I've worked up my budget for next month, and it looks like it's not going to be a lot better. The killing factor is that I have to pay Discover $433. About half of that is for an airplane ticket for which I will be reimbursed, but probably not until after my conference in August. I also paid off a pledge for a charitable contribution that I had been putting off and felt pretty guilty about.
After that and all my fixed expenses are paid, I'll only have about $20 a week to play around with. But I will also have $644 going into various savings accounts, which is good.
I will have to continue being very careful. By July I should have adequate cash flow again.
As supplies run out at home, I am learning to re-evaluate their importance. For instance, I ran out of dishwasher detergent last week, so I have been hand-washing dishes. I'm finding I don't mind it so much. When I'm doing better financially, I'll get dishwasher detergent, but for now I don't mind.
I'm really enjoying reading books from the library, but I do have to learn to avoid overdue fees. So far I haven't accrued the cost of even one book, but it's so silly to have to pay anything! I just have to remember to get on the website and renew.
I've been invited to a wedding shower at the end of the month, and to the wedding in August, so I need to be thinking of gifts for both, and also, what I will wear to the wedding. I realize now that if I don't plan ahead -- out comes the credit card!
Next month
May 18th, 2006 at 04:59 pm
May 18th, 2006 at 05:37 pm 1147973831
May 19th, 2006 at 08:10 am 1148026258