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2004-02-05 - 11:47 p.m.
when the money get low and the hungriness show
A few weeks ago, I thought I was doing pretty well enough financially that I wouldn't have to sweat being laid off from my on-campus job for the month of winter break. I even had got a good chunk of Christmas cash from the fam, so I thought I’d be good. But, butween holiday shopping and taking care of a bunch of bills, and only working a couple days a week for a month, my shit has dried up. I don’t think I’ve even done much unnecessary spending lately, besides buying a new TV, which I saw as a pretty sound investment. But it didn’t occur to me just how low my funds had dipped until I deposited a couple crummy little paychecks last week, and realized that rent was about to be due, and I’d be cutting it pretty close. Plus there’s bills (Comcast cable & internet, Verizon, and BG&E), and rent on Zuul’s practice space, which we always feel like suckers for paying $50 each for after a month of only getting together to practice once or twice. So on Monday I paid rent and Mike and I took care of the bills and I was able to cover everything, but just barely. So I only have a little to live on until next week’s paycheck, and that one will probably be pretty small too. And next week is Valentine’s Day, which is part of what’s stressing me out. I’m going up to PA to see J.G. and go to her school’s formal dance that weekend, and I’d like to go all out for the occasion, but I’m afraid my budget will be pretty limited. We’ve talked a bit about getting a nice hotel room for the weekend, something romantic like that, but I’m not sure I’ll be able to swing it. I really shouldn’t complain about money, though, because I always have plenty in savings that I can dip into if I really need it. But I don’t want to live beyond my means, especially when I have two jobs and there’s no reason I shouldn’t be able to live off that. But I dunno, I think I need to work on my personal financing skills. I won’t always have a safety net, and someday I will have to live off of what I earn and nothing else. This week I started back at the on-campus job. It’s kind of good to be back, it’s a good job. I don’t really like the frat guys I work with, but the older contract workers are funny. I just found out the other day, though, that one of them, Batty, had a minor heart attack last week, so he’ll be out of work for a while, if he comes back at all. He’s worked for Towson University for 40 years, he probably deserves to retire anyway. He was a hoot to work with, though. Just one crazy old dude. In a couple weeks, though, I’ll start getting 2 paychecks again and will be able to restabilize. Until then, I should be able to cut back and live on the cheap. It sucks to not have much food around the house and not be able to get groceries, but it’s not like I’m so broke I’ll starve. This week, the rental office finally approved the guy who’s moving into the apartment to take Mike’s place. So the other night my new roommate, Jace, started bringing in his stuff, and this weekend he’s probably going to get all moved in. I don’t really know the guy at all, but he seems nice enough, hopefully we’ll be compatible roommates. If not, we have our own rooms, we should be able to stay out of each other’s hair. -al
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