So with a new month comes refilled envelopes.
Now here I sit, 10 days into April, with an empty restaurant envelope. I even increased the amount this month but I have 20 more days of nothing there. I know I am going to be making an huge extra truck payment at the end of the month and I keep fighting the urge to reshuffle my budget to “find” some restaurant money.
I know I shouldn’t (and I probably won’t) but it is a real-life struggle.
Any words of inspiration would be welcome.
Music Man
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This made me laugh. I’ve been there AND guilty of the envelope shuffle! I lost 10 lbs the first time we went to the envelope system. I seriously believe it was because I had to cut all fast food out of my diet since I only allowed $30 a month for “dining.” That doesn’t go very far at all! I had a very bad habit of finding excuses for going through the drive through.
Thanks Dreamsanddollars! I did make it through April with my truck payment in tact. May has gone even better because I was extra conscious of that problem.
Music Man,
Hang in there, friend. You’re not alone. Most of us who get into debt struggle with wanting our ‘oompa-loompah’ and wanting it right NOW. I know that’s what put me in debt for my entire adult life (ages 19 to 41). Then I heard Dave Ramsey. Now I’m debt free, with a 6 month emergency fund, putting money away for retirement and (can you believe it) a few months ago I paid CASH for a 1996 Paul Reed Smith Custom 24 (green). I’ve wanted that guitar for the past 15 years. It only became a reality when I got serious about sacrificing my ‘in debt’ way of life. I was uncomfortable at times, but it’s VERY comfortable now! (Next up: the Mesa Boogie Mark V combo amp! AND saving for a down payment on a house. And I work for a non-profit. And no, I’m not the director.)
You can do this. Get out of debt. One. Day. At. A. Time. If it means cooking up a bunch of spaghetti and putting it in pyrex with lids and freezing it/putting it in the fridge to eat throughout the week, then do it, man. I swear to you, eating boring food at home NOW will be so WORTH IT in a year or 18 months.
And if you haven’t made yourself a debt thermometer yet, please consider doing so right away. That really kept my wife and me ON FIRE!
Sending you good vibes,
Tim (www.triptopine.wordpress.com & http://www.myspace.com/timbirchard)
I love hearing musician getting beautiful gear. One of my goals in getting debt free is to be able to purchase a classic Vibraphone. I sold mine when I was younger (dumber?). I miss playing so much but there is no way I’m going to go into more debt for it. So, like you said, one day at a time. Thanks for the feedback!