Money Stress

Probably the biggest source of stress for my daily life stems from worries about money. I get by with the money that I make, but I'm not sure how. Mathematically, it doesn't work. My bills are just too much, yet I've paid them up to now.

Not helping matters at all, I have a roommate who can afford to pay more for whatever. This month we have a 300 dollar electric bill. I went crazy when I first saw that, but it barely fazed him. When we first moved in, he needed the silver package cable TV, when I didn't need that at all, just internet. When I can watch all of any shows I want to watch using only internet, TV is just added cost for me. When I don't need the air conditioner on at 3am, it's added cost for me when it is. I take several cost-saving measures for myself, only to look cheap in front of him. It's a simple cost for me there, though; no decision to make, as I simply don't have the money.

You'd figure maybe minimum wage would be about the level where you had to live a low-class life, for American standards. If I still made minimum wage, I wouldn't be living here, rather, I'd still be living with my mom. Looking back further, before I was born, there were families where one guy could provide for his whole family with a regular job. Now, you won't see that unless that guy is fairly well-off.

I can see how most anybody can be caught off-guard by high rate credit cards and hidden costs and medical bills and all these things. I've lived those experiences myself, and I'm usually careful about how my money is spent. Now especially, I have to be disciplined to make ends meet. One care-free weekend takes a lot of care to establish. No wonder I stress so much.