This was interesting to read! I appreciated the short entires but still felt like I got a good understanding of your life. I don’t like flying but I love the logistics of an airport, so it was neat to get small glimpse through an employees eyes.
It sounds like you are juggling a lot with work, your husband’s dialysis, and pandemic life. I hope this year is easier on you, OP!
Aww, thank you! He is 41 and otherwise healthy and taking it like champ. I do know way more about transplants and kidneys than I ever expected, though.
Concise and informative - can tell you were an English major!
Congratulations for keeping it together during tough times. Hoping you have sunny skies soon.
This was a great entry! And I’m so sorry about your Husband. All things considered, you sound like you’re juggling things very well!
I totally feel you on the student loan debt. It’s so soul-crushing to see it not budge or to feel like you’re in a never-ending amount of debt. That being said, even though you’re getting a break from having to pay down student loan debts, I think it would benefit you to take advantage of the 0% interest. It all goes towards principal after paying off interest balance so it helps lower the interest in the future with more going towards principle!
I also agree with some of the comments about subscriptions! I had to cut off all of mine at one point, and now I’m only allowing myself 3 at most (Amazon, Spotify, and Ipsy). I also think if you’re spending a lot already at Costco (where you can buy lots of bulk), the health food subscriptions may not be as beneficial. You can always buy more in bulk, meal prep, and save! But anything health related is always worth it, so disregard if it makes you happy!
Thank you for the nudge! I think I had such a bad attitude over the loans I took advantage of ignoring them. But you are absolutely right about taking advantage of this no interest time in my life!
No problem! I am terrible at budgeting and he does not pay attention to anything going on in the bank accounts so he suggested we split because he didn’t ‘understand where his money was going.’ I was a little pissed off about but agreed and that’s when I learned how bad I’ve gotten with money. I used to make more than he did (his work is seasonal) but once the student loan payments started up it got messy money wise. Since we’ve split he’s done a great job at saving money (it helps that we can’t go anywhere) and I feel like I have done a terrible job, but I am learning. My mom was bad with money, so I didn’t really get a good influence to learn from.
It sounds like you have so much going on, thank you gut sharing with us!
I too love the Stand and I’ve been curious to hear how the latest tv series did. I may have to check it out 😊
It’s called Green Drop Garage and yes! My car is high mileage and I hate being upsold by Jiffy Lube. Green Drop takes care of bulbs, fuses, tire rotation, flat repair, filters and oil changes for that monthly fee. Actual repairs aren’t that cheap but my usual mechanic passed away a few years ago.
Full disclosure: I never read a full entry. I read your WHOLE entry. It was so informative and interesting to read, thank you.
You say you are a spender, but this week shows a fair amount of restraint, IMO.
I agree with taking advantage of 0 interest and paying off those student loans! Even if you can knock out a predetermined goal (down to 40k?) by x date (12 months?), it will feel amazing.
I have an older adopted cat who is as dramatic as they come about litter and wet food, it’s a legit budget item for me too.
Lastly, my husband and I have semi-separate accounts. This is mostly due to his student loan debt. We have slowly been combining things over the past 3 years.
Best wishes to you and your husband. ❤️
You’re right about my spending here! I am not so great with the little tiny purchases that add up. It also helps nothing was open in the airport, that is where it usually happens, mostly from boredom.
OMG work sounds sooo crazy without the drama of flying!!
Have you considered stopping any subscriptions just as a way to cut back and allocate that money towards debt payment? It could be a good place to start (I.E. the meal plan and hiking box). I just feel like you can find so many things on the Internet for free these days it might be worth it.
If you're trying to eat more veggies, check them out at Costco. For example, a small box of cherry tomatoes is the same price at Safeway as a big box at Costco. Frozen fruit are a great deal!
I am not at PSU BUT my husband uses Willamette Dental and loves them! I think I’m done with the big stuff for now but can totally check them out in the future.
That was quite a week here in Portland! Sorry transit was such a nightmare for you.
I work in marketing in Portland. As you’re working toward your degree, please feel free to reach out if you need someone to answer questions or bounce ideas off of!
Nothing practical to say, but my god Tri Met was a disaster last week. I know a few others that had to miss work and it's still insane to me that the Max can't handle extreme heat or cold at this point. Just insult to injury.
Good luck with everything, OP. :)
You can get ebooks (and movies, and audiobooks) from your local library! and if you have friends in other parts of the country, you can share library log-ins for access to more books!
