I might as well mention that not only are our finances in shambles, but I've put on weight. About fifteen pounds.
This was such a surprise I thought the scale was broken. Sure, my pants had been a bit snug since I started the bakery, but I'd only been eating a few extra cookies a day for the past...wait-a-minute...four months?!
People are funny, we think of weight as something that can be thrown on and off like a heavy coat. "Oh, I can't believe I ate that whole cheese pizza," we moan, "I'm going to get fat!" Then we restrict ourselves for a week to compensate. Fad diets urge us to lose weight fast, develop abs in a couple of months, and change our appearance before next season.
This is practically impossible because our weight - and appearance - is a quality of our identity. I know this because I was a heavy teenager, bouncing between 180 and 200 pounds most of high school and college. As I lost sixty pounds - over the course of years, not months - friends, family, and strangers treated me differently. In many ways I became a different person, with new goals, aspirations, and standards. Much of the time, real weight loss was not a result of a health choice but a new moral qualm: my first significant weight loss was the result of marrying Darling and giving up fast food, I lost a pant size by giving up meat in 2006, twenty pounds were lost when I could no longer bring myself to support Coca-Cola's hideous business activities, ten pounds were lost when I chose to give up immorally-produced dairy, giving up packaging forced us to consume more whole grains and fresh vegetables...None of the choices were made to lose weight, but to adhere to higher principles than I'd previously chosen to.
Previously, I'd tried to lose weight for the sake of being smaller. But these attempts always failed, because it never occured to me that I'd have to be different to look different.
This year I got a little overwhelmed. In the first four months we've paid a couple of thousand dollars in debt, spent a weekend in Virginia, had two weeks in England, and covered the tuition for two semesters of classes. I put away my socialist literature and focused not on the principles and philosophy of spending but the mechanics: work, earn, and shop. I worried about money around the end of every month, but fell out of my daily habits of record-keeping and contemplation. I told myself that there was nothing to think about: however much money there is, it isn't enough.
Like my daily treats at the bakery, these financial choices were meant to be a temporary break from our usual striving. We've worked so hard, let's just let money take care of itself for a while and indulge in some recreational spending in the meantime. A couple of weeks turned into four months before I noticed that this break had turned into a whole new lifestyle!!!
Last week I started gently cutting sweets out of my daily diet. This week I am looking at finances. I guess a potential benefit of completely losing track of our budget is that we can start from scratch with a new one :) I think Darling and I will soon sit down to create an old school priority list and maybe a short-term financial plan for getting back on track.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Friday, June 26, 2009
Getting Back On Track
The past month I have not cared about finances.
I have not recorded our expenses or set goals. I have not hesitated to spend however much money I felt like on whatever caught my eye. I have not reviewed our bank statements. I have taken several days off from work. We spent more money than we have and are facing a pretty substantial over-draft.
I had no idea how much more money we needed for rent until I checked, just now. I have not paid this month's phone bill yet or made a student loan payment (neither are due until the 6th of next month, but I usually have both paid well a couple of weeks early).
The good news is that I've finally crunched the numbers, and we haven't done too much damage. I'll earn enough money to pay rent by the first, pay our bills with my bakery check on Friday, and cover Sunflower. The better news is I'm facing this situation again, and can get back on track.
I have not recorded our expenses or set goals. I have not hesitated to spend however much money I felt like on whatever caught my eye. I have not reviewed our bank statements. I have taken several days off from work. We spent more money than we have and are facing a pretty substantial over-draft.
I had no idea how much more money we needed for rent until I checked, just now. I have not paid this month's phone bill yet or made a student loan payment (neither are due until the 6th of next month, but I usually have both paid well a couple of weeks early).
The good news is that I've finally crunched the numbers, and we haven't done too much damage. I'll earn enough money to pay rent by the first, pay our bills with my bakery check on Friday, and cover Sunflower. The better news is I'm facing this situation again, and can get back on track.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Hustling, Bustling
For those of you wondering, the down blanket is no more. I trashed it yesterday.
Darling and I are having a hard time keeping up with the pace of life the past couple of weeks. He is taking 15 credit hours and working twice a week. I'm still juggling both jobs and putting in a couple of hours a month at the animal shelter. We're both trying to get more exercise, maintain our social lives, prepare for the move, and do just enough housework that we can start the day with mildly clean underwear and at least one acceptably sanitary mug.
