Someday A Goat

I.O.U.S.A.

I went to the special screening of I.O.U.S.A. last night, which included a livecast town hall meeting after the film. The panel featured 5 of the brightest people in the United States, including Warren Buffett. I couldn't recommend the film more, it was a very thoughtful, clear and basic presentation of the national debt situation. I'll be posting more of a review this weekend, but please do check out the link. There are also many clips of the movie on YouTube.

The movie was sold out at the theater where we saw the movie, but it was interesting--I think my husband, my friend and myself were pretty much the only people under 40 years old. We saw quite a few people attempt to buy tickets, I was surprised that it was so popular because I only read about it this week.

Also? David Walker (former U.S. comptroller general--AKA head bean counter for the country) is my new hero.

I.O.U.S.A The Movie

(link opens in new window)

Still haven't made myself check the budget

I've balanced the checkbook, and know how much generally we have to spend. I've even updated the excel budget. But I haven't gone back and fixed June yet, and I haven't even started an analysis of July. The husband is going out of town tomorrow for 5 days, so I guess we'll see if I can get my act together while he's out of town.

You don't have $3.97 in your account?!?

So I stood in line at Walgreens on my lunch hour. In front of me was a younger woman, wearing scrubs. I had seen her walking as I turned in to Walgreens, and as she had a backpack, I guessed that she relied on public transportation (with our poor system and extreme summer heat, I don't know how people do it).

The cashier rang up her vitamin water and a pack of cigarettes (she was clearly choosing based on price), she ran her card and got the dreaded "It didn't go through" comment from the cashier. She just stood there for a second, then asked if she could try again, this time running it as credit. It went through, but only $3.30, so she had to cough up $0.67 (which was paid mostly in pennies).

We've been working so hard at trying to get our debt paid of and watching every penny for what seems like ages now (since we moved in together more than 4 years ago and my now-husband finished school) with what seems like very little result. We're actually way deeper in the hole between a mortgage, a new car and some significant addition to the credit card debt.

But I don't think I've ever had just $3.30 in my account (or tried to buy anything when it gets low). I also have the blessing of several safety nets. Had I not been in my particular circumstances, that girl could have easily been me. I'd have to check, but I think that $60-some dollars is the least I've had in my account. Who knows, maybe I'll look it up in quicken and find that I was pretty darn close. Maybe she just started maxing out her 401K and isn't used to the reduction in cash flow. Maybe it's all been transferred to savings. Whatever her situation is, mine isn't really that far away. I'm still clearly spending more than I earn. I may be a little better about having available funds, but I'm not any different really.

Have you noticed random people in public with very obvious money problems lately?