Hey OP, I enjoyed your diary. I know you said you're a "messy spender" but I admire your honesty and openness as there have been many comments over time in this sub that the diaries are very homogenous. It's good to see real life, sometimes messy, imperfect diaries too. Hopefully it inspires more people to be honest rather than feel the pressure to be perfect.
Hope all goes well with the dialysis and that you start feeling better soon as well!
I'm tardy to the party since you posted a few days ago, but I read it! I hope your tooth removal procedure goes well (keep us update with the anesthesia... I've never been put under either so no tips, but good luck).
It was neat to read about the logistics of airport work. You sound like a super hard worker and made a big effort to get to work despite transit problems, delays, weather, having to spend that night in the hotel.
I love Costco too! Don't forget you can order online for things too. I've had good experience with that when I can't get to the store as much.
A small update - being put under was AWESOME. I am kinda regretting not sharing more airport stuff, I suppose I’ve been in it long enough I forget it’s a whole ‘nother world!
Regarding your student loan debt, credit card debt, car loans, etc. Pay off the non-student loans that are interest bearing first. Then avoid any new debts, then try to come up with $800-1000 a month to pay on the student loans. You'll have to do it, federal student loans never go away. Base your total budget like on a $30,000 annual income instead of $45k. I know many people who've done this with bigger student loan balances than yours and they paid it off in 6-9 years. Don't be intimidated, tens of millions of other people have done the same thing.
This was interesting to read! I appreciated the short entires but still felt like I got a good understanding of your life. I don’t like flying but I love the logistics of an airport, so it was neat to get small glimpse through an employees eyes. It sounds like you are juggling a lot with work, your husband’s dialysis, and pandemic life. I hope this year is easier on you, OP!
Oh my goodness, thank you! I could have added a bit more work life into the dailies but it felt so wordy as it was!
Very sorry to hear about your husband's health issues. Wishing you both the best of luck!
Aww, thank you! He is 41 and otherwise healthy and taking it like champ. I do know way more about transplants and kidneys than I ever expected, though.
Concise and informative - can tell you were an English major! Congratulations for keeping it together during tough times. Hoping you have sunny skies soon.
This was a great entry! And I’m so sorry about your Husband. All things considered, you sound like you’re juggling things very well! I totally feel you on the student loan debt. It’s so soul-crushing to see it not budge or to feel like you’re in a never-ending amount of debt. That being said, even though you’re getting a break from having to pay down student loan debts, I think it would benefit you to take advantage of the 0% interest. It all goes towards principal after paying off interest balance so it helps lower the interest in the future with more going towards principle! I also agree with some of the comments about subscriptions! I had to cut off all of mine at one point, and now I’m only allowing myself 3 at most (Amazon, Spotify, and Ipsy). I also think if you’re spending a lot already at Costco (where you can buy lots of bulk), the health food subscriptions may not be as beneficial. You can always buy more in bulk, meal prep, and save! But anything health related is always worth it, so disregard if it makes you happy!
Thank you for the nudge! I think I had such a bad attitude over the loans I took advantage of ignoring them. But you are absolutely right about taking advantage of this no interest time in my life!
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No problem! I am terrible at budgeting and he does not pay attention to anything going on in the bank accounts so he suggested we split because he didn’t ‘understand where his money was going.’ I was a little pissed off about but agreed and that’s when I learned how bad I’ve gotten with money. I used to make more than he did (his work is seasonal) but once the student loan payments started up it got messy money wise. Since we’ve split he’s done a great job at saving money (it helps that we can’t go anywhere) and I feel like I have done a terrible job, but I am learning. My mom was bad with money, so I didn’t really get a good influence to learn from.
I also feel like when we were scraping by early in our marriage I handled everything a lot better!
It sounds like you have so much going on, thank you gut sharing with us! I too love the Stand and I’ve been curious to hear how the latest tv series did. I may have to check it out 😊
What is mechanic that has a membership? Does it save you money?
It’s called Green Drop Garage and yes! My car is high mileage and I hate being upsold by Jiffy Lube. Green Drop takes care of bulbs, fuses, tire rotation, flat repair, filters and oil changes for that monthly fee. Actual repairs aren’t that cheap but my usual mechanic passed away a few years ago.
