As soon as I realized that my financial life was out of whack, I should have taken it as a sign that my life in general was out of whack. If I’m in a big pile of consumer debt, my values and my behaviors are misplaced.Do you know exactly how much cash you have right now? Do you know approximately how much? Or are you clueless? When you have cash, do you know where it is and what it looks like? Are the bills flattened out and in order from ones to fives to tens to twenties? Is your change all in one place? If not, is the money all in one place but not necessarily in order? Or is your money just crumpled up and stuck anywhere in your purse, pocket or somewhere else? Is your change loose wherever it happens to be?
The way you treat your money is usually a pretty good indicator of the way you treat yourself. If you know how much you have to the penny and your money is always in exactly the right place and in order, you may be very organized, possibly to the point of being rigid. Do you need to lighten up a bit? Maybe you can plan to put aside a few dollars or more to do something fun or generous? Conversely, if you haven’t any idea how much cash you have and it’s not in any order, that may indicate a life that is a bit out of control. Try treating your money with respect. Flatten out the bills, put them face up and in order of amount. Count it. Put it in a wallet or one place in your purse or a specific pocket. When you physically take control of your money you will find yourself more confident about taking control of your life. When you treat your money with respect, you will likely treat yourself the same way.
This simple task, done every day, may be the first step in getting your life in order. Try it!
Money Saving Tip
Using envelopes can be an easy and successful way to organize and keep track of your money. Label each envelope with the amount allocated for the month (or two weeks) for food, gas, entertainment/fun, clothes, utility bills, school expenses, recurring expenses like insurance, etc. Divide up the cash and place it in the envelopes as soon as you receive your pay. It makes it very easy to see exactly how much you have left so you can feel more in control. And once it’s gone, that’s it! For example, if you’ve budgeted $300 for food for the month and only have $75 for the week, it helps remind you to shop smarter so your money will last longer.
What made you smile today?
What made you proud of your money choices today?