When I looked forward to 2009, I thought it would be impossible to visit Virginia, vacation in England, pay for Darling's Summer semester, and move to a new apartment within the first six months of the year. Not only will we accomplish all that, but a little more: I hadn't realized we'd need to pay for two semesters before August.
Strangely enough, I don't know if I want to slow down or pick up the pace. Although I feel overwhelmed and often exhausted, there is so much more I want to experience and accomplish!
Darling and I are having a hard time keeping up with the pace of life the past couple of weeks. He is taking 15 credit hours and working twice a week. I'm still juggling both jobs and putting in a couple of hours a month at the animal shelter. We're both trying to get more exercise, maintain our social lives, prepare for the move, and do just enough housework that we can start the day with mildly clean underwear and at least one acceptably sanitary mug.
When I looked forward to 2009, I thought it would be impossible to visit Virginia, vacation in England, pay for Darling's Summer semester, and move to a new apartment within the first six months of the year. Not only will we accomplish all that, but a little more: I hadn't realized we'd need to pay for two semesters before August.
Strangely enough, I don't know if I want to slow down or pick up the pace. Although I feel overwhelmed and often exhausted, there is so much more I want to experience and accomplish!
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Downward Spirals...
On the way home from Sunflower a few weeks ago I spotted a down blanket on the side of the road. I have wanted a down blanket since meeting my stepmother's about 16 years ago. I irrationally decided that this roadside find was a dream come true.
This blanket looks and smells like a dog used it as a bed for many years. I should be so lucky...a dog probably would have chewed through the fabric. It much more likely helped a homeless man through the Winter...Oh, there is something wrong with me, but I made Darling carry it home with us!
First I tried to put it through the triple-load washing machine at the laundromat (even though I've ruined more than one beautiful Salvation Army sweater ignoring "Dry Clean Only" tags in the past). It wouldn't fit. I recalled Like Merchant's Ships mentions of $5 Down Comforters found at garage sales. I didn't take the time to see what she had to say about them, I just remembered that she bought the blankets used and must have a frugal way of dealing with them. I also recalled her once cleaning something in the bathtub, so I decided to try that.
I filled the tub with hot water, added more bleach than felt comfortable, and attempted to soak the blanket.
It floated. It floated better than any pool toy I've ever owned. I could not force the entire thing under water.
After a while I drained the tub. About a gallon of water drained away. My floatation device was now a hundred-pound sponge. I wringed it out best I could (not at all), then dragged the monster out of the tub, across the hall, through the kitchen, into the sunny yard, and onto a picnic table to dry.
I am at the mercy of the sun. The horribly stained blanket is now on display to the neighbors and I smell like a wet dog. Hopefully solar power will do for my find what it did for Meredith's lace cloth.
This isn't the first roadside find that's given us trouble: trashed electronics rarely work for long - we've adopted and grown to hate cd players, lamps, vacuums, printers, and shredders. Furniture tends to be good; we love our our couch, shelving unit, and rug, but our small metal desk is rusting into the carpet.
I really want to save this blanket! I guess the next step is to drag it to the dry cleaners...
Do you ever find treasure in other folks' trash? How often do you find yourself disappointed, and how far have you gone to rescue an apparently lost cause?
*Edit*
By the time the blanket dried enough for me to lift it, I noticed that it was much more compact wet than dry. I dragged it to the laundromat and barely managed to squeeze it into a triple-load washing machine. I added detergent, bleach, and watched it spin. That got rid of the dirt and smell, now we'll see how it dries.
This blanket looks and smells like a dog used it as a bed for many years. I should be so lucky...a dog probably would have chewed through the fabric. It much more likely helped a homeless man through the Winter...Oh, there is something wrong with me, but I made Darling carry it home with us!
First I tried to put it through the triple-load washing machine at the laundromat (even though I've ruined more than one beautiful Salvation Army sweater ignoring "Dry Clean Only" tags in the past). It wouldn't fit. I recalled Like Merchant's Ships mentions of $5 Down Comforters found at garage sales. I didn't take the time to see what she had to say about them, I just remembered that she bought the blankets used and must have a frugal way of dealing with them. I also recalled her once cleaning something in the bathtub, so I decided to try that.
I filled the tub with hot water, added more bleach than felt comfortable, and attempted to soak the blanket.
