Where Did All My Money Go?

Well, you work all these years and now are able to enjoy the fruits of your labor.

You have a nice budget, but somehow at the end of the month, you are scratching your head wondering where did all that money go? Mmmmm?

I have a budget…I have expendable income, but for the life of me, I normally can’t tell you what I did with it.

Sure, we pay the essentials, mortgage/rent, utilities, and food.

”Where is the rest of it?” There is definite money “leakage”. Ten dollars, here, five dollars there and before you know it…PUFF!! It is gone.

A tactic I use is to keep a spending journal. It does not have to be a fancy journal, but just something small that you can log EVERY dime that you spend. Try this for a month and you will be shocked about how you spend your money.

It makes you stop and think before you spend.

Another way that we throw away money is how we shop for food. We shop for food on a regular basis and just stuff more food into the freezer. The net result is a freezer full of “mystery” meat.

Recently, I have been just making freezer meals. I use what is in the freezer and in my cupboards and then get creative. I was shocked to find out that I had expired foodstuffs on hand and had to toss them out. Just eating “freezer” meals alone will save you a lot of money!

You can stop this money leakage and end up with some creative meals!

Photo Credit: braerik Flickr via Compfight cc

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Beatrice Bailey was born and raised in Davenport, Iowa to a Baptist minister father and a mother who was a gospel recording artist. She has three sisters and one brother. She attended the University of Iowa and graduated with a BA in Psychology from California State University, Sacramento. Retired since 2004 from management positions with both the Xerox Corporation and the State of California, Bea now conducts customized seminars on “Budgeting for the Not So Rich and Famous”, “Putting the Puzzle Pieces Together…The Ultimate Balancing Act,” as well as interview techniques entitled, “Selling the Sizzle and Not the Steak.” In addition, she is an active member of St. Paul Baptist Church in Sacramento, CA, where she is an Adult Sunday School teacher. Bea has been a Head Feature Writer for Senior Magazine of Northern California. She also writes a monthly newspaper column entitled, “Uniquely Bea” Currently, she has authored a best-selling book, entitled, "Farewell, My Friend” and is conducting presentations and book signings throughout the United States and Mexico. "Radio Luz,” a Spanish Speaking Christian Radio Station, has interviewed her multiple times. Bea also was selected to be included in a book by The Author’s Show, as one of the "50 Outstanding Writers You Should Be Reading”. Bea has produced and hosted a new innovative television show, “A-Z with Bea”, which aired in November 2009 on RCCTV, Sacramento, CA. Bea is active at St. Paul Baptist Church and is an Adult Sunday school Teacher, and a Small Accountability Group Leader. She is a member of Kaiser’s Bio-Ethics Committee and on the Board of Advisors for the East Lawn Corporation. Recently, she has been asked to participate as a speaker with the Black Health Today national organization. To relax, Bea likes to work out at the gym, walk, knit, paint, sew, cook, garden, and read. Traveling within the United States, Mexico, Asia, the Caribbean, South America and Europe is one of Bea’s true passions. She has two adult children, one “bonus son”, five wonderful grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. She resides in Northern California.

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