Not Sure What I Was Thinking...

I don't know why I was wishing for November last month. Yes, October was a really bad month, but November isn't going to help anything. Nor is December. The last two months of the year get really lean. I lose hours because of so many holiday closings and breaks and things. I should be okay; it's just that I won't be able to pay as much to my student loans as I wanted to. I wanted to get my Sallie Mae loan below five digits before January, but now I don't think that will be happening.

For some good news, my birthday is this month! Yay!

October Sucks

This month is terrible. I had accounted for my car insurance and the doctor's visit that was going to have to happen this month. I knew I had an "extra" paycheck that would cover that stuff. I was so wrong.

I'm nearing $300 over my budget on things that aren't even any fun for me. There is no going out, no vacations, no extra food. Yet, I'm way overbudget.

Things I was not expecting:
expensive alteration to a dress
needing tires
updating license plate (should have thought of this one, but for some reason I didn't)

Things I should have remembered:
oil change
gas for my car for all the trips back and forth
wedding gift

After I pay rent, car insurance, cable/internet bill and my two student loans, I have $130 left over to pay the rest of the above. Sweet. Some of this stuff is already on the credit card. All but the tires will be on there soon. At least it gives me another month to pretend money will show up to pay for it.

Being broke is lame. Is it November yet?

Ahhh! Going back down

I didn't pay all of my bills last month before putting up the numbers. So, the "cash" category was a little inflated because I definitely didn't have that much money to just spend on random things. Oh, well though. The important numbers are there.

Actually, it's a little off balance anyway, because I've already counted the money as being out of my account to pay the student loans, but I didn't take that money off the student loan amount, because it hasn't shown up yet.

Maybe I need to rethink the way I do things. Either always pay them so they show up before the 1st of every month, or always pay them after the 1st. Hmmm...

Random update on life...

I've been in an apartment for a few weeks now and things are going well. There are only two things that bother me: One, I really should have been able to get a house, Two, this apartment is more than double what I was paying at the last place, and is about the same for what I'd be paying on a house.

Anyway, last month I didn't put anything into savings and that has been bothering me. I sent some off the other day, and it made me feel a little bit better. Although, I think having a real bed was worth the $200 I spent, rather than putting it in savings.

One exciting thing: I might start paying double to my Sallie Mae loan this month! I've run the numbers a few times because I'm just crazy like that, and I can make it work! I just can't decide if I want to do that or send some more to savings.

Getting an Apartment

So, no one wants to give me a loan that would buy a decent house. (I'm not even asking for a lot of money either. I asked for less than the full amount I could fit into my budget!!) That means, I can't afford a house, but apparently I can get an apartment and pay utilities on it which, in this town, is paying the same amount of money, only the apartment isn't mine at the end of paying. It sucks, but it's what I've got to do now.

My next plan of action is to save as much money as possible over the next year, in case things are still similar and a bank wants to lend me money then. Hopefully, things are working out for the best.

Making Extra Money

I need some ideas on how to make some extra money. I'm thinking selling plasma might do the trick, but I hate needles. Any ideas besides sitting on the street begging? (haha, although I might make more that way!)

I need just a little bit extra cash in my savings so I can get qualified for a loan. I wish they could just take my word for it that I am amazing with money. Maybe I should send them links to my blogs, and explain to them that I lived on nothing last year and still paid off $5000 worth of debt. Seriously. I don't think anyone else could do that. I hate that they use their computers to figure everything out as well. And I had to sit and wait on her for 20 minutes when I was meeting her on my lunch break. Apparently, no one can conduct meetings after 4pm.

Ahhh... so this turned into more of a rant, but I think I feel better. Hopefully things start to fall into place.

My Current Money Plan

Wow. I didn't write anything for the month of May. I've really got to get back on this blogging thing.

Anyway, in financial news last month was awesome. My net worth jumped almost $1000 in one month. I was very happy about that.

As for debt, it won't be going down very quickly for the next few months. I have other plans for money right now, and it is save, save, save! Probably around October I will start paying double to my private student loan so that it disappears faster. It's currently near the $11,000 mark, but at 3%. That won't last forever though, as it is variable. I want that sucker gone before I get blindsided by some outrageous interest rate hike.

The federal student loan is basically treading water. I pay the minimum, and it pretty much covers the interest that has accrued for that month. I don't enjoy that, but it is the last thing on my list at the moment.