Dolla Dolla Bills

Over the next month I will be preparing to make the big move. It will be the fifth home in three and a half years.

1. The Rat Box - 2 months spent at Yew and 7th. The rent was 375 a month. The location and the price were right, that was it. It had rats and mice. It had a roommate that would leave syringes on the floor between the entrance and my room - which was through her room. These were just the major issues, the minor issues would've had me fleeing as well. And after a month of living there, I gave my notice. But it was four days into the next month. She felt that wasn't enough time. One night while she was at class, I bolted. I abandoned a futon and a mattress, which I felt was fair payment for bills that I hadn't covered. If nothing else, I was hoping I was covering my karmic debt.

2. Laburnum - 8 months spent on Kits Point. What may have once been a beautiful character home, had deteriorated into a derelict frat house. The first few months were great, especially the second month where we had just 5 people living there. But that number would fluctuate up to 8, with reports of Dan Ackroyd lining up for a spot on the couch one night. I loved my room, hidden behind the utility room in the basement. Weeds would grow through the floor which was just wood slats on the dirt ground. But it the experience was just too much. When I returned from a trip back home, I found that my roommates had put all our dishes in the yard to let the rain clean them. I found a new place within the week.

3. The Lair - I spent nearly two years at this two bedroom apartment just off Commercial Drive. High ceilings with old wood framing, a claw-foot deep bathtub... It was very lovely. I had three roommates during that time, each of them brought something different to my experience and I don't regret having any of them sharing my space (or in the first case, I shared her space). But with a ridiculous schedule and a yearning to finally fly solo, I would go west. To Main Street.

4. Le Attic - I've been here 10 months and by the end of the month, I'll be onto a new place. It's adorable and in an ideal location but there's not much I can do in the way of decorating, entertaining or even rearranging. The way things are now, I think there's no other way to get everything in here. It's just small. And the new place won't cost me much more, but will allow me to spread out and cook for my friends.

5. The new place - It doesn't have a name, a feel or any problems yet. But it ushers in an era of saving money. It will cost me a bit more to live there, and I already live beyond my means. That's really where I was planning to take this post.

As I was looking at my finances recently, I realized that I spend more than I bring in. I get the numbers in line only when I get birthday, Christmas and tax return money. Otherwise, on a month to month basis, more money is going out than coming in. I don't live an extravagant lifestyle at all. I eat out more than I should, but most of those meals are less than 15 dollars. I don't drink much and never in excess.

When I was made full-time by my company in December, I gave up on several hundred dollars a month. And getting my benefit coverage has been a complete pain in the ass - still unable to produce a drug card for things like birth control. I also started paying several hundred dollars a month in student loans in the new year.

Breaking things down, I will spend about 65% of my take home pay on rent, loans and bills. My disposable income is around $600. Unexpected expenses decimate me. And while I'd love to save money or travel. It's not in the budget. I want to have a car for the summer, for little day trips and to get to further more secluded beaches and parks... But I don't think I can hack it.

So, how do I decrease the spending? Well, right now I should be moving in with a roommate, not into my own bigger place. But I'm not.

10 things I'm going to do to save money:

1. No Starbucks - I don't even drink coffee and while I like a Chai Latte, I can do without it. If I'm wanting to hang out and use the free internet, I can get a steamed milk for half the price and give preferential treatment to local places - rather than the giant chain with no free internet.

2. Switch Banks - The fees commercials have finally gotten through to me. ING? Coast Capital? Vancity? Who should I be running to?

3. Drink more water - It's a healthy decision if nothing else. So is...

4. Reduce my meat intake - I don't know if I'm wanting to go vegetarian, but when I'm shopping, some of the costliest stuff is coming in the form of my protein. A lot of protein can come from alternate sources, and cheaper sources.

5. Furnish the new place with used goods - I may have to take a trip to Ikea or Walmart for things that can't be found on craigslist, but I'm committed to getting (at least) another couch that is used.

6. Not use credit cards - Right now I owe about $500 dollars, and that's as much as I ever want to owe for the rest of the year (after an escalating balance for much of 2008).

7. Eliminate the "make me feel better" shopping excuse - Even though I never spend much money, it adds up, especially in the bad months. Luckily the good months of the year are ahead of me.

8. Eat breakfast - It's a good habit and won't have me yearning for whatever I can grab, or starbucks, later.

9. Ride my bike - Especially if it is to a place that I can imagine taking a cab home from later. I can always leave my bike there if I have to, but I'm never too drunk to drive - I just don't drink that much!

10. Don't buy just because it's on sale - I always rationalize purchases because "It's regularly 80 dollars and just 20 now!" but if I have to rationalize it, I don't need it. It's the reason I have so many clothes, but nothing of real quality.

There are also more tips here: 100 in fact!

And friends who are reading this, I hope I have your support. Lets think of great plans that don't cost money! Lets make another music video, or have more games nights, or potlucks... Yes, let us do that.