So, here we are, into the 4th week of our Financial Fitness class. And I'm shocked to admit - it's been WONDERFUL!
I took my second trip to the bank today - to withdraw money to put into my beloved envelopes. Realization hit me pretty hard today. Please bear with me as I explain...
The following is an accounting of my bank statement (without the balances) for the 30 days prior to my first "envelope stuffing" session. This is significant because there was $1131.57 spent. I have to tell you - my monthly "income" equals only $861.00 - IF I receive it all as is court ordered. This particular 30 days, I received only $858.07. We did have the tax return and stimulus checks deposited into my account. Notice, there is a $1000.00 withdrawal...the money wasn't safe in my hands (or my account!) so Brian and I agreed to transfer the stimulus check to his money market account. The other $600 from that check slipped like silicon between the lines of my bank statement. I have no idea where I spent that money! or what I spent it on! You'll also notice the bank charges for my "overdraft protection". Ha! I spent $3.00 to transfer $ .01 from savings to checking - because I had nothing there!!! What an absolute waste!!!
I took my second trip to the bank today - to withdraw money to put into my beloved envelopes. Realization hit me pretty hard today. Please bear with me as I explain...
The following is an accounting of my bank statement (without the balances) for the 30 days prior to my first "envelope stuffing" session. This is significant because there was $1131.57 spent. I have to tell you - my monthly "income" equals only $861.00 - IF I receive it all as is court ordered. This particular 30 days, I received only $858.07. We did have the tax return and stimulus checks deposited into my account. Notice, there is a $1000.00 withdrawal...the money wasn't safe in my hands (or my account!) so Brian and I agreed to transfer the stimulus check to his money market account. The other $600 from that check slipped like silicon between the lines of my bank statement. I have no idea where I spent that money! or what I spent it on! You'll also notice the bank charges for my "overdraft protection". Ha! I spent $3.00 to transfer $ .01 from savings to checking - because I had nothing there!!! What an absolute waste!!!
Color Key: Things I needed - or at least convinced myself I "needed" them.
Eating out - celebration, hungry, "quality time" & "my treat"
Income Deposit
Gifts
Groceries
Gas
Necessities (Dr. co-pay, medications, home repairs, etc...)
Bank Fees - ARG!!!!! (This will NOT happen again!)
Planned Spending
06/14/08 POS TARGET T1328 SEAL BEAC SEAL BEACH CA $10.00
06/13/08 POS TARGET T1328 SEAL BEAC SEAL BEACH CA $7.07
06/13/08 Check Card: IN-N-OUT BURGER TORRANCE CA $9.94
06/13/08 CS PAYMENT $290.78
06/12/08 POS 7-ELEVEN LONG BEACH CA $6.49
06/11/08 Check Card: DEL TACO LONG BEACH CA $4.29
06/10/08 POS TARGET SEAL BEACH SEAL BEACH CA $17.17
06/06/08 Check Card: LIGHTHOUSE CHRISTIAN STORE $13.26
06/06/08 POS RALPHS LONG BEACH CA $4.55
06/06/08 Check Card: COSTCO GAS GARDEN GROVE CA $56.56
06/06/08 POS 99 CENTS ONLY ST Garden Grove CA $1.70
06/05/08 CHECK #1080 $12.00
06/05/08 POS BEDBATH&BEYOND# SEAL BEACH CA $14.00
06/04/08 Check Card: KAISER HARBOR CITY CA $10.00
06/03/08 POS COSTCO WHSE #00126 GARDEN GROVE CA $191.76
06/03/08 CS PAYMENT $131.82
06/02/08 Check Card: VEND AT E PORT MALVERN PA $1.00
06/02/08 Check Card: VEND AT E PORT MALVERN PA $1.00
06/02/08 POS RALPHS LONG BEACH CA $12.76
06/02/08 CS PAYMENT $20.00
05/31/08 POS RALPHS LONG BEACH CA $16.58
05/30/08 Check Card: GOLDEN BURGERS LONG BEACH CA $14.13
05/30/08 POS ALBERTSONS LONG BEACH CA $9.50
05/30/08 CS PAYMENT $284.28
05/29/08 Courtesy Pay Fee $30.00
05/29/08 Courtesy Pay Fee $30.00
05/29/08 Check Card: LIGHTHOUSE CHRISTIAN STORE $32.78
05/29/08 Check Card: IN-N-OUT BURGER LONG BEACH CA $11.02
05/29/08 Courtesy Pay Fee $20.00
05/29/08 CHECK #1079 $20.00
05/29/08 Transfer fee $3.00
05/29/08 From Share 00 REGULAR SAVINGS $0.01
05/27/08 CHECK #1078 $140.00
05/27/08 POS CVS 9566 Long Beach CA $25.96
05/27/08 POS RITE AID CORP. LONG BEACH CA 9.73
05/27/08 POS LOWE'S #785 LONG BEACH CA $8.63
05/27/08 POS 7-ELEVEN LONG BEACH CA $6.99
05/25/08 Check Card: LINENSNTHINGS LONG BEACH CA $49.77
05/22/08 Withdrawal $1,000.00
05/20/08 Check Card: IHOP 1727 FRESNO CA 05/17/08 $16.04
05/20/08 CHECK #1076 $45.00
05/20/08 CS PAYMENT $131.82
05/19/08 Check Card: QUEEN BEE NAIL & SPA $86.00
05/19/08 Check Card: UNION 76 73753709 PINEDALE CA $58.88
05/19/08 Check Card: CREATIVE TOUCH BEAUTY- $53.96
05/19/08 Check Card: FTD*D & L ROSES FRESNO CA $14.02
05/18/08 Check Card: MIMIS CAFE 00000448 FRESNO CA $36.53
05/18/08 Check Card: IN-N-OUT BURGER LONG BEACH CA $9.58
05/17/08 POS TARGET FRESNO N Fresno CA $10.24
This small group - Financial Fitness - has been exactly what I needed to learn accountability for money. It's only getting better from here!
