Have you ever received a string of subtle little messages that often come from various sources but have a common thread? They’re all meant just for you?
Let me explain. You walk into church on Sunday and the message is directed right at YOU. In fact, the pastor seems to make eye contact with YOU during the service. Shrugging that off as a coincidence, you head over to IHOP for some pancakes but on the way, a song on the radio references the same thing. Another message directed right at YOU? After pancakes and coffee, you head home to relax and watch some tv and then a commercial is right there on the 52″ screen like a creepy voyeur, once again driving the point home. Usually, at this point ( if you’re anything like me) you start to attribute this to a guilty conscience. Paranoia. Why do these messages about friendship or loyalty or prayer or ______________ (fill in the blank~you know your own stronghold) keep being placed right in front of me?
It’s happened to me. Not exactly under those circumstances but it’s definitely been driven home. In the last couple of days, the message of my lack of budgeting has surfaced in more ways than one. It actually seems that every person I have spoken to in the last couple of days either brings up their budget, finances or lack of disposable cash. It’s a tough economic time out there, that’s for sure. The belt that was tightened a couple of years ago is still cinched and, for a lot of people, is beyond just uncomfortable.
I need to be better. I used to be terrible and then I was really good and then I was where I am today. I need to be better about watching what goes out. Spur of the moment purchases. I simply cannot go into Bed, Bath and Beyond without dropping $200. Pray for me. I’m serious.
When I lived in California, everyone was in a support group for something. It’s very California. It’s very chic to have hangups or something ~ who knows. Anyway, my son had a friend whose mother literally went to about 4 support groups a week. She went to Overeaters Anonymous (and by the way, it must have worked because she lost a ton of weight and kept it off), she attended a group for mothers of young children and something else but the one that I remember vividly was a group for Compulsive Spending. She was a real shopaholic. This was a revelation to me~ I thought that was just a euphemism but….NO. For real~ she shopped when she was sad. She shopped when she was happy. She shopped when she was broke. How sad is that?
I feel like I’m pretty close to calling 411 and getting the digits for this group. Thankfully, I’m not in any real financial danger here so no contributions are warranted but I can absolutely recognize that I need to at least know where my money is going. At a minimum. I’ve gotten so busy that I’m not sure I could tell you anymore where it goes.
SO….putting the brakes on. I’m going to map it out and figure out how to eliminate some Starbucks receipts and some sushi receipts (gotta go to Sushi Alive more often~good deals there!) and I am definitely steering clear of Bed, Bath and Beyond.
That’s a start.