Budget help

[Irulan]

Related: Something that might help is to use the option to split my car insurance into two payments. Yes, I'd owe them another two dollars (and use a second stamp), but the second half would be due in April, when I should have my financial aid check for spring. That should give me enough of a cushion to pay off the interest and a little bit of the principal of the loan. As much as I don't like giving them more money than necessary, this may be worth it. Thoughts?

It's probably worth $2.55 to not have to really scrimp somewhere else.

[jyyanks]

I agree that splitting your car insurance into 2 payments is a good idea. I also second a space heater and using it in the bathroom or in the bedroom right before bed.

Is there anything you can sell on craigslist to make some extra cash? I ended up selling a bunch of stuff that I wasn't using and made some extra pocket money.

I would also just pay the minimum on the credit card until you get back on your feet. Good Luck!

[tulip]

Your commute is one mile? Sell the car and walk. Or take the bus, but in the time you wait for the bus, you can already be there.

If you must keep the car, shop around for insurance. I cut mine by many hundreds of dollars just by asking.

[Owlie]

Your commute is one mile? Sell the car and walk. Or take the bus, but in the time you wait for the bus, you can already be there.

If you must keep the car, shop around for insurance. I cut mine by many hundreds of dollars just by asking.

Alas, car is necessary. There's no real public transport system, no sidewalks between my apartment and the university (they're all on the other side). I'm not in Dayton itself--rather, I'm in a suburb that seems to be rigged to be unwalkable. I got away with no car in Cleveland because there were sidewalks and public transit. I swear, I'm moving back to a bigger city.

The loans are grad school loans, and since I'm still in school, they're not due yet, though the unsubsidized ones are collecting interest.