Poor Piggy.

My stomach is in knots right now - I just budgeted my England/Scotland/Wales trip and it's going to cost me about $3000 buckeroonies. Being someone who's barely ever had more than a grand at one time in her bank account (and oh what a momentous day that was), this is gonna be a hard 5 months ahead.

It feels so weird having to live on a budget. I've had at least one job at all times since I was 16, except for a month or two here and there in those 7 years, and between high school and then University tuition and books, I've never struggled to pay the bills before. Hell, you could eat off of my credit score it's that squeaky clean.

I used to be able to live off $250 every two weeks, if that, all through university. And well too - never stopped myself from buying something I wanted, or going out for dinner or wherever. Now that number is just a fraction of my paycheck, and yet I'm finding myself having to limit and think about everything I do....when did this happen!? Well, rent and bills I never had before I worked full time suck, and it's going to take $250 per paycheck from this day forward to literally the day I leave to afford this trip. So I figure, all expenses accounted for, I'm going to have to live off of $100 a week for the next 5 months. Food, clothing, outages, misc....I feel like I'm on that till debt do us part show, dividing my megre change into little jars labelled "Food", "Entertainment", etc. I have to actually THINK about pulling out my credit card. I'm going to have to be a home body on the weekends. FML.

While I rant and rave, there's that little voice in my head that tells me I'm going to hell considering the economy and the number of people who WON'T be going on the trip of their dreams this year, in fact, may be wondering where their next meal is coming from or budgeting their life savings while they look for a job with no new income coming in. And here I am bitching about vacations. Don't worry, I'm not THAT heartless. I still spend that little second every day thanking God for my luck and situation that I do have a full time job and steady income. Knock on wood, it stays that way.

Still, it's going to be a change that's not going to be pleasant, and as the trip gets closer and becomes more real I know it will be worth it. Until then, anybody want to take me out, your treat? :)

(P.S. Thank the lordy for the forced savings of the tax return. I'm SO glad I didn't claim my education last year. Let's hope it's a fat one this year *fingers crossed*)