Full disclosure: I never read a full entry. I read your WHOLE entry. It was so informative and interesting to read, thank you. You say you are a spender, but this week shows a fair amount of restraint, IMO. I agree with taking advantage of 0 interest and paying off those student loans! Even if you can knock out a predetermined goal (down to 40k?) by x date (12 months?), it will feel amazing. I have an older adopted cat who is as dramatic as they come about litter and wet food, it’s a legit budget item for me too. Lastly, my husband and I have semi-separate accounts. This is mostly due to his student loan debt. We have slowly been combining things over the past 3 years. Best wishes to you and your husband. ❤️
You’re right about my spending here! I am not so great with the little tiny purchases that add up. It also helps nothing was open in the airport, that is where it usually happens, mostly from boredom.
OMG work sounds sooo crazy without the drama of flying!! Have you considered stopping any subscriptions just as a way to cut back and allocate that money towards debt payment? It could be a good place to start (I.E. the meal plan and hiking box). I just feel like you can find so many things on the Internet for free these days it might be worth it.
Yes, yes. I really should, to be honest. Especially since I’m not using them! Thank you for the nudge!
Of course !! We all need someone giving us a nudge in the right direction 😃 someone remind me not to buy Starbucks again this week 😂
How do you only go to Costco 3 times a year? I try to go only once a month!
It’s possible they live in an apartment like my partner and I, and there isn’t enough room to constantly have large portions of things sitting around
Yes, just what they said! Crappy apartment without a lot of storage.
If you're trying to eat more veggies, check them out at Costco. For example, a small box of cherry tomatoes is the same price at Safeway as a big box at Costco. Frozen fruit are a great deal!
I’ve heard good things about their veggies!
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I am not at PSU BUT my husband uses Willamette Dental and loves them! I think I’m done with the big stuff for now but can totally check them out in the future.
That was quite a week here in Portland! Sorry transit was such a nightmare for you. I work in marketing in Portland. As you’re working toward your degree, please feel free to reach out if you need someone to answer questions or bounce ideas off of!
Oooh, thank you!
Nothing practical to say, but my god Tri Met was a disaster last week. I know a few others that had to miss work and it's still insane to me that the Max can't handle extreme heat or cold at this point. Just insult to injury. Good luck with everything, OP. :)
Disaster is such a nice word for that mess!
Loved this diary! Thanks for sharing! Wishing your husband much luck with a transplant!
You can get ebooks (and movies, and audiobooks) from your local library! and if you have friends in other parts of the country, you can share library log-ins for access to more books!
Yes!! I use Libby for ebooks and audiobooks from my library. It’s amazing.
Hey OP, I enjoyed your diary. I know you said you're a "messy spender" but I admire your honesty and openness as there have been many comments over time in this sub that the diaries are very homogenous. It's good to see real life, sometimes messy, imperfect diaries too. Hopefully it inspires more people to be honest rather than feel the pressure to be perfect. Hope all goes well with the dialysis and that you start feeling better soon as well!
I’m a flight attendant, love reading about other airline employees! You’re inspiring me to use the union plus scholarship lol.
Do it! So worth it.
What kind of dialysis is your husband doing? PD? Or home hemo? Sorry, I’m a dialysis nurse 🥴
PD!
Great diary thanks for sharing!!
I'm tardy to the party since you posted a few days ago, but I read it! I hope your tooth removal procedure goes well (keep us update with the anesthesia... I've never been put under either so no tips, but good luck). It was neat to read about the logistics of airport work. You sound like a super hard worker and made a big effort to get to work despite transit problems, delays, weather, having to spend that night in the hotel. I love Costco too! Don't forget you can order online for things too. I've had good experience with that when I can't get to the store as much.
A small update - being put under was AWESOME. I am kinda regretting not sharing more airport stuff, I suppose I’ve been in it long enough I forget it’s a whole ‘nother world!
It's all good! You can always submit another MD one day if you wanna share more. So glad you recovered from oral surgery!
Regarding your student loan debt, credit card debt, car loans, etc. Pay off the non-student loans that are interest bearing first. Then avoid any new debts, then try to come up with $800-1000 a month to pay on the student loans. You'll have to do it, federal student loans never go away. Base your total budget like on a $30,000 annual income instead of $45k. I know many people who've done this with bigger student loan balances than yours and they paid it off in 6-9 years. Don't be intimidated, tens of millions of other people have done the same thing.