No Surprises
Student loans? Bane of my existence. Yes, the government enabled me to go to college — rent would’ve gone unpaid without the loans — but the accumulated debt exceeds any yearly salary I’ve had at any job since. Very depressing. If they’re calling, remember, these folks can garnish your wages. Talk to them. Fill out the 15 dozen forms they need to defer or reduce your payments. These you cannot escape, so arm yourself with knowledge and deal with those loans head on. Medical bills? That’s the killer, isn’t it? I’m still paying off ER visits (aka “health care for the uninsured”). This one I don’t have a solution for — pray for a public option?
And then, win the lottery. Or hope your earthly exit predates your forced retirement. Or continue doing the best you can while focusing on family, friends and this amazing place we share. Maybe it’ll all work out.
Last month, I invited readers to share spendthrift ideas. Gail Slaughter wrote in with the following:
“If I were to give advice to the average person who has too much month at the end of the money, the number one thing I’d say is to eat out only as an occasional social outing. People who claim it’s just as cheap to eat at a restaurant as at home are full of, well, expensive vittles … Also, I’d suggest, mainly to women, check out thrift stores for your clothes, especially jeans, which are not only very cheap but guaranteed to be preshrunk. Plus this is fun and you have little guilt.”
Ann Bayer offered advice on keeping the I’m-so-tired-and-can’t-stand-to-cook-tonight-pizza fund going: “Regarding what to do when you end up buying pizza when you hadn’t budgeted for it — I suppose you know that trick of saving all of your change in a jar, then every few months spending it on some little luxury? Or putting 10 dollars a week away and forgetting about it for a few months? Then when you can’t bear to cook sometime, you’ll have this ‘found’ little extra. My problem with that, when my kids were younger, was they’d get invited to one or two too many birthday parties one month, and my little fun emergency fund would get wiped out. I heard something funny that made me sad recently: ‘Yeah, the best things in life are free, and all of them cost money.’”
Have other ideas? Need to rant? The inbox is always open.
→ post a comment
on the cover
Railroad!
Proposed lines ‘set rich blood a-tingling’ in early 1900s
Some Other Proposed North Coast Railroads
Choo-choo Fantasies
Exposing this east-west rail nonsense
seven-o-heaven
Undeterred Will
Will chides Andrew for lack of attention to detail and makes plans for his inevitable victory.
Recent savage money
Jan. 20, 2011
Quit Your Whining
In this country, the destitute have never had it so good!
Dec. 23, 2010
Resolved: Solvency
After the Xmas deluge, put your financial house in order this January
Nov. 25, 2010
That Dreadful Time of Year
But if you keep your head about you, Christmas can actually be kinda fun
Today
44th Annual Kinetic Grand Championship Race
STAFF PICK / events, art, outdoors, sports, for kids, free / 9 a.m.-6 p.m. A 3-day, 42-mile kinetic sculpture race over land, sand, mud and water! LeMans start at the Noon Whistle on the Arcata Plaza. Follow the race through Manila, Eureka and into Ferndale on Memorial Day for the Glorious Finish. kineticgrandchampionship.com. 889-3024.
Flow 2012 Fashion Show
STAFF PICK / events / 8 p.m. Arcata Theatre Lounge, 1036 G St. Student designed and produced clothing. Fundraiser for Arcata Arts Institute. $35/$25 students. artsinstitute.net. 822-1220.
Woodside Preschool's Rummage/Bake Sale
events / 8 a.m.-noon. Woodside Preschool, 900 Hodgson St, Eureka. www.woodsidepreschool.com. 445-9132.
Lanphere Dunes Restoration
STAFF PICK / outdoors / 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Meet at Pacific Union School. Help remove non-native invasives at the Lanphere Dunes Unit of the Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Tools and gloves provided, wear work clothes and bring water. Carpool to the protected site. 444-1397.
More →
TWO Comments
Comment / By Kristen Serratos / Sept. 27, 2009, 7:42 p.m.
Jen I loved this article more than you know. It’s as if we were separated at birth. I am a born and raised citizen of the Humboldt nation. The one thing that I hate right now is the idea of possibly uprooting and leaving here just because of money. I have been unemployed for 9 months now and have been actively seeking employment the whole time. Its only a matter of a few months and my unemployment benefits run out, so its getting down to the wire. The one good thing about it is I am a 40 something single woman whose kids have grown and moved on. But, I am starting to feel like the empty nester who is going to be forced to leave her cozy home called Humboldt. It saddens me but it is reality unfortunately. Your article just struck a chord with me, and thank you very much for writing it.
Comment / By Shelley Ellis / Oct. 11, 2009, 9:19 p.m.
Well, hi my old friend. Here I am, still in Montana, still making far less money than I did in beautiful Humboldt, and enjoying the hell out of your writing, as always. Am contemplating your (1) work, (2) die scenario. Seems like a plan, sadly, and I even have a “good” job. Next semester, I’m on sabbatical to finish The Book. Yep, THAT book. Haha. I hope you’re well. Drop a line. Still miss you after all these years.