Setting Short Term Financial Goals

I have been overwhelmed by my debt lately. Extreme debt and limited income really does feel like you're in a hole that you can't seem to pull yourself out of. I think I've been focusing too much on the big picture and I need to set some short term goals for myself.

I was on a forum today that I regularly visit and they had a post where you would write how much money you were going to spend that day. For some people it was a couple bucks here and there for a coffee or lunch, and for some it was nothing at all. I thought to myself "this is the kind of thing I need to start doing". I need to start setting daily goals. Mentally preparing myself every day to spend as little as possible. Today I had $5 in my pocket and I had some cheques to deposit, and some credit cards to pay off at the bank. So instead of driving my big truck I decided to walk to town and get a chai latte and a cheap piece of pizza. Those two items came to $4.75 on the dot and $.25 went into my change jar. It felt really good knowing that I only spent $5 for the entire day.

Try relieving your daily financial stress a little bit by setting short term goals. It works!

Getting Rid of Those Financial Wants

We all have them. Those lists of things that we can't wait to buy. New vehicles, clothes, boats, TV's, ipods. I even have a bookmarks folder that is dedicated to links of all of my wants. Right now, not an arms length away is a magazine called "The Robb Report" that is chalk full of all sorts of yachts, and fancy watches, and luxury items for one to dream about. No more! Right after I finish writing this sentence I am going to delete the bookmarks folder and throw away the magazine....

How does it feel you ask?

umm...

Simple I suppose? No longer will I be ranking which item will be the next in line to purchase. Oddly enough it also seems to relieve some of the financial stress that I've been feeling lately. It couldn't be that things that I haven't even spent money on yet could be causing me stress, could it?? THAT is scary.

Happy Halloween!