Cash Moves Everything Around Me
My relationship with money has always been somewhat strained. We're constantly on the outs, spending months at a time apart. Sure, we'll run into each other here and there and I'll fill the awkward silence with plans we both know we won't follow through on, but we never really spend any quality time. The worst part is even when we are together, I can't help but feel like my cash is constantly eying other potential suitors. From my car, to the gas company and even the new cat, it seems like my money will just throw itself at anything that catches it's eye and, to be honest, sometimes it makes really poor choices.

We're trying to work through things though.

I opened a savings account a few weeks ago. The first time I've had any kind of "savings" since before college. It's nothing substantial right now, but I hope to pump a little cash in whenever I can and it's amazing how disassociated I've become with the money that's in there. It doesn't even feel like it's mine, and that's the best thing for the both of us.

I also recently stacked another brick on my "adult wall" by finally getting a credit card. The Rose has been on me about starting to build some credit and I eventually forced her, by way of my procrastination, to give up trying to get me to send in the card application that had been sitting around the apartment for the last 5 months. When I randomly discovered that I could complete the process online, I took care of it and received my new Visa in the mail a couple of days ago. The fine folks at Visa "awarded" me a ludicrous credit limit which I'll never come close to reaching, but I must admit, it's nice to be asked.

On a loosely related financial note, here's some information that I think could stand to be more thoroughly disseminated: Economic stimulus payments will be issued according to the last two-digits of the main filer's Social Security number. People who use direct deposit also will be among the first to receive the payments starting May 2. Paper checks will be put in the mail starting May 16.

-DIRECT DEPOSIT
00 through 20 ---> May 2
21 through 75 ---> May 9
76 through 99 ---> May 16

-PAPER CHECK
00 through 09 ---> May 16
10 through 18 ---> May 23
19 through 25 ---> May 30
26 through 38 ---> June 6
39 through 51 ---> June 13
52 through 63 ---> June 20
64 through 75 ---> June 27
76 through 87 ---> July 4
88 through 99 ---> July 11

So, since I had my tax return direct deposited, it looks like I'm up six bills come May 9th. Dolla, dolla bill ya'll!