Get a grip on my finances

I have been putting a bit more in savings – not much but a bit. I am starting to pay an extra $100 on my car payment which will give me an extra 4 payments a year and get the damn thing paid off sooner. I am paying on my student loans faithfully. I have a long way to go, but it is coming.

I have a notebook where I keep track of my bills. Lately I have been reviewing this every week and making changes as needed. I feel like I have a better handle on what is coming in and going out. I took two financial books out of the library this week. I am reading these for inspiration, even though I find some of it quite dry.

and I have made arrangements on some of my bills. I also have a new plan for my student loans. I need to work harder at taking care of these debts. Even just having a plan makes me feel relieved. I have a couple of short trips I want to take in February. They will be my reward for being disciplined the rest of the month. Like a child, I have to set things up this way: rewards for good work. Otherwise I will feel deprived and won’t do what I am supposed to.

oh bills to pay….
I am paying several big ones this week. Ouch.

I am going to work on a new budget plan for the new year. I would like to put more money away and get my debts paid faster but also give some to causes I care about. Setting priorities is the key for me. Without specific goals and justifications for those goals I am lost.

I have a ridiculous amount of bad debts to work on – mostly student loans, a couple of old credit cards & some misc small debts. I am not proud of my financial status, and sometimes it really weighs me down. One positive thing I am doing is paying extra on my car payment each month – to pay it off sooner and save on interest. I also plan to pay on or all of one these bills each pay period. Working on this in small increments has to get me somewhere.

Yesterday I paid an old $30 bill from when my son had an injury 2 years ago. Today I made payments on 2 student loans, 2 subscriptions, my phone, my utilities. I quickly organized my bills yet to be paid, so I can at least find them again! I have to admit that taking action makes me feel better.

I did work some overtime last pay period though. When I get my paycheck I am going to apply some of this extra money to my student loans and an old medical bill. I need to set some tangible goals to make this work for me.

I need to work on this. It really hasn’t been a focus of mine. I am going to start working per diem for a home health care agency. I will work a day a week for them and put all the money toward my debts. I dread it in a way but I know I need to get moving before the problem gets any worse.

It’s a small thing but it made me feel better.