It floated. It floated better than any pool toy I've ever owned. I could not force the entire thing under water.
After a while I drained the tub. About a gallon of water drained away. My floatation device was now a hundred-pound sponge. I wringed it out best I could (not at all), then dragged the monster out of the tub, across the hall, through the kitchen, into the sunny yard, and onto a picnic table to dry.
I am at the mercy of the sun. The horribly stained blanket is now on display to the neighbors and I smell like a wet dog. Hopefully solar power will do for my find what it did for Meredith's lace cloth.
This isn't the first roadside find that's given us trouble: trashed electronics rarely work for long - we've adopted and grown to hate cd players, lamps, vacuums, printers, and shredders. Furniture tends to be good; we love our our couch, shelving unit, and rug, but our small metal desk is rusting into the carpet.
I really want to save this blanket! I guess the next step is to drag it to the dry cleaners...
Do you ever find treasure in other folks' trash? How often do you find yourself disappointed, and how far have you gone to rescue an apparently lost cause?
*Edit*
By the time the blanket dried enough for me to lift it, I noticed that it was much more compact wet than dry. I dragged it to the laundromat and barely managed to squeeze it into a triple-load washing machine. I added detergent, bleach, and watched it spin. That got rid of the dirt and smell, now we'll see how it dries.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Working Hard for The Money...
I applied at the bakery with the intention of working quitting my waitressing job four months ago. I used the extra funds to pay for a trip to Virginia, a couple of weeks in England, and Darling's Summer semester.
I'm having serious second doubts about not holding onto my two income lifestyle after we move to the co-op. I don't want to keep my current schedule exactly, but might drop to two nights a week at the restaurant and close two nights a week at the bakery.
My schedule would look like this:
Sunday No work, time to spend with friends and family
Monday 6:00 am - 1:00 pm bakery, Dinner and Meeting at Co-op
Tuesday 6:00 am - 7:00 pm bakery
Wednesday 6:00 am - 1:00 pm bakery, Evening with friends
Thursday 6:00 am - 7:00 pm bakery
Friday Half a day free, waitress in the evening
Saturday Half a day free, waitress in the evening
By working full-time at the bakery I could increase my income by $400 a month. By keeping my waitressing gig I can hold on to a potential $800 a month. And I'd have a day off guaranteed every single week, which is more than I can say about my current situation.
Along with Darling's income, we could theoretically afford to save nearly 50% of our earnings.
If we kept this up for one year, we could do All of the following:
* Pay off my brother and sister-in-law by October of this year
* Pay more than 50% of our current debt
* Save enough money to open a decent investment account
* Reintroduce ourselves to our dentist
* Pay for Darling's final three semesters of college
* Create an emergency fund
That's a lot of progress for a years worth of work, especially since Darling will be so busy with school. I haven't made any definite decisions yet, but the temptation is strong...
I'm having serious second doubts about not holding onto my two income lifestyle after we move to the co-op. I don't want to keep my current schedule exactly, but might drop to two nights a week at the restaurant and close two nights a week at the bakery.
My schedule would look like this:
Sunday No work, time to spend with friends and family
Monday 6:00 am - 1:00 pm bakery, Dinner and Meeting at Co-op
Tuesday 6:00 am - 7:00 pm bakery
Wednesday 6:00 am - 1:00 pm bakery, Evening with friends
Thursday 6:00 am - 7:00 pm bakery
Friday Half a day free, waitress in the evening
Saturday Half a day free, waitress in the evening
By working full-time at the bakery I could increase my income by $400 a month. By keeping my waitressing gig I can hold on to a potential $800 a month. And I'd have a day off guaranteed every single week, which is more than I can say about my current situation.
Along with Darling's income, we could theoretically afford to save nearly 50% of our earnings.
If we kept this up for one year, we could do All of the following:
* Pay off my brother and sister-in-law by October of this year
* Pay more than 50% of our current debt
* Save enough money to open a decent investment account
* Reintroduce ourselves to our dentist
* Pay for Darling's final three semesters of college
* Create an emergency fund
That's a lot of progress for a years worth of work, especially since Darling will be so busy with school. I haven't made any definite decisions yet, but the temptation is strong...
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
We're IN!
Darling and I were accepted as members of the our favorite co-op last night. I feel both triumphant and nervous.
