Post-Christmas Crisis

I always spend too much money on Christmas. Always. Chalk it up to getting caught up in the Holiday Season or just a flagrant excuse to let my inner impulse buyer run free for a month of rampant consumerism. In any case, despite my best intentions it always seems to 'just happen'. The difference now, is that I lack the means to recover from it quite so easily. In the past, our budget had more than enough head room to absorb such things, with relatively little trauma.

Then I took a 60% pay cut. This January is feeling a bit tighter than most.

Oh, I had money set aside, and I did cut back. Yet still I managed to over extend ourselves. I obviously continue to grapple with what my current means really are. What does a Christmas look like when you make far far less? I honestly haven't known during my adult life. Not that that is any excuse. Its not. I set a budget in November, and I proceeded to trounce all over it throughout December.

The piper always has to be paid. I took a chunk out of my slush fund, and ended the month with a pretty bleak picture. There is definitely some catch-up to be done in order to put the state of affairs back to rights. The slush fund has to be replenished to the tune of almost $500. Plus, all those obligations I moved around and postponed just slightly to free up Christmas Money, well now it all needs to be taken care of.

So, here we sit, as broke as we have ever been since I took control of our finances 5+ uears. Oh, we aren't over drafting or actually 'broke'. I have way too many safety nets in place for that to happen without some truly dire circumstances. But, it's grim enough that I am having to do things I normally don't. Stretching grocery budgets to the absolute limit by utilizing the pantry and freezer back stock more than normal, the weekly meal out is on sabbatical for a bit, there will be no Avatar for us, and the pooches treat jar is going to lack the variety it usually has. These are admittedly not hardships compared to the circumstances of most. For me though, its been a bit of a wake up call. Yes, I can get myself in trouble. No, I can't live like I used to. Even though safety nets may still be there, a large part of the cushion is gone. This is odd and uncomfortable territory for me, and I have no one to blame but myself and my own spending habits.

I find more and more that having control of my finances was so much easier when I simply had more money. Managing a limited income involves a different skill set. A skill set, which I am apparently still cultivating.

By my calculations, all will be back to normal by late January. The slush fund will need a bit more time to come back around. As long as I mind my P's and Q's. I will spend the next few weeks basking in the glory of the Christmas I thought I just had to have...as I eat my lentils at home.