Regardless of income, I think for a lot of peeps out there it is quite easy sometimes to get sidetracked off the course of our goal. Spending too much, and fully aware of it too! Goals getting set aside, not keeping progress in check, finances out of kilter from the over spending..........I am no exception to this, I am after all human well last time I checked anyways, don't listen to the rumors, I swear they are not true!
When life gets busy, and your plate fills up it is so easy to start sliding, your energy gets scattered, logging expenses fall by the wayside ( which is what keeps you on track in the first place!) One small action of non-action starts a whole series of slides. If you avoid the truth and keep plugging away well then it turns into one mightily avalanche, a mudslide that could be as divesting as taking out California.
Well May seems to always be that month for us with the clump of birthdays and the nice weather turning our attention to anywhere but being inside! I have actually quit logging expenses for a few months now and every month since spending while okay has been climbing out of control, a little over budget here, a little over budget there.
We definitely have overextended ourselves for may, especially with the acquiring of chicks who of course now need a pen. I did build one a couple years ago when we lived in North Carolina but my health was a little better then, we were able to salvage a lot of free materials to do so and well we actually had tools 2 years ago! ( Tools sell real good when you have to downsize to the trunk of your car to move 800 miles away!)
With all the activities and projects we have going on and tallying up the supplies along with the tools (no salvaging free materials this time around) we decided to go with a hutch and pen unit that would be simple and easy to put up, and yes it comes at a price for that ease, the hutch cost us $150 ( a nice enclosed cage with removable cleaning tray and a roost in it) The pen that attaches to it will cost $120 that we will get in 2 weeks. So yeah pretty hefty but at least it may save my back this time round and will not be an all day project. ( Me and my then 9 year old daughter built it the 2 years ago.)
So keeping it real, yeah I know MY BAD, as frugal as I can be I am human just like anyone else and yes I can go through a month and overspend, overextend, throw caution out the window and basically turn our finances upside down. Oh and lets not forget Mothers Day, I had to send my momma flowers and a movie she has been dying to get..."War Horse." Well what can I say, I love my momma!
So here I am and seeing the budget posted here on our budget page, it is time to review things again anyway as some things have changed and are coming up that needs to get fit in. It is time to crunch the numbers, see where we are at, and perhaps even come up with monthly action lists so I do not get so sidetracked. My goals are way off and I am no where in the same ball park of where I want to be in our goals, again this boils down to time management for me, I do realize this.......perhaps I can get a clone or two or three. Perhaps I need to urge my family members to help more as I get better at delegating some of the to do's around here.
I see a whole lot of reflecting , decisions and planning coming up!
When life gets busy, and your plate fills up it is so easy to start sliding, your energy gets scattered, logging expenses fall by the wayside ( which is what keeps you on track in the first place!) One small action of non-action starts a whole series of slides. If you avoid the truth and keep plugging away well then it turns into one mightily avalanche, a mudslide that could be as divesting as taking out California.
Well May seems to always be that month for us with the clump of birthdays and the nice weather turning our attention to anywhere but being inside! I have actually quit logging expenses for a few months now and every month since spending while okay has been climbing out of control, a little over budget here, a little over budget there.
We definitely have overextended ourselves for may, especially with the acquiring of chicks who of course now need a pen. I did build one a couple years ago when we lived in North Carolina but my health was a little better then, we were able to salvage a lot of free materials to do so and well we actually had tools 2 years ago! ( Tools sell real good when you have to downsize to the trunk of your car to move 800 miles away!)
With all the activities and projects we have going on and tallying up the supplies along with the tools (no salvaging free materials this time around) we decided to go with a hutch and pen unit that would be simple and easy to put up, and yes it comes at a price for that ease, the hutch cost us $150 ( a nice enclosed cage with removable cleaning tray and a roost in it) The pen that attaches to it will cost $120 that we will get in 2 weeks. So yeah pretty hefty but at least it may save my back this time round and will not be an all day project. ( Me and my then 9 year old daughter built it the 2 years ago.)
So keeping it real, yeah I know MY BAD, as frugal as I can be I am human just like anyone else and yes I can go through a month and overspend, overextend, throw caution out the window and basically turn our finances upside down. Oh and lets not forget Mothers Day, I had to send my momma flowers and a movie she has been dying to get..."War Horse." Well what can I say, I love my momma!
So here I am and seeing the budget posted here on our budget page, it is time to review things again anyway as some things have changed and are coming up that needs to get fit in. It is time to crunch the numbers, see where we are at, and perhaps even come up with monthly action lists so I do not get so sidetracked. My goals are way off and I am no where in the same ball park of where I want to be in our goals, again this boils down to time management for me, I do realize this.......perhaps I can get a clone or two or three. Perhaps I need to urge my family members to help more as I get better at delegating some of the to do's around here.
I see a whole lot of reflecting , decisions and planning coming up!
I couldn't agree more about "one small action of non-action" and things going downhill from there. A little planning ahead really can save a lot of money down the road.
ReplyDeleteYeah I hear ya, in May it is really hard for me to find a moment to sit down long enough to plan something but things are calming down down so I can, whew!
DeleteHaving been the working poor most of our lives yet with enough …five children now 11 grand children…we had goats, chickens pigs a milk cow …we have done and do it all…we picked up and made pens out of pallets used whatever and did it with a song and a smile…the secret is working together…love your blog …now am only a part time working poor but enjoying it all…take care, ronaldj from the thumb of the mitten….
ReplyDeleteWelcome to a fellow Michigander! Thanks for stopping by, I am glad you enjoy the blog! When we came back to michigan we almost got a place up there in Port Hope! Thumb area is a pretty area.
DeleteYeah in the past we were able to salvage but in this area it just is not possible,not much to salvage and we dont have too much laying around ourselves as we downsized our belongings down to the trunk of our car when we came back to michigan. We have only been here now a little over a year so still in process of accumulating things like that :)
Look forward to future comments ronaldj always love hearing from other working poor individuals and fellow flatlanders!
I know the expense is aggravating but you will love the eggs, I know I love my chickens.
ReplyDeleteYeah it is a pain but we have had chickens twice in the past and we do love our chickens and they are so fun for the kids when gotten as fuzzy little chicks!
DeleteOur spending is also getting out of whack, spring seems to always be that way, lots of $$ go into the yard and garden. I am ready to shut the purse and hang on to some cash
ReplyDeleteI Know Right? Perhaps we just need a better SPRING plan in place!
DeleteI always thought Spring is a great time for refreshing a budget. It's on my to-do list too.
ReplyDelete