The thing is...okay...so I put in my contracted 8:06 am - 3:16 pm everyday, and then I'm usually here at least a half an hour early and at least an hour after contracted time, and then at home I usually do an hour or two or even more, and then I'm at school on weekends doing stuff, too. Maybe I just need to be a better steward of my time.

The point is that I put in WAY more than 40 hours a week for this job, much more than lots of people who get paid twice what I get paid...and...you know...how much can I do? I want to spend time with you. And I love riding bike as much as you do. It's just like...good lord...I went to college for 4 years and I have a bachelors degree. I went to a year of graduate school. We do inservices on weekends, etc. And we can't make the cut. And frankly, I think that's ridiculous, you know? I guess that makes me more upset than anything else. We're two professionally educated people and we're screwed financially.

And I don't want to shortchange my kids. They deserve every moment I can give them, even if they're not at the classroom. They deserve good lessons that I prepare when they're not here. They deserve fun, educationally sound projects that I come up with. And another job, although necessary, completely freaks me out. At that point its like...screw the kids...what about US? Where do we fit in? You and I are more important than all of the motorcycles and classes out there. And its hard for me to be 100% for my kids when I'm worried about us...which I am constantly.....

*sighs*

My husband is a SPC in the US Army . . . he makes under $30K a year . . . I stay home with our two boys. We make it just fine.

Maybe you guys need to rework your budget before you start looking for second and third jobs? Just a thought.

Texas Wahine,
We have tried budgeting...but it doesnt work out that well. I figure I make around 2k a month, actually 1800. The bike payment is 400, insurance is 200 a month (now...reworking it), storage is 85. Rent is 405. I have about 200 in college loan payments a month, 50 for my computer, 50 for visa card....roughly totalling 1400 a month. Thats all that I pay.

Thats not including the other bills that we try to share for cable modem, electricity, gas, netflix, cell phone, groceries, car insurance, gas for the cars, furniture, etc.

Im not sure how we can rework the budget at all. Its more of a thing where we need to look at what we need, and what we want, and draw the line, buying only what we need.

Brandie~

Don't you live in military housing though? Ugh....I don't know...I honestly don't know where it all goes. I think maybe starting Feburary 1 we need to track every single cent and where it goes. Maybe that will help

Yes, we live in military housing . . . that's a part of his pay.


What I'm really trying to get at . . . and I know it doesn't seem "nice" for me to say it, but it's really something to consider . . . maybe you guys need downgrade your lifestyle . . . look at where the money goes and see if there are things that you can live without. It's not a fun thing to do, but (IMO) it's better than never having any free time and never getting to be together.

I just quit my second job. I teach at my school during the week and I worked at my other job on the weekends...working seven days a week quite regularly gets pretty old pretty quick. And I don't even have a significant other I was losing time with...but I was losing time with other people that are important to me. And it just wasn't a job I enjoyed...I think if it was a job I liked more, I would have stuck with it longer. I know I can get by on my other salary; I just won't be able to save as much as I had been saving. I don't think it's too hard to get by fairly cheap...keep the internet on dial-up, don't buy cable, use the one of the cheapest cell phone plans, buy groceries on sale, avoid eating out regularly, etc. But, to back up, it is hard to manage money...I'm trying to save to go to grad school and I think about money waaay too much. But, I guess it is what makes this world go 'round. I'm sure you guys will figure out a way to make things work.

I just quit my second job. I teach at my school during the week and I worked at my other job on the weekends...working seven days a week quite regularly gets pretty old pretty quick. And I don't even have a significant other I was losing time with...but I was losing time with other people that are important to me. And it just wasn't a job I enjoyed...I think if it was a job I liked more, I would have stuck with it longer. I know I can get by on my other salary; I just won't be able to save as much as I had been saving. I don't think it's too hard to get by fairly cheap...keep the internet on dial-up, don't buy cable, use the one of the cheapest cell phone plans, buy groceries on sale, avoid eating out regularly, etc. But, to back up, it is hard to manage money...I'm trying to save to go to grad school and I think about money waaay too much. But, I guess it is what makes this world go 'round. I'm sure you guys will figure out a way to make things work.

Whoa...sorry about posting that twice yesterday.