Good on you, askye. I know it's hard.

It's so hard, askye. Keep it up.

bonny, Pork Chop looks like a total charmer.

Also, bonny, I've been working my way through the book you sent me, and I've figured out what a lot of my "scripts" are. I'm just about to the part where they tell you how to deal with them.

I want a cookie - I dealt with my budgeting stuff. Unfortunately, I do not have a spare dollar on the paycheck I get tomorrow to buy a cookie. Being an adult sucks. I have really screwed myself moving into this place alone. I can't really afford it if I want to pay off my debt in any reasonable amount of time. There are no doors so I can't have a roommate, plus I'm pretty wary of having a roommate in a shotgun again. I haven't signed a lease yet, but I'm supposed to sign a year lease, and AND I love my landlady and living by myself and don't want to leave. Plus, the idea of moving again makes me want to go fetal and cry.

So I'm left with trying to increase my income, but the idea of finding and working another job is absolutely not pleasant. I could maybe be a receptionist on the weekend at a gym, something relatively easy and low stress, but I need my weekends to recharge.

I don't know. I feel stuck. I've got some clothes to take to a resale place or two, and could put together a box of books for Powells, but those are stopgap measures. I'm trying to build up a buffer so the first paycheck of the month isn't so miserable, but I haven't gotten anywhere.

I'm mostly venting, but will also take suggestions for things I could do to bring in extra money or cut costs.

Which book are you working, smonster?

Are any of us near Cranford, NJ?

I'm not near there now, but I know the area.

Also, bonny, I've been working my way through the book you sent me, and I've figured out what a lot of my "scripts" are. I'm just about to the part where they tell you how to deal with them.

I'm so glad you are getting through it, smonster. It really is the best of all the books I've read/used in my work.

Just as an aside, I worked the desk at a gym on weekends for a couple of years. I enjoyed it...got to study for my graduate program, and ended up getting coaching clients out of it.

I'm having some financial-cranky days, too, smonster. I keep trying to type about them or talk about them here, and I just wind up deleting the post and not posting it. I'm going to take the hint and just accept I don't really want to talk about it, except to say I'm feeling somewhat similar, and you have my love and sympathy.

Liese, not smonster, but the book I recommended is Mind Over Money.

I've had conversations with the authors and their program partner that really reinforced for me that their approach has better, longer lasting results than starting with a budget and trying to make our life fit into it.

Forewarning: It involves exploring feelings and where our attitudes about money come from.

Since doing the work myself, I've increased my income significantly and nearly eliminated the gut-grinding fear I lived with for...well, ever.

I am not out of debt, nor have I solved all my issues with the Big Green, but I'm much happier and more self-aware.

Sean, I've deleted a bunch of posts on the topic, too. Money is a taboo, and it just sounds so whiny in my head. Today my need to vent overcame my shame.

Liese, Mind Over Money by Brad and Ted Klontz. I've also got Suze Orman's Financial Guidebook and one of the Dave Ramsay's, thanks to Sophie.

I'm mostly venting, but will also take suggestions for things I could do to bring in extra money or cut costs.

I don't want to sound like your parents--but stop smoking. If you have a land line and/or cable or satellite TV, cancel them. Become a library aficionado and don't buy anymore books or magazines. Limit eating out to once a week.

We did a lot of these when we were really broke and they helped a lot. We still only eat out once a week, usually, and only get one or two magazines. I bring lunch every day.

Quitting smoking is a very difficult work in progress; I spent $30 on smokes this month, and about the same last month. I don't have landline or cable tv, just cable internet. I don't buy books and very rarely buy magazines. I spent $12 on eating out last month. If I reduce anything on my phone plan, I'm risking overages. I guess I need to become a "lights out" fiend and expand my temperature comfort zone.

I spend about $200 on food per month, I'm becoming friends with store brands. I rarely buy meat, usually some sausage to flavor rice and beans.