I live, write, and garden in the PNW with my husband of 28 years, disabled daughter, adult son, and my 84-year-old mother. We have paid off $250,000.00 worth of debt (if you include the interest) in the last fifteen years and as of 6/12/2020 are 100% DEBT FREE!!!!Today my mother paid me back some money that she owed me for picking up a flat of flowers she wanted from a nursery that is on the way from my house to town. I did it a couple of weeks ago and between one thing and another, we both forgot about it. But today she gave me $50. The purchase was $48.69 and I was going to make change and she said not to be silly, and to keep it.
So the first thing that comes into my head is, "Cool, I can deposit $1.31 into one of my savings accounts." But then, and this is the big step in how this last little while has turned me around, I thought, "Why not put in the whole $50?" Because it wasn't something I needed to just stick back into my spending. I have enough to get me through until payday Friday. I shouldn't just blow this $50. I should save it.
Wow, where'd that come from? I remember thinking when I posted my goal of saving $10 a week how huge that seemed to me. Then someone said, just wait until you can scrape up $20. Well, rather uncharitably I thought, "Yeah, right. I'm not even sure about making the $10." But you know what? They were right. All of a sudden I have this found money. And I want to save it. Want to. Weird.
So when I deposit my $10 on Thursday, I will also deposit the $50. I had to think about which savings I wanted to put it in, the regular one or the freezer money one. Well, I have decided that one of my goals wil be that as soon as I can save up enough in the regular account to equal $250, then I will open this ING account that everyone is talking about, and get the free $25.
If I put it in the freezer money fund it will take 13 weeks after this one for me of deposting $10 to the regular account before I can open an ING. If I put the $50 in there, it will take me eight more weeks to have enough to open an ING. Plus, I may run into more found money that I can put in there and make it faster.
2 weeks ago, this wouldn't even have occurred to me. Now, it already feels like second nature. It is still hard for me to believe this is me making these decisions and liking them!
I Don't Think the Same Anymore
April 18th, 2006 at 06:18 am
April 18th, 2006 at 01:32 pm 1145367161
April 18th, 2006 at 01:50 pm 1145368220
April 18th, 2006 at 02:07 pm 1145369268
Now, I see, you are getting the idea, and I feel much better!! I have always paid my self first, 10% of everything that we earn. Start with $10 a week and try to increase it a little at a time. It is a good feeling!
April 18th, 2006 at 02:44 pm 1145371494
April 18th, 2006 at 02:59 pm 1145372372
April 19th, 2006 at 04:13 am 1145420038