Battenin Down the Hatches

The Barren Horizon

So I'm thinking part of my moroseness lately is facing down the imminent loss of free spending money. I'm determined, with my new financial start, that I'm going to do it completely. Until my consolidation loan is paid off, there will be no usage of the credit cards unless I know it can be paid off immediately with money on hand.

With such in mind, I've been considering alternate options for having available spending money. I just received my delivery discount from my washer and dryer, and my deposit refund from the last apartment. I have these earmarked for a few items I really want to get before the well runs completely dry.

Just a Few More Purchases...

Chiefly, a dragon print that will be perfect over my entertainment center, and needs to be framed. Plus, one more panel of jean drapes to flesh out a couple of my remaining window trimmings. Mom came by this past weekend to finish measuring and planning what to do with the panels I already bought (she's custom-tayloring them for me) and we realized I need one more. But they're $55 a pop for one panel. I hadn't realized what an awesome sale I'd gotten the other ones for. So I guess I get to wait for another sale.

Same goes for the framing... I don't think I've framed ANY of my prints for anything less than Michael's 50%-off-the-entire-framing sales. They just had one last month, though, so I'll just keep my eye out for another.

I'm not sure if I've ever mentioned that I'm not good at waiting. For anything. With money burning a hold in my bank account. *sigh* This will simply be a test of my patience and resolve.

Alternate Income?

Amway, one of the alternate options I mentioned above is a second job. Yeah, I periodically consider then discard the idea. I don't think I'd survive a second job for long... not with my head causing problems all the time. But a local textbook exchange has been recently been advertising for customer service reps... for part time/temporary positions until school starts. So I went ahead and put in an application before I change my mind again. I figure I can surely handle two months of extra work. If I get the job. If I get a phone call. I guess I'll see.

But I'm kinda hoping for it. I REALLY would like to get a new couch to finish up my furniture purchases. I have some possibilities of having guests stay with me within the next year, and I'd really like to be able to put the futon in the guest room for them.

Of course, I'll always have my tax return next year, but I suspect that will be sucked up by a visit to San Diego next Fall. But one thing at a time. We'll see what happens. The office manager also asked me a few months back if I'd be interested in some finance part/time work with her husband's business. Since I could work from home, it would be a perfect opportunity. But they're really only in the thinking stages, and I don't think they're really willing to take that step yet.

So again... guess I'll see what happens.