have been reading Gail's blog. Her budget spreadsheet is a touch confusing because it's asking for Net and Gross income, but doesn't say monthly. For some reason I thought it was yearly, so it was telling me at the end of each month that I should have $36,000 left over. Obviously that's not correct, so when I corrected it, it says I should have $158 left over each month, and that's on the pay periods where I have NO extra money (meaning, no overtime, and no evening/overnight premiums), so a base pay period. In the explanation of how to work the sheet, it says to take that left over money and add it to the variable expenses section, except I had already done that. So, if I should have an extra $158 a month left over AFTER $100 for emergencies and $161 for savings, then where the hell is all my money going? Clearly I should be dealing with the jars, as what I'm doing right now isn't working.
As it is, I've just realized a few hours ago that the pay day won't come until AFTER I get back from Kelowna, which means when I get paid tomorrow, that's all I have. That's not good. Add onto that the cost of the gift to them (it's okay, they just want money for their trip to Greece in August, I don't have to buy it right away) plus the trip and any incidental expenses (read: car issues) and I'm pretty much screwed. I'm very happy that I have such a wide network of friends, as there's no limit to the places I can stay overnight. I will not be going for very long. I am off Wed/Thu/Fri/Sat. The wedding is the Saturday, so I took Sunday off as a vacation day and for recovery reasons. So, if the wedding starts later in the afternoon, I can get up super early that morning and head down there. I don't want to spend very much, but at the same time, I don't want to be late for the wedding, so maybe I'll head up there Friday night. Then when I get into town it will be easier for me to spend less. I can get up the next day and buy breakfast, then the rest will be wedding stuff. Maybe I'll do that.
Either way I desperately need a budget that works. I'd love to stop paying $31.03 including interest on my credit card plus bank fees each month for parking alone, however when my back is messed up like it was this week, I CANNOT take the bus, or I'll end up in the hospital. There isn't a single person who lives near me that's on my team and is off the same days I am, so I am left up to my own devices. Sadly, that means paying at least $5 each Thursday for the meeting. I had originally planned on taking the bus today, because it would have been $5 total (even if the meeting ran late), but the jerkiness of the bus would put me in hospital, I'm sure of it. So, sadly, there's another $5-$10 that goes to the credit card.
So, to make sure I am staying on track, I will be updating this site far more than normal. Hopefully the money stuff isn't too dry! After all, I need to save for my new computer.
