Moving House: Where Did All My Money Go?

Has my credit card ever been getting a workout this week. I always used to think the Danger Zone was those few days before or after you travel when money seems to stop mattering because you have to pick up this little thing and that little thing and why buy more groceries when you can just get takeout?

Moving house is that same feeling on steroids. The danger isn’t just when you sign the lease – it’s totally the days leading up to and after moving too.

I thought I was ahead of the curve here, because I am a moderately organized human. I grabbed the large plastic bins I moved into my parents’ house from my circus RV, chucked them in my car and thought I would be largely good to go. As I unpacked them, I realized either I missed a box entirely or I did a crap job packing – entirely possible as my departure from the show was fairly chaotic.

I seem to have a lot of mugs, and no silverware. Christmas lights, but no sheets. There’s a surprise in store with every box I unpack. I had all the magnets with the pictures of my family and friends that were on my fridge in the RV but no towels.

So to Walmart I went to pick up things like curtains, silverware, shower curtains, cups, etc.

And then I had to restock a kitchen and all those little things you don’t think of buying all at once – salt, pepper, oil, etc. all start to add up. So do the paper products like toilet paper, tissues, napkins, etc.

Then there’s starting up gas, electric and cable. Usually payments that are spread through the month all hit you at once – with their additional start up fees.

And with all that happening, who can blame me for adopting an “eff it, I’m getting pizza” mindset.

There has been a lot of eating out – to be fair, some of that was because my stove didn’t work until the gas people came to turn on the gas – but I didn’t need my arm twisted. I also picked up cute homey things like a welcome mat and I stared down a large plant in the grocery store for 10 minutes before I decided I wasn’t ready for the responsibility of keeping it alive.

Then I hit Amazon for a few other items I couldn’t find.

And I still have a list of stuff I would like to get for the apartment, including a bookshelf and night stand, but I know I only have X amount of patience to live in an undone home – so I may hit up Amazon for those as well.

Or I might have just texted my BFF about an IKEA run, which is probably even worse than hitting up Amazon.

At any rate, if you’re moving, budget a heck of a spending bubble around the entire project. I initially had some dreams of nearly maxing out my Roth IRA with my last circus paycheck, but it looks like I’ll use it on this and then keep it as a buffer/spending money until my first school paycheck kicks in.

And though my dad laughs at this as the epitome of a first world problem, I’m currently dealing with the mental frustration of not just destroying my money goals anymore.

I had to go back to splitting them into tolerable monthly chunks – and I do sort of feel the burn again of making smart financial choices over buying every fern I find. Even at the grocery store last week, I sighed and walked past some of the food I like and usually don’t think twice about buying because I don’t fully feel like I have a handle on my money situation right now.

Silver lining – apparently the training to do that is so deeply rooted in me that I just knew right now is a season where I have to do it – but dang.

Extra dang because without that last minute surprise pay cut – I wouldn’t nearly be feeling the burn as badly as I am. But that is a full on ranty post for another day.

Published in Collaboration with brokeGIRLrich

Also on by Melissa Bondar:

FOMO Has Been Kicking My Butt A Little Bit

Stage Managers: Investing In Yourself