The past couple months have felt like a punishment that I've endured kicking, and screaming, and crying the whole way through. In many ways, it was a punishment for making bad decisions and being an irresponsible, carefree twenty-something. Of course, I'm referring to having to work 7 days a week, sacrificing time with family and friends, and not indulging in unnecessary expenses like I used to. Now, that I'm getting an idea of the changes that lie ahead of me in the next couple months, I'm thinking what I've been going through wasn't a punishment but more of an experience in being a grown up with actual responsibilities. Hopefully, I was paying attention because I'm going to have to apply what I learned to the upcoming situations:
- No weekly paycheck from Macy's. Yes, you read right. I'm not working at Macy's anymore. I've managed to get out of the financial hole I dug for myself and felt good enough to let go of the second job. I turned in my resignation letter yesterday. However, I'm just out of the hole. Now I have to fill it in and plant a tree that will bear yummy fruit and help lessen air pollution (hey, I'm just going with the analogy). Basically, I'm at zero right now (instead of negative) and now I have to build up. Thanks to April and her financial plan for me (she's so smart!), I have a strategy to pay down credit cards, take care of the bills (car, utilities, mortgage, etc), and start saving. I'm not going to be perfect at this, I know, but I'm going to be a helluva lot better than I was last year.
- The Mama Bear might be moving back in with me. My mom isn't the best planner. She likes to have a Plan A through Plan AB and then will let you know at the 11th hour what plan she's going with. I chalk it up to her being a Gemini and wanting to have a gazillion options to choose from. Well, one of those plans is to move back into the condo at Diamond Bar with me. As of yesterday, this has a 60/40 chance of happening (60 in favor of coming back). I actually welcome her coming back (although she already drove me crazy yesterday, and that was just lunch). I'm able to save even more money, I get a freshly cooked meal every night, and I'll have someone to talk to at night. I'm okay with her not coming back too because I know it will be hard on my brother because he will have to commute to his school in Corona. The logistics of that is going to be insane for everyone. What do I want to happen? Good question, I guess if I really had to say, I would want them to come back for a little bit and then move back out when my grandpa and his wife come back from the Philippines (that, of course, is one of my mom's many plans too). We'll see how it plays out.
- Officially buying my car next month. The lease on my car ends on March 9th. I want to buy it and have been doing research on how to do that and get a good deal for it. I'm very intimidated by anything having to do with loans, financing, etc. Part of the problem is I'm not educated enough to really know what I'm talking about in negotiations. Hopefully, I can figure out all the terms and what I need to do in time. I really do love my car (his name is Max, by the way), so I hope I can keep him at a great price! The car websites say to shop around for car loans. If I can figure that one out, I'm buying myself some jewelry for conquering that monster. I'm hoping I don't have to negotiate this by myself, but I don't know anyone else who's had to buy a car at the end of their lease, so for now it looks like I'm going at it alone.
Well, those are the three major "tests" that are coming up where I can prove to myself I don't make the same mistakes twice and that I've grown up a bit. I feel somewhat ready to face the challenges ahead, which is cool because I usually feel like a chicken with my head cut off. I tend to panic and worry, so this is an unfamiliar, yet refreshing change of pace.
Hopefully, at the end of this, I can listen to "Miss Independent" (by Ne-yo) and fee like he's talking about me ;)
No comments:
Post a Comment