About a month or so ago I found out the university where I plan on getting my master’s degree lowered their tuition rates (amazing, I know) and just like that I was ahead of schedule with my savings!

You see, the initial plan was to have all my tuition saved by July so I could spend my birthday month balling a little bit and then I’d start saving for housing in August.

A fair enough plan, right?

I was on track for greatness, keeping my nose to the grindstone and then suddenly there I was-  end of May with the first stretch completed and then some. Basically the plan worked and with a stroke of luck I’d been gifted a potential two month break or I could get even further ahead on the second stretch.

Both are completely viable and logical options, but it’s taken me until NOW to actually consider them. The reason why? Mainly because I spent SO much money last month it was insane. I went to South Beach, redid my room (i learned carpets are more expensive than i initially thought), went to two amusement parks, ordered lunches at work. I was…literally running around like June was my birthday month or something and ended up with maybe the second largest credit card bill I’d ever had?

Yesterday I saw all my pending transactions finally posted, so I paid it all of and when I tell you the relief (and pride) I felt when I saw that zero balance with morning…it’s pretty great.

I love being able to start the month with a clean slate!

BUT after five minutes of sending the payment I found out my office is going to be closed both Thursday (national holiday) and Friday. My first thoughts were: “but do we get paid for Friday too? how will this affect my savings plan? my budgets? am i still taking this month off or going to get back to saving?” Then I began to think about what I could possibly spend money on this month. At most it’d be my car, the convention this weekend, and maybe the specific night I plan to go out for my birthday. I really wanted to get faux locs for my birthday, but that’s definitely being shelved for maybe August or September at this point. 

So as of now the plan is to save this month and get back on track because if I had the self discipline do it for twelve months then one month of spending isn’t about to sway me. At the very least I’ll save half of what I normally do in a month that way I have something going towards my vacation fund (I’m still aiming for those thirty days in Japan!).