First off, I know this post sounds like it’s going to be boring, but I swear it’s not. Or at least I think it’s really interesting because I’ve been unable to have much of a social life since my dental surgery, and thus have been shut in my house (besides going to work) for two weeks.
Anywho, this Friday night I had quite a fun time at home…alone…at my computer. Since I was in a kind of kooky mood, and there was some white wine left in my fridge, I thought I would do something crazy and open up my budget spreadsheet and take a gander.
On that spreadsheet there is a section in which I have certain financial goals I hope to reach every six months, and goals I hope to reach every year. Basically, my overall life goal is to save more money each year. I’m not talking cumulatively, I’m talking one year I strive to save $10,000, the next $15,000, the next $20,000 and so on and so forth. This year my goal is to save $15,000 and I’ve actually already reached it. Sort of.
Well, I did but not so much anymore. You see, because I set $5,000 aside for my wedding, I don’t count that in my calculation. And because I’ve spent $2,000 on my teeth, well that’s a total $7,000 that I no longer have. Oh, and how could I forget all of the mini trips my BF and I have taken this summer.
I’d say I spent about $2,000 overall on travel, hotels, food, and shopping this summer and my frugal self is having a hard time coming to terms with this! Did I just spend $9,000 on half a wedding, teeth, and shopping?! I need more wine!!!
But what’s done is done. The money is spent, gone, never to return. Although it sucks to know how much money I’ve spent this year already, I don’t regret a single dollar. I had a great summer, I needed to get that work done on my gums, and I want a f***ing awesome wedding!
And because I’ve still got that goal on my spreadsheet, and I’m not one to let a goal go unaccomplished (besides taking ballroom dancing classes, that dream is pretty much dead), I feel more motivated to reach that goal than ever. So here I am, tightening my purse strings (what does that mean exactly, does anyone even know?), and pumped to save up as much as I can in these remaining 4 months of the year. Let’s do this!
Do you have a timeline for reaching your financial goals?
