Money, money money

In an earlier post I mentioned that we had some bad luck with our debit card last month. 

With examining our accounts so thoroughly, it made me realize that we have to be more careful than we have been.  In the U.S. we hardly ever carried cash.  Here in the Bahamas, I am rarely without cash.  Using cash really cuts down on credit card fraud.  Plus there is no denying when the money is gone.

We get warnings from the security detachment here that theft of all kinds goes up drastically before the holidays, but since it had never happened to us, we (we meaning me) was a little bit in denial.  No more denial!

Denial is not just a river in Egypt! 

This time of year we all begin our New year’s diets.  In our home we are on two diets.  Food diets and spending diets!

Allen is always after me to be more careful with my spending (and recording) and try as I might I just have never gotten the hang of it.  Spreadsheets are boring.

This year is going to be different.  We are committing to be more diligent and implement a Dave Ramsey type of budget.  i.e. if it’s not in the budget we just won’t be buying it.  What a downer.  However we are responsible adults, so we have to behave like it. Insert eye roll!

Maybe I’ll just have to jazz up the spreadsheets with some color and that will get me on a roll!

So since my word of the year is “OPEN” let’s see if I can be totally open to making some changes.

I vow to be open to documenting my expenditures every day.

I vow to be open with our household spending so that it lines up with our family goals.

We are at the beginning of a new year that promises to be the best yet and I am OPEN to all the possibilities!