Your latest purchases

[Holdfast]

Bought a new pair of pyjamas and a pair of socks. Yeah, yeah, very exciting, I know....

I did lots of window-shopping too but managed to preserve my bank account, thank goodness! A meeting in London finished earlier than I expect, so I had time to wander around Savile Row, Bond Street, Regent Street and even had time to pop over to Knightsbridge.

 

[An Officer]

^ And you didn't pop in on your fellow Londoners? Shame on you!

 

[doubleohfive]

Let's see --

$167 for this month's car insurance bill.
$155 for this month's health, dental, and life insurance.
$18 for my electric bill
$100 for my cell phone bill
$9 for my gas / heat bill
$22 for gas (for the car)
$25 on other miscellaneous items for the week -- comics, groceries, socks, laundry

Last week, I dropped $903 on car repairs too. GOOD TIMES!

 

[thestrangequark]

Let's see --

$167 for this month's car insurance bill.
$155 for this month's health, dental, and life insurance.
$18 for my electric bill
$100 for my cell phone bill
$9 for my gas / heat bill
$22 for gas (for the car)
$25 on other miscellaneous items for the week -- comics, groceries, socks, laundry

Last week, I dropped $903 on car repairs too. GOOD TIMES!

Are you kidding me? My health/dental insurance is $400/month, $300 for copays. Are those utilities you share with roommates or are they the whole cost for the household? Because if it's the latter, my mind is blown.
My household does:
$100 for electric
$125 for gas
$100 for cable/internet
$2000 for rent
Of which I pay 1/4. I can't even comprehend utilities as low as yours!
And you got comics, groceries, socks, and laundry on $25?! Inconceivable!

I have you beat big time on transportation, though. $81 a month on a metro card gets me everywhere I need or want to be.

 

[doubleohfive]

I live alone in a medium-sized studio apartment; my rent is $1000.00 per month. Its twice the amount I paid for for and about about 1/4 the space of the one quarter of a townhouse back I lived in back in Northern Virginia/DC. On the plus side, I live within driving distance of most of my jobs, the beach, family, friends, and a lot of other amenities.

I turn everything off when I leave, and usually leave stuff off/unplugged even when I am home.

Gas for the car gets me each month though -- especially now -- as I spend upwards of at least $100 each week on it.

Further, I have another $233 on my cell phone bill for the last few months that is still there; need to pay it off shortly (its all thanks to a bad plan and too many phone calls for work).

It also probably helps that when I moved in back in August, the heater was switched permanently to 'on' so I had the gas company shut it down; never bothered to call them up again in the winter (I had more practical ways of staying warm.).

The big thing that kills me is that I don't make a lot of money anymore (at least not nearly as much as I did back at the AO or SOM) so budgeting has become a big deal for me, as has the fact that nearly all my bills tend to be due right around the same time each month. Despite these regular sources of stress, I'm actually quite happy where I am, I just need to find a better paying job in my industry.

 

[thestrangequark]

^Budgeting is just something I haven't yet got the hang of. Fortunately, I am not big spender -- sure, I'll spend $300 on a couple of custom hats, but you won't see me with a flat screen tv or gaming system or anything like that -- so I've never gotten myself in trouble despite my lack of budgeting skills.

 

[doubleohfive]

Oh I'm not a big spender either, at least not anymore. I just like keeping track of everything.

 

[thestrangequark]

^I am morally opposed to keeping track of things.

 

[doubleohfive]

^I am morally opposed to keeping track of things.

 

[Holdfast]

^ And you didn't pop in on your fellow Londoners? Shame on you!

Sorry! It was only a flying visit really; had to be back in Oxford by the end of the day.

Let's see --

$167 for this month's car insurance bill.

What do you drive? If that's a monthly payment, by UK standards, that's a hell of a bill. That's more than mine, even at the current exchange rates, and I have a stupidly expensive-to-insure car. Are US insurance rates generally than expensive?

 

[cardinal biggles]

Apart from the boring necessities of life (bills, groceries, gas for the car), I picked up a copy of The Best of The Mamas and The Papas from Universal's "Millennium Collection." They're on sale at B&N through the beginning of May... $9.99 each, or 3 for $20 if you pay with a MasterCard.

I've also got a DVD of the original Shaft on order.

 

[apostle83]

^I am morally opposed to keeping track of things.

Are you morally opposed to one day being fully financially independant?

 

[doubleohfive]

Holdfast said:

Let's see --

$167 for this month's car insurance bill.

What do you drive? If that's a monthly payment, by UK standards, that's a hell of a bill. That's more than mine, even at the current exchange rates, and I have a stupidly expensive-to-insure car. Are US insurance rates generally than expensive?

Well, in fairness -- I'm under 30, I have ADHD, I'm single, and I spend a whole hell of a lot of time driving (for work as well as not), so Geico calculated it to $167/month. I'm told once I hit 30 my rates will go down, and I'm pretty sure once I get a better job that doesn't require me to spend my day's traversing the greater Los Angeles area that will help too. Until then, what is it they say? C'est la vie.

 

[thestrangequark]

^I am morally opposed to keeping track of things.

Are you morally opposed to one day being fully financially independant?

Hmmm...sarcasm. Let's see who gets it!

At the risk of sounding nitpicky; apostle, this isn't the first snide remark you've made about my income and finances (as if you knew what they are). I've been fully financially independent (spelled with an 'e', see) since I was 17.


Oh, and as for purchases, I bought 50 mini magnifying glasses for my kids; we visited the Museum of Natural History today! They were so excited, and so well behaved, and did great work writing about fossils and observing the skeletons.
I also found out that my credit limit has been raised! Teee! But there is nothing I want to buy at the mo'. Well, I could always use a new hat.

 

[Holdfast]

I bought 4 bottles of wine - 2 of a rather good rioja and 2 argentians, one a chardonnay; the other a merlot. A good night.

 

[thestrangequark]

^Lucky bastard.
My roommate has never seen Queer As Folk, so I am going to bring her in on the tradition. Happily, this tradition involves a lot of fine dessert wine and dark chocolate. I must to the local spirits vendor, poste haste!

 

[Amaris]

I just picked up a copy of "Are you running with me Jesus?" by Malcolm Boyd. This book was influential in my high school years in how I would eventually come to understand my faith and the path I would take. I am so excited that I now own it after all of these years!


J.

 

[DangerMouse]

A bottle of Oyster Bay... my first alcoholic drink since the start of my illness over two weeks ago - yay

 

[Omnius]

A bottle of Oyster Bay... my first alcoholic drink since the start of my illness over two weeks ago - yay

Hey Mousey!!!
You're alive! :thumbsup:

 

[DangerMouse]

A bottle of Oyster Bay... my first alcoholic drink since the start of my illness over two weeks ago - yay

Hey Mousey!!!
You're alive! :thumbsup:

Yep after two weeks i'm finally getting better!