I have just gotten my second check since beginning my Budget Adventure! I must say this, it kind of sucks to be on a budget on Pay Day! I used to think I made a lot of money, at least for a single mom on a single income pay scale. Wrong! Now that I know exactly, down to the last penny, how much I have, how much I owe, and how much I do NOT have to spare, I am beginning to suffer Panic Attacks every time the first and the fifteenth roll around. It is disheartening. I used to look forward to pay days...but no more :(
This payday I had a large pay out to several unexpected places. The first one was to the Cordele, GA police department, courtesy of the sweet police veteran who stopped me for speeding in a work zone, weaving in the road, and expired tag. As I walked to the back of the car to talk to him, he shook his head vigorously. It was 10:30 p.m. but even in the dark, I could see the incredulous look in his eyes as he stared down at me.
"You have just proven me wrong on something for the first time in my career," he muttered, as he scribbled down info from my license. "I can always spot a DUI, always, but you aren't under the influence." He went on to describe how he noticed me weaving in the road, driving too fast, and that he followed me through several exits before pulling me over. "What were you doing?" he asked, obviously wondering at my state of mind, given my erratic driving performance. "I was sort of dancing with my arms, singing to songs with my girls so I would stay awake," I explained honestly. "You see, we're just driving back from Florida to Georgia, and I was drowsy so I put it on the Oldies channel and we were singing, and...." He interrupted me with another shake of his head and a warning finger put to his lips (the classic sign for "SHUT UP"). "Ma'am, you may not be drunk, you are not drunk, I mean, but let me tell you, you drive like you've been drinking. Heavily. For hours." With that, he suggested - strongly - that I enroll in a Driver's Ed course, and handed me three tickets: one for speeding, one for expired tag and one warning ticket for weaving. I took them, apologizing profusely, and then, as he was walking away, I remembered something. "Officer," I said loudly, to keep him from walking away, "didn't you want to know why my tag is expired? You see, I went to the Georgia DMV four times to get my license changed so I could get my tag...and they wanted this paper trail of marriage licenses and divorce certificates and....." He interrupted me one last time. Shaking his head. Putting that finger to his lips. "It is okay, ma'am. Just fix it."
So that is where $352 of my hard-earned pay check went this week. That was the money I had budgeted for our Sprint bill and my doctor's office visit coming up Monday.
I have already made minor headway, with skipping some fast food lunches during my work week and with going five miles out of my way to avoid the temptation of dropping into Goodwill every afternoon for more "treasures" to add to my stack already packed in boxes, needing my attention for where they can be arranged and displayed.
I feel slight panic. The rent is paid. The utility bills are paid. The tickets are paid. My phone bill is paid but the girls' is not...yet. I paid $650 in various bills. I will be working six days a week for a couple of weeks. That will help. I hope to be able to start saving on the next check.
This is the most I can write about it right now. Depression is sinking in. I feel the addiction to spending...it is rising up within me, taunting me. "If you hadn't paid the tickets, you could have bought..." Yada yada. Enough already.
I have done two good things today. I have turned the a/c down in the car to conserve gas (sweating like a southern sow but saving gas), and I am going to clean floors instead of going out tonight. Boring, but lucrative.
See you later.
