Car and Money Woes

S says that God will provide, and I guess that's true but man, times is hard. Another $365 gone to car repairs today and the problem apparently still isn't fixed. I gotta send our lawyer a check tomorrow for $245 in preparation for our hearing on Aug. 27th, and on Friday she needs another $2500. Thursday the baby will get $600+ of dental work. Still, Friday we will get S's first full check from his new job, but until then I have no idea how to budget b/c we don't know how much it'll be since his assembler job is commission-based.

Since things are so bleak right now, I actually did spend a little $ to cheer us all up. I got some things for a pretty good deal on Amazon.com. A couple of CD's I just had to have, a CD for the baby, and Curb Your Enthusiasm, Vol.'s 1-3 for me and S. I'm paying for these with my salary from Job #2 so I do not touch the main household budget.

Our babysitter is having major car troubles too, and that bums me out as well. If only we had 2 extra vehicles lying around, one for her and one for S.

Vending Machines are for Chumps

Seriously, if you ever use a vending machine, you are a dolt. The markups in those things are like, 50-75% at least! I've noticed at my jobs that the ones using them are frequently the low-paid non-professionals. Coincidence that they're low-paid? I think not. Anyway, I did use a vending machine today for the 1st time in years. Normally I just buy all kinds of snacks and sodas to keep at home so S will have what he needs on hand at all times and never be tempted by the vending machines. (I'm not, never have been, and never will be a snacker, like he and the baby are.) But today S and the baby were here at my Job #2 in the back where the vending machines are, and the baby wanted some animal crackers. I happened to have .50 cents in my pocket and figured, what the hell, so I got 'em. I was in the mood for animal crackers anyway!

A Whole Bunch of Job Applications

So I got responses from 2 places I sent resumes out to. They want me to take the next step and fill out their online applications. And I have an interview on Monday for a p/t job that pays $28/hour! Here is the comparison with my current p/t job:

Current p/t job:

• $18+/hour, 32 hours/month
• Tuesday night, 5-9
• Every other Saturday, 8-5
• Leave Job #1 at 4:15-ish to make it here by 5 on Tuesdays

Other p/t job:

• $28/hour, 30 hours/month
• Tuesday AND Thursday night, 5-9
• Every other Sat., only from 10-1
• Leave Job #1 at 4pm on the dot to make it there by 5 on Tues. and Thurs.
• Would have to buy EZ-Tag for use on the Beltway, but that would be paid for and then some with the new salary!

So there's a lot more to consider with the other p/t job. Meanwhile, I am currently not as pissed off at Job #1 as I have been so I'm not sure I want to leave just yet. And if I get called for some of these interviews I'll have to prepare a razzle/dazzle 'em presentation and I am sooooo tired these days... Still, there is one job where the salary is so good I wouldn't even need a p/t job at all anymore! Lots to consider these days.