I need a hero

As we look forward to the future, Max and I have been making an effort to become more budget conscious. By all standards, we have it easy right now. With 11 years under my belt at a well-established software company and Max's meteoric rise in his career, we certainly qualify as DINKS (double-income, no kids) and haven't given much serious thought to our spending.

But in just over year or so, all of this might change. If promises come to fruition, by February 2000-- a mere 15 months from now-- Max's will be transferred overseas to his next corporate assignment. And, barring some great revelation or catastrophe in our relationship, I will join him wherever he lands. We still do not know which country will be our home, and we won't know until late next summer.

I find the uncertainty of it all very exciting. It doesn't matter to me whether we live in South America, Asia, Africa, or Europe. I feel up to the challenge. I've always managed to adapt to change and would like to have the experience of living outside the United States. What is a little disconcerting, however, is that I won't be bringing home a paycheck for the first time since I was 12-years old. This would mean total dependency on someone else for my livelihood. Eeeek!

Max thinks about this, too. Even though he commands respectable salary, he realizes that we need to pay more attention to how the money is spent. After much discussion of future possibilities, we have decided on two goals that will take priority, as well as a financial commitment, while we are out of the country. First, I will use this period of unemployment to finish my education. We also hope to start a family.

With these thoughts in mind, we've brought all of our standard monthly fixed costs down. Now, however, we tackle the ever-illusive and intangible "miscellaneous" expense column. When you start to look at all the things you spend money on, it can be pretty eye-opening. For instance, I spend no less than $900 a year on my hair. You've all seen how short my locks are and it seems a little shocking that trimming and coloring 2-inch long hair would be so high.

"Have you thought about getting another hair stylist?" Max asked.

I looked at him as if he were asking to sacrifice our first born.

But Max, too, has his money traps. One area that I have written about previously is his laundry bill, which easily rivals the costs of my hair care. Rather than give up hair stylist extraordinary, Meghan, as part of a budgeting effort, I decided that Max's shirt service could be cut instead. I own a washing machine and ironing board. How hard could it be? I decided that, for the cost of a can of starch, I could launder his shirts myself.

Can you already tell where this is going?

It wasn't the washing and drying part that presents a problem. However, ironing men's shirts is quite the chore for someone who hasn't done so in a good 20 years--especially when we are talking about 40 of them.

I tried ironing the lighter color shirts first while also watching Heroes on Monday night. After starting the first shirt I could only wish that main character, Hiro, would have traveled through time to warn me of the errors of my ways. Even shirts that were labeled "wrinkle free" took effort to iron. And, by the end of my new favorite television program, I had only managed to iron 4 lousy shirts with 36 still to go. Max is a little useless in the ironing department, so the burden rests on me to finish the job I started. Another five during Dancing with the Stars, and no more than 3 during Lost--I figure at this rate, I might be able to enjoy a laundry-free night next week.

Next time I'll agree to offer up my firstborn instead.