i got motivation, y’all
I talked to my mother the other day. We talk about money as casually as we talk about the weather. I told her about my plan to divert funds from tax withholding for paying off my debt and she thought it was a great idea. Having her encouragement means a lot.
I just switched grocery stores this weekend. The prices aren’t much different, but the quality of food is. They also had some things on sale that I like to eat that aren’t on sale at my old store. I tend to buy store brands as often as possible - some things I just can’t do that with, like ice cream or yogurt. Some things I only buy when they’re on sale. I always use the keychain card the stores give you for discounts, and it really can make a difference. I don’t have the patience for coupons, and besides, they don’t make coupons for stuff I buy, anyway. Whenever possible, I get stuff from the dollar store. And I eat less meat than I did growing up - both for health reasons and for financial reasons. That habit started in college when I found out just how much a pack of pork chops really cost. I could probably save money by shopping at Reading Terminal, shopping in bulk, and having a deep freezer, but I don’t have the time or space for that right now - one more thing I don’t like about not having my own house.
As much as I want the house though, I realize that other things will tug on my wallet and time. More space to clean. Taxes. PMI. Repairs. Homeowner’s insurance (mental note, remember to call and get that renter’s insurance from my new auto insurer for the discount). Higher utilities bill. No heat/hot water included… But still… it’ll be mine! That’s the important part, right? My own dirt. A veggie garden. No footsteps above, no shouting beneath, no dingy common hallway. Counter space. Cabinet space. My own washer and dryer. Space for a deep freezer! Storage space for bulk groceries and out-of-season clothes! Maybe even, dare I say it? A dishwasher. (Not that I’ll run my water bill up using it, but work with me here.) Aaaahhhhhhhh. Now I remember why I’m budgeting so much and attacking this debt so hard…
