as it stands
I have fallen into the habit of calculating my net worth after my last paycheck and my last run of paying bills of the month, so here it is:
Well, I’m not as happy about that big increase in my savings as I would be under other circumstances. It’s due to severance pay I’ve received from the elimination of my position. I’m on the hunt for a job. I’m still current on all my bills. I’m still eating. I’m not panicked. And I don’t anticipate being unemployed for a long time. I rolled over the retirement amount from the 401K to an IRA, and saving for retirement is probably going to go back on the back burner until I start working again. My game plan is to try to get through being unemployed without needing to spend my savings, and that way I can use it for my house down the road. (This is why although my new house savings balance is reflected in my bar graph, I’ve thrown in the word "tentative" to show that that money can and will be raided if I need to do so.) If I can hold off though, I’ll be months ahead on my savings plan.
I’m not happy about my credit card debt and other debts increasing by even small amounts. But I will be paying the credit card off in January (that balance reflects Christmas presents). My first plan was to pay minimums on the "other debts," which is a loan I used to pay off old credit card debt. However, I hate the idea of paying minimums and letting interest take bites out of my payments. If it’s possible, since my savings is so high, I will probably pay amounts above the minimum. This is going to put me months behind on my debt reduction plan. But the minute I get a job, I’m knocking that debt out.
Once the holidays are over, things will level out too. I’m not married, no kids, not even dating anybody and I’ve spent so much more money than I had intended to. Even though I put my nieces’ toys on lay away, causing me to not have to pay a big chunk at once, in hindsight, I could have gotten them a lot less than I did. I just don’t see them that often, so guilt causes me to go crazy sometimes. Now, in less than two months I’ll have a nephew…*sigh* More nieces/nephews, more problems.
You’ve got a good plan. You’ll be okay. Hey, you know what I started a couple of weeks ago? That “Keep the Change” savings from Bank of America. It’s amazing! In just two weeks I’ve saved over 10 dollars in change! I can barely believe it. I used to always round up anyway in my checkbook, but now I can actually see how much I really have saved and not have to guess.
I don’t even get presents for my cousin’s kids - I’m not trying to start something I can’t follow up year after year. I only get stuff on birthdays, and even then, only for the little ones, and even then, it’s clothes or books - mostly books…
Comment by Sugari — December 20, 2007 @ 3:00 pm
Sugari you sound like me. No kids, not even a pet, not dating, but the neices and nephews (read 1 dozen) get me everytime. The older they get the more expensive they get. I love toddlers, not teenagers.
Sistah, you have a plan, that is what will keep you ahead. If you had your head stuck in the sand, then that would be a problem.
Happy holidays!
Comment by tiredofbeingbroke — December 24, 2007 @ 7:17 pm