I have so many posts to write. They are kind of circular. There is the one about how blessed I am which helps explain why this post is about saving and paying off debt at the same time. I haven't written it yet. But that can't be helped. Just pretend I'm a mystery writer.
So, thankfully, I have very little real debt, but I do owe some people for minor things like a semester of out-of-state grad school tuition and when my car threw a rod during grad school and I had a day to find a new car. I'll call those people my parents because they are.* Basically I have to pay them back into a joint savings account that either of us can use if we really need it. (Mystery solved--you didn't even have to read 246 pages.) Guess who is more likely to need that money. (A new mystery!)
The thing is, since becoming a one-income household, I am doubly-motivated to get the balance up in that account. I'm terrified that the other shoe will drop and we will be really hurting for some cash. There are a hundred what-ifs I can think of.
So I'm trying to fall back on some money-saving tricks that I developed in grad school to pay off my credit card while living below the poverty line. And can I just take a moment to say that my school is awesome at preparing you for reality. The humanities grad students earn significantly less for their assistantships than the business grad students. Just like real life!
1. Save first and last. One of the advantages of being on a staff of one is that the powers that be can't rationalize paying for direct deposit. I still get a paper check. Hello, 1999, I've missed you! I don't like the personal interactions I have every month with the bank tellers and I want to make them as short as possible. So I hurriedly deposit all but a minuscule portion of my check every month into my checking account. Then I run back to the safety of my computer and transfer some of that shiny new money into my savings account. If there is anything left over at the end of the month, it goes in too.
2. Save anything unexpected. I've been pretty good at getting money owed me out of people lately. I haven't broken any kneecaps and I'm not selling smack (heroin or vagina, just to clarify), but this wasn't regular paycheck money. So it goes into savings, too.
3. Saving Alex. My husband thinks Alexander Hamilton is by far the best looking founding father. I know, right? So whenever I get one, I put him is a super secret special hiding place. All my 10 spots are saved. I do the same thing with change.
4. Rounding up. This was my number one money game in grad school. You know the one. In your check register you just round up to the next dollar. I kept track of all the extra cents and all the money I saved at the grocery store with specials and coupons, too. I used this to make and extra credit card payment every month.
If all goes well, I'll have my parents paid back well before they're 157. Yay, I can't wait!
*The one stipulation of this loan was that if my parents died, I owed Sibling half. They are sticklers on those terms and conditions.
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Breakfast: Banana muffins
Snack: Clementine
Lunch: Stuffed scalloped potatoes
Snack: Granola bar and celery
Dinner: I went to Chili's with Awkward and Awesome. I'm still full. If you're in the mood to go out for a cheap app and drink, check out Chili's website. They have coupons you can print from now til Christmas. We had free chips and queso and those Southwest Eggrolls. Minus the 7 & 7, this cost, like $3.95 plus tip.
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