On this journey into financial well-being, I've recognized a few very silly yet dangerous ideas I had regarding money:
- I was treating credit available balances as checking accounts "Hey, I have 2000 in available balance, therefore I have 2000 dollars" ...
I wasn't aware of this but let's say I had to do an oil change for $20, looked into my checking, no money. Oh, Look! I have money on this credit card, charge and forget about it. Money on my credit cards is not my money. I shouldn't be using it as a secondary checking account. Silly ugh?
- I am in the red each month but I don't like to hear "you can not afford cable, or a premium plan for your cell" for days I thought people were crazy, "of course I can afford it, cable is "just" $40 and the premium cell plan is "just" $20 extra. What I didn't think is, where are those $60 coming from? I do not have them. So, it is true, I can not afford those things. Plain and simple.
I look back and I am not sure what I was thinking, denial perhaps?
A member here invited me to feel empowered by cutting back instead of defeated or depressed. I like that option and I chose it for me.
So now I thrive to use only money that is mine (aka my salary) and I am getting ready to do those adjustments, one at a time and with the ever so important sense of self-care and self-compassion.
When I am ready to let go and not any sooner.
First one on the list is cable.
I decided that before I make the call to cut it:
I will borrow some DVDs from the library
I will buy my son a few DVD's and a few for me (around $60 for initial collection)
I will wait for those DVD to arrive
I will assign $5/month to buy DVDs or go to the movies.
These are concessions I feel I can do although it means I will still be in the red for a couple of months.
It will be ok.
Change your thinking first and then your finances
July 9th, 2009 at 02:30 pm
July 9th, 2009 at 03:22 pm 1247152979
My advice is skip the $60 DVD collection - odds are you will watch these only once. I don't know the age of your son, but if you go to the library weekly take out seven DVDs - one new one for each day. My library can get anything you want through Interlibrary loan - it might take a few days, never longer than a week.
July 9th, 2009 at 04:28 pm 1247156918
But I also agree with Mrs that I personally would skip the $60 DVD collection. I would suggest to buy maybe just one DVD for your son to start out with.
Then you could save up extra change and such and eventually buy some DVDs as a special treat later on.
Good luck though however you decide to do it.