I walk in the front door, head down, close it slowly behind me with a small click.
You say, "Oh, well, look who it is."
It hangs in the air, we all know where I've been. If you haven't heard from me, I've clearly been on a money bender, and didn't want to check in to have you smell it on my breath.
Maybe it was a recent boost in confidence about my job security, maybe it was all the excuses that the holidays afford us (my boyfriend's entire family was staying with us, of course getting Starbucks latte and oatmeal on the way to work was warranted), maybe it's just same shit, different day. I went off the map. I stopped counting. I just let myself enjoy it, being someone who makes good money.
Of all the excuses, the one that resounded loudest was the thought of the last year. How depressing, lonely and confusing it had been. How hard it was to keep the faith. This month was a celebration.
It felt like after you're sick for a whole week, and then when you're better, you're just so glad you're not puking right then. You're excited that you don't have diarrhea. Right now I'm just happy to have money in my wallet. I'm excited to not be crying in the bathroom of the restaurant where I work. I'm happy that I know where next month's rent is coming from. I do not regret the things I have done.
Of the things I did last month, setting my 401(k) at 10% was one of them, so that's good.
I also got great presents for my loved ones to show my appreciation for them. I had a great time and I was happy, truly happy and satisfied with life.
However, now it's "Get Your Shit Together January."
First, the monthly money check in:
| Monthly Money Check-in | ||||||
| Type | Account | 10/1/11 | 11/1/11 | 12/1/11 | 1/1/12 | |
| Short-term stuff | Cash is money too | Cash | $22 | $0 | $0 | $450 |
| Bank Accounts | Bank of America Checking | $34 | $23 | $6 | $15 | |
| Achieva Checking | $75 | $1,287 | $1,275 | $351 | ||
| Achieva Savings | $0 | $295 | $0 | $0 | ||
| Chase Checking | $298 | |||||
| Credit Card Debt | Bank of America Credit Card | -$1,163 | -$1,205 | -$1,280 | -$1,280 | |
| Student Credit Card | -$435 | -$471 | $428 | -$457 | ||
| Embarrassing Debt | Mom | -$1,517 | -$1,672 | -$1,172 | -$1,292 | |
| Boyfriend | -$2,150 | -$2,050 | -$2,125 | -$2,125 | ||
| TOTAL Short-term stuff | -$5,134 | -$3,793 | -$2,868 | -$4,040 | ||
| Long-term stuff | Retirement | New York Life | $5,828 | $6,311 | $6,265 | $6,169 |
| Edward Jones | $1,000 | $1,000 | $1,111 | $1,100 | ||
| Student Loan | AES | -$14,434 | -$14,434 | -$14,434 | -$14,370 | |
| Big Crazy Debt | Mortgage | -$147,042 | -$147,042 | -$147,042 | $147,042 | |
I added a third bank account, switching to Chase, but I haven't closed my Bank of America yet. This has caused some confusion that already cost me an $85 fee.
And look nerds! We have enough data for a graph!
And look nerds! We have enough data for a graph!
This is the statistical equivalent of two steps forward, one step back. This graph shows all my short-term stuff: checking accounts, credit card debt and money owed to people. Note that $0 is at the top. This is no good. As you will see when I actually post my expenses from this month, I bought a lovely (yet used) dining room table with my boyfriend ($450), plus Christmas, and there's about your $1,000 difference.
Oh well, unless I get fired, which would be a horrific tragedy that I don't think is going to happen, then things are looking up for 2012.
1 comments:
Here's to a wonderful New Year. Let's count our blessings!
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