Budget

That's a 6 letter word most folks just cringe at - and I've been one of them at times. Living on a fixed income, I had to work within a range. But, some major changes will be happening in my life and to my cash flow soon - so it's become necessary for me to really have a plan so that I can continue to survive and eat!

Turned out - it wasn't so hard. I sat down with a legal pad, made a page for each month remaining in 2008. Listed what would be due on the left, made a list on the right of expected income.

So this week was Social Security week - I call it my "big check". I have managed to pay everything that was due in June except for one small item. Of course, the variables for the remainder of the month are food and gas, and each is going up daily. We've cut back dramatically on driving, combining trips, trying to make each mile count.

My son has a bus pass - it's about $50 but he's adept at getting to the locations he needs to and is much much cheaper than me driving him around. And, I'm hopeful that the visual education he is getting will make him appreciate his home and mother more, along with giving him a desire to be better than average. Believe me, there is nothing wrong with the bus and I rode it for years when I worked downtown - Lynn doesn't understand my pushing him, says he's happy to be barely average, and I want more for him than that.

Anyway, back to the budget. With the economy where it's at, you've got to know what's coming in and what's going out. My plan is very simple so try it. Write in pencil - much easier to make changes. Mark things paid with a big PD - it'll make you smile when you see the progress you're making.

AND, you know what - that $2-3 dollars a day on 20 oz Diet Cokes that I'm not spending now - theres one tank of gas for the month! If the economy doesn't improve, I may get all this weight off!! But that's a blog for another day!