I have $2 in the Bank.

[Typo Lad]

Man, car ownership is KILLING us.

Two freaking dollars.

Payday's not till next TUESDSAY. If I'm lucky, the automatic transfer will go through a day early.

Suzannah's gonna ask her boss if she can get her check a week early.

I hate this.

[Shellhead]

I feel your pain. Last week, I met with a credit counselor to get my credit card debt under control. The debt management plan that we worked out is very reasonable, but will involve some short-term pain due to my other monthly bills falling behind. Until August, money will be very tight, but after that things will steadily get better... unless some new crisis comes up.

[Typo Lad]

What really, really sucks is that if my stupid Federal Refund would just show up, I'd be FINE.

[macul]

Does this mean I have to buy dinner if we meet while I'm in NY?

[Typo Lad]

Does this mean I have to buy dinner if we meet while I'm in NY?

Heh.

It means we're gonna have to go halfsies.

[macul]

Heh.

It means we're gonna have to go halfsies.

Pickles and mustard?

[Greg Hatcher]

Shucks, up till March we had a week like that every month. It can be really frustrating. Especially if you're like us and not really big spenders; the biggest entertainment expense in our home is the pull list at the comics store, about $30 a month... and we sometimes fall for used books or DVDs on eBay, maybe ten or fifteen bucks a whack. These are all me, obviously -- Julie's idea of guilty spending is six or seven bucks for craft supplies. So it can be galling wondering why you never catch up. It's one of the reasons I took the new printshop job. It is getting better though.

Morts, if you can stand it, see if you can get through it without borrowing or getting advances. What we discovered is that makes it worse, you never really catch up. On the other hand, we don't really have debt, just bills; and we found out that a week of doing nothing but paying the bills current, living off the dry goods in the house and not driving or doing anything "out" (we realized we live in the biggest pop culture library in south Seattle, probably, thanks to some twenty-eight years of geeky acquisitiveness on my part -- we don't lack for books or movies) and the relief you get from having things PAID OFF is really amazing.

I also hustled some extra work, and so did Julie; little one-day temp things. In your case child care would probably wash it out, I suppose, but every little bit helps.

Finally, I assume you are talking to Suzannah about all this, but are you being truly honest about it? I mention this because we definitely turned a corner here when I confessed to Julie how much it was bothering me, and she told me that the only reason it worried her was BECAUSE it was eating at me so, she really didn't CARE if we ate soup and rice and stayed home. Since I didn't care either, I was just feeling guilty about HER having to do it, this was the lifting of a great weight (that, it turned out, was entirely self-imposed.)

Those are my suggestions. That, and hang in there. Persistence pays off.

[west3man]

Man, car ownership is KILLING us.

Two freaking dollars.

Payday's not till next TUESDSAY. If I'm lucky, the automatic transfer will go through a day early.

Suzannah's gonna ask her boss if she can get her check a week early.

I hate this.
GetcherselfoneBay,son.

[Typo Lad]

GetcherselfoneBay,son.

Heh.

I have a box of small ticket items left to sell. Nothing major.

I also think I'm gonna be selling my G3 tower that won't start. I was going to try to fix it, but at this point it's more of a headache than anything else. I can probably part it out for about 80 bucks.

[west3man]

Heh.

I have a box of small ticket items left to sell. Nothing major.

I also think I'm gonna be selling my G3 tower that won't start. I was going to try to fix it, but at this point it's more of a headache than anything else. I can probably part it out for about 80 bucks.
Yup.

It's often easier to sell a few smaller items than one big'un. Depends.

eBay's a nice way to get some change in your pocket in a short amount of time... It CAN BE, anyway. Paypal allows for REALLY QUICK $$$ transfers. I even sent some money to my g.f. via Paypal. Didn't cost us a dime and she was able to immediately withdraw the funds (no waiting period like with banks), despite being out-of-town.

[Typo Lad]

Shucks, up till March we had a week like that every month. It can be really frustrating.

Yup.

What's frustrating for me is that if we did not have the car, we would actually be very well in the black right now. This "free' Car has cost us roughly a thousand dollars so far.

We made a lot of changes recently to save money. This is basically defeating the entire point.

