Kitteh made a bald spot

A lil' background: A couple of years ago I took in a stray tiger taby which I kinda thought would be "free" (then spent over $200 on shots and a checkup - I certainly don't regret it...  just laugh at thinking she was a freebee).  She had a problem with hairballs from the beginning so I tried cheap hairball remedy foods from Walmart.  She really didn't like them so I escaladed up the price ladder to Pet's Mart... they steered me in different directions, but long story short she still hates her hairball food.  

She didn't have this problem until I left for a full weekend with friends.  I left plenty of dry food and water...  and when I came back (from leaving Friday morning until Sunday evening) she had a hairless spot under her chin/on her neck.  A clump of hair/scab came off and I thought she was okay, but then I had a family problem and was gone for 36 hours... when I came back she had a new pink-skin-bald-spot by her shoulder blade...  

This made me think it was "stress" related.  She never ran out of food or water, but since there are no other cat's/pets/people maybe she felt abandoned or something...  I made it a point to be home every evening and weekend for alomst three weeks now thinking she might stop "over-licking" that spot and it might get better.  Sometimes it seems like it's getting better in that it's almost white/flesh tone, then she'll lick it bright pink.

I know it'd be an easy answer to take her to the vet, but I live alone and money's a bit tight.  I'm posting on here to see if there's something I can try before taking her to the vet.  I believe it's a stress thing but I can't take off work to bum around here/home with her (although that sounds REALLY nice)...  

If anyone has any suggestions, please reply.  In every other way she seems healthy... just keeps licking (I'm assuming) that spot.

You guys are great for even reading this far  : )
- Alex

[spirit3]

as i told a previous writer with a similar issue, i had a cat who did the
same thing-we thought it was just a bad habit but we'd had him for years'before he started this so we knew him better than you might know
yours (and good for your for adopting!) ours did the same on his belly but
not to the point of irritation and started right after we moved and then just
kept it up as if he liked the way it looked or something. if you can make
sure all stress (try and keep the sam routine as much as possible) is
removed and a little extra attention when she starts doing it maybe you
can break the habit. good luck! i hope it's nothing serious.