“Where Does The Money Go”

The other day I was looking at my finances and as many people try and budget. The thing is that sometimes there are months that you really don’t spend any money and other months you have surprises…in either scenario I have NO money.

Let’s take some of us that get paid every 2 weeks, now in my case and I am sure that many others experience this as well; I receive 3 pay checks in some months. Now the thing is on those months I expect to be able to put away all that check into savings, well I do, but then I end up needing to transfer money over to cover expenses, the thing is I don’t make any additional purchase that month, from the norm that is, and I still end up in the red.

“Where Does The Money Go”, I ask myself. I don’t understand why is it that I end up with no money like any other month and yet I get paid more, plus I don’t spend on anything else. Well, so I decided to get tough and live below my means, I decided to follow even to a stricter degree my last post, about “Living Below Your Means”. I said to myself it’s time to take away a few luxury items, for at least one full year and put away all the money I use to spend on those items, whether it was extra cable channels, daily coffee runs, those unnecessary cookies…I mean even my groceries will be audited…at least for one year and the most important thing of this all that I will be doing is that…I will start a spreadsheet and track the expenditures for each month…and see exactly what I spend and how much and where and whom and on-and-one.

My Perspective:

Start living below your means, start saving each month and start with $100 dollars the first year, $200 the second year, $300 the third year, $470 the fourth year and from then on. You need to think about the real important things in your life and think dearly about what you will be doing during your golden years…because I really don’t want to be working unless it is because I am helping someone on a part-time basis and it is a hobby or fun thing…or nothing at all. Anyhow, thanks for reading, till next time Latino Man signing off.

When it Rains…It Pours

I am sure everyone has gone through this scenario at one point and when it happened to you and you said, “When it Rains is Pours”. Well ok it could have happened more than once, but anyhow, here is mine. I am trying to put some money together, and we always are, and of course my Truck wouldn’t start this morning. From the sound of it, I am crossing my fingers that it is only my Battery, because if it is anything else, I am in for it, because I do not have any money…well yes I do but that money is needed for something else, so you get into a dilemma, some people need to save for a certain bill, say property taxes others well maybe for a trip. So you end up trying to see if you use the money to fix the vehicle and then postpone the trip, or try and get the money for the next bill…property taxes. So you end up in a pickle…sort of speaking.

The thing is that we all have gone through this, as adults…well wait…even children…I guess. But doesn’t it stink…you end up having to juggle several things when it comes to money. And in these tough times, believe many families have little or no savings and some unfortunately will go towards their 401(K), which is a huge no-no, but many do. For me that would have to be a HUGE emergency to even think about borrowing against my 401(k)…credit cards would get used first. Anyhow, so like I said, “when it rains it pours” and why, do you ask yourself, does it happen when something you have been wanting to do for a LONG time…we’ll never know.

Some say it is the Universe talking…others call it bad luck…other still would say…its your fault…you knew it was coming …why did you not prepare ahead of time…well…we don’t because we are HUGE procrastinators and we like to put things off till the last minute or when something finally breaks…mmmmhhhh.

My Perspective:
Don’t put things off till the last minute. Complete the projects you have started. Save anything whether it is 5 dollars a month or 100 dollars a month…just save for the HECK of it…because you will never know when it rains…it could POUR. Till next time, Latino Man signing off.