Especially if you're like us and not really big spenders; the biggest entertainment expense in our home is the pull list at the comics store, about $30 a month... and we sometimes fall for used books or DVDs on eBay, maybe ten or fifteen bucks a whack

I think for us, our biggest expense is food. We waste food without trying. We cook too much on Shabbos and then forget that we have leftovers, cook more food, and then we end up throwing out chicken that could have been two nights dinner! We don't always take the time to pack lunches and end up buying. Even if we run to a supermarket and buy sandwich fixings, that's still money that we didn't need to spend. Plus we just had Passover, which is just a pricey time. Oh, and Tot is turning into a massive waster of food. Something that's going to stop NOW.

We're also looking at other little habits that we've picked up. Bad ones.

Morts, if you can stand it, see if you can get through it without borrowing or getting advances. What we discovered is that makes it worse, you never really catch up. On the other hand, we don't really have debt, just bills;

See, that's the crux right there.

We have debt. Aside from the consolidated debts that we have another two years left to finish up, we borrowed a lot of money last year when my job was basically paying nothing. We're now finally able to pay people back.

And don't get me started on the $700 debt we were tricked into...

I don't like taking advances. However, I have to get Tot enrolled in camp. I figure a week early won't kill us.

However, I still could really, really use that dang Federal Tax refund. The State Refund was supposed to go to camp, but ended up paying to fix the stupid worthless car.

and we found out that a week of doing nothing but paying the bills current, living off the dry goods in the house and not driving or doing anything "out" and the relief you get from having things PAID OFF is really amazing.

We never do anything out anyway. babysitting is a fortune.

What's sad is that this pay-period we had about $300 EXTRA in income. Unfortunatly, someone went to Target.

Target is going on the Banned Store list, methinks.

I also hustled some extra work, and so did Julie; little one-day temp things. In your case child care would probably wash it out, I suppose, but every little bit helps.

I have 8 RPG profiles to do at ten bucks a pop. Not bad for what will most likely be about 6-8 hours work...

Finally, I assume you are talking to Suzannah about all this, but are you being truly honest about it? I mention this because we definitely turned a corner here when I confessed to Julie how much it was bothering me, and she told me that the only reason it worried her was BECAUSE it was eating at me so, she really didn't CARE if we ate soup and rice and stayed home. Since I didn't care either, I was just feeling guilty about HER having to do it, this was the lifting of a great weight (that, it turned out, was entirely self-imposed.)

Trust me, ours is not a marriage where we hold back. Heh.

In fact, tonight we have a talk about the very expensive gym membership that is not being used and sucking up money. Losing weight is well and good, but this year we spent.,.. let me add up.. almost a thousand dollars on a gym she never went to and before that there was the $400 excercise machine.

In my case, there is a ban on eBay and bookstores. The NY Public Library lets me reserve books, so who needs to spend cash? There's also been a year-long ban on monthy comics.

Those are my suggestions. That, and hang in there. Persistence pays off.

We just need to make a budget and stick to it. Or rather, we need to make a budget that she actually READS and doesn't ignore, then complain that we don't have a budget.

Sorry, am I bitter?

[Typo Lad]

eBay's a nice way to get some change in your pocket in a short amount of time... It CAN BE, anyway. Paypal allows for REALLY QUICK $$$ transfers. I even sent some money to my g.f. via Paypal. Didn't cost us a dime and she was able to immediately withdraw the funds (no waiting period like with banks), despite being out-of-town.

Didn't cost you a dime?

Check again. PayPal takes a percentage of every transfer. A small one, but it's there. For example, someone sent me $50 just last week. I only got 48.XX.

It adds up.

The last two times I've sold items to Clan MacQuarrie, Jim has been cool enough to actually go to my bank's local branch and deposit right to my account.

[Typo Lad]

Pickles and mustard?

At this rate, the pickles might be too pricey an option...

[macul]

At this rate, the pickles might be too pricey an option...

Well, work is paying for the dinner, so we might be able to do the pickles.

[Typo Lad]

Well, work is paying for the dinner, so we might be able to do the pickles.

Oh good, because mustard gives me gas.

I'm sorry, that was terrible.

So are you going to be near the fair isle of Manhatten?

[west3man]

Didn't cost you a dime?

Check again. I just did.

https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_registration-run

"Personal Account
Ideal for online shopping. Send and receive payments for free through PayPal's secure network. Personal accounts cannot accept debit or credit card payments. Learn More "

I'm looking into the Premiere account fees, now.

[macul]

Oh good, because mustard gives me gas.

I'm sorry, that was terrible.

So are you going to be near the fair isle of Manhatten?

I've no idea of the area. I'm staying at the Roslyn Claremont which I'm told is in Roslyn village (?).

