I'll admit it. I'm in credit card debt. I have been in denial for over a month now.
I never have a balance and for several weeks now I have pretended that my INTENTIONS to pay it back in full as soon as I can means that it WILL be paid back in full before I know it. Therefore, I pushed this concern to the back of my mind.
But one thing has followed another financially and here I am in debt with little hope of being out of it by the end of the summer, unless I dip into savings, which I REALLY dont want to do.
So what has financially killed me? Let me tell me. I have not actually written out a list because my denial was keeping me from aknowledging the problem. So let me see where the problem came from, hold on here...
ahh...the problem came from my poor, poor planning.
February 08 Baseball boy is projected to earn $2200 a month with his team and we determine that is enough $$ for both of us to live off and I can travel with him for the season without working.
March 08
Baseball Boy is released from his team and unemployed for 3 weeks. He has not collected a single paycheck.
April 08
Baseball boy finds a new team to play with that will pay him 1700 a month and provide a free apartment. New team does not begin season for a few weeks.
End of April 08
Baseball boy is given a better oppertunity to play for a big name team and he must take this chance. Big name team will only pay $1700 month/no apartment.
May 08
We move to new team town.
*We stay in a hotel 4 nights @$60 a night trying to secure an apartment.
*We find apartment for $800 month, plus put down $800 for security. (This is the beginning of the bad. We had not planned to pay rent combined with 2 months no pay means we entered the season with just $1000 in EF, and so security had to go on CC)
May 08
Baseball boy is released from new big name team and now unemployed, 2 weeks into our lease. We move back to home base to regroup and forfit that months rent.
Mid May 08
Baseball boy goes back to original new team, but cannot get the same agreed pay. Agrees to $1400 month and free apartment (still not bad so we thought everything would be ok)
Mid May 08
*Our dog has tumors removed and sent in for testing. $800 on the CC.
*bought a plane ticket for early July to future wedding site to meet vendors and plan Nov wedding~ $340 on CC.
End of May 08
*I drive across country in SUV to live with Baseball boy who has flown up there and gotten settled in. $350 in gas spent on the CC. Slept in the car so I was saving 'some' money and this put me farther into denial.
Early June 08
*Grocery shopping buying staples like butter, silverware, dishes, oils, and seasonings that are not 'meals' but will be used for the rest of the season and must be purchased to be able to use the kitchen and avoid eating out every night. $120 on CC for initial grocery visit.
*Mall of America- ouch-$300 on CC
Set up a bank account in new town and must wait for Baseball boys first check to clear. (Do get a $50 gas card for opening up account though!)
Mid June 08
*Laid dog with cancer to rest, $350 on CC.
And we have charged up about $200 in misc costs such as gas, clubhouse dues, dog food, grocery trips, fast food, and we went to a movie.
Credit card balance is over 3k and I am finally admitting it. It sure is easier to spend the money than to pay off the money.
Plus that pesky CC provided by Baseball boy's father was used during the unemployment and we are determined to pay dad back the $800 racked up, plus a $300 vet visit loan I took from him 2 months ago. So dad gets $1000 as soon as we can get it to him.
I *could* dip into my retirement savings to pay it off and be done with it. But I dont think I will.
1. I worry that if I start dipping into retirement, it will become a habit. I must budget, and stress, and pay it off slowly and the pain should keep this from happening again.
2. It's all on a 0% discover card. The 0% lasts until August, so this month I will apply for a new 0% and switch the balance to give myself more time to pay it off the hard way.
It all went wrong by counting on that big paycheck, then by planning to not have to pay for an apartment. My my my...I have become a little overconfident in my frugal ways and now look at the mess I got into.
And I can't get a job for the season because 1. we share a car, and 2. The lack of job security leaves me unable to committ to anything during the season. We moved to 3 towns last season.
ok ok- I'm in DEBT already!
June 17th, 2008 at 10:49 pm
June 17th, 2008 at 11:43 pm 1213746188
what do you do with your time during the day, is there any way you could make money doing odd jobs or anything?
June 18th, 2008 at 01:10 am 1213751437
Up till now the season was so unstable that there was no way to predict anything.
I cant sell anything because i only packed about 4 suitcases for the season, everything else was left behind at the house we rent. Though I sell on ebay alot during the winter off seasons.
I will create a plan on paper, (or blog) and see how this thing can get knocked out.
It's just hard to figure out how to make $ when you are new in town, you dont know anyone, and you are only here for 2 1/2 more months.
June 18th, 2008 at 03:53 am 1213761208
I agree with the first comment... see if there isn't something down the street where you can log a couple hours. Anything helps.
But congratulations on starting to tackle the debt. It's a difficult but rewarding road!
June 18th, 2008 at 05:35 am 1213767322
June 18th, 2008 at 01:55 pm 1213797312
I agree with greengirl, find a job close to your apartment. To make it worth your time to work a few hours at low pay; have all take home pay go to the house downpayment account, or a 50/50 house downpayment/ Emergency Fund account. That way you can watch your house fund grow as a reward for getting a job.
June 18th, 2008 at 01:57 pm 1213797441
I agree with greengirl, find a job close to your apartment. To make it worth your time to work a few hours at low pay; have all take home go to the house downpayment account, or a 50/50 house downpayment/ Emergency Fund account. That way you can watch your house fund grow as a reward for getting a job.
June 18th, 2008 at 05:09 pm 1213808965
definitely look into temping - if you are in an urban area there is probably some sort of agency that can place you at least somewhere temporarily.
look into any way to make money - see if someone needs a dog walker on craigslist.
you say you share a car- can't the man carpool with some new team members so you can have transportation to/from employment.
Seems to me you might be making excuses as why you can't work ...
June 18th, 2008 at 08:45 pm 1213821955
June 19th, 2008 at 04:35 pm 1213893314
I hope you set that 40K house $ aside in some sort of short term CD to maximize the interest, there are some nice CD's out there if you have that much to put in them..
June 19th, 2008 at 05:03 pm 1213895021