How does that famous Forest Gump quote go….oh ya, “Life’s like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get.” And while I certainly agree with that life is unpredictable sentiment; buying chocolates doesn’t have to be unpredictable, right? Think about how ridiculous that is for a minute. You work hard for your money. If you want to take a chance play Monopoly or buy a scratch ticket. If you want chocolate visit my friend Christie at Godiva and she’ll hook you up (by that I mean she’ll actually help you pick out what you want). Be responsible with those Benjamin’s and devise a game plan. Create a budget.
Have you ever stopped and wondered aloud, where did it all go; what did I spend my money on? Assuming you don’t have amnesia, or a lack of short term memory like Drew Barrymore’s character Lucy in 50 First Dates, I suspect it just comes down to you being a little too wreck loose with your greenback. You need to budget yourself. One way I found helpful (and depressing) was chronicling my spending for just one week. I simply wrote down everything I spent my disposal income on for that particular week. I was startled to learn that my Starbucks coffees, lunches, People Magazine, one night out with my friends, and buying a new shirt on sale ($15) totaled a jaw dropping $95! Even if I left the shirt out I was still sitting at $80 bucks! I began to ask myself if I really needed to spend that much money each week.
I then decided to make a conscious decision to save, instead of spend, for one year. I stopped getting my $4 coffee’s in the morning; I brought my lunch to work, and got together with friends at home instead of at a club in Boston. What I found is that I saved nearly $3,000! It adds up quickly my friends. Now that’s not to say you can’t spoil yourself from time to time. We all need our fix somewhere. I mean, we still need to live today while planning for tomorrow. You need to find a healthy balance that suits you. Can you afford to put $5 per week away, $20, or $100? Don’t be discouraged by the denomination. Remember, “The power of discipline the rewards of time.” You should always pay yourself first. You too will be amazed at your bank statement in just a short period of time.
So let the Forest Gump’s of the world continue to play Russian roulette with their box of chocolates; wondering what they will get. Your strategy allows for a more predictable and profitable outcome. So sit back and enjoy each predictable chocolate morsel. It sure tastes good knowing exactly what you’re going to get.
