Parting Is Such Sweet Sorrow

Yesterday, I wrote and mailed a check for $980.67. I've been saving for 6 weeks to be able to write this check. It is the last check that I will have to write to a creditor (my car not withstanding) and I am relieved.

I'm temporarily broke but relieved just the same.

Here's a toast to financial freedom!

May I continue to keep my discipline and put my money to great use.

Money Fail

I need to balance my check book. That should tell you everything you need to know right now.

Settlements

I received a settlement offer from the last credit card company I owe money to. They are willing to take 40% off what they claim is my final balance. It's not that I don't have the money; it's that I don't want to give it to them.

There was a time when I was sending them $220 a month and it still wasn't enough to clear my balance. They've never been willing to negotiate with me in the past so (and I'm not saying that this is the right thing to do but) I stopped paying. I will find a way to get them their money if only so that I can get this yoke from around my neck.

And I promise you and myself too, I will never abuse another credit card. In the end it's not worth it. Because when I write them this check I will be sending them one-half of my vacation fund. *shaking my head* So not worth it.

ING Yourself Today

I got a letter from the Social Security office the other day. And basically what it said was that they will run out of money a good TWENTY YEARS before I retire! Now, if I hadn't already turned my crazy spending habits around, this would have definitely been enough motivation.

Now, to be completely honest, this is seemingly a very modest estimate. I told it how old I am, what I make now, that I won't retire until I'm 70 (!), and that I want to live on less than what I'm making right now. And they still managed to come up with almost TWO MILLION DOLLARS!

I'm going to be honest with you. I hate the stock market. I don't like the idea of risking my money to the whims of a failed key stroke (looking at you Stock Guy who "accidentally" keyed Billion instead of Million). But with inflation, I'll never be able to put this kind of money ($3580.61 per month) away unless I get in there soon.

So, my advice to you: ING yourself. Do it today. The sooner you start saving, the better off you'll be. And the less likely it is that you'll have to rely on your children to support you financially.

Budget Says What?

Today, I got the best quote via Twitter,

"Budgeting is telling every dollar where to go! Give every dollar a job and make them perform".

If, like me, you decided to never be broke again, then this message speaks to you. I suck at budgets. Not because I can't do it because I totally can. It's just because I'm too lazy to sit down and actually hash one out. If I managed to hash one out, I'd be able to stick to it; I'm nothing if not a rule follower.

So, here's a promise to myself. I will sit down and create a budget before November 1, 2010.

Once I have the budget I'll be even more capable of handling my money (and the overflow!).

Wish me luck!

Month End in Review

I am still not in a place where I write everything down. However, I do have a better idea of where my money is going.

This month, I managed to end with $5.67 in my checking account and $5.03 in my savings. The problem is that I overextended myself by $51.34 and needed to move 55 of my 60 precious dollars to my checking to cover it.

With that said, I applaud myself for having the cash to move. There was a time in the not-so-distant past when the account would have just bounced or I would have had to beg a parent for a never-to-be-repaid bailout. I won't speak about the money that I expected to come that never arrived. It's my fault for counting chickens too early.

So, the month in review:
Rent: $484 (including pet fee)
Water: $0 (landlord could not produce invoice)
Electric: $0 (electric company issued full credit to account)
Food: $51.37 (thanks, Mom for stocking my fridge!)
Eating Out: $60.00
Entertainment: $4.00 (one matinee movie)
Crafts: +$100 (*sad face*)
Bars: $0
Clothes: $0
Extras: $41.30 (carpet for kitchen)

Please know that I brought home more than $750 in the month of September. But since I failed to write it down, I am failing to report it properly. I guess I still have a lot of work to do in this department. Yet and still, I had money left over last month and already this month I've doubled the amount in my savings.

Baby steps, y'all. Baby steps...

Money In The Bank

I have money in the bank! Serious money in the bank. The urge to spend it is out there. But not like you may think. I'm not trying to get shoes or craft stuff but food. Take-out food! Name brand food!

My problem is that food is relatively cheaper than other things and therefore I find it easily justifiable. Shoes, clothes, jewels, films, music, they all cost so much and deplete my funds needlessly. But food is a necessity.

At least that's what I tell myself when I'm rolling through the drive-thru. "I have to have food to live so that doesn't make this wrong at all." But it is wrong. It's completely counter-productive to both my financial and fitness goals.

I finally got my mind right now if only my discipline would follow...