My F'd Up Past - and Future Hope

[lumberjim]

well, Cherry, i've got $100 here for you to help you continue on to your next stop. And we'll feed you and all that too.

...But monster's got a point too. We'll all(well....the cool ones, anyway) be here if it takes an extra year to get it together.

[Sundae]

Originally Posted by monster

SG, it's been awesome to read that you're so happy and getting sorted with work etc in all the other threads. But -because I care about you- I have been unable to ignore the niggle in the back of my mind that, financially, you are trying to run before you can walk.

It's great to dream and plan, and -despite what some may think- I really hate to be the bitch who does this, but please, please, please make a budget and don't end up back where you were at the start of this thread.

You're right, and I do need timely reminders - I am bad with money, and it's important for me to remember that.

But I honestly, genuinely, hand on heart think I'm okay.
I am on top of the debt. I have another appointment with the debt counsellors now that I'm earning again.

I have a year and a half to save to go to America. It won't be cheap, no. But it's great to have long term goals after all. And although I accept what you're saying re the laptop, I really don't want to wait until next year to buy one. I've never really had full internet access at home, and it's always been one of my dreams. Knowing I am coming home to the Cellar and to my friends via hotmail, and being able to write when and where I want to will be such a huge thing in my life. It will be far healthier than take-aways or alcohol or going out & buying something new to cheer myself up...

Re the Super Naturals - I did say I was buying far too many (meaning buying them too often). In fact I am on my way to the supermarket today and there will not be any ready meals in my basket. Back to fruit and making my own pulse based meals. It was really just a couple of weeks of food spree to make up for being so short of money for so long.

Re money - I did have an advance on my first paycheck (agreed when I was only temping), but I've been getting by on pub wages really. Half my advance went to HM to cover the half month rent that I wasn't eligible for benefits. I have £35 left in my purse. But I get another £20 tonight and I am due the last of my unemployment benefit within the next week (£118). Then I get my wages within the same timeframe, which even with the deduction come to over £800. So I'm pretty much set up for next month, bearing in mind I have no travel costs and can eat lunch at home every day.

My trip to the cinema was a treat (although please note, no nachos, no popcorn) but I would have gone anyway because one of the League was in it. After all I went to the Old Vic to see Mark Gatiss and that was almost double the price. Again, the benefit of getting a weekly wage is that things like this are covered.

I had to change my gym membership - or quit the gym. There was no point staying on a concessionary membership as it would be money for nothing - I could only go on Sundays and even that would be a rush. The rest of the time clashed completely with work times. Anyway, they require proof every 6 months so I'd have been found out at some point. I went and changed my membership today - it cost me just over £20. I can now go to the gym every night next week should I choose to, or Sunday mornings. Of all the things I'm doing/ have done I believe this is the easiest to defend. But if I admit to not going for longer than a week you are fully encouraged to smack me with it - this only works if I use it.

Good luck with it all, but please be careful. We love you and we don't want you to disappear from the cellar again, now you're back!

I am taking what you've posted totally in the spirit it was meant, and I do appreciate it. It's advice and what's more it's good advice. Thank you.

Originally Posted by lumberjim

well, Cherry, i've got $100 here for you to help you continue on to your next stop. And we'll feed you and all that too.

...But monster's got a point too. We'll all(well....the cool ones, anyway) be here if it takes an extra year to get it together.

Thanks
You're right too of course. If it means waiting til 2010 to do it properly I will consider it. Sigh. But hey, I've waited this long, right?