Monday, October 03, 2005

Write it Down: Be your own Frugal Pen Pal!

B"H

Okay, as a writer, I'm really into words. Of course. But writing can save you money!

How so? Consider this bit of expert insight. Nutrionists and professional trainers urge dieters to keep an eating log.

It's a no-brainer: Write it down and you'll eat less.

Likewise, professional organizers and therapists offer the same advice to clients seeking to break bad habits: Keep a journal of missteps and triumphs and you'll conquer offending habits.

Money mavens preach the same gospel. Write down every penny that you spend and you'll spend less.

Keep a log for at least two weeks, preferably one month or even two. And be honest. An authentic record of your cash flow will reveal the truth. Most of us nickel and dime away our money on silly stuff.

It's not the new skirt or the big-ticket blouse that rocks the budget. Nooo. The real budget busters are loose change leaks:

Here's one of my loose change leaks:

Last week, I purchased three packages of red licorice twizzlers for 99 cents. ($1.05 with tax). Now that's one sale at CVS that I should have passed up. Did I really need to eat that much junk? NO! NO! NO! Did I need to give that junk to my kids? No!
Could I have done something more meaningful with that $1. Yes!!

For example, if I could save a dollar a day for a year, I would have an extra $365 a year, excluding interest. And I would save money on dentist visits also by skipping candy sales.

So...in an effort to leak less loose change: I'm going to start the New Year of 5766, the Hebrew month of Tishrei and the month October with a plan to use my writing skills to track my daily expenses.

I hope to have more money to save, more to share and more to spend on the things and people that really matter.

L'chaim (to life)!!!

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