I’m putting yet another direct deposit into a credit union that is difficult to get into in an attempt to actually save up the 8 months emergency fund that Suze Orman recommends. I don’t know if I’m being ridiculous or not because I am currently struggling to get by on the money I get every pay period, and now it’s down that deposit amount. Am I overly optimistic, or am I actually making a smart move? I have no idea. I guess time will tell. 1 week ago

into a an account further in the future than my current one. I’m keeping my current balance in the ultra conservative account, and putting the future contributions into one that is a bit more risky and making more money. My brother-in-law did investing professionally for a while and he told me to go this route for about a year. I’ll try it for a year. 1 week ago

It’s about half of what I expected. Oh well. So how to use it for the maximum bang for my buck? Ordinarily I would save it, but if I do, I will end up spending it to buy things while I am trying to pay off debt. It’s better to pay off the debt (avoiding interest) so that I can live within my means and not incur more debt. I am so against incurring more debt. My main thing is staying home and working on my house and land. That requires little money at this point, so I should stay within my budget while building up my savings and retirement. I will be able to pay off 5 debts. 2 weeks ago

“Your [financial] purpose should be to understand how much you have, figure out your expenses, save a reasonable amount for the future, and enjoy the rest.”

This makes sense. 3 weeks ago

a relative asked me to drive her to the store to buy something she wanted, then at the checkout she expected me to pay for it! Uhm, no. I learned a lesson: don’t go with her to the store when she wants to buy that certain something. 3 months ago

I had to get a credit card for veterinary services. High interest, but deferred if I paid it within a certain time. I have been doing it, but I realized that it is agonizing. If I pay half from my savings and half from my paycheck during November, then it will be paid off and I won’t be suffering to live during each month until it is paid off. My savings goes up quickly, so it would be better for my peace of mind (which is priceless) to do it this way. So I will. 6 months ago

One credit card and the trailer loan. Now I have more debts, but less outlay each month. 9 months ago

It sure did save gas. I’ll try for the same next week. If I can take the shuttle, I should have to fill up the tank only once or twice a month! 12 months ago

Next I have to read how to do it. Tomorrow. 12 months ago

1. Give up storage unit – DONE
2. Sell Bronco – DONE
3. Take shuttle to work
4. Take my lunch – DONE
5. Eliminate buying yummy big salads at IHS cafeteria
6. Recycle aluminum cans for money (yes, it’s at this point)
7. Sell my mare (only as a last resort)
8. Sell dead vehicles to junk yard
9. Sell on Ebay
10. Moratorium on Ebay purchases
11. Save most of my conference perdiem – DONE (I saved half)
12. Moratorium on Amazon purchases
13. Use up the food in my pantry
14. Limit “treats” to healthy foods only – DONE12 months ago

out of savings to the tune of $1250 means that I will not have to go into debt for that amount. It comes out of my Italy trip savings, but at least it is there and I won’t have to debt it. Someday I will visit my uncle’s grave in Italy. 15 months ago

This month, March and maybe even into April, this will be a struggle. Then I have to save money to pay car insurance. As usual, the secret is to not charge so there are no payments to be made. I’m trying to not charge. 15 months ago

This alone starts 2012 great! I paid off one credit card, but will have to charge a class on it today. I can pay it off next month, so it will have no interest on it. The storage unit is proving to be useful for getting the house into shape, so I’m going to keep that expense probably through 2012. As far as buying things, because I am in declutter mode, I am not attracted to buying very much. When the debts come down, I’ll increase savings. I have a plan. 16 months ago

I can do this, although it means I’ll have to be ultra disciplined about money, at least until I pay off a few bills. It’s worth it though. Peace of mind because I have savings is definitely worth it. 18 months ago

This is not going well right now. I have some ideas on how to spend less than I make: get rid of the storage unit is number 1. I am saying December 31, 2011, but I’m thinking I’ll get rid of it before then. I’m going to try for that. 20 months ago

I’ve spent almost $2000 of my savings in the past 4-5 months. It is so hard to save, and so easy to spend. I wanted to save half my paycheck this pay period since it was one of the two that are “extra”, but I had to pay my car insurance. At least I had it. I need to pay my pick-up truck insurance this month too, which means getting into my savings. . I need to build it, not spend it! 20 months ago

and now I have to make up savings and my checking account buffer during the next 6 months. This has not been a good month for money. I’m glad July is over. August will take very careful money management. 22 months ago

for me to do this. This month there seems to be many unexpected expenditures, and I’ve dipped heavily into my savings. I need to get back to the savings starting point, and then continue to build it. I am grateful, however, to have savings to use to cover the emergencies I have had this month. 22 months ago

Even in finances I guess. I realize that having to dip into my travel funds to fix my truck is something many other people have had to do in the past, present and future. I also realized from this necessity that there are places my money is being spent that can be trimmed. The storage unit, for one, can be eliminated from my life if only, if ONLY I get moving on decluttering. I am moving too slowly, and letting fatigue from my job interfere with my weekend decluttering; I nap instead of decluttering. So it is costing me money. I know what must be done, and so I must do it even though it is uncomfortable or scary for a little while. It works out in the long run. 22 months ago

I must wait to buy it. I must save money toward the down payment, and pay off my other couple debts so that I can swing the car payment. Based on my personal financial plan, I MAY be able to buy something in a year. I have the goal of putting myself in the position to purchase a new-to-me Honda CRV. While I’m waiting, I’ll be doing research on it, saving money, paying off debt, and generally simplifying my life so that I can do this. 23 months ago

because I needed Bronco parts and didn’t have the cash. I’ll pay it off next week when I get my paycheck. The next pay period will be tight for money due to this expense, but at least my credit card will be paid off in full again. 23 months ago

The truck my DBF has had his eye on was up for sale, but we can’t afford it. We have to repair our vehicles we have now, and we already have a loan out for the stock trailer. As it turned out, someone else bought it. This a.m. I told him (again) that I would not be able to afford anything more until the trailer is paid off. I am already at my limit for paying out. I am comfortable now with my bills, and have enough money to pay for food for critters and humans, plus gas money, plus a little bit of a cushion to save each month. He got it. We are downsizing in so many areas of our lives. This is our joined goal right now, not racking up more debt for something we really don’t need. 23 months ago

I didn’t save anything beyond my normal savings payroll deductions. I spent, and got things done, but I also scared myself at how easy it is to spend money. I need to be careful not to spend down my savings. I need to pace myself for what I want to do, but do it with earnings and not savings. I still have a lot to learn about being financially healthy. Just because it feels uncomfortable to have money in savings doesn’t mean I have to act on my emotions to feel comfortable behaving in old patterns that do not support my financial health. Being impulsive by spending savings on positive things does not strengthen my financial health. 1 year ago

I am finding it very uncomfortable having few bills to pay. I am so used to juggling funds to get everything paid that it truly feels weird to not have a lot of payments to make. There are a few things I need to spend money on (horse registration, passport, stock trailer payment, haircut, etc.) and they are all important and valuable things to pay. Yet the first thing I need to do is save money. This pay check I need to pick an amount to save, and then whatever is left, that’s what I have to spend. That’s called paying myself first in my own budget. I need to get used to having extra money that goes into savings, and not feel like I have to “spend” it by making huge payments on the couple debts I have. This is all brand new to me. Never have I been in a position to have little debt and (to me) big savings. It is uncomfortable, and I need to monitor myself to not go back to old, destructive behavior. 2 years ago