Studio account: $18.09
Personal account: $-72.12
As you can see I updated the the studio account. Hey I did this for 2 days maybe in 3 weeks I will have a habit! Anyway I am going to take the advice of "Onefamily oneincome". She suggested as my income can fluctuated so much that I was running into a trap that had affected her when they were self employed. When you are trying to pay off debt and you have a good month you put a large sum of money toward debt and then the next month nothing or you are borrowing the money back to make ends meet. This is a very familiar scenario.
She suggested putting the extra funds in a slush account or a savings that is just to pay off debt and then when I have accrued enough and have a leeway of a few hundred dollars I would pay off the next debt. I realize we will pay a little more interest, but none of my debts has a high interest. The confusion, disappointment and feelings of deflation are taking their tole. Because getting out of debt and making progress is a very emotional journey for me. Money is emotional and when I go backwards it is tied to my emotions. So I pay a little more interest. Not as emotionally distressing as feeling like I am regressing. I am going to try this. Why should I put all my dirty linen out on this blog and not take the advice for which I am so desperately asking? So......
So yesterday I rec'd our cleaning check and it went into the college savings. Balance is $807.00. I put $1000.00 into the slush fund and should be adding about $600.00 more in the next week in late tuition. (yes can you believe that) Hubby gets paid today and I will pay the car payment and the tithing and then I will have $200.00 extra dollars to put back into the emergency fund. I also have $200.00 in cash here in the shop that I took in to put back in the emergency fund. I know I will get more money in before the weekend but I will need gas and grocery money at least $150.00. It is so easy for me to put everything in savings and then start writing checks because I feel so good about myself and then when I pull my head out I am $850.00 into debt to the overdraft protection account! Well not this time.
Does anyone think I am getting any better at this? Because I fell like I am floundering.
Out My Window: Rainy, cool, chickens are slowing down on laying eggs because they are getting older and the days are so much shorter. It has snowed in the woods everyday this week.
Well off to the shower and then to the machine. This is my longest day. I teach from 3-7:30, but I don't have to clean tonight, hooray!
Have a great and productive day!
Kim
it takes baby steps to win the battle and you at least are starting to make so steps.
ReplyDeleteGill
Well, if you're starting with a new budgetting method, give it some time to assess how it works. Keep close tabs on what goes in and what goes out (and where they go when they go out). That's a long day of teaching, so good luck!
ReplyDeleteAre you able to stop paying for your daughters school? I can certainly understand wanting to help, especially if you did for the others, but if it is causing you to struggle there should be other avenues for her (such as student loans). I know if I were in school and you were my mom I would want to do whatever I could to take the stress of you!! :)
ReplyDeleteI do think you're doing better. I know it's hard to see small improvements for yourself, but you are actively trying to change your finances for the better - exploring new ways of budgeting, looking into alternatives, practicing new habits. It takes time, that I know, but the only time you fail is when you give up. You CAN DO THIS. I know it! :-)
ReplyDeleteIt's a constant struggle.. I think for everyone, Kim. :) I think you're doing great.. It's hard to do 100% all the time! ;)
ReplyDeleteYou know there is a problem and you are taking control of the situation so that definitely qualifies as getting better! Plus that is great advice on how to handle a fluctuating income!
ReplyDelete