My head hung in utter despair. Living paycheck to paycheck was reaching a breaking point. I knew that I could no longer live like this. Once again, I attempted to hire a financial planner to assist me. When my request for a form that does not include the word husband was met with me being thrown to another advisor, I abandoned the entire idea. How many times have I tried to hire a planner only to be met with some sort of issue? This was the worst experience by far.
April rolled around. A FB associate posted about finial literacy. I reached out to her for assistance. She scheduled a session with me. She explained to me that I do not have a budgeting problem. I have a mindset issue with how to use my money for what I want. It is an energy. This changed everything for me.
The wee hours of my morning are spent looking at my finances. Bills and purchases are tracked on paper and with apps. Because I am always on social media, I started following people that know how to work with money be it for fun or professional reasons. No platform was left untouched: FB, Twitter, and especially Instagram. I watched videos about cash stuffing envelopes and sinking funds on YouTube. A 401(b) has been set up with plans to review more options during the summer. This immersion did wonders for me. It wasn’t too long ago that I texted my financial literacy coach and told her that I wasn’t broke before payday. It is a really good feeling.
I do not feel as out of control. My hands are no longer a vessel just to pay bills. There is a better understanding of what is happening with my finances. The secret for me is the withdrawing of cash. It makes budgeting easier. Also, constantly tracking expenses keeps me involved in an ever-changing situation. Yes, there have been some surprises, but they have been manageable because everything has been stabilized. Let’s see how I continue with this journey in the very near future…