P-C, your family does know you don't make a million dollars a year, right? This money stuff is getting crazier. You need to eat.

He can eat the crazy! There's plenty of that!

He can eat the crazy! There's plenty of that!

So, you're saying if I stopped with the crazy, I'd lose weight?

Hmmm. It's other people's crazy, right?

arranges to have pot smoke piped into North Beach 24/7

There. Now they'll be too stoned to be crazy, and I'll be skinny! YAY!

Wait. Forgot about the munchies. Ooops.

P-C, your family does know you don't make a million dollars a year, right? This money stuff is getting crazier. You need to eat.

Well, considering I've had to allocate $500 for my little sister, I didn't expect to spend that much less on my mom.

And, despite being a tightwad (or, more likely, due to ), I have enough savings to fulfill family obligations. I've never really gotten her a gift before (the VM DVDs for Mother's Day notwithstanding).

In fact, here's a question I've been considering: I have enough savings to pay off my student loan. Should I just go ahead and do it? I would still have a decent cushion in my bank account afterward.

Do you know your interest rate on the loan, P-C? It is likely more than you're earning on the savings. I can't remember, can you now deduct student loan interest from your income taxes? Those are probably the kinds of things you want to look at.

I think I would be tempted to pay it off regardless, so I'd be starting clean, without debt. That's my personal preference, but I don't know that it's the best financial strategy. I just hate debt.

Do you know your interest rate on the loan, P-C? It is likely more than you're earning on the savings.

Oh, definitely. The interest rate is close to 7%.

I can't remember, can you now deduct student loan interest from your income taxes?

Well, I've only ever taken the standard deduction before because it's more than I would get by, say, deducting loan interest.

I think I would be tempted to pay it off regardless, so I'd be starting clean, without debt. That's my personal preference, but I don't know that it's the best financial strategy. I just hate debt.

Yeah, I'm the same way. I just having it there.

I saw a denim couch with nice big puffy comfortable pillows at a thrift store the other day and wondered if PC's apartment had one that nice yet. I wonder if Martha Stewart would deem it appropriate for a bachelor pad?

And hey, even if the thought of spending too much time with your family is giving you the creeps, you still get to look forward to returning to your very own apartment. That part always feels like a great relief.

I am annoyed with my job already. Trainer and boss both yak as fast as they can go, never slowing down so I can write stuff down, and my notes are sadly insufficient. Apparently I can switch the numbers in the monthly report anywhere I want, as long as I get the same total every time. That seems odd and kinda unsavory too. Plus they are making me switch my day off from Wednesday to Tuesday, because I foolishly asked about coverage. So I guess it's my own darn fault for bringing it up.

I have dreams about moving to a big house with banks and banks of tall shelves for my books, and how I never, ever have to move anything out of my way to get at one.

Ahhhhh, nice nappage. Will see if that now leads to insomnia tonight.

The doggie pain meds must be some good stuff. He is using his leg again, walking as though there is no problem.

Now I have to wake up enough to do my statistics math homework. Standard deviation and such - oooooh, fun.

Oh, CJ and I are going to the Raiders game on Sunday. I am SO not a football fan, but he loves the Raiders and DH won't take him.

I saw a denim couch with nice big puffy comfortable pillows at a thrift store the other day and wondered if PC's apartment had one that nice yet. I wonder if Martha Stewart would deem it appropriate for a bachelor pad?

Heh. I'm just giving up and buying the IKEA Ektorp.

I'm surprised your rate on your loans is that high. You should be able to do better than that. Unless you have no other debt, I'm not sure that's the greatest use of your money.