Well I finally finished up my budget – and I’m not happy. It seems that as I’ve spent longer in the Army – and gained both time in service, and rank – I somehow make less money. I think the biggest hit I’m taking right now is the insurance on my truck. Come to think of it, I failed to take into account any future payments to my Dad on the truck, so I’ll go back to the drawing board with this irritating budget shortly. RAWR.

How this makes any sense is beyond me. My cell phone bill and VoIP bill combined are less than what my cell phone bill was when I first enlisted. My cable/internet bill is shared with my roommate, and thus cheaper than it used to be. I’m allowing $100 to go to my credit card each month, so that is potentially spending money provided there is no balance to pay off on my credit card. I do not typically use it so that shouldn’t be much of an issue in itself.

The price of gasoline is kicking my E4 ass as well. I’m currently allowing myself $80/month in the truck – that isn’t even two tanks. I am allowing myself the same on my motorcycle, which should get me roughly three times the mileage. Of course every 4th paycheck or so I will have to dip into the “personal” spending money for routine maintenence.

I do believe it is time for me to start looking to legal ways to suppliment my income. I don’t think I’ve got a good enough handle on the whole photography thing to hope to use that. Right now I’m looking at my toolbox, and my guitar cases and trying to think of realistic ways to squeeze another $200ish a month out of them. ;_;