It' The Economy, Stupid! or Two Wrongs Don't Make a Right And A Third Can Really Mess Things Up!

SHIP'S LOG:

Still in Upper Dowry Creek!

Actually, when I think about it and look back on the last 8 months, it is really a wonder that it hadn't happened before. Indeed, I am kinda amazed that it wasn't a bigger "major Whoopsie" than it was.

You have to understand that my income is a little over 2 Marine Units a month. Considering also that my expenses run pretty close to four(4) Marine Units a month, you can see that finances can get more than a little tricky. Yes, you have it right, about twice as much goes out as comes in! And no, I don't work for the federal government. However, living frugally as best I can and with the help and generosity of relatives, friends and neighbors, I am usually able to cover my financial obligations and put just a tad aside for surprises. And surprises there have been. There was that regulator back in Bodkin Creek(MD) that ran 1 1/2 Marine Units with installation. And there was the raw water pump for the engine in Jacksonville(FL) which was a little over two(2) Marine Units and that was with a 10% discount because of a friend of a friend. And that doesn't take into consideration those trips to West Marine and othere such marine establishments for necessary items for require repairs . . . and surely it doesn't take into consideration THE SHEAR PINS! ! ! ! There were also those times when necessity - read the weather - forced me to tie up in one of those hideously expensive marinas which were usually .20 of a Marine Unit a night. During my sojourn, diesel has gone from $3.45 a gallon to about $4.45 a gallon.

And the funds that come to me, aside from the 2Marine Units+ that are direct deposited, go to a Postal Mail Box and are then picked up by a friend who deposits any funds he finds in my account.The information, along with letters are scanned an sent by email. Occasionally, the info comes in a phone call, but either way,contact is not always swift, clean and clear. All of my bill paying is done by debit card and/or through a bill paying feature on my banks website. The QUICKEN Accounting program on my computer handles the record keeping and all I have to do is input the correct information and everything goes smoothly.

Can you see the flaw in the concept? "I" have to enter the "correct information," and there were have the crux of the problem that I ran into in Swansboro. I went to "Yana's Old Fashion Drugstore Restaurant" of a 62nd Birthday lunch and my debit card "bounce" or whatever they call it when you have insufficient funds to cover a bill. Thankfully I was able to scrape up enough to cover the bill and the tip. When I got back to my boat I spent a good part of the afternoon trying to discover what had happened. According to my Quicken Accounting Records, I should have had almost 2.2 Marine Units available in my account. The mortgage had been paid. The debt reduction had been paid and I had yet to begin paying the months bills so there should have been enough. In fact, I was looking forward to the first month in awhile where I was going to get though without having to ask anyone for "a little/some/a lot" of help.

I am not very good with math(it's the dyslexia) hence the accounting software. Between phone calls to the bank and going over statements and reconciling them with the accounts, all I could really discover is that my bank charges me $22 if you overdraw your debit card. (I always found charging someone more of what they don't have doesn't make a great deal of sense!) But I was also moving and when I got to South River, I was without any internet access so the problem stewed for two days. When I got here to Upper Dowry Creek, I had internet access again and took all day today to find the problem. Part of the problem is that most of the "bankers" I spoke with couldn't help you unless you were sitting right there with them. About three O'clock I found it. I had several deposits that total 2 Marine Units and in my Quicken Accounting Records I had listen individually and also as a total sum deposit. Basically I entered them twice and that was the reason for the discrepancy. I actually hadn't been carefully saving money so much as I had simply thought there was more money than there was to begin with.

I was blessed to have my cousin Kathy and her husband, Harold, seen me a chunk of cash and now I will be able to fuel ABISHAG and pump out the holding tank. As full as the holding tank is is as empty as the fuel tank is and I was getting just a wee bit concerned. Of course, I could always pump the holding tank overboard surreptitiously, but even if I did, I would still have no means to fuel the boat without the cash. I am not quite sure exactly where I shall go from here, that is the next step to take in a financial frame of reference, but I will figure that out. Long voyages are very good for reflection and coming up with ideas. Then again, there is always THE PUBLISHERS CLEARING HOUSE SWEEPSTAKES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!