I'm hanging in there. There are alot of large life changes taking place in the next year (wedding, maybe,hopefully buying a house..we will see) and our normal lifestyle is very turbulent (FDH plays independant baseball and so job security is low, paychecks are very minimal). Sadly, it seems that the costs that are associated with this lifestyle are rising. We move (change states move) at least twice a year (3x this year and its only June) and it seems that rent is going up, and gas is really hurting us. I am moving from FL to MN next week and just get overwhelmed picturing the amount of gas that will be. So historically we have always lived within our means, and we will continue to do so...but this year might be the first year that we dont break even on the year. Costs associated with this lifestyle might outweight the paychecks.
To top it off baseball season is reaching the halfway point and once sept comes FDH will once again try to line up 'off season' work, odd jobs to get by until the season starts again. That pay very unpredictable and hard to count on. I like having a small cushion to get us through the off seasons, but so far for the season we are in debt on the credit cards to pay for moves, gas ect and though I am expecting to have them paid off in 2 paychecks...we are just behind. (compared to where we normally are at this point of the year) This season money-wise has been much tougher than past years.
For the 1st time in many years I am feeling a strong need to get a job- but that means staying behind in our home base state for the season and not seeing DFH for months at a time. The cost of airfare to visit, getting a proffessional wardrobe (you mean jeans and tanks are unacceptable, I've been wearing them everyday for years) and paying rent on 2 locations might not make that a viable option either. I have been delaying doing the numbers. I keep telling myself that we will catch up someday.
To add insult to injury- I normally feel secure about the long term future by $$ we dont touch invested in the stock market- its been in a nosedive. And the money we saved for a downpayment has been in a money market for the past few years and the monthly interest payment has dropped from nearly $200 down to about $40.
So on all levels, Im worried. Long term retirement stocks are doing poorly. Shorter term savings are not earning much interest, and immediate paychecks are not getting us by anymore.
Sorry so long, I guess Im more worried than I realized. now I'im bumming.
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