MONEY | THE BIGGEST BALL ACHE

Money; the biggest ball ache known to man.

So yesterday I had that thing where I looked at my online banking and nearly had a mini heart attack.

It’s just over two weeks until payday and I’m in no position to do the things I have planned, let alone live off anything but soup for 14 days. How has this happened?

And no, I’m not a ‘silly-billy’, I understand that clearly I’d spent it. But it’s not like I was out for two weekends straight pretending I was 50 cent and spending that dollar on all things mental and ridiculous (drink, gold plated cars, hookers etc.)

No, just mundane things like petrol, phone bills & dry shampoo (‘cause a gal can’t live without this secret stardust right?)

And actually, it was the need to buy new reading glasses this month that tipped me over the edge into minus numbers and beyond. Is being able to see properly a luxury in this day and age? Probably.

So yesterday, when I may have had a mini break down and cried a wee bit, I was trying to understand why I continually run out of money every month when all I seem to do is work my hiney off like a loon.

And let me make this crystal clear. I know I am more fortunate than a helluva lotta people out there. I understand that in actual fact, I am incredibly lucky to be in the position I’m in right now. I’m talking ‘First World Problems’ here, that don’t compare to Haiti or any of the other seriously scary shit going on in the world.

But it worries the crap outta me that there are people in less fortunate positions than me still trying to get by (buy a house, feed themselves, not fall off the money wagon into debt). 

This post is just to highlight the issues I’m having as a 2o something year old with a standard job and a mortgage to pay.

Imma bout to rant real good about money. There’s also some questions thrown in the mix that I’d like answers to right now please. Kay thanks:

Why do I work all the hours in the world only to be faced with mental high costs of living (which FYI are completely unbalanced in every freakin’ way). 

Right now, I’m living in a world where around two thirds of my monthly income is spent on paying my mortgage and bills. It leaves me with this slither of money to carefully spend on food shopping and any other expenses that month. There is pretty much zero room for frivolous spending (although I seem to push this boundary fairly frequently).

I don’t earn badly and yet I’m struggling like a mudder-trucker to get through to the end of the month without seeing a million minuses in my bank balance. So I find it seriously concerning that there are people in less fortunate paying jobs trying to get by exactly the same as me.

Freddo’s are now a whopping 25p. Need I say more?

 

Money does not equal happiness but it sure as hell helps. 

Okay, so we all know that there are more important things in life than money (like family, friends, love, laughter and blocks of cheddar cheese).

But honestly, money is stressful. It can hugely taint all the good, wholesome free things in life and that’s when it becomes a real bummer.

You don’t seem to get anything for free anymore. Everything costs. Even to cross a stupid bridge to see friends on the other side comes with a price. I mean what’s all that about?

 

Yes, you can tell me until you’re blue in the face that I need to stop buying clothes but I swear to god that is not the issue here. 

I needed to mention this one ’cause this is what a lot of you are thinking right? And when I tell you about my big black cloud hanging over me, my money issues, this is what you all tell me; ‘Just stop being a regular in New Look & H&M’.

Well lemme tell you something; YOU SO WRONG. I know with this blog it may seem like I spend an awful lot on clothes, but I really don’t.

All I’ve purchased this month is a coat (a completely babin’ one at that). It was only £29 from Tescos. A seriously practical and non frivolous purchase right? Oh and a ball dress for a tenner. Because times are hard but a girl still has to go to black tie charity balls and look like a princess. (A tenner people, I spent a tenner on a black tie, full length ball dress).

My incapibility to get through the month without seeing 0 signs isn’t wholly to do with my shopping habit. It’s a hell of a lot more complicated than that.

Probably more to do with spending an insane amount each month on mobile phone bills and deciding that I deffo need life insurance and DenPlan and making my PT sessions an absolute must in life.

Why the flip were there no lessons on how to handle finances in school? 

Forget trigonometry and turning litmus paper blue, what I really needed were some kind of lessons in ‘life’. Like how to only spend within your means and how to avoid getting into debt (oh and also how to get over heartbreak, as that woulda been real handy in ’07).

I would have been real grateful for a huge heads up on all the things you have to spend money on as an adult. I don’t mean I wanted my hopes & dreams crushed, but just a quick ‘YO even when you hit 25 you still won’t be able to afford a car’. 

 

Will I ever, ever, ever be comfortable?

Do you remember that time when you were young, when you had this dreamy idea that there’s this age when you hit proper adult (say around 28) when everything just clicks. Like suddenly you can afford everything you want without depending on your parents and y’know, house, marriage, even kids are like pretty much sewn up.

I think the key word here is ‘dreamy’. Like I cannot ever see a time when I’ll be completely care free in the money department. It seems ongoing, this battle with me and my finances. And LOL to marriage and kids. What even is that.

 

That’s my rant over. I feel a teeny, tiny bit less stressed out writing it all out like this.

If anyone has any top tips on how to save money, chuck em my way. I’m all ears.

And I’m thinking of perhaps writing a few posts on ways I’m saving pennys (healthy recipes on the cheap, the best places to buy the latest trends for less etc.) Would this be of any interest to you guys?

Oh and do you wanna know my best cure for money stress? I turn on the news and realise that there’s much bigger fish to fry out there. It makes me sit quietly and enjoy my cheapo dinner of veg & rice. I give Max a cuddle and drink a cup of tea and remember that things can always be worse, a hell of a lot worse.

Have an ace Sunday everyone.

3 Comments

  1. Lyn Ewers
    9th October 2016 / 8:16 pm

    This is a difficult oNe for me Jade, hence, I wont comment in public.
    At my age, moneY is no problem, but I have been there, honest, somehow, it does get better.
    This may be just what you need to hear aS its still very raw to us all.
    My daughter Sarah has a best friend who’s 6 yr old daughter has just been diagnosed with cancer.
    Please dont think Im Being nasty or wanting you to feel guilty, you know I love you dearly, but sometimes we all need a wake up call to make us realise how lucky we aRe.
    Having said that, the way yOu write is amazing & I still managed a smile, give each other a big hug, things will get better & hopefully they will for little daisy ???. Much love. Lyn. XXX❤️❤️❤️❤️

  2. 11th October 2016 / 7:43 am

    I am all over this! ? My husband and i have good jobs and a mortgage but get to week two of the month and have to live like paupers on stone soup! no, money doesn’t buy you happiness but it does Make Being miserable a dam siGht comfier. Every day, we Hear in the news that young people are living worse than their parents did and its true! I find it helps to shop at Aldi for food, this haS broughT my shopping bills down consIderably- i wouldnt shop anywhere else now. But i think this only offsets the fact I drive a very juicy car ?
    Everyone tells me it gets better, considering Teachers pay 7% on their pensions, i guess it’ll be then!

    • 11th October 2016 / 7:44 am

      Apologies for all of the funny caps, the input box is all in capitals! ?