It's almost New Year's Eve and 2007 is coming to a close! Thank God! It was one hell of a year! In my case, there were some ups but mostly downs...my mom was in the hospital three times this year and it was very difficult. I can't wait for 2007 to be over and I can start fresh for 2008!I have decided to go ahead and announce my New Year's resolution!
Every year since I was a child my resolution was the same...this is the year that I lose wieght.
Well, I finally did it. So when I sat down to think about my New Year's resolution I said "Damn! What do I do now?"
I've decided to do the responsible thing. I hate to admit it but its true, I'm one of those Americans in "trouble." I don't save. I charge. I live paycheck to paycheck.
I'm done. I don't want to live like this anymore. So I am going to take a good hard look at how I spend my money. I'm going to see where I can trim the fat.
This is the year I am going to pay off my credit cards. And it won't be much at first, I'm going to start saving. It's time to be a grown up with my money. I have problems managing my money and now I'm going to fix that. Damn! It felt good to say that!!
So if anyone has some great money saving tips! Please send them my way!
Now it's your turn! What's your New Year's Resolution?
A few years back I read a book called "The Automatic Millionaire" and although I knew I was not going to be a millionaire, the book recommended some very good and easy ways to save money. I can tell you one thing that opened my eyes was documenting every time I spent money during the day, such as for a cup of coffee, lunch, a pack of gum and so on. After adding up what I spent in a day, multiplied by a week, month and year I was shocked on how much money I was wasting. I now drink coffee from home and bring my lunch to work with me.
ReplyDeleteA few years back I read a book called "The Automatic Millionaire" and although I knew I was not going to be a millionaire, the book recommended some very good and easy ways to save money. I can tell you one thing that opened my eyes was documenting every time I spent money during the day, such as for a cup of coffee, lunch, a pack of gum and so on. After adding up what I spent in a day, multiplied by a week, month and year I was shocked on how much money I was wasting. I now drink coffee from home and bring my lunch to work with me.
ReplyDeleteI have read that book! And another one that was quite good about reducing and eventually eliminating debt. (I can't remember the name of the second one, though) But yes, I have already done that. I took my bank statement and counted up the times I used my debit card to buy lunch in the caf or coffee in the morning and added it all up. I was shocked!! I've started bringing lunch too and have a happy little travel mug for my coffee!
ReplyDeleteOur finances are our main goal....we have most of our credit card debt rolled over to 0% finance charges and it's time to figure out how to pay them off!
ReplyDeleteI figure the money we will save when I am not buying a pack of butts a day will help quite a bit!!
We also need to be slapped into being more "grown up" with the way we spend ~ I would like to chop up our cards but living paycheck to paycheck we sometimes NEED our card to buy groceries but we really don't need such high spending limits either...
I would love for this to be the year we finally catch up with things again ~ I bet not having to worry about debt would be well worth giving up spending splurges....
I just want everyone to be happy and healthy!!
How about Yankee Magazine's Living Well On A Shoestring! It's a practical book that tells ways to live on what you may already have rather than spending money on yet MORE "stuff". Great recycling tips in it too. You may recall my new year resolution....LESS COMPUTER in my life!!! I've cut down on it considerably actually, and proud of it LOL!
ReplyDeleteOK, Listen UP! hahahhaaa I have no resolutions except to keep on doing what I been doing! On yours and everyone's finances.........I lived for years paycheck to paycheck until I wised up. It was so stupid of me an adult in my 40s to not have savings. Someone mentioned above the Automatic Millionaire....great book full of great practices!!!! Some other ways to go are savings bonds...buy them and do not touch them for 2 years...do not even look at them. Then you will have an emergency fund, for emergencies!!!! Save your coins also.....I have almost completely funded vacations and my truck repairs with coins! A very good way to get rid of debt is a Debt Management Progrqam like the one sponsored by my credit Union. They not only forced me to pay for my credit card and loan to them, but they forced me to save and pay off my other bills. My credit Union saved my ass!!!! I guess it was also in their best interest. Good Luck my friend.
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