I never wonder how much money we have (or don’t have). I always know how much is in savings designated for a particular spending project (like vacations, the house fund or even a new elliptical machine.) I know how much we are able to spend on meals out, going to the movies, or groceries. I have it all down to within a dollar or two each month because we use a budget and we don’t stray from the rules.

Keeping our money flowing in an organized pattern makes sure we have no surprises. We save a certain amount each month and put it in savings to have it for when the car insurance bills come in, when we have to re-license the vehicles and when life insurance premiums are due. Those bills are not monthly so if we didn’t save money back each month to cover the bill it would be a nasty shock when they did arrive. By paying ourselves a set amount each month to cover those bills we always have the money and we make interest money while we wait for the bill to come.

I feel sorry for people who just can’t get ahead and who were never taught about the benefits of saving for the future. Even just saving for something you know you’ll have to pay a few months from now is a foreign concept to some. It’s too bad we don’t teach more of that in our high schools and middle schools. Even little kids need to know that money doesn’t grow on trees and we should manage it wisely.

About the Author

The author is a freelance writer and enjoys covering a lot of topics. Another one that interests her is found at knife block set because it looks awesome having a great Henckels knife set on a kitchen counter.