Property taxes for this area just increased 30% and rents are rising to compensate. Rent for this house is going to jump from $630 to $670.
Utilities have also gone up from $70 a month of $100. Because we share bills with our neighbors, we'd be paying much more for personal phone, Internet, and electricity if we were living alone.
Monthly food bills run about $250 a month. This is astronomical by our standards, but Darling and I have neither the time nor energy to cook lately. Beans are not soaking, rice is not boiling, the crock pot grows dusty...Our budget suffers as a result.
Other regular expenses include about $7 a month for water and about $25 a month for laundry and detergent.
All these expenses will be covered by a regular monthly rent paid to Sunflower. Unfortunately, that rent is $1,030. That is at least $40 than Darling and I would pay if we simply moved into a studio apartment and went about our private lives. We can't realistically promise that moving to Sunflower will save us any money.
But we're paying for more than a room.
What benefits does Sunflower offer, financial or otherwise?
Food: Buying groceries and lugging them home by bus is torturous in the Texas heat. Not only does it take hours, but we don't even have time to cook the bulk foods and organic vegetables we normally purchase. And when we do cook, the house becomes an unbearable sauna. I'm putting on weight and Darling is lacking energy. It will be great to give up grocery shopping once and for all and know that a healthy vegetarian dinner prepared in a well-venitlated kitchen will be on the table every single night, regardless of how exhausted we are.
Laundry: The past couple of houses we've lived have been mercifully located next to laundromats. We can't hope to always be so lucky. In Virginia and Houston I've had to drag bags of laundry several blocks to wash our clothes. Even with laundry a parking lot away, we spend a lot of quarters on those machines. Sunflower has a washer, dryer, and clothesline available for house use, so I will have free laundry for the first time in about ten years.
Shared Chores: Between school, work, the shelter, and sleep, Darling and I only have a few hours a week to do housework. He scrubs the toilet and takes out the recycling, I mop the kitchen and do the dishes. This is not enough to keep the house functioning to my liking. It will be a relief to sign up for specific chores every week and know that if the carpet won't go months without meeting a vacuum.
Like Minds: Two of the four people we met don't have cars. I forgot to ask the other two. No one seems to think that the vegetarian nature of the household is worth emphasizing, or that the homemade yogurt in the fridge is noteworthy. The television in the den is dusty with disuse. No one had a problem navigating our phone's party line. Our plan to downsize from a small house to a small room was met with understanding and appreciation. Ultimately, Darling and I feel that the people we've met at this household will appreciate and most likely share the values we live by.
Great location: Soco is expensive for a reason. Local businesses, farmer's markets, gardens, and parks make up the landscape. The latest library is being built just down the road. Californians and their condos haven't quite driven out the locals and our junkyard art. The Co-op is near our jobs and a short bus-ride from school. $1,030 is a lot of money, but quite cheap for the neighborhood.
These are a few reasons why I'm excited to live at the co-op despite the disappointing price. We will compensate by creating a new budget built around my bakery income, putting a hiatus on travel until Darling graduates college, and taking full advantage of the amenities offered by the house to get our money's worth.
Property taxes for this area just increased 30% and rents are rising to compensate. Rent for this house is going to jump from $630 to $670.
Utilities have also gone up from $70 a month of $100. Because we share bills with our neighbors, we'd be paying much more for personal phone, Internet, and electricity if we were living alone.
Monthly food bills run about $250 a month. This is astronomical by our standards, but Darling and I have neither the time nor energy to cook lately. Beans are not soaking, rice is not boiling, the crock pot grows dusty...Our budget suffers as a result.
Other regular expenses include about $7 a month for water and about $25 a month for laundry and detergent.
All these expenses will be covered by a regular monthly rent paid to Sunflower. Unfortunately, that rent is $1,030. That is at least $40 than Darling and I would pay if we simply moved into a studio apartment and went about our private lives. We can't realistically promise that moving to Sunflower will save us any money.
But we're paying for more than a room.
What benefits does Sunflower offer, financial or otherwise?
Food: Buying groceries and lugging them home by bus is torturous in the Texas heat. Not only does it take hours, but we don't even have time to cook the bulk foods and organic vegetables we normally purchase. And when we do cook, the house becomes an unbearable sauna. I'm putting on weight and Darling is lacking energy. It will be great to give up grocery shopping once and for all and know that a healthy vegetarian dinner prepared in a well-venitlated kitchen will be on the table every single night, regardless of how exhausted we are.
