I am really poor. I suppose I would be what you call “house poor.” I usually try my best not to complain and I did not intend this blog to be my forum to rant. It’s pretty frustrating to be able to just make all your bill payments and have so little left over each paycheck, but… on the other hand, I’m okay with paying my most expensive bill which is rent for my beautiful apartment. I love every single second I’m here. It is so beyond worth it. And I would not trade it to be back at my parents’ house for anything. In the spirit of upcoming Thanksgiving, I am so so very grateful.
You know you’re poor when:
– you have more nail polish in your refrigerator than actual food.*
– you’re the recipient of a “care package.”
– you hear a rumor that you may receive another one from the same person at Thanksgiving dinner.
– you go to the gas station and put a single gallon into your tank.
– you’ve been living in your apartment for months and have yet to use the building’s coin-operated washer.**
– cappuccino and pastry totaling almost $6 strikes you as very expensive and as a very occasional treat.
*It’s a beauty secret to store your nail lacquer in the fridge. It makes it last longer and helps so the pigments do not separate. I have five OPI colors (You’re a Pisa Work, It’s All Greek to Me, Florentine Fuschia, California Raspberry, and Big Apple Red) and one bottle of clear Top Coat. At $8.50 a pop, I’d like for it to last ’til the last drop! The food part excludes condiments and bottles of water.
**I use my parents’ for free!
See? Pretty poor. I’m looking forward to December where I’ll have three paydays instead of two. Plus, my boss at our two person office is four months along with a very at-risk pregnancy so I’ll be taking over things and more hours ’til like summer. I can’t wait to have savings again so I can have peace of mind. Plus alittle more food… Like any Italian, I love to eat! And to renew my driver’s license with my new address and my passport (it’s been almost a decade!). Those fees are expensive!
I thought I was being frugal in saving for six months prior to my trip to Italy! Frugality has really entered my thought process now! Even with that said, however, I am (still) fundamentally a spender, not a saver. (I know I am primarily of the “rewards” variety too. You know… I work hard, so I deserve it.) When I have alittle money, I think “What could I do/buy today?” When it’s a lot, I do see it or a portion of it as “real” savings. I see and understand how little things add up in spending though, a la “the latte factor.” I wonder if I’ll ever turn into a saver with time… Nonetheless, I know these lessons like living without so much and this questioning of every single purchase will serve me well in life.
I truly believe that life is what you make it. And that bored people are boring. I haven’t been out too too much (with going out being the more expensive option), but I haven’t really felt deprived. I manage to have a good time. My recent vacation being an excellent example of that! Nonetheless, with money, it’ll be nice to go out again… I love going out! It’ll make for more interesting reading here! For now, stay with me! I still have ideas for future posts!