Weird realizations...

[johnpalmer]

I'm on half-paychecks for two weeks because of my recent vacation. Yesterday, I had a startling moment.

I was getting worried about my checking account balance getting low... it had a certain dollar amount in it, and I needed to buy incidental stuff. You know, whatever food isn't available in the house, whatever stuff I run out of that I need, etc..

And then I realized that there were times in not-too-distant memory when I'd have been satisfied having that much for a *month*. I was concerned about having that much for a *week*.

And, okay, next week I get a half-paycheck, but that might cover my current bills, and have some left over. So, that much for as long as *two* weeks. And, yeah, gas is expensive; it used to be that $10 would fill my tank, and now it might take $30.

Still...

And I'm carrying a small balance on one credit card, which means I should wait *a whole month* before considering buying a new PC and a 19" flatscreen monitor. Oh, neither will be top of the line, but both will be decent.

And it's just strange, I don't think I ever realized I'd stepped away from being terrified about money, to feeling extremely comfortable, where even my current worries are things that seemed blessings before.

Comments

[kyra-ojosverdes.livejournal.com]

Hooray for financial stability! Congrats, and good job on all the work it took to get you there.

[karenkay.livejournal.com]

I've been thinking about money, too, but in a different way. Just reveling in getting the same amount of money every two weeks. A regular, dependable, reliable paycheck.

However you get it, it's nice to have enough money to pay your bills!

[droops.livejournal.com]

My wife and I make six-digit gross salaries now. When I got out of graduate school, I was making $15k. I can't believe I lived on it then or how easy it's been to live on what we have now.

[kightp.livejournal.com]

*nod* I still feel like I'm one paycheck away from homelessness, but when I stop to think about it, I'm not. Which is ... interesting.

Hell, even without significant savings or investments, I'll have a higher income after I retire than I did for long stretches of my working life, assuming Social Security and my pension don't both crash and burn.