Get In Control Of My Finances

I want to stop overspending every month and going into my overdraft so I actually have money to spend on the things I want, and I want to stop wasting money on unneccessary things

I am retiring this goal because it is so similar to live debt free- I will put all further entries under that goal.

I think I’ve got a part time job wrapped up. I can use the extra money to pay off debt. Hopefully I will be able to handle working a second job and still keep up with everything else I have to do.

I am having such a hard time not spending money these days. It’s so hard because 1. It’s summer, school’s out, I’m not teaching so I’m home all the time, more time to notice things I would like to have for the house, more time to shop for things I would like to have for the house AND 2. because spending/shopping has been a way of life for me until 3 months ago. I’m like an addict Jonesing for my drug of choice. Seriously.

I paid off the last of my credit card debt today. I have $1000 in an emergency fund. I am making many postive changes.

I have had a hard time sticking with my budget this month. With school out now, when I don’t have anything to do, I want to shop. I kind of feel like a drug addict that’s trying to go straight. I have got to find some activities besides cleaning my house to fill my time so I won’t want to go buy something. Even the internet is new to me now. Before I spent my time at Overstock, Amazon, or eBay, so what the hell do people use the internet for if not to shop?? Oh, yeah, stuff like 43 things, I suppose…

I have written a budget for May. This is the first time I have ever had a written budget. I am going to do my best to stick it it. I will look at it on paper every day to keep it fresh in my mind and evaluate my progress.

I have so tried to ignore my inability to manage money effectively for so long. I am too old to keep being so childish and immature about this. It has to stop now. I have been reading a lot about personal finance over the past week or so, and I am facing my finances for the first time in a very long time. It’s just so much easier to just pay the bills and not look at how much you actually owe. It’s very easy to say that EVERYBODY’S in debt, it’s just the way it is. But I’m really trying to change my perception. I want to get out of debt, but that is a very, very long term goal, because I include my mortgage as debt- because it is! I want to stop wasting money foolishly and planning for my future. It’s time I stopped sticking my head in the sand and began working toward having savings, retirement, and college funds for my children. I am going to try to be a grown up now. Very scary.