7/20/10

Organizing: Reality Check

There are so many awful economic numbers out there that don't seem to be getting any better...  There are are lots people in trouble, let's hope not many are saying, "it's the other guy, not me."  Pick a number, any number: 31% have NOT saved for retirement, average household has $8k credit card debt, 43% of families spend more than they make, by most accounts, 70% of American's live like the top 1%. So odds are that at least one of those really nice cars I saw on the road today must belong to one of our statistics, right? Do you know enough about your financial situation to know if that might be you?

We must clearly define your reality.

Take a close look.  Look at every label and under every rock while you take take complete inventory of what you use and spend.   Then look at what you can and cannot, or will not, live without.  We all have our personal comfort zones, which should be tested but we do have our limits... I will tell you right now, I am not yet at the point where I will make my own toothpaste. You? But I am crazy with the coupons, that's a project I can manage. It fits who I am. There are so many ideas and suggestions out there for saving/managing our money, we can't possibly do them all.  After you take that close look.  What will change?

Prioritize and take action.  (all you need is a spreadsheet with two columns.  ( 1.- what we spend $ on/ 2.- negotiable or not?)

Once you have an accurate picture of your current reality, only then can you make lasting changes.  Don't be another bad statistic.

1 comment:

Nick said...

It's true. I hate to say it but if you're somehow scared of money or have an aversion to financial matters, you really have to grin and bear it and rub your nose in it, so to speak. I call it the "festival of things I don't want to do." But I have made myself do it anyway. Over the months, you not only get used to doing it, but you also enjoy the pride that comes with living within a budget and making some progress.