One Year To An Organized Financial Life - January and March Week 1

January
"Making and managing money is incredibly empowering.  I have embraced he example he (her father) set and found other teachers and mentors o give me the instruction he didn't know how to impart.  Just so, your future is bound to be better."  Regina Leeds, pg 15 of One Year To An Organized Financial  Life

In the first week of January, Regina asks us to come up with some financial goals for the year and to answer some questions that reveal our relationship with money.  I found that my relationship with money is and has been really good.  My parents didn't have (seem to have) a terrible relationship with money.  We were always provided for, but like the quote above states, I have had to find other places to get the instruction and education that I've needed to make my money future even better.

Here are some of the financial goals I wrote in my Financial Notebook:

1. I plan to have an emergency fund by the end of the year.
2. I plan to create a budget that is flexible yet stable for our family.
3. I plan to be able to give more financially to our community.

March
This week in the first week of March, Regina (and Russel) let us know what documents we need to keep and for how long.  I don't keep enough paper.  I will be reviewing these lists and taking better care to have all the needed documents on hand.

Habits and Tools
The two habits I am working on that correspond with these two months are to drink two glasses of water each day and to do at least five minutes of filing.  The tools are to have a financial notebook and to use music to help face the challenges that come with dealing with money.  I have found that I am drinking a little more water than I used to.  My filing is getting done more regularly; my "to be filed" drawer is not as full.  I started a notebook where I record answers to the questions and where I make some notations about our budgeting and bill paying.  I have been having less noise around.  I think I finally figured out that the noise level in this house is just too much.  There is always something going - tv, stereo, iTunes.  A couple of times this last week I have just turned all the music and programs off.  Our voices are so loud when I do that.  I think we talk loudly to hear each other over all the "background" noise.


Striving to learn and live God's purposes,