Or in my case, save no money but pay off bills.
Get rid of your vehicle.
My crappy truck was paid for and I only spent about $20 every other week for gas. So, the truck itself wasn’t costing me much money. But, freedom was. If I was bored, I could just drive to the store and buy something.
Well, the truck failed inspection. I’m way too cheap to spend almost $1000 to fix a vehicle I hate so it’s sitting in my driveway and has been for almost two months.
I have either ridden my bike to work (which is now impossible as it makes my arm lock up and throb horribly for at least 10 minutes) or have gotten rides from a coworker. I have walked home quite a few times.
But, the last three weeks of banking activity shows the real change that my life has taken.
Three paycheck deposits.
Two trips to Dunkin Donuts
World of Warcraft
Pogo
Credit card payments. One is now paid off. One is now charged off. One will be paid off in the next two weeks.
Student loan (now current)
One actual withdrawal for $100 (done by my sister and to pay for my part of the phone bill).
My weekly computer payment.
Three weeks ago, I was past due on everything except the computer payment and that I never managed to pay the day it was due.
I don’t have much debt. My horrible credit rating has stopped me from getting into the position so many people are in - which is thousands of dollars in debt and no chance of paying it off in this decade (wait, this decade is almost over. Well, you know what I mean) I have a little debt but I also have a spending problem.
Not having a vehicle has forced me to not buy stupid little things just because they are there and I’m bored or feeling entitled. On Thursday mornings I come home, spend 15 minutes or so paying bills either online or on the phone and then I spend the next week with about $40 in my bank account.
By the time I go in for surgery this summer, I should have no debt left, other than my student loan. I will be able to recover in peace (well, other than the fact that the nephews will be home on summer vacation) with the knowledge that I can answer my phone fearlessly and my Workman’s Comp pay will be enough to cover my minimal financial requirements.
By the end of the summer, I’ll ~hopefully~ have a fixed arm, no debt, and enough money in the bank to be able to leave my sister’s house.
My goal in life - to have my own place to live, no (or minimal) pain, to have finished my Medical Transcription course, no debt, and a financial security net, by my 30th birthday (which gives me a bit over 7 months).
I can do it. I see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Then again, the surgery might not work and I could get laid off.
Oh, I quit smoking almost a month ago also. But, that had nothing to do with the truck and wasn’t even really intentional. I just decided I didn’t feel like smoking one day and that feeling hasn’t gone away. Oddly enough, my medication changed around the same time frame. Hmmmm, I wonder if there’s a connection between new anti-depressants taking away the desire to pay for the pleasure of slowly killing yourself. Anyway, quitting smoking is the reason I usually still have money left after paying my bills.