Working the Cash Jar and Examining a Spending Fast...

Earlier this year, I saw posted an idea for saving money.  It was called the "Cash Jar".  Basically, you put in an amount of money that represents the week of the year.  For example, the first week of the year, you put aside $1.  The second week, you put aside $2 and so forth.  By the end of the year, I should have close to $1400.00

Amazingly, I have kept up with that scheme.  I put aside cash as well as putting aside money into my savings account, so that I sort of double my investment.  One woman had stated that she was starting at the end of the year and working back to the beginning, so she would start her cash jar with $52.00.  On reflection, that is not really a bad idea - realizing that bills tend to accumulate towards the end of the year.

This year has been a rather expensive one.  I suppose the first clue should have been when I cleared my deductible with one purchase of insulin refills in January.  Next, Chloe and the local vet.  The constant going back to the vet for more blood draws to figure out her liver issues when it was not really her liver at all - it was her gall bladder.  I spent thousands trying to sort out Chloe's issues.  That hurts.

Now, I am back to this dark financial hole I had dug myself out of a few years ago.  I started back to trying to cut back on expenses as much as I can.  Sure, I will still allow myself to get the occasional mani/pedi and hair cut because I need those.  However, I will be cutting back on buying make-up, not eating out as often (which will help me with weight loss and the grocery bill), doing the shake diet where I buy the shakes and watch how much I buy for dinners - eat the left-overs whether I like it or not.  I make the trip to Starbucks a special occasion and probably always will ever since the dietician told me that I was not supposed to have a cafe mocha anymore due to my diabetes.  I still have the occasional one for the season - like a grande pumpkin latte or peppermint mocha for the holidays.  I just do not go there every day.  

I may even consider pulling back on purchasing season tickets for the Dallas Stars next year until my financial situation looks better.  I think I may look at a half-season or 10 game plan.  Do not get me wrong - I LOVE HOCKEY, but I need to make some sacrifices.  

The same will be true for concerts.  I went to more concerts this year than last year, but that was because I really needed to attend the Retro Futura show since I moaned that they never come to Dallas.  In the end, I met one of my favorite singers and left floating on air.  That was well worth the $54.  

As with my health, the time is now to start making amends for my poor financial situation.  It is not horrible and a lot of the time, I would sit in my car and pray that God would help me see through the expensive times with Chloe.  However, I have to do my part in trying to save, so that I can help pull myself into a better situation.