I Got $5,000 Right Before My Birthday. Will I Blow It?

Paulette Perhach
Jul 24, 2017 · 1 min read

My grandpa passed away last year, and his house just sold. As his grand-daughter, I was given $5,000 of that money. As me, I feel like I’m on my way to blowing it.

I spent $1,852 last week.

$499 to pay off my therapist, who I can’t afford to go to anymore

$230 to my retirement account, which I haven’t put anything into for months

$157 is the bill from my birthday party, which is only half the story because people left about $80 on the table. I wanted to have a cheap picnic in the park, but the weather ruled that out. Couldn’t have a party at home because my apartment is 157 sq. ft. I had an awesome birthday though.

Other money I spent on my birthday:

$35: sushi I ate the night before when I burned my spaghetti sauce and said fuck it, it’s my birthday tomorrow. Me and a book had a lovely time

$10: birthday morning Bakery Nouveau

$50: two hand-made cups for drinking wine in the park, which I do not regret, from Foxtail Pottery.

The rest of this $5,000 needs to go to my taxes. I haven’t saved any for the year. I’m glad for the chance to get it all straight. My spending will be higher than I thought it would be this month because of all this. I just have this amazing ability to turn a new chunk of money into a new chunk of debt. So I’m trying not to do that.

Paulette Perhach

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Paulette Perhach has been published at The New York Times, ELLE, Marie Claire, and Cosmo.

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