it takes a LOT to get me motivated. i mean, a lot. i believe myself to be a fairly lazy person who can lay her head down on her pillow and fall asleep in minutes. literally, minutes.
a few nights ago this was not the scenario. i doubt it took me longer than 30-45 to fall asleep, which is normal for some, but is not at all normal for me. thoughts of finances, the future, and my main lack of motivation to do almost anything frustrated me. i used to be able to push any bad thoughts away at night, knowing worrying about them then doesn't do anyone any good.
so, i started thinking about a plan. i definitely don't have a budget now, they are too hard for me to handle. my new plan however, forces me into that way. i am going to take out a set amount of money every week and that is all i get to spend on food (groceries or eating out), entertainment, gifts for people, gifts for myself, clothes, apartment fun...etc, etc. the thing i haven't worked out in this scenario is where does the run-off money at the end of the week go? put it right back into the next week's allowance, put it into my savings, put it as an extra payment on credit cards or loans, or put it into a "good job, you saved money!" splurge jar (yeah, that would just defeat the purpose).
i have ideas of where i would like to be in my near (and far) future, and that place is not in debt or worrying about money! i know i need to get this under control now. also, i'm sure my car isn't going to last much more than one or two more years, so i need to be prepared for that as well.
along with my new found "budget style," co-worker bethany and i are going to start a 30-day fitness book, Making the Cut by Jillian Michaels. i know some of you out there have used her program before and seen results, and since i have someone i'll see 5/7 days a week keeping me accountable on this, maybe it will work. this program is for people wanting to get toned and lose a little weight, which is what i'm looking for. i hope that if i start both of these plans at the same time, it will put me into motivation overload and hopefully i will have a good, running start. i'm excited about the idea of "30 days" and that's all your committed to (hopefully it will throw me into a pattern of better eating and a more consistant workout schedule).
anyway, that's was going on with me. the plan is to start Making the Cut on Tuesday (so bethany & i have Monday to talk, make lists and go shopping) and i'll start the new budget that week or the following (depends if i want to start the weekend after i get paid or before).
wish me luck and help me stay motivated!!!
2 comments:
aww mase!! you can do it!! :-) you already are motivated to play vball every tuesday!! :-) best thing to do is not go home directly after work. bring your workout clothes and go directly to the gym. it helps you stay on a schedule and lots of times when you get home you get distracted and lazy. (not YOU specifically, but YOU in general. . . . at least that's how it is with us!) Anyways! I know you can do it! :-)
awesome!
We've had a lot of success with the cash envelope system for the past several months. I know it sounds lame - carrying around a bunch of envelopes with cash but we've saved so much money by budgeting this way! Every two weeks I take out a set amount of cash (the annoying way, too: 5 twenties, 3 tens, 6 fives, etc.!) and put it in envelopes for everything except bills, savings and gas. (Those I keep in the checking account.) So there is an envelope for: groceries, oil changes, rx/copays, going out $, my clothes, jason's clothes, hair cuts, gifts, special date nights, etc. For things that we don't need every 2 weeks like hair cuts and oil changes, I just put in a smaller increment of cash every time until it grows to the amount we need. I'm really excited about it because it's made such a huge difference for us. I'd be happy to help you make a budget if you want.
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