Show Me The Money!!!

In this economy we’re all about trying to trim back the budget and save some money.  And just in case you are wondering, there are only 352 shopping days until Christmas.  You’re welcome.   🙂  Come on, you KNOW I am right, the holidays will come creeping up on us all again and there we are trying to buy gifts we have the money to purchase.  Credit cards are NOT the answer.  So, we have to resort to making things, which is a great solution.  I have no issue with being creative, and making things or giving the gift of time.  I did that this year, as did so many folks I know.  I think those gifts mean more when you give them.  But even gifts we make, they cost money.  I could make everyone a nice blanket but each one is $20-$40 in yarn, and that money isn’t out back growing on a tree!

Saving money toward a goal like the holidays, is a great idea.  However sometimes we can get busy and forget, or we spend the money we intended to put away.  Recently on Facebook this image has been going around, most recently on The Prudent Wife’s page, and I thought it was just brilliant.  The idea is that for 52 weeks, you put $1 for every week it is, into the savings account.  So, week 1, which just ended, I put $1 in my account.  At the end of this week, I’ll put in $2, and so on.  At the end of 52 weeks, there would be $1378 in the account, not counting any interest that builds up.  That right there is one nice chunk of money to be able to spend.  And sure, it will be needed before the 52nd week, but so what, you will still have over $1,000 at your disposal to spend.  Then just repeat next year.  Any money left over, put it in a new account and just LEAVE IT there, or pay off/down one of your bills.

By starting off small and building slowly each week, it will be easy to manage.  No doubt, I’ll quickly notice where I’m spending empty dollars on things I don’t need that could be going into that account, and as I watch the amount rise each week, it will  motivate me to keep on putting it in there.

In addition to this, so that I can actually have the money to put in my account each week, I’ll be more closely watching my purchases as to “want vs. need”.  And I’m making  myself adhere to a 24 hour rule.  If I am out and see something I want, I will wait 24 hours before purchasing it.  Chances are really good that not only will I want it bad enough to go back out and buy it, but I will have lost that initial “OMG I HAVE TO HAVE THIS” desire.  Heck I’ll likely forget about it altogether, which would definitely mean it wasn’t needed.

I do not know where this originated to give them proper credit, but here is the chart.  Happy savings to you!!!