the life of a poor person

So lately I have been living the life of a poor person. I am so serious.

Let's be honest with each other because I am a really honest person, or I like to think so, and I pretty much tell it like it is.

So the honest truth is that my first job out of college is one where my salary is 80euro a week. For those of you who have trouble with math, I do, that comes out to...$110.53/week. So as you can see, I make next to NO money. Luckily, in my line of work, I get free accommodations and free food. Well, the food is free so long as I am home to eat what is in the house.

Well, since I came back from Italy and realized just how much money I had spent and saw my American bank account go down a significant account, I realized I need to do something about my spending habits. I told myself coming over here that once my bank account got to the amount it takes to buy a plane ticket back to Texas than I was done. To be able to stay here I have to be able to afford a plane ticket back if things fall through. I went to college, I am an educated adult woman and I don't need to spend the rest of my life with thoughts of "oh, my daddy can pay for that" so thats why I have that rule.

So anyways, I came back from Italy, realized I needed to watch where I was spending my money (on baguettes and metro tickets, bleh) and keep a diary of what all I buy. How boring! Now I am not a penny-pincher, all of that character trait was taken by my sister by the time I came along so no offense to those of you who are, actually, more power to you because you probably aren't as poor as am I, but I just am not one of those people who watches where ever penny I have goes. I loan money (or I used to), I probably loose it, spend it on worthless items, you know, whatever.

Ok, so again, back to the point: lately I have been living off of ONLY 80 euros a week. Well, its been tough. I haven't done that since I arrived here. Well, and honestly, it's a bit hard to live on 80 euros a week when you already owe people some money. eeek!

These past few weeks have been so good for me. I've been so cautious as to where I spend my money, not wasting it on sandwiches when I could be eating at home for free, not wasting it on other dumb items, but really, acting as if I were poor, because I am. The other night I went into Paris and had not but 50 cents and that bought me a half a baguette and that was my dinner. Thankfully I had been wise enough to bring with me a banana, some yogurt and a few pieces of candy, but still, that was my dinner. Yay! I think I might really be learning to budget. who knew?!

And don't be feeling all sorry for my poor lifestyle right now, the reason I am "poor" is because I am buying Eurostar tickets to go to London in May (and I used the money I make instead of dipping into my  ever so quickly depleting American account), I am going to Voca people on Saturday and Mama Mia on Wednesday. So as you can see, I am still living the good life, I'm just learning that the good life doesn't necessarily mean I need to be wasting hard earned (ha!) money on things that are unnecessary when I could be putting that money towards fun nights out with my friends or weekends away with friends.

Well, I'm off to live my poor life this weekend. And by poor I mean, I will be having a great time!

Love, me!