Living Paycheck to Paycheck

I realized the other day that I really have to start earmarking money for some upcoming expenses.  I am way past due to have my oil changed, for example.  I’m saving money by not taking it in, but I’m running the risk of much more costly expenses if I don’t, so I’ll use the $5 off coupon to Jiffy Lube from their website (instead of the $4 off coupon I received in the mail) this week or next.  I realize that it’s probably much cheaper to change my oil myself, but I honestly don’t know how to do that, and I like going to Jiffy Lube and knowing that they’re looking at more than just my oil.

Along with cars, I’m going to have to pay for my car insurance in July or so.  I pay the six-month lump sum up front so that I’m not charged an extra $4 a month.  Last time, this total was around $371, but I’m expecting that to go up because of my accident.

I’m also planning some beach trips this summer.  I’ll have one week in North Carolina at the end of July and one week in Ocean City, MD at the end of August.  Both times I will have free lodging because they are family vacations; I’ll only have to pay for gas.  I’d like to do a couple of day-trips, as well, where I’ll once again have to pay for gas, but not much else.  I’d like to buy a couple of beach chairs, an umbrella, and a cooler, but I can borrow all of these from my parents, so I most likely won’t.  Either way, the gas itself will be expensive, despite the 5% back I’ll be getting from it from my credit card.

The other major expense looming on my horizon depends on whether I move or not.  That I won’t know until July, though.

I may start putting aside some money each month into my ING Direct Savings account to earmark all these travel expenses.  The rest of my savings will continue to go in my Vanguard Prime Money Market account.