For the month of December, I’ll be participating in #WEverb11. Each day gives a new prompt, each of which is a chance to reflect and look forward.
December 27: Spend
Where did your money go this year? Where do you want it to go in 2012? Contributed by Kimberly Michelle.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The simple answer to this question is – OUT. My money went out of my hands in 2011. I’m such a bad saver, and beyond that, I’ve had a few unexpected financial strains this year (you know, what with the poor economy and budget cuts to education and all). So I had even less to work with than I’m used to.
2011 has been a good year for me to cut my spending. I don’t make a ton of money to begin with (no one goes into teaching for the money), but I’ve done a darn good job this year of cutting where I can. It was a matter of want vs. need. So I started doing my brows myself, instead of getting them waxed. And I stopped getting my bi-monthly pedicures. Heck, I haven’t had a pedicure since July. But it’s winter and I’m not showing my toes much, and if I really want to, I can polish them myself. And I do think twice before I buy a new lipstick or other cosmetic item. But I’m not living like a monk, by any means. It just goes to show that there is always room to cut back, if you’re forced to/really want to.
When looking at my bank account, I can see that about 1/2 – 2/3 of my money goes to pay bills – rent, car, utilities, cable, phone, and credit cards. I’m working on cutting down the credit card debt one little payment at a time. But I do like to use some of the store cards because you get such good discounts that way, and as long as I pay off what I spend, it works to my benefit. And the rest of the bills are unavoidable or things that I’ve decided I don’t want to do without.
The other major purchase this year was food. Eating well costs more, but it’s an investment in my health, so that’s money well spent. My mom always taught us not to scrimp on good food, and I agree. I’d much rather cut something else and enjoy the food I’m eating. This is where the WLS is going to be really nice – I can’t wait to see my meager food bills once I’m eating so much less.
In 2012, I’m hoping to spend more money on:
- Travel. I love seeing new places, and I haven’t gone on a true vacation in far too long. I’ve mentioned that Scale Warfare and I are planning a Vegas meetup this summer, and I’d also like to be able to take a few more local weekend trips.
- Clothes. I already spend plenty of my wardrobe, but I can’t wait to buy clothes in smaller sizes than I’ve worn in 10 years. I can’t wait to purchase clothes that really fit my style and that I will be able to wear for years to come, knowing they’re flattering because I’m smaller.
No matter what, I want my spending in 2012 to reflect more of my priorities, and less of my frivolity.
Where did your money go in 2011?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you’d like to join in on the daily writing prompts, go to WEverb11, sign up for the email notifications, and join us! Or follow along on Twitter using the #WEverb11 hashtag!
Bella on the Beach 