Payroll lost my contract.

For two months.

 Teaching is so rewarding - spiritually. Materially, not so much, but I knew that going in. Teachers and professors learn to budget around the shorter summer session, and I’ve gotten very good at timing August expenses so that they come due after my first September paycheck.

 School clothes for my younger kids, college payment for my older kids – and more clothes, because apparently boys don’t stop growing. Assorted other expenses, many school related, some not.

Then my first September paycheck didn’t show up. I called Payroll, “we’re working on it,” and juggled a few bills. Put some things on my credit card.  Waited impatiently for the next pay period.

 NO CHECK.

 Summer semester always leaves us a little tight, but not getting paid for September and October destroyed my budget. Only once will I put bills on the credit card, pushing off actual payment at the cost of interest. When the school finally fixed the paperwork, my paycheck came too late.

 ·        I put off shopping for groceries – again.
·        I am paying interest on the interest.  
·        My phone is turned off.
·        The other utilities are threatening shut off.

The interest on unpaid bills is almost a week’s pay, all by itself. I can’t get out of this hole by myself, I haven’t found a new job yet, so I turn to you all for help.

Thank you so much for your support and generous help.