Tracking Time- Katelyn

So, Kelsey B. is totally awesome. I love having her as my Savings Coach. We are talking about the lingo, which I am so naive on. But I'm getting better.

We have been discussing different ways of saving and which would be best for me. Having my money put away so that nobody can reach it is what we decided would be the best approach.

At our first meeting, she had printed up all my transactions from this year and totaled them up. It was amazing to see how much I really spend. I never thought I could spend a thousand dollars on things “just because,” especially when I try to be so frugal. I thought that by remembering I had a truck and school and life to pay for that I would be able to not spend very much. But by not keeping track I had no way of monitoring my spending.

I've started keeping track of all the money I spend, even if its spare change at a gas station and it has really helped. I realize when I am spending money and stop to think, do I really really need this?? Or is it just something that I want?

Although it’s good to get things you want every once in a while, you have to be careful when purchasing “discretionary” items. Personally, I tend to binge shop. I will do really well for a while. Then all of a sudden the urge to buy things hits me, and I spend a couple hundred dollars easy. So now, when I get the urge to binge shop I go to target and shop in their dollar section. They have a lot of really cute stuff and it usually ends up being fifteen dollars or under for a bunch of stuff.

Being a part of the Savings Challenge has made me consider the value of money much closer than I have ever had to before. Yes, I pay for a lot of my own stuff, but money was never something I stressed or worried about. It's money; it's not a big deal. Wrong.

While money is not the most important thing in life compared to happiness or love or peace, it is vital in living a comfortable life. The future I want to have will cost a lot of money, but it will be worth it. Over ten years more of schooling will cost a small fortune, but when I make it I hope to be able to pay back any loans I may have…as long as I remember what I learn and watch my finances along the way.

- Katelyn