She will be loved

Sunday, Oct. 03, 2004

money problems and an overstocked kitchen

Money is really tight right now. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. I've been using my bank card for almost all purchases so that I could better track my spending and I've been entering everything into a spreadsheet. It really doesn't seem like I'm spending that much. I assumed that once I started tracking everything, I'd see where the problem was and everything would be okay. But, I can't find the problem.

I just don't understand, in July my salary increased by $8K, why do I feel like I'm struggling more than ever??? I don't feel like I'm being wasteful, but I'm barely squeeking by each month. I just checked my bank account online and after my rent, car payment, and credit card payment go through, I'll have about $50 to last until my next paycheck (two weeks away!) and that's going to have to go toward gas. It's so fucking depressing. I guess I'll be buying all my groceries at Sam's Club until payday, just because it's a credit card with no debt on it.

Fortunately I'm pretty well stocked up with non-perishable food. I just did a count and I think maybe I've found my problem: I buy too much in bulk. About once a month or so, I go to the closest Whole Foods (about 45 minutes away) and stock up on cereal ($1 cheaper per box), couscous (50 cents cheaper a box), and bottled water (20 cents cheaper a bottle). I feel like I'm being thrifty that way, but I think I'm outta control. This is kinda scary to admit:

  • 22.5 boxes of cereal (Uncle Sam, Golean, and Good Friends)
  • 69 cans of cat food (38 prescription and 31 generic)
  • ~15 lbs of dry cat kibble (around 12 lbs prescription and 3.5 Friskies)
  • 17 boxes Near East Couscous (tomato lentil, herbed chicken, and roasted garlic and olive oil)
  • 36 cans of beans (chickpeas, small white, pinto, kidney, and small red beans - I just noticed I'm out of black beans, I'll really have to force myself to make do. It'll be hard, though, black beans are my favorite)
  • 19 cans of tuna
  • 8 12-packs of pop (diet coke, diet dr. pepper, and diet pepsi... what am I gonna do without my diet pepsi twist???)
  • 9 28 oz cans of tomatoes (6 diced and 3 crushed)
  • countless bags of frozen veggies and chicken breasts
  • 10 packages of taco seasoning
  • Lots of condiments
  • enough bottled water to survive Y2K

    So this is all I'm allowed to purchase in the next two weeks:

  • zucchini and canned green beans (to mix with the couscous, chicken, frozen veggies, and other beans)
  • milk (for all that cereal, obviously)
  • miracle whip (I think I have enough, but I'm allowing it just in case: tuna isn't tuna without the tangy zip of miracle whip), green onions, and cucumber (for the tuna)
  • ground beef (to make chili with beans, tomatoes, frozen veggies, and taco seasoning)
  • olive oil
  • dishwashing detergent

    That's it. Nothing else. Nada. Zilch.

    My food choices will be limited, but the kitties and I certainly won't starve. I can see myself two days before payday, eating cereal for 3 meals a day. This is the life I've made for myself, I just gotta deal.

    posted at 12:40 AM

    Watching/Hearing/Listening to: SNL, Discovery Channel Plastic Surgery, HGTV Design on a Dime
    Drinking: diet coke
    Wearing: light gray shorts, light gray tank, white socks

    before after

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