Laundry: The past couple of houses we've lived have been mercifully located next to laundromats. We can't hope to always be so lucky. In Virginia and Houston I've had to drag bags of laundry several blocks to wash our clothes. Even with laundry a parking lot away, we spend a lot of quarters on those machines. Sunflower has a washer, dryer, and clothesline available for house use, so I will have free laundry for the first time in about ten years.
Shared Chores: Between school, work, the shelter, and sleep, Darling and I only have a few hours a week to do housework. He scrubs the toilet and takes out the recycling, I mop the kitchen and do the dishes. This is not enough to keep the house functioning to my liking. It will be a relief to sign up for specific chores every week and know that if the carpet won't go months without meeting a vacuum.
Like Minds: Two of the four people we met don't have cars. I forgot to ask the other two. No one seems to think that the vegetarian nature of the household is worth emphasizing, or that the homemade yogurt in the fridge is noteworthy. The television in the den is dusty with disuse. No one had a problem navigating our phone's party line. Our plan to downsize from a small house to a small room was met with understanding and appreciation. Ultimately, Darling and I feel that the people we've met at this household will appreciate and most likely share the values we live by.
Great location: Soco is expensive for a reason. Local businesses, farmer's markets, gardens, and parks make up the landscape. The latest library is being built just down the road. Californians and their condos haven't quite driven out the locals and our junkyard art. The Co-op is near our jobs and a short bus-ride from school. $1,030 is a lot of money, but quite cheap for the neighborhood.
These are a few reasons why I'm excited to live at the co-op despite the disappointing price. We will compensate by creating a new budget built around my bakery income, putting a hiatus on travel until Darling graduates college, and taking full advantage of the amenities offered by the house to get our money's worth.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Kitties and Meetings
Yesterday I woke up at 6:30 in the morning to help with the Shelter's Kittypalooza event. In an attempt to deal with the hundreds of incoming litters and strays arriving in the early weeks of Summer, the Town Lake Animal Center hosts a few events that knock the price of kittens down from $75 to $35 and cats over the age of five are free. I went in early to prep the kittens for viewing, helping to feed, change waters, deal with litter, and cuddle the babies.
After doing that for some time I came home and napped for an hour before Darling and I went to Sunflower to meet two of the four current house members. That went really well. We have two more people to meet on Monday, then we should know that night whether or not we get the place. Since the three rooms had blended together in my mind since seeing them last week, I asked to look over our intended before leaving.
The details I recalled were mostly correct (a second-floor room with windows letting in the north light, a screen door leading onto a rooftop "porch," no shared walls, hardwood floors, a walk-in closet, a personal hall closet that could actually serve as a tiny office, a personal bathroom with ample cabinet space), but for some reason I remembered it in the quiet house, when it is actually in the main house along with the lounge and kitchen. I also remembered it being slightly larger...
We will not be able to take much of our furniture. I have a two dressers, a dining table, several bedside tables, a coffee table, couch, futon, bed, papasan chair, etc...most of which was given to us by friends and family when we moved here. In deciding what to take, I'm imagining how we will structure the room to make it feel like a home, how we can fit everything we need and want while avoiding clutter. I also want to ensure that if Darling and I are feeling reclusive - as we often do - that we feel self-sufficient in our little nest. I am considering setting up a small coffee nook, complete with powdered soy milk and sugar, so our favorite morning ritual can maintain its intimacy.
Have you ever lived in a very small space? How did you make a bedroom feel like "home?"
After doing that for some time I came home and napped for an hour before Darling and I went to Sunflower to meet two of the four current house members. That went really well. We have two more people to meet on Monday, then we should know that night whether or not we get the place. Since the three rooms had blended together in my mind since seeing them last week, I asked to look over our intended before leaving.
The details I recalled were mostly correct (a second-floor room with windows letting in the north light, a screen door leading onto a rooftop "porch," no shared walls, hardwood floors, a walk-in closet, a personal hall closet that could actually serve as a tiny office, a personal bathroom with ample cabinet space), but for some reason I remembered it in the quiet house, when it is actually in the main house along with the lounge and kitchen. I also remembered it being slightly larger...
