My research year (fall 2010-spring 2011) was expensive. I traveled to three archives during the year, while continuing to pay for my share of the apartment expenses back in Austin. I spent more than usual on clothes with my weight changes and a new wardrobe for winter in Pennsylvania. Plus, the plane tickets, hotel rooms, etc. all added up. Truthfully, I didn't really budget. I just hoped that I would eventually be able to eliminate my debt as I went, as I've done in the past. However, I just haven't been able to pay off the balance.
Even with my extra jobs this semester, paying off the balance in 15 months is going to stretch my budget. Plus, I've got to start saving for the summer. I never know whether I'll be able to get a summer job, and frankly, it would be better for me to have the summer to write. So, I now find myself participating in a time honored tradition: budgeting.
It's going to be tough to stick to it. But, I'm lucky. I've got a really supportive partner, who's willing to help me cut back. He also more than pulls his weight in household expenses. I'm just going to have to shop at goodwill and buffalo exchange exclusively for a little while now. I CAN DO THIS.
Any suggestions on how to cut back?
Here's to being debt free by 2013!
2 comments:
I had to live on $300 a month for 3 months while I was getting my teacher certification (granted I was living at home). I noticed something the stay-at-home moms in my graduate classes were doing,
so I eventually adopted their Dave Ramsey cash envelope system. I realize this system is easily used by men who want to control their wives' spending, but it's great for people who want to control their own spending.
Annnyway, I put my credit cards in the freezer, then lived on cash. I had labeled envelopes for each amount I wanted to spend on each category each week, e.g. groceries, booze, self-care, phone, gas, etc. If the envelope was empty, I didn't get to do that particular thing and had to wait until the next week. The tricky thing was staying true the envelope system-- it's so easy to just take cash from a different envelope when you want another gin and tonic.
That's a good idea! I could definitely do that for my spending money. I'd probably be more likely to pass up that extraneous coffee if I knew that it meant no going out with friends that week.
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