1 post tagged “money”

My money. My time if I have things that need to get done in my own life. But I don’t really enjoy sharing my money. People promise to pay you back but they don't. You're related to them, you're friends with them; so they figure they don't have to pay you back.

One thing I hate is that people assume my pockets are overflowing with cash because I live at home. Well one: I didn't always have stable income. Two, I have been putting myself through school. Three, I do have a car note and car insurance to pay for each month, and four I went a little credit card happy when I was trying to put myself through school without stable income. I went a little credit card happy when my parents decided to sell the car I was driving to my brother; therefore forcing me to have to get a new one. (though....it was their car. ...And they wouldn't have sold the car to him if it weren't okay with me, so I did agree to the plan...because I really do have a heart…And the payments my brother was making on the car went to me; but he wasn't even paying half of what my new car note was...so sticker shock still took effect, LOL). I found myself using the credit cards to make up for whatever my bank account couldn't support.  So now I'm in debt and I have decided to drop paying out of pocket for school until my debt is eliminated! Luckily I'm not too, too deep. I anticipate my debt elimination plan taking two years or less.

Not to mention, just because I live with my parents doesn't mean I can sit around and throw my money away! I have been doing that for far too long. It's time to develop some mature spending habits. It's time to practice some self control and focus on my future: getting out of debt, and moving out on my own. Right now, that's what's important to me. If I want to get married and start a family of my own, there are some things I have to learn. People argue, fight and divorce over money. I'm not trying to go there with my future husband. I pray that whoever he is, and wherever he is; he’s learning to be wise and careful with his too.

Right now, I am working on my debut novel, and following my dreams. If I continue to trust God and allow Him to have access over all areas of my life, I'll never have to worry about anything - including money. Trials may come, but in God's hands, I'm certain that things will always work out for the absolute best. Right now I need my money to build up my savings and get out of debt. Not to spend it and lend it out as if I'll never run out. Right now the only person getting my money besides Visa, GMAC, the gas station, and my savings account is God; through my tithes and offering.

Once God takes me where He plans for me to go, I'll be abundantly blessed. I'll happily give to a friend in need - forget lending! I'll be financially stable enough to go on vacation to an island somewhere. Some people figure they work so hard and deserve a nice overseas vacation; even if they can’t really afford it. Well, you do work hard, and you do deserve a gorgeous tropical cabana boy filled vacation! And so do I. But I'm being held bondage by debt, and I feel I deserve financial freedom even more. I deserve the peace of mind that will come with not owing anybody else a dime! There's no way I'm going to spend a week in the Bahamas just to worry about what bill I'm going to have a hard time paying when I get back into town. Yeah, you can plan a Bahamas vacation this year for sometime next year and save the whole way through. That's a great plan...but I'd rather tackle that debt first. That's just me. I can only speak for what I want. I'm not telling anyone else what they should want.

I mean, I don’t want to make it sound like I never splurge. It's not like I never treat myself to something nice. A manicure, and eyebrow waxing, a pedicure...LOL...If I splurge for real though, my splurge may be on a new outfit - including the shoes. I recently bought a new cell phone. And because I'm devastatingly geographically challenged and horribly phobic of getting lost - I bought a Garmin Nuvi GPS. But those may be the only big ticket items I'll buy this year, LOL. Last year there were no big ticket items, LOL. And I didn't spend a whole thousand dollars (that I don't have, mind you) on an island vacation! My cell phone and GPS together didn’t cost anywhere near that! I'll take a cheap road trip to a local beach for now, please.

But at any rate, I sometimes get tired of people's assumptions. Don't assume that just because I don't have to pay rent or a mortgage that I'm comparable to Uncle Scrooge. I do not have a vault full of cash, people. Don't assume that just because I live under mommy and daddy's roof that they're footing all my bills and giving me an allowance. None of that is true. I just live there. I buy my own groceries. I fix my own meals at times. I just live there - that's it. But not for long - and people seem to think that this is going to be my permanent status. "Oh she'll never get her own place!" How can I if I'm playing money machine?

So as you can see, I'm a little bitter about this, LOL. I'm a little stingy for now, but I have not been exceedingly and abundantly blessed yet - at least not with cash, LOL. Until I do, don't assume that I'm rich and have it altogether! Stop pressuring me, stop begging me – and respect what I’m trying to do with my finances!