As a single mum, I get a pension paid into my account. This amount varies from week to week as it works on how much I earn through my job. While getting any extra income is always a bonus, sometimes I do wonder whether it’s worth claiming the pension depending on how much paperwork I have to fill out that week and how much I earn (or lose) in comparison to what I earn etc.
But this week I happened to check into my bank account and discovered some bonus money - now, from what I hear pensioners are entitled to some extra money due to Kevin Rudds scheme to help out the economy etc etc but I didn’t think that was until next month so while it’s probable that this extra money is part of that (being paid in installments rather than a lump sum) I guess I can’t be sure.
When I first saw it I was all “Yippee” some bills can get paid on time this month. Then of course I was all “Oh No!” it’ll be just my luck it got paid into the wrong account. At first I wasn’t going to spend it - just in case - then I figured what the hell - so bought some more school clothes etc - of course it’ll be my luck now that they’ll (centrelink) will realise they shouldn’t have given it to me and will want it back - but if that’s the case they’ll just have to get it back on payment plan 
Now I’m gonna go and see how my luck is holding - it’s my day off and I have a heap of washing to do - wonder how much money I can find in the pockets of pants or while I’m vacuuming down the back of the lounge
Technorati Tags: found money, money, pension
Well I’ve just got home from my daughter’s basketball training and whaddya know - It’s about to cost me even more money.
Not only do I have to find a way to be able to afford for her to stay with her team when she travels interstate in January (Thankfully I got some good prices on airfares so I can get us both over there - and I can stay with friends so that won’t cost me for a bed) and then have to find more money for her to play interstate again in June, her coach has just asked her to try out for something else, and while she may not make the actual team, the fact that where the trials are is so damn far away means it’s going to cost a fortune just to drive her out there - damn petrol prices. Without even thinking about what it’ll cost on the off chance she did make the team
Of course all this is on top of the weekly costs for her to play - the fuel to get there, the cost to play (and me to spectate) the twice a week travel to training, the registration fees etc etc etc.
Looking back on all I’ve spent just for her to play basketball (not counting other sports she has done, or other sports the other two have competed in) it’s truly a wonder any child makes it to a higher level. Or those that do it’s not suprising that a vast majority of those kids come from relatively well off families. You have to be just to be able to afford it.
With all the carry on about unfit, overweight children etc the government often rambles on about, you’d think they’d put some sort of incentive forward to make it cheaper and more available for children to be able to take up different sports. I’m sure there’s plenty of children out there that don’t do any exercise/play sports simply because their parents can’t afford it, or don’t have access to it etc.
While I would never stop my children from playing sport etc there are times that I wonder if I can truly afford it - actually I don’t really wonder - often I know I can’t afford it, but I keep doing it because the benefits far outweight the cost -at least to me - I’d rather my kids be active/part of a team etc where they can meet new people, learn the value of teammanship, get some exercise etc etc etc than have them sitting around at home in front of the tv/computer/xbox or out wandering the streets and getting into God only knows what type of trouble. I just wish it didn’t cost so damn much. As a single mum my income is fairly limited and often I find myself robbing peter to pay paul just so I can make sure this child can get to this activity or that child doesn’t let her teammates down by not being there - aside from the fact that I don’t think I could put up with the whining if they didn’t get to play.
Technorati Tags: expenses, kids, money, sport, travel
Well for the first time in I don’t know how long, I go woken up this morning by the sound of rain. It was bucketing down. It hasn’t rained like that here for a long time so it was kind of nice to hear.
Then while I was laying in bed in between dozing and thinking about what I had to do today the thunder started. And that was so loud it actually woke my son up and let me tell you that’s not an easy thing to do.
Of course once the thunder started all I could think about was the fact that I needed to get online so I could do some banking cause I’m down to my last few dollars and still need to do a heap of running around (which means more petrol) plus feed us all between now and my next pay day so the power better not go out.
While living payday to payday isn’t all that unusual for me, it’s been a little while since I’ve been this broke. So I’m annoyed that once again I’ve having to juggle things when it comes to money. Hopefully it’s just a bad patch and I’ll get back in front again soon. Though if nothing else, at least now, as compared to other times I’ve been down to my last dollar, I do actually have the bills paid so I don’t have to worry about getting those nasty letters or the embarrasing phone calls while at work or with friends asking why I haven’t paid such and such yet.
Just watching the news last night and something came on about people struggling to make ends meet and it makes me wonder how if two income earning families are having a hard time keeping on top of things, how the hell are single parents with one income (and sometimes none) supposed to do it. I work, and while I don’t spend money on myself I do spend a lot of extra on my kids - by that I don’t mean the standard feeding, clothing and schooling etc I mean getting them to and from their sport and paying fees etc. with an ex who while he does have the kids occasionally doesn’t actually give me any money toward them.
Like today for instance - it’s Sunday morning so in a minute I’m going to have to get one child to her sport training, while getting my son to his new job (Lol he’s got more money than me) and arguing with the third child about the fact that I can’t afford to get her the new shoes she needs today like I promised cause I just don’t have the extra cash and she’ll have to wait until I get paid again. Which is all well and good, well would be if the training and work were close to home, unfortunately their not. So once I’ve done that I’ll come home for a couple of hours and then turn around and go and pick my son up from work etc. I’m happy that he has a job, in fact I got it for him and honestly don’t mind having to take him to and from - it just pisses me off when fuel is so expensive etc.
Well that’s enough of a ramble for early sunday morning - hell I’m doing well with this NaBloPoMo - I’m two for two so far - here’s hoping I can keep it up.
Technorati Tags: finances, fuel costs, money, NaBloPoMo, thunder
