Hey! It’s Day 14 of NaBloPoMo! I’m nearly half way done! So… I guess it’s no big surprise that I’m really losing steam, right? But, I’m doing this more for my benefit than for anyone who’s out there reading, so if I get boring that’s just too bad, heh.

I’ve been thinking about the concept of living within my means today. It sounds simple enough, but what are the details of the idea? Can I, for example, live paycheck-to-paycheck and still technically be within my means? Or do I need to have some sort of savings plan and budget in place for it to count? In theory, certain percentages of the family income should be going to savings or paying debt or rent/car/utilities, right?

Lately I’ve been spending more than I have available. I know I just joined a gym, but that’s not it. It’s the other stuff. The new shoes, new movies, video game rentals, etc. etc. I’m borrowing from the future for today’s happiness. That’s not usually a good idea, especially not for silly things you don’t need. It’s not that any of the items were expensive on their own, but 4 or 5 small purchases can add up quickly!

I’m going to say that, based on my previous post, much of my recent spending has probably been emotional. I’m unhappy with something, so I try to buy my way out of the problem. I’m frustrated, so I try to distract myself rather than come up with a solution. Well, once upon a time Jon and I talked about having a ‘poor’ week once a month, where we would attempt to spend as little money as possible. No going out to eat, no extra movie rentals, and so on. Maybe I should try doing that just for me once a month. I could bring lunch with me to work, and pass on all the extra shopping trips. It’d be difficult, but I think it could be really good. I’ll have to ponder this!