Gathering Funds
I don’t have a savings account. I don’t think I’ve ever had one in my life. I’ve generally always had a checking account but I never really needed a savings account because I never saved any money.
So. When I did finally start saving money, I threw it all into a mutual fund account. I didn’t have much to start with so I signed up for one with a $50 per month minimum investment. It used to automatically pull from my checking account (that was part of the deal for allowing the low startup amount and monthly investment) but then I changed accounts and then it stopped pulling automatically. And then I realized that I could pull money out of my mutual fund pretty easily. I just had to to wait 1-2 days and it would be back in my checking account.
So today I’ve pulled out all of the money for my portion of the China trip - $2000 (that’s the roughly estimated cost for each person during our month in China) and it’ll appear in my checking account in a few days.
Up until we leave fly out - I’m poor. I’ve been eating mac & cheese, and oatmeal for two weeks straight. (Except the birthday meal here and there and other exceptions, but all day at work and most dinners lately have been one of those two dishes.) Food is not a luxury I’m splurging on until we leave and get out of the country. Even at the airport, if I’m hungry, I’m going as cheap as possible.
MUST wait to eat chinese food IN CHINA!
My money did appreciate in the short period of time that I had it in the mutual fund - even in this tough market. But that’s because it’s a stable fund and they don’t really take much risks. Hence the reason for their mascot being a turtle.
I’ve never saved so much money in my life. I know it’s not that much in the grand scheme of things, but over the course of the past year, I really haven’t been on the negative side as far as money goes. No matter what, I’ve been able to save, and still pay for emergency bills that seem to pop up (mostly my car and little things that add up - like beer.)
Leah’s at home sick today and I hope she feels better soon. I’ve never been that sick in my life - and I was there when she was SICKER than this - it all sucks.