We will not be able to take much of our furniture. I have a two dressers, a dining table, several bedside tables, a coffee table, couch, futon, bed, papasan chair, etc...most of which was given to us by friends and family when we moved here. In deciding what to take, I'm imagining how we will structure the room to make it feel like a home, how we can fit everything we need and want while avoiding clutter. I also want to ensure that if Darling and I are feeling reclusive - as we often do - that we feel self-sufficient in our little nest. I am considering setting up a small coffee nook, complete with powdered soy milk and sugar, so our favorite morning ritual can maintain its intimacy.
Have you ever lived in a very small space? How did you make a bedroom feel like "home?"
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Darling's Second Semester
Darling discovered on his first day of school that one of the classes was canceled and his entire schedule shifted around to accommodate this. The new schedule had him in school when he needs to be at work, and even though this was in no way his fault he had to get about six million random signatures to be transferred to a class in an acceptable time slot. We're still not sure if everything is settled.
I was only begining to worry about how we would pay for next semester when I realized that we're supposed to be registering and paying for Fall now. So not only do I need to put down the $400 deposit on our new place and prepare for next month's move, but I also need over $850 for school...by, say, next Friday...
In the meantime, Darling is getting more hours washing dishes at the restaurant. He was offered a small promotion to prep work, but he had to turn it down because it interferred with school. I love that he has such an easy (if unpleasant) job while he's studying; I don't have to worry to much about him getting distracted or putting pay before grades.
I was only begining to worry about how we would pay for next semester when I realized that we're supposed to be registering and paying for Fall now. So not only do I need to put down the $400 deposit on our new place and prepare for next month's move, but I also need over $850 for school...by, say, next Friday...
In the meantime, Darling is getting more hours washing dishes at the restaurant. He was offered a small promotion to prep work, but he had to turn it down because it interferred with school. I love that he has such an easy (if unpleasant) job while he's studying; I don't have to worry to much about him getting distracted or putting pay before grades.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Busy Day Even For Me
I can't believe it's almost midnight. Today I...
* Slept in, awaking in a panic at 5:15 a.m.
* Calmed myself with exactly ten minutes of yoga before rushing to work
* Left the bakery at 1 pm to pay rent at the bank
* Fell asleep waiting for the bus back home
* Did load of dishes, discovered our freezer had been left open and had to clean a defrosted mess, and barely saved half a dozen bananas by making a lot of smoothie
* Walked most of the way to Town Lake Animal Shelter and spent an hour and a half socializing a rowdy pit mix
* Walked Home
* Came home to type a lengthy response to a friend's lengthy e-mail regarding a huge project
...Now for bedtime.
* Slept in, awaking in a panic at 5:15 a.m.
* Calmed myself with exactly ten minutes of yoga before rushing to work
* Left the bakery at 1 pm to pay rent at the bank
* Fell asleep waiting for the bus back home
* Did load of dishes, discovered our freezer had been left open and had to clean a defrosted mess, and barely saved half a dozen bananas by making a lot of smoothie
* Walked most of the way to Town Lake Animal Shelter and spent an hour and a half socializing a rowdy pit mix
* Walked Home
* Came home to type a lengthy response to a friend's lengthy e-mail regarding a huge project
...Now for bedtime.
Monday, June 1, 2009
June Net Worth...Progress!
Assets: $620.42, a $27.98 increase
Liabilities: $14,284.10, a $478.16 decrease
Net Worth: -$13,663.13, a $506.69 increase!!!
I'm currently trying to get in contact with all the members of Sunflower for individual meetings. Hopefully Darling and I will be approved for membership by next Monday. I'd like to have our room deposit paid by the following week, save some money on top of that for our moving expenses, and knock some money into our IRA while I'm at it.
So June will be all about saving, though we will probably pass a payment on to my brother and keep pay at least the minimum towards student loans.
Darling and I are only $800 away from our highest net worth yet!
Liabilities: $14,284.10, a $478.16 decrease
Net Worth: -$13,663.13, a $506.69 increase!!!
I'm currently trying to get in contact with all the members of Sunflower for individual meetings. Hopefully Darling and I will be approved for membership by next Monday. I'd like to have our room deposit paid by the following week, save some money on top of that for our moving expenses, and knock some money into our IRA while I'm at it.
So June will be all about saving, though we will probably pass a payment on to my brother and keep pay at least the minimum towards student loans.
Darling and I are only $800 away from our highest net worth yet!
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