We all succumb to wants. We walk past a Starbucks and order a $3.50 coffee as a pick me up. Guests invited for dinner and we don’t hesitate to buy a nice bottle of wine. We are too tired or lazy to cook so we order out. Why watch a movie “on demand” when we deserve a change of scenery and jump in the car and drive to the theater. We all do it. Spend needlessly and if you don’t think you do, I challenge you. I challenge you for 30 days to write down where your money goes. Don’t take a mental picture. No guessing. No receipts or on-line bank statements. Keep it simple. Every time your wallet makes an entrance or your debit card is smoking from use, jot down in a notebook, on your iphone or on a piece of paper when, where and why the purchase occurred. It’s not complicated but it does take effort. You must write down every purchase, no matter how insignificant. You know how much your mortgage payment is bi-weekly or your monthly car payment, but do you really know how much you are spending on coffee, lunches, or handouts to your teenagers each week (or day for that matter)? And more importantly, why. Why do we as consumers feel this pressure, this want, this need to spend? Why do we convince ourselves that we “deserve” all that life has to offer? Read the rest of this entry »
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January 10th, 2012