It's been a LONG day. by Monique

I AM POOR (no it’s actually official)

I am sitting here, at half  11 not even ready yet because reality is too busy hitting me.

2 MONTHS OF SALARY- Gone! Actually physically all gone somehow!?

Well, not somehow, I can actually explain this pretty damn well. First, the laptop £479 worth of Dell shiny metal plastic and circuits, an indisputably necessary investment, however the payment didn’t leave my account until earlier this week. So in the meantime, like a genius I’d been running around spending like superwoman.

I have a certain issue, in that I looooove money. And I can’t hold onto it. Don’t get me wrong I can be as tight as a choke hold with money as long as: A. I have a specific purchase in mind (such as the laptop), B. I have the sense to not touch my emergency holiday savings account, C. I have  piggy bank.

 C. would have saved me, BUT NO WHERE SELLS cheap (see I am tight) PIGGY BANKS!!! WHY ME LORD????

TFL, end of summer sales, going out with friends, cooking, and trying to be helpful are all to blame!

Once I have a note in my pocket, I get big dreams, like splashing out on my oyster card. When I pay with plastic (like spending £38 on my mother to buy her a surprise gift which wasn’t even what she actually wanted), it’s the ULTIMATE sabotage. Spending a large amount of money, for me, feels like being shot or stabbed, ESPECIALLY when it’s not even for me. But paying by card is like wearing a bullet proof vest, barely any impact.

Moving in, new house, new room, my priorities and expenses change.

On a serious note, things like paying for broadband, line rental, watergaselectricity bills, RENT! New bins, ant powder (infamous student house infestation ….yay….) food for the fridge (I can’t STARVE now can I?) are all necessary.

But then, new jeans (I have like 2 left that haven’t ripped!), new bed sheets, pot puree, toiletries (a basic human right!), and maybe 3 tops (from the charity shop- don’t eeeven mock, the charity vintage shops in Manchester go HARD!, designer brands for like £3…and a leather clutch for £6…again necessary) a pair of new dolly shoes (I HAD NO FLATS COME ON NOW!) and shampoo. All of which were essential to making moving in and going back to uni positive, not to mention how many underwear sales I had to run away from, closing down sales, reductions, it was like torture L

BUT, the final killer blow was dealt by the demon that is known as STUDENT FINANCE. I had a good £65 pounds left, a month’s worth of funds to tide me over. But then, to register for uni, to my shock and horror, student finance had FAILED to cover the £65 difference between the old loan amount and the new load amount. No enrolment, no uni, no loan. BAD TIMES.

So now, with 2 bank accounts cleaned out, and one on life support, I find out that my rent is due in 5 days, and as I’m paying in instalments its over £1000 pounds.

To all those who know what this means…. GEEEEEEED (Y)

Later today….

I tried to go into uni early, I really did. But wait. I go to uni in MANCHESTER.  So of course, the second I go to leave the weather decides to lose it’s mind and start thundering and raining like the Lord was sending a plague/flood. I made it to the corner before the bus stop but by then it was game over. I went back home soaked, intending to wait out the rain…or really to just never go out again.

THIS was my kickass remedy- chocolate mug cake and movies

 BUT.

Instead I was held hostage by the TV licence man (damn door without a peephole!), and was forced to set up a direct debit or pay more money that I don’t have. There is only DUST in my purse now :’(.

Also, I retract my earlier statements about the enterprise formerly known as the demon that is Student Finance, as my loan was delivered successfully today. After breezing to the bank, I was able to do the first of 2 transfers that will save my ass. (After a minor calculation I realised, my rent was due on Monday, and, there were only tumble weeds left in my direct debit account)

HOWEVER

Don’t let anyone fool you kids, independence is GRIM.