How Do We Save Money We Don't Have?

So today will be my first day back to school! Woot! Woot!Thankfully, both classes are online and I’ll get to them once I get home this afternoon. But tomorrow will be my first day of school, on an actual campus. This one, I’m nervous about. Not only will I be in a town I’m not all that familiar with but the drive will be a nice hour long one both ways. I’ve been preparing by rereading the map, and double checking my school supplies. I’m trying to be as prepared as I possibly can be, to ease the anxiety.

What I wasn’t prepared for, was how much this will be costing. My husband had a whole day taken out of his work week, which kind of threw us for a loop. I had already applied for school, and had my financial aid when this happened so there was no turning back. Then due to my lateness in registering, I now have to take out what would be equivalent to a whole day out of my schedule. Which means both of our paychecks are taking a nice little hit.

We only have one car at the moment (mine was totaled last year). My husband has to use it because he has to be at work by 6 am. My parents have been nice enough to let me use their truck for getting around and going to work. Still, it’s their truck. Both of these vehicles are gas guzzlers. We normally spend $120 a week, on just going to and from work. Now, add in that I will be making an hour long drive each way to get to class, twice a week, and we’re looking at that price going up to about $200 a week. Add that cost to diapers, groceries, bills, and we’ve got a really huge number at the end of the week. $550-$600.

Only one bill is $10, which I CANCELLED to save that extra ten bucks. Everything else is $60+ I pay at least four things every Monday. And this does not show grocery, or basic utility bills. 

This has been one of the causes for my recent anxiety, because school’s not already enough to worry about, and I’m a little worried. I’m afraid that we won’t have enough left over to keep building our savings as well as Emery’s college fund. Hell, I’m afraid that we won’t have money left over at the end of the week to get us through a weekend! And this is scary, especially when you have a little one. Unexpected things happen all of the time, and I know that the minute things start getting better you’re always hit with something out of nowhere that seems to cost more than what you have. And honestly, I have no idea how we’re going to do this.

This is hard for a planner to admit. I have to have schedules, budgets, and a plan at all times. Because of this there has always been a nice bit of money left over for us to put away. Or we’ve always been able to afford the “unexpected”. But now that I’m actually sitting down and trying to figure in numbers, I’m at a loss as to what to do or where to even begin! How can I save money for our family and for our daughter’s future education if we don’t have anything left over?? Oh...this is so not a good feeling!