Still working on debt...

Wow. Its September and I'm still paying off these debts. Things are tough here in Manhattan. You need a LOT of income just to scrape by modestly here. I've survived through the summer without digging my financial hole any deeper.

I saved a lot of money by taking advantage of free visits to family members' pool clubs instead of heading out to the Hamptons (and in this economy, who can afford to splurge?).

The little woman's birthday is this month and you know what that means -- she wants jewelry, of course! Apparently she hasn't noticed that we're in a recession. And we did blow a chunk of change on a vacation. I couldn't get away with skipping vacation, so I tried to keep it economical instead.

The irony is that with the recent focus on the presidential campaigns, I'm thinking ahead to what next year will be like. Although I live in a space that measures less than 1000 square feet, Senator Obama says I'm "rich" and that he wants to raise my taxes next year. Terrific. I guess he doesn't understand that even though I may look "wealthy" on paper, the cost of living here is through the roof. You order 1 cocktail at the bar in this city and you may be looking at over $20. In New York City, Dollars might as well be Pesos.