1221 Old Northern Blvd
Roslyn, NY

[Typo Lad]

I've no idea of the area. I'm staying at the Roslyn Claremont which I'm told is in Roslyn village (?).


Ew. It's in Long Island.

Well, enjoy. (http://www.historicroslyn.org/)

[macul]

Ew. It's in Long Island.

Well, enjoy. (http://www.historicroslyn.org/)

Long Island not a good place?

[Typo Lad]

Long Island not a good place?

Well, it's not as bad as say, Statne Island, but it's pretty far from where I am.

Have a pickle and think of me.

[i_mmmchocolate]

Ew. It's in Long Island.

Well, enjoy. (http://www.historicroslyn.org/)

Double ew!

Long Island is OK.


Poor Morts- I bet the gas prices are killing your wallet too.
I spent $27 dollars filling my gastank.

[i_mmmchocolate]

Well, it's not as bad as say, Statne Island, but it's pretty far from where I am.


True. Staten Italy is pretty bad.

[Typo Lad]

True. Staten Italy is pretty bad.

"Statan Island: America's landfill!"

Of course, I'm not one to talk...

"New Jersey: America's Ceptic Tank!"

[Typo Lad]

Long Island is OK.

I new two very, very pretty girls from LI. One had a thing for me, but was a psycho. The other didn't have a thing for me, alas. However, she was the first time I found myself able to talk to a pretty girl without wanting to curl up in a ball and die. Fun gal.

Poor Morts- I bet the gas prices are killing your wallet too.
I spent $27 dollars filling my gastank.

Well, it's cheaper out in Teaneck. There are two stations up the block that are 170 something right now. However, there are huge lines, so we pay the ten cents more at the place on the corner.

Except the last time we filled, it was 30 cents more, because we were empty and expected prices to go up instead of down.

[zilch]

Welcome to my world.

Money has always been a sticky point in our marriage, and recent situations have caused my Wifey ( aka She Who Must Be Obeyed) to become actively involved in the bill paying process.

My weekly check is used for non bill expenses including

Eating Out/Groceries
Car Gas/Repairs
Allowance (all three of us get an allowance, $10 per week, tho i cheat and i suspect Wifey does too)
Christmas/Vacation/Presents (save a couple bux each week and it adds up)
Lunch (we both get stuff on the way to/at work)

Each week i cash my check and put the monies in sepereate envelopes, when the money's gone you are done for the week. This is called The Envelope Method.

Her biweekly check is used to pay all the other bills (rent, insurance, credit cards, phones, 'net, and so on)

If you can turn a wrench, you can change your own oil, the most routine maintenence on your car. Oil and filter come in around $10-12, how much did you pay to have it done? Small and medium sized maintenence is also possible, i've done it and i'm no Tim Allen. Just find out what needs to be done, find some one who has done it and go from there. Most do-it yourself books for cars are easy to read, easier than a computer book :)

And at least you've got $2... there have been plenty of times ive had a minus sign in front of the number.

[Typo Lad]

I keep meaning to do that allowance thing. I think I'm gonna impliment it with the next check.

[macul]

Oh well. I don't have much of a choice anyway. I think this place is only a couple of miles from the class I'm attending.

[Dr. Hfuhruhurr]

Morts: Sorry Johnny, I don't have a dime.
Johnny: Didn't ask for a dime. Two dollars.
Morts: My little brother got his arm stuck in the microwave. So my mom had to take him to the hospital. My grandma dropped acid this morning, and she freaked out. She hijacked a busload of penguins. So it's sort of a family crisis. Bye!
[slams the door shut]

[Typo Lad]

Bartender? I'll have what THAT man's having.

[Dr. Hfuhruhurr]

Bartender? I'll have what THAT man's having.

I find your lack of knowledge of quotes from Better Off Dead, one of the finest movies of my generation, ... disturbing.

And, I suppose I have to buy your drink for you, you bitch?

[Typo Lad]

I find your lack of knowledge of quotes from Better Off Dead, one of the finest movies of my generation, ... disturbing.

Who has the money to watch movies?

And, I suppose I have to buy your drink for you, you bitch?

In the immortal words of Daffy, "just put it on my bill."

WHOOHOO!

[Dr. Hfuhruhurr]

Who has the money to watch movies?



In the immortal words of Daffy, "just put it on my bill."

WHOOHOO!

Groan. Well, play your cards right, Cowboy, and I'll take you out for drinks and a movie. You will have to put out, you realize.