October 19, 2006
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Whadda Ya Gonna Do?
That's what my best friend says. It's a lovely catch all phrase with just the right amount of humor, resignation, and possibility that maybe this time something will be done, even if it's me that's doing it.
The way I see it I don't have that many choices.
- Find a second job to supplement my income.
- Find a different job that will pay me a living wage.
- Ask the boss to increase my salary.
- Stop eating.
My best friend also assures me that I'm not a drama queen. What I'd like is a drama free life where I happily do my job, happily cash my paycheck, and happily pay my bills with some left over.
well, and if you want to see me totally ecstatic, I'd also like opportunity to spend lazy afternoons with my best friend, I'd prefer that we be sipping exotic drinks with umbrellas on a beach somewhere, but I'd be happy just hanging out at home too. I'd like to get a publisher interested in my novel. And I'd like to have a house. Doesn't have to be a big house, in fact I'd prefer a not so big house. I just want a place of my own that I can't lose through divorce, or because they raised the rent beyond my reach.
There's my list.
Thank God I was able to create Terrisday to start my week. I've needed that foundation to deal with all the schtuff that's been coming down the pike.
I'm not a drama queen (And if I say it often enough, maybe I'll start to believe that ...)
I have a meeting with my boss tomorrow and I'm rather pessimistic about the whole thing. He wants to change my status from Independent Contractor to W-2 Employee. And on the surface that's a lovely thing. There's the shiny promise of health insurance and I'd split my tax burden. But ... without a pay increase, and I mean a significant pay increase, I can't afford the withholdings. My rent alone is over 60% of my gross income. Reduce that by much and I'll be living in a lovely home with no heat.
I know that my best friend would say that I'm not a whiner, I know this because I already heard those very words when we were talking about my options. But, I know in my heart that I have a huge load of resentment toward all the circumstances that seem determined to keep me in this place of struggling and struggling.
The irony of all this is I just finished the book on Financial Literacy. It was written to help other people in similar circumstances to mine get a handle on managing their money. And I won't make a dime off the project, and unless things change and soon, I'll be living off my savings again.
Dammit.
Comments (7)
I wish I'd thought of this sooner. In your book, you should have a section on the difference between poor and broke. You, m'dear, are broke but not poor.
That stinks. I'm certain I'd be feeling the same if I were you.
Is it Terrisday again yet?
What about your second job being one you create yourself? What is your dream job?
Could you take in lodgers? That used to be a solution.
LOL! ohhhh it's not funny...but it's the only theraputic thing I can think to do!
a) at least you have savings. I know that's no consolation since you have worked so hard to *create* those savings - and since you do deserve a pay increase! But, you know, a lot of people are barely able to buy food and don't have any savings lurking in the background
b) you can claim like 6 dependents and not have any income tax withheld. Or, if you did not owe tax last year you can claim Exempt. Your employer doesn't care what you claim - it's between you and the IRS and you don't HAVE to have money withheld if you don't have a huge tax bill every year...
Good luck!
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