Spending money more responsibly
Today I told my financial planner at Vancity that I want to spend money more wisely. She actually had some help for me - which I wasn't expecting - and I left with a cash flow summary she generated on her computer. I realized that I don't know what is most important to me financially and I don't really even know what I do with my money. I blow a lot of it by eating in restaurants, ordering take-out, and buying too many gifts for my son at all times of year. I've already started cutting back on these expenditures - and, even though it seems pretty anal retentive, today I started recording my purchases in a booklet.
Today the financial planner joked about her spelling and said: "So what if my spelling is bad? I work with numbers!" I realized I could turn this around and apply it to myself. I'm a writer for a living and I could say "So what if my number crunching is bad? I work with letters!" Well, I want to change this aspect of my life. I could probably take my son on some pretty nice holidays instead of buying him a bunch of plastic crap toys that get misplaced in our house. I don't need to buy expensive cookies and treats with my coffee on the Drive. In fact, maybe I don't even need to be going to cafes as much as I do...
Comments
Congratulations on this
Congratulations on this change. It will have more impact on your life and your son's life than any other thing you can do. Writing your expenses down is mostly to shock us into doing something; it affects our philosophy......that's what we need to change, the way we think and feel about money. For more info, you can get a free audio (Philanthropy 101)at www.thephilanthropists.org
I stopped banking with
I stopped banking with Vancity and Citizens Bank over 6 months ago. They do not have the best deposit rates or borrowing rates, so why bother dealing with financial institutions who believe more about charity for the community, than giving their members the best deal possible?
The points on their credit cards are almost worthless -- even their Save-on-More points pale in comparison to the points offered on other cards.
I suggest everyone boycott Vancity and Citizens Bank and move over to financial institutions that have a more customer focussed mentality. Everytime I phone Vancity, the stupid recording comes on, "due to a higher than normal call volume, it may take longer to speak with someone.." blah blah blah.
I would rather have faster customer service than Vancity giving mounds of money to a bunch of drunks, druggies, etc. in the downtown eastside.
They sure as hell don't have any of my money anymore to play around with.
Hey Denise - I'm sorry you
Hey Denise - I'm sorry you didn't have a good experience with CitizensBank. As someone who's been working the phones for them part-time for the last 2.5 years, I'm especially disappointed that we didn't get to your call as quickly as we want - and as an insider, please know we honestly feel really lousy when we can see people are having to wait to reach us. As for 'mounds of money to drunks/druggies etc. in the dtes" I have to differ with you a little. I live there. I'm not a drunk/druggie, but I sure have parts of *me* that aren't very lovely, or very together. My hope is that as a global community we increasingly learn to be gentle with ourselves, gentle with each other, and generous in our care for one another.
nancy (aka money coach)
http://www.nancyzimmerman.com
http://www.yourmoneybydesign.com
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Kudos and congratulations
Kudos and congratulations to you! And welcome to an empowering world where you choose a 'pretty nice holiday' instead of stumbling into buying 'a bunch of plastic crap toys'.
You are behaving in an intelligent way when you opt to record your costs. It's staggering when you first do this and you relaize where your choices in life are just seeping away in frivolous spends.
All strength to you as you continue on this interesting path.