be financially responsible

Alright, here we go again. 400 for play, and a current savings balance of 900. The goal is 3,500+ by the end of November, plus a paid ticket home.

So, with 8 pay periods of approximately 900 each, I can easily do it, if I can cut back on my little pleasures. If I manage to complete this by 75% I’ll be happy. I’ll just have to see how things go.

The men in my family are traditionally terrible with money, and I’m certainly no different. I nickel and dime my big beautiful paycheck every two weeks, and I have absolutely no idea where it goes anymore. WIthin the next year I’ll be out of a job, and I’m out of the country too. I’d like to go home for Christmas (another of my 43 things), and I need to save the cash for a ticket.

I started well this month, with 900 towards a 1200 ticket… I just don’t know what happened. I’m paid tomorrow and I managed to hang on to 300 bucks! Not only that, but this month I thought I cut down pretty well on my frivolous expenses. Obviously, I have more budget trimming to do. I will admit pulling 200 out for my girlfriend’s birthday present. That I do not regret. :)

Ah well, I’ll give it my all! I know other items on my list will come with a greater ease if I can set myself straight on this one thing. Here’s hoping!

It’s been not quite a year since I set myself on the path to becoming debt free once and for all. Obviously, that entailed becoming more responsible and accountable to myself for the way I handle money. I’m glad that I’ve been able to continue this after clearing my debt, and not just drop back into my old patterns.

I parked in the parking garage again today. It was a beautiful day and the commuter lot was definitely an opiton. But, I started thinking about heavy my books would be. I even drove through the cheaper parking garage but that 1/2 block walk even seemed overwhelming. So, I parked in the close parking garage. I fed the meter but my paper took 6 hours instead of 2 hours. So, once again, I owe a $10 parking ticket.

I balanced my checkbook
I finished my taxes
I figured out what people owe me.

WOOT WOOT

I paid my parking tickets. $50 because I am too damn lazy and disorganized to make it to school on time to ride the bus from the commuter lot. Or, egads, actually walk. What a concept. Must mull over the sad state of being that would want to pay $50 for nothing. Could have had a massage; or a pedicure; or a decent dinner out. Hmmm- thinking about that now.

1. Prepare my taxes
2. Pay my parking tickets
3. Balance my checkbook
4. Figure out how much money I have owed to me
5. Start writing the commuter bus and stop parking in the expense metered lot.

Um.. closer? kind of. I’m still having problems realizing that I can’t just ignore my finances. Now at least I have gotten everything in order so I can keep track of it all.

I’d like to work this out before I’m in serious debt.. in about a year before my student loans attack me with papercuts and final notices of doom.

I retired in 2001 with more residual (credit card) debt than anyone should have when they make the decision to exit the world of regular paychecks. I have concentrated most of my financial energy since then on getting rid of this debt, but it seems to be more difficult than it should be.
My goal here is to get serious about paying off and not spending. I have reached a positive tipping point, so I need to continue to move forward.