From a young girl I’ve had an affinity for numbers and a love of teaching. However, my epiphany for all things financial actually started with my first professional job over 25 years ago.
International Paper recruited me in college and hired me as a cost accountant at the then Moss Point, MS plant. I commuted 30 miles between Mobile, AL, where I lived, and Moss Point. Being a book addict and knowing no one in the area, I spent nearly all my free time at the Mobile Barnes and Noble, which equated to spending too much money at Barnes and Noble. It was not unusual for me to leave the bookstore with five or more books at a time after each visit.
About four months into my new job, I received a budget book and began tracking daily expenses. At the end of the month it was eye opening to see the total cost of those books. My tally for books was over $250. And that was only for that first month of tracking. I can only assume that I spent that much or more in the prior three months before receiving the budget book. Yikes!
Another unfortunate part of spending so much money is that none of the books were remotely educational but simply for enjoyment. There is nothing wrong with spending for enjoyment, but I believe there should be some balance…in this and in everything I do. Can you imagine the returns if I had invested just half of that money 25 years ago? Wow! Anyway, I quickly headed to the library for a library card. To this day, the first thing I do when I move to a new town is get a library card. But I digress!
I always thought I had a handle on my spending because I was good with numbers and not spending more than I could afford. However, the budget tracking practice opened my eyes and allowed me to see that without proper tracking, my spending could quickly get out of control. There could possibly be a great divide between what I “think” I’m spending and the reality. My habit of tracking my expenses continues today and is a barometer to ensure I have balance in my spending.
So, how can I help you get a handle on your spending? Let’s get started on your journey to having more money than month!
