The Lowest

Please understand, this is an observation, not a complaint. We are broke. Consciously. Purposely. And it sucks--but that is also an observation. I would like to say we are at our lowest. We are two weeks out of a debilitating bankruptcy we never expected to have to do. So, truly all we can do is go up from here.

The last time we were so cash strapped was when Polly was a baby and we were scraping together spare change to buy a pack of diapers. Even in 2008 when we were eating bread and tomatoes for dinner because things had spiraled down, we weren't this cash strapped.

Part of the reason for this week's maddening bank account implosion is that I had to transfer money to a pre-paid Visa so I could rent a car for my upcoming trip. I also needed to put enough money on the same card to buy Buckaroo food once we got there--because he eats everything. So essentially, a good portion of our excess cash for this paycheck is stored in the pre-paid Visa. As a point of fact, we didn't have a grocery bill this week because I cooked a chicken and we are munching on that (and we have veggies and rice from last week left over). So, the entire grocery budget is shifted.

However, we had to break into our emergency stash (which is now depleted because of this trip and will need to be restored soon) to take this trip. One might think this trip is frivolous. But the Sunshines know better. It is necessary. Mr. Reader Number Two is worth every penny of our expense. And more. Buckaroo, a strapping 14 year old, is coming as slave labor because Mr. Reader Number Two is in his mid-70s and possibly could use a break on his garden. Grief changes perspective. And taking care of others is worth the price the Sunshines are paying. Our issue is short-term.

I have in the past prided myself on paying bills, budgeting and doing all the financial stuff grown-ups do. I am not talking about the basics of investing or saving for a rainy day. We will once again have an emergency fund and a savings account. Thank God we had the money set aside to go help Mr. Reader Number Two! We are only two weeks out of a bankruptcy and we can only go up from here.