I lived at home for over 2 years after college. My kidney transplant necessitated it at first (I had the surgery one month after graduating college), but I definitely stayed long past what I had planned. In fact, it was only after my mother told me I wasn’t allowed to spend the night with boys while I lived under her roof that I finally got up off my bum and found a place of my own.

Yes, it took losing access to pre-marital sex for me to move out, but whatever works, right?

The upside of all that time at home was that I built up quite the little nest egg of cash which gives me a sense of financial security that I really appreciate given today’s economy.

Currently, my cash cache is sitting in a savings account. Basically the equivalent of stuffing it under a mattress because I just realized the interest rate has plummeted in the past year. (Thank you, shitty economy!) It was a reminder that lately I’ve been thinking I need to diversify my “investments” a bit. You know, past the mattress. I’m not very good at figuring this stuff out, so I think it’s time to seek out a financial planner, even though I’m not really looking forward to paying someone to do this for me. Remember, I’m cheap.

Related to all of these thoughts running through  my head are other major expenses in my future. Namely, whether I will have a job next week. We should know about layoffs in the coming weeks. If I’m laid off, all thoughts of investing some of my stash are out the window because it will need to be liquid enough support me.

But if I still have my job come April, I think it’s time to make some decisions. Broaden my financial horizons and stop stuffing dollar bills in my mattress. It’s not getting me anywhere.