zeriah

So I've discovered that our financial issues are no one's fault but our own. We got our monthly statement today and out of curiosity I added up exactly how much we spend on fast food in a month and I nearly shat myself upon reading the total. My boyfriend and I spend (get ready for it) we spend $185.97 on fast food in one month!!!! That's both our electic bill and trash bill right there and we haven't paid either of those bills since the month before last due to lack of funds....go fuckin figure. Now here's what really upsets the shit out of me....I spend....(wait for it)....$91.03 total on smokes in a month!!! That's right I spend nearly a hundred bucks a month to kill myself. so all in all we could be saving $277.00 a month if we didn't eat out and I didn't smoke and we wouldn't be having so many issues with paying rent and bills on time. So, what are we going to do about it? Well, I suggested to Dik that he start bringing lunch with him to work and I start smoking rolling tobacco (which is super harsh on my throat and should make me want to quit like last time) and that should bring down our accessive amount of money we spend. We begin this new journey tomorrow, since he already went out to eat again today before I made him aware of the situation. I may work two jobs, but it's so slow and tips are so awful at both places it's just not gonna cut it, we need to make some budget changes NOW!!! I can't believe we blow through nearly $300 a month on fast food and smokes, it's just insane. Who does that? I'm on welfare and I have come to realize, I don't have to be if I just cut out some "luxuries" and "extras". I feel like shit, here I was blaming the slow nights at the bar and the little old ladies in the morning that think a dollar and a peppermint will get me by when I wait on them at Steak N Shake and low and behold my boyfriend and I are directly responsible for our financial problems. I wish I had done this little math equation sooner because here it is almost Christmas and rent is still not paid nor have we done any Christmas shopping for our 4 little girls....what a sad sad Christmas morning it will be when we have one present each for them under the tree and an eviction notice on our front door. How nice. I'm upset as hell and I hope we can cut out these extras just in time to save our asses from having Christmas in the street. I would like to blame fast food advertising and the tobacco industry, but everyone does that. It's time I take my life into my own hands and say, "I have will power and I shall use it for the greater good for myself and my family!" So folks I suppose the only advice I have for the rest of you that may find yourselves short on money at times is to just calculate your bank statements....go ahead and go through your bank statements and discover how much money you can save by indulging less in the things that are "more convenient" or "a treat" because they add up more than you realize.
Feeling a little more enlightened
Zeriah