January was a rough month on the pocketbook, mostly due to terrible spending choices. Behold.
Biggest unforseen expense was dental work. Boo! I guess I have an insurance cap. I got 6 fillings. My dentist said that if I flossed regularly, I could have avoided them all.
ERE Tip: Floss your teeth.
As mentioned in my last post, I put all my willpower towards dieting and lost about 10#. And to make up for the terrible hardship, I spent a lot of money. I can't even tell you what all I spent it on. Most of it was reasonable though not precisely necessary: new work uniforms, a new pot for steaming veggies (old one is losing teflon like it's trying to poison us), a new computer after the old one was sat upon, new speaker after the old ones died... Some was not particularly necessary: a bright orange apron that says SUPER, clothes, cheeses - various.
Yikes. The numbers do not lie.
I just got back from a visit with all my nuclear family and it was absolutely fantastic. I had a ton of fun with my nieces/nephews and playing games, looking at family photos, cracking jokes with the fam. Very life affirming.
Husband and I are still daydreaming/debating over our impending move. We've set a tentative move date this summer, I've applied for my RN license in the other state (for no small amount of money). Of course as soon as we start taking real steps in that direction, I freeze in horror at the financial improbability of it. We're paying off our land here, and until we sell it, it's essentially a good-sized monthly rent payment. If we move without selling the property, we'll end up paying two rents. If we stay, we may either dissolve in the never-ending rain or succumb to a deep, weather-induced depression from which we never return. So. You know. We'll see what happens.
Husband is starting a new job in a completely different field, for lower pay and part time hours. I think he'll be happier though. We'll see. While driving yesterday, he told me, "I've discovered that the trick to saving money is... not to spend it! Every time you don't spend a little here and a little there, it really adds up. Maybe this winter [not having a job] has been a blessing in disguise." Aaah, music to my ears. I hope he can remember this seed of wisdom when he is earning again.
At any rate. Student loans are going down as quickly as I can throw money at them.
Did you see this triumphant student loan pay off music video? I continue to debate whether I should pay them off as fast as possible or funnel more of that money towards quality of life (aka, moving).
On va faire comment? Du courage.
e: I also found an unexpected charge on my debit account, a ~$5 charge for a chocolate shop in a distant state. How strange! I cancelled the card immediately.
e2: I also just realized that my variable rate, private student loan went from 2.25% to 2.5% in January with not a whisper of the rate change. Good to know I need to be keeping an eye out for that.
e3: After my next paycheck, my net worth may be above zero for the first time ever!!! (Although the mint calculation isn't strictly accurate since it includes my non-vested retirement savings, as well as my lot payment fund, which will disappear in September for an annual payment. I'm a sucker for round numbers though!)
It's music to my ears.