Mission Impossible

It's been a bad month :)

I've been away for a long time, and honestly, it shows on my accounts. I feel like an alcoholic who stopped going to his AA meetings because he thought he could handle it...

I obviously couldn't. I'm in a bit of a pinch right now. I didn't pay attention to my checking last month, and I didn't follow my budget. So, the grizzly details? I spent a lot of money in Milwaukee, because I was covering for my sisters. I put the expenses on my Wells Card, and they each wrote me a check at the end of the weekend. Then I proceeded to spend their checks, and not pay off the card. The damage?

Substantial.

My autopayments went out, as they were supposed to. Remember how I put that $720 autopayment on my car? Yeah. I essentially have $700 in my accounts, now, and I have a $438 CC bill with Wells Fargo, AND my insurance is doubling up on me this paycheck, so I'm going to get hit with an additional $180 from them this month.

As my expenses are normally $120 gas and $550 food, that means I'm pretty screwed. Events for June/July? Camping in a few weeks, but that's the only biggee.

This is the math, just so I know what a mess I've made:

Total Expenditures:
$438 (CC)
$180 (insurance)
$120 (gas)
$550 (food)
$1288

Total Money On Hand
$700

Deficit
$588

Okay, so here's how we'll try to cut it:
I think my second insurance payment is going to land late, after I get paid--it usually does--so I'm going to keep my fingers crossed wrt that $90. Well, I won't actually keep my fingers crossed--I'll keep an eye on my account, and if I see the insurance is coming in "on time," I'll just have to forward myself some money.

So. I'm going to try and do the impossible. I'm going to park the car, for real, bike into work, and make the cheapest meals possible. I don't really need to budget for the camping trip, because it lands on payday. I don't really need to buy anything, because I own all the gear. I'll schedule free events with my friends, so I don't have to worry about those expenses.

MY BUDGET (working backwards)
+$920.35 (checking)
+$280.00 (work savings)
= $1200.35
- $500 (rent)
- $90 (car insurance)
- $437.69 (cc)
= $172.66
+ $12.00 (back pocket)
= $184.66

This is impossible, but I'm going to try anyway.

Here's some things I have to do:
- Plan events (picnics in the park, stuff like that)
- Plan meals
- Get my bike in gear this evening

I'm going to check in EVERY DAY this month, to let you know how things are going. I know this is almost impossible, but I'm going to try. I always like a challenge.

In other news:
I had a blog up for my writing but I'm going to abandon it for now. I'll just keep you guys up to date. I'm slugging through my re-writes. I've gotten a good bit done, and it's in an agents hands right now--he's promised a read. I have no idea how I feel about that. I'm not going to let myself get excited. I expect to get some news back in a few weeks.

Cheers. I'll get back (often). I'm off to read up on good nutritious (and cheap) food.