06/13/08 Check Card: IN-N-OUT BURGER TORRANCE CA $9.94
06/13/08 CS PAYMENT $290.78
06/12/08 POS 7-ELEVEN LONG BEACH CA $6.49
06/11/08 Check Card: DEL TACO LONG BEACH CA $4.29
06/10/08 POS TARGET SEAL BEACH SEAL BEACH CA $17.17
06/06/08 Check Card: LIGHTHOUSE CHRISTIAN STORE $13.26
06/06/08 POS RALPHS LONG BEACH CA $4.55
06/06/08 Check Card: COSTCO GAS GARDEN GROVE CA $56.56
06/06/08 POS 99 CENTS ONLY ST Garden Grove CA $1.70
06/05/08 CHECK #1080 $12.00
06/05/08 POS BEDBATH&BEYOND# SEAL BEACH CA $14.00
06/04/08 Check Card: KAISER HARBOR CITY CA $10.00
06/03/08 POS COSTCO WHSE #00126 GARDEN GROVE CA $191.76
06/03/08 CS PAYMENT $131.82
06/02/08 Check Card: VEND AT E PORT MALVERN PA $1.00
06/02/08 Check Card: VEND AT E PORT MALVERN PA $1.00
06/02/08 POS RALPHS LONG BEACH CA $12.76
06/02/08 CS PAYMENT $20.00
05/31/08 POS RALPHS LONG BEACH CA $16.58
05/30/08 Check Card: GOLDEN BURGERS LONG BEACH CA $14.13
05/30/08 POS ALBERTSONS LONG BEACH CA $9.50
05/30/08 CS PAYMENT $284.28
05/29/08 Courtesy Pay Fee $30.00
05/29/08 Courtesy Pay Fee $30.00
05/29/08 Check Card: LIGHTHOUSE CHRISTIAN STORE $32.78
05/29/08 Check Card: IN-N-OUT BURGER LONG BEACH CA $11.02
05/29/08 Courtesy Pay Fee $20.00
05/29/08 CHECK #1079 $20.00
05/29/08 Transfer fee $3.00
05/29/08 From Share 00 REGULAR SAVINGS $0.01
05/27/08 CHECK #1078 $140.00
05/27/08 POS CVS 9566 Long Beach CA $25.96
05/27/08 POS RITE AID CORP. LONG BEACH CA 9.73
05/27/08 POS LOWE'S #785 LONG BEACH CA $8.63
05/27/08 POS 7-ELEVEN LONG BEACH CA $6.99
05/25/08 Check Card: LINENSNTHINGS LONG BEACH CA $49.77
05/22/08 Withdrawal $1,000.00
05/20/08 Check Card: IHOP 1727 FRESNO CA 05/17/08 $16.04
05/20/08 CHECK #1076 $45.00
05/20/08 CS PAYMENT $131.82
05/19/08 Check Card: QUEEN BEE NAIL & SPA $86.00
05/19/08 Check Card: UNION 76 73753709 PINEDALE CA $58.88
05/19/08 Check Card: CREATIVE TOUCH BEAUTY- $53.96
05/19/08 Check Card: FTD*D & L ROSES FRESNO CA $14.02
05/18/08 Check Card: MIMIS CAFE 00000448 FRESNO CA $36.53
05/18/08 Check Card: IN-N-OUT BURGER LONG BEACH CA $9.58
05/17/08 POS TARGET FRESNO N Fresno CA $10.24
05/17/08 POS COSTPLUS Fresno CA $8.63
Now, if you have even glanced at the listed statement, you can most likely see where my issues are. (answer: EVERYWHERE!) But mostly, I had no accountability, no responsibility for that money.
I won't bore you with another list of my spending - but I will share with you that since 6/17/08 $148.00 has been spent on groceries (we budgeted $150.00 for two weeks!), $26.09 on medications/Dr. co-pays, $31.016 on gas & $5.05 on lunch out one day while working in a friend's office. For two weeks, that is an amazingly small amount of money going OUT of my bank account!! The secret: All the money I would have piddled away is in an envelope!!
I won't bore you with another list of my spending - but I will share with you that since 6/17/08 $148.00 has been spent on groceries (we budgeted $150.00 for two weeks!), $26.09 on medications/Dr. co-pays, $31.016 on gas & $5.05 on lunch out one day while working in a friend's office. For two weeks, that is an amazingly small amount of money going OUT of my bank account!! The secret: All the money I would have piddled away is in an envelope!!
This small group - Financial Fitness - has been exactly what I needed to learn accountability for money. It's only getting better from here!
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