May 11

I've been planning to go out to Illinois to celebrate my friend Ruth graduating college for several months now, perhaps even as long as a year. Unfortunately, every time I got my plans somewhat set, something happened to put them in peril.

The first big obstacle was in March, when my old computer bit the dust. Buying a replacement, which was pretty important to me, put a big dent in my savings. I was on the cusp of canceling my trip then, but I was able to change my plans sufficiently (cutting two days off my trip) to make it financially feasible. I still wasn't certain I could afford it, but I kept working on my savings plan, and finally, on April 21st, I bought my plane tickets. No going back -- or so I thought.

Then the Commonwealth of Massachusetts stepped in. I missed paying my excise taxes in 2008 (don't ask me how, I don't know), so I had to pay them -- pronto! -- to renew my car registration. The computer was a financial boo-boo compared to the surgery I had to perform on my budget to make this trip work. For 10 days I thought I wasn't going to be able to make the trip, because I simply didn't have the money when I needed it -- a classic cash-flow problem. I get paid during this trip, but I needed money before payday.

I planned. I schemed. I plotted. I considered driving out to Illinois -- an 18-hour trip each way. Perversely, driving my own car is more expensive than flying and renting a car out there, but from a cash-flow perspective, I could almost afford it. I looked at flying -- the airline tickets were already paid for -- and staying in an inexpensive airport hotel for a night, picking up my rental car on Friday, after my paycheck was direct-deposited. I downgraded my hotel in Lincoln to save about $100 over four days. It was all borderline at best.

A friend asked me about my plans, so I mentioned to her all of the hoops I was jumping through because of cash flow. Out of the blue, she offered to lend me the money I needed. Wow. I considered it over the weekend, and yesterday, accepted her offer. So the trip, which had been tenuous at best, is back on.

Honestly, this trip has come back to life more often than Shirley MacLaine. I'm just glad it's back on.

131/365 -