Progress is not a dirty word revisited.

I live, at the moment, for better or worse, on a fixed income. That's not really as important as the slow and steady steps I've been taking to make the most of things, and leave myself with some breathing room. Plus attempt to save for some things I'd like to do, including but not limited to a "rescue" mission of sorts to my storage locker. So I've been working on doing my best to keep slightly ahead of the man with his hands out without getting deeply in debt. My nefarious plan has been (knocking wood as she says this) working out more and more. It's a week to payday, and unlike the past, I am ahead of the game so to speak. All my bills are paid, in fact some of them prepaid a couple of months worth, I bought myself something special this month, spent time friends and family, have plenty of food in the house and money left in the bank. A safe cushion worth in fact. Plus I have meager reserves in case something were to happen with the car, or something along those lines. You know, the unexpected.

And this, is, for a change, equally unexpected. Unexpected, but blessed.

A year ago at this point, the last week of the month, I'd be hanging on waiting for payday with things tight enough they squeaked. Last year this month my bank of three years gave me a small unsecured credit card. The first one since Earl destroyed my life and credit. They've given me a line increase because I've been a very good girl. Then again, I've been "cheating" after a fashion. I keep a very small running balance month to month, and make large payments, well above the minimum every month right before my statement is generated. So from a credit score standpoint I'm NOT running up huge debt. From a bank standpoint they are making very small amounts of interest off of me, so they are happy. And me, I'm moving hundreds of dollars through it every month. They like that too. So it's basically a win/win situation. So much so that my horrible nonexistent credit rating has gone up to good and my insurance company dropped my rates by more than half. As I predicted twenty years ago I have unlimited 24/7 phone service (on my cell) for less per month than I used to pay just for local calling on the hardline. This is good! So much so that I don't even HAVE a hardline anymore. No point to it really.

So the hard work, planning, knowledge of banking and credit, and patience is paying off. It's still tight, then again it pretty much is for everyone, but it's breathable instead of panic tight. All in all, progress, which for the better part of almost two decades (the last two) has been a dirty word, has had it's status upgraded. For those with some military background, I am no longer operating at Defcon 1, and while I'd love to say I'm currently at Defcon 5, honesty demands that I say I'm not quite there yet. So this is kind of my long winded way of saying

"Attention On Deck: Set Condition 4, I repeat, we are now operating at condition 4."

Considering the last decade of my life, this is an amazing point. Now if I could get myself to really believe it, I might entertain DEFCON 5. But hey, it beats living for years on end at Condition One! So it's progress, and this is a good thing!