(Getting serious made me sad, so I visited color swatches at Alfred Angelo and discovered some cutie stuff in their "Dream in Color" line.)
Just kidding about being sad, but not kidding about budgeting. For "fun" I did some loose budgeting, starting with my take-home and deducting mortgage, association and maintenance fees, electric, and general expenses. If I subtracted and divided correctly, it would take me 138 months to save up enough to pay for what in this state is considered a "modest" wedding.
Some points to consider (and this is all hypothetical of course, because 138 months is stupid):
- The above figuring assumes that between now and the end of 138 months I eat even less than I do now, drive about half as much as I currently do, and make no extraneous purchases. Sweater on sale? IGNORE. Pack of gum? FORGET IT. Jamba Juice? NYET. Yoga pants from Sam's Club that they never have in your size except today? WALK AWAY.
- I budgeted so the cat and dog can still eat like furry little vacuum cleaners, but they'd better not get sick because that's going to throw everything off.
- The above figuring does not factor in the following: wedding dress, attendants' attire, floral arrangements, or honeymoon.
- The above figuring does factor in the following: reception music by BROTHER WITH iPOD AND SPEAKERS, hair by ME AND MY FLATIRON, and rehearsal dinner by YOUR HIBACHI AND MINE.
Okay, that was fun (no really, it was ... and seriously, the iPOD and speakers, I think, is a fabulous idea. If all we had to rent were ass-kicking speakers? Hey. Oh, and by the way, the last time my flatiron and I did serious work together, I met and snagged my future fiance. Hee hee.)
Now let's re-calculate with S and I sharing the cost. That's either 69 months of ultra-frugal behavior on both our parts or 138 months of not-so-tight behavior. Now let's recalculate with my parents contributing 25 percent. It would still take me 52 months (or a little over four years) to come up with the $9375 left. (All of this, take note, assumes the scenario in which my parents magically and instantaneously pay 25 percent, S and I contribute equally and at the same rate toward the other 75 percent.)
I have several things to say about this.
One, yikes. Two, thank God for credit cards. Three, one of the main reasons the amount I can put away monthly (according to my trying-to-be-realistic calculations) is a paltry $180, is because I have a whopping mortgage payment that pretty much sucks me dry each month. So, while if we had no credit and had to come up with all the cash we needed before planning we would not get married for several years, at least we would have a place to live in the interim. Four, yay for ramen and Hot Pockets. Five, I just put my beloved chaise on Craigslist and that's only so I can pay off what I already have sitting on my credit cards. Six, 2009 has a nice ring to it, I guess. Seven, when I was in college I had several paraprofessional educator jobs, the income from which could have paid for two-thirds of the "modest" wedding. Not to make myself sick or anything.
Okie, enough thinking for one night.
2 comments:
You can use my bose speakers for free. They're about the size of your cat's head but they can blow the top off of a room the size of my store.
if i were mean i would mention inflation and cost of living expenses that far down the road.
but i'm not because i've matured, and if i didn't live so far away i'd help. feel free to kick me in the nuts whenever you feel the urge. i'm also good for a laugh or two.
you can do it. remember, the important thing is the two people at the center of all of this. well, you and your arm candy really, but two people. everything else is almost trivial.
Post a Comment