Budgets and I have a love-hate relationship.  I find anything having to do with numbers difficult, and this nightmare never ceases. The current budget situation is an upcoming decrease of income which means I must continue my struggle for a budget that works and seek new income streams.

Goal #1 has been met. One credit card is empty, not being used, and set aside in the file for “emergencies”. The truth is I intend to never use it again.

Goal #2 has been met, with great effort. My credit card is empty, but not yet retired. The retirement will be in one month, and then it too will be in the file as “emergency” credit.  UPDATE: I realized I needed to retire it immediately. Enough!!

Goal #3 is to be on a completely cash-only basis. NO use of credit at all. I’m almost there. By January 1st it will be accomplished and that is going to be such a relief!!  I will be done with credit use.

Goal #4 is to retire the very last of the educational debt from my husband’s doctorate. I hope this will be finished off during the early part of the coming year.

Goal #5 has been ongoing for over a year so far. This has been the practice of holding in a savings account money to pay for bills, like the IRS and insurance and garbage pick-up that must be paid every few months. This forward planning has been a struggle. There is always something that needs repaired, parts purchased, etc. I need to begin holding money for those unplanned costs and make them into planned costs, but oh it is hard to do!! As you try to set aside money for these, they seem to multiply and demand to be purchased right now right now right now– it is diabolical and I hate it totally.

Goal #6 include a savings for replacement, parts and repairs.

Goal #7 include a savings for emergencies– build a true emergency fund so that trips to the emergency room are cash!

Meanwhile, job hunting to increase income now and be there when the other is gone is on-going and stressful.

There is my tell-all.  As I said, I have a love-hate relationship with budgets.

Dear Lord, please help us to budget wisely and create new income streams. +Amen.