Recent events: namely, hubby giving away 5k, and the surprise when I have opened our last two credit card bills have shown me that I have officially fallen off the wagon.
When I joined this community and started a blog, I was on target. I was saving money, making more with the $20 challenge, being more creative using savings and discounts. It was great, financially speaking. And it was fun, like a new game.
Boy, have I gotten sloppy. I'm almost ashamed to admit it. I haven't been paying as close of attention to our spending as I should be. I haven't been socking away as much in the savings account as I could be. I have not been shopping around.
What happened?
Well, I got sloppy, for one.
2: I had a second kid and sleep became no.1 priority, not spending extra time managing the finances.
No.3 I started wanting to fix up the house in ways that we could see and enjoy. (Paid cash, but still)
No. 4 I started writing a weekly column for the metro newspaper that took up 3 nights a week-- so there was even less time and energy to spend on money.
No. 5 Because we are so tired and stressed, we spent more eating out and such.
That said. It's time to get back on the wagon. I read an article online today about all the folks suffering because of the recession, many without any more places to turn for help. It made it very clear to me that the well-being of my family is paramount, and the family has entrusted me with the job of managing the accounts to make sure this happens. This is a sacred trust.
We need to have more respect for the money we are earning. And start over again on our budget. Pay the savings account first, then live off of what's left. We used to do it that way, but lost our way these past 6 months.
It's clearer to me now that we are squandering our opportunity. We, like many, could be laid off any minute. Would I look back and be happy about the money we've wasted? No. So it's time to change. Seriously.
I'll keep you posted on the progress.
The wagon: I fell off
July 14th, 2010 at 08:55 pm
July 14th, 2010 at 09:13 pm 1279138424
July 14th, 2010 at 09:35 pm 1279139714
Good luck climbing back on that wagon.
July 15th, 2010 at 12:42 am 1279150976
July 15th, 2010 at 02:29 am 1279157390
July 15th, 2010 at 12:15 pm 1279192506
July 15th, 2010 at 02:47 pm 1279201651
July 15th, 2010 at 04:14 pm 1279206848
July 23rd, 2010 at 07:36 pm 1